By Kate Hill

Staff Writer

On June 1, the United Climate Action Network (U-CAN) held its second meeting at the Cazenovia Public Library as a follow-up to its March 16 Climate Action Leadership Summit — a historic event that brought together more than 40 community leaders to address climate change on a local level.

U-CAN is a grassroots organization that advocates environmentally sustainable policies and actions in New York’s 22nd Congressional District. The purpose of the summit was to bring together knowledgeable stakeholders in the areas of climate change and the environment; to identify the most critical climate change-related issues in CNY; and to develop strategic action plans to guide the group’s work. The March summit resulted in the development of a five-year strategic plan outlining goals related to agriculture and forestry, business, advocacy, education, trees, renewable energy, plastics and recycling, water, home and business energy conservation, public transportation, invasive and endangered species, and inter-faith involvement.

The group also identified six key action areas — renewable energy, water, tree plantings, communication/education, plastics and advocacy — to help address climate change in the short term.

During the June follow-up meeting, the attendees shared their accomplishments over the past three months and worked in teams to set objectives and goals for the summer.

U-CAN steering committee members Phil Rose, Mary Bartlett and Geoffrey Navias ran the session.

Following a review of the Summit Report, Bartlett led a “lightning round,” during which nine group members were given three minutes to describe their successes.

Trees

Promoting and implementing widespread reforestation is one of U-CAN’s major long-term goals. Steve Evans reported the tree planting leadership committee is set to meet its short-term goal of planting 700 trees by March 2020. The committee worked with Cazenovia Preservation Foundation to identify a suitable five-acre test plot. It is currently working to determine how and when all of the trees will be planted.

Renewable energy

Since March, Phil Hofmeyer and Keith Pitman have met a dozen times to discuss the topic of rural electricity. Hofmeyer informed the group that he and Pitman are now involved with four grant proposals related to wind technologies and energy storage systems.

“One of the big issues with grids and renewable energy is intermittency,” he said. “When it is sunny or windy out you can produce electricity, but that’s not necessarily when you need it.”

The pair is working with a wind company out of Massachusetts to investigate renewable technologies (with storage systems) that could serve as models for use on rural electric co-ops nationwide. Hofmeyer noted that nationally, renewable energy is undergoing a shift from small residential systems toward much larger systems that are more easily controlled and potentially less expensive.

He also said while he is extremely optimistic about the future of renewable energy, he recognizes that the transition is not without its challenges.

“If you put a lot of electricity on a grid at one time, you need to have a way of managing it,” Hofmeyer said. “We have an antiquated grid, so that becomes really problematic . . . we physically don’t have the [infrastructure] to manage all of it.”

Hofmeyer will lead a conversation about industrial wind farms at 6:30 p.m. on July 22 at the Bohemian Moon, 103 E Main St., Norwich. He will discuss the community impact of industrial wind farms and the responsible planning they require.

Publicity

Rose highlighted the recent local news coverage of climate-related issues and the efforts of organizations like U-CAN. Additionally, he said he would like to see the media make the connection between climate change and the natural disasters occurring across the country.

‘Climate Smart’ Cazenovia

Village Trustee Dave Porter provided an update on the climate actions plans implemented by the Town and Village of Cazenovia. According to Porter, the village is currently tackling the “administrative” aspects of its LED street light conversion project and is moving forward with its 275-kilowatt solar array project at the Village Water Treatment Plant site.

Additionally, the village replaced the HVAC systems at both the fire hall and the village office with higher efficiency units. Porter also highlighted the completion of the New Woodstock LED street light project and the town’s pursuit of a 1.2-megawatt community solar project at the town highway garage.

‘Seize the Power’

Nancy Paolozzi discussed the success of the second annual “Seize the Power” Climate & Energy Action Fair, held April 16 at Cazenovia College. The fair featured educational panels and discussions, 20 climate and energy exhibitors, an electric car show, a keynote speaker and a new “Kids Space.” The goal of the event is to advocate for smart climate policies and action to reduce carbon emissions.

The third annual fair — which will coincide with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day — has already been scheduled for April 18, 2020.

Coalition building

Navias said one of the roles of U-CAN is to facilitate the coalition of like-minded people and organizations throughout the region.

He said he is confident that over the next six months, even more individuals and groups will join forces to combat climate change. The groups will then have to decide when it makes sense to work together and when it makes sense to work individually on a more hyper-local level.

NYS plastic bag ban

In April, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a statewide ban on most single-use plastic bags from retail stores.

The ban, which was included in the state’s 2020 budget, will go into effect March 2020.

New York is the third state (after California and Hawaii) to ban single-use plastic grocery bags.

Bartlett remarked that while the ban is a victory, the legislation is not without its foibles.

She brought attention to its many exemptions, including food takeout bags, bags used to wrap deli or meat counter products, compostable bags, bags for bulk items, newspaper bags, garment bags, and trash and recycling bags.

Bartlett also explained that the legislation allows individual counties to opt-in to a 5-cent fee for paper bags. Madison County has already voted against the charge.

Climate & Community Protection Act

Maggie Reilly offered an update on the status of the New York State Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA) — a progressive climate-equity policy that would move the state to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

If passed, the proposed law would also create green jobs and protect those communities that are most vulnerable to climate change.

Reilly reminded the group that the legislative session ends on June 18.

“It’s extremely urgent that we act now,” she said. “We need to spread the word about the importance of passing a strong version of the CCPA.”

The bill has the support of the majority of the Senate, but it requires five more sponsors in the Assembly.

In addition to contacting those assembly members who are not signed onto the bill, Reilly advocated encouraging the senators on the CCPA working group to maintain the most critical pieces of the bill and to not let the governor and other actors water it down.

According to Reilly, the governor’s office is in favor of changing the bill to set a goal of a “carbon-neutral” standard rather than a “zero-emissions” standard. The office has also announced that it is against the CCPA’s mandate to direct 40 percent of investment to vulnerable communities.

On June 11, hundreds of activists will mobilize at the State Capital in Albany in an attempt to push the CCPA over the finish line.

Colgate University climate program

John Pumilio, director of sustainability at Colgate University, described the success of Colgate’s aggressive climate action plan.

In 2009, the university made a pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2019. After measuring its institutional carbon footprint, the university began taking steps to reduce its overall emissions.

According to Pumilio, Colgate’s $10 million plan, which included over 30 programs, was almost fully implemented.

In the last 10 years, the university has reduced its campus carbon footprint by almost 50 percent.

In addition to reducing emissions, Colgate has also taken responsibility for its remaining emissions by investing in carbon offsets.

Additionally, the school established the Green Revolving Loan Fund — a $1.25 million self-sustaining fund for additional energy and carbon-reduction projects.
Colgate announced its achievement of carbon neutrality on Earth Day, April 22.

During the final section of the June 1 meeting, participants divided into groups to brainstorm strategies for advancing each of the six key action areas.

The groups will report on their progress at the next U-CAN meeting in three months.

On June 11, the Cazenovia Public Library will host a lecture on the new Madison County recycling program. Kristin Welch, recycling coordinator for the Madison County Department of Solid Waste, will deliver the presentation at 7 p.m. in the Community Room.

To learn more about U-CAN and to get involved, visit cazclimatecommittee.org or email [email protected]. To sign up for the U-CAN newsletter, email Phil Rose at [email protected].