EOPA Newsletter - March 2024

[Elected Officials to Protect America]

March 2024 Dear Patrick,   I hope this finds you and your loved ones well. Happy Spring!    We’re pleased to announce our New York/New Jersey Offshore Wind Virtual Summit on March 27. The summit will highlight state and local policy solutions for offshore wind investments, leasing, manufacturing, workforce development projects, supply chains, labor laws and prevailing wage, and environmental reviews to brief participants on offshore wind progress. Please register if you’re interested. EOPA’s National IRA Taskforce Chairman, Schenectady Councilmember John Polimeni has sent out his first Newsletter and second issues about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) benefits. If you are interested in the Task Force and/or have questions please contact John at john.m....@protectingamerica.net. A meeting will be convened soon. Read more about the Taskforce HERE.   We’re happy to announce the date for our National Washington DC Summit with the Department of Energy will be November 11-13, 2024. As more benefits from the climate provisions in the IRA are announced regularly there will be informative sessions to help elected officials know where to apply.   In January we held a successful summit at the Hawaii State Capitol with our Climate Resilience Program, a partnership with the Contentment Foundation. We were fortunate to have forty-two participants who learned about the principals we teach in our Certified Program, focusing on emotional intelligence. We also participated in a talk to help community members from the horrific Maui fires. Shortly afterwards a Mental Health Climate Resilience bill was submitted for consideration in the Hawaii State legislature, having been introduced by the budget committee chair.   Our next Certificate Program is accepting applicants for our August 9-11, 2024 training in Washington D.C., please apply here.   Across the country, over 400 American elected officials signed a letter to the EPA to enact the strongest climate standards across the board, from smokestack pollution to abandoned well methane pollution, clean car standards and others. Together, these standards could significantly slash the greenhouse gas pollution warming our planet, and protect millions of people in the US at risk of the health impacts of air pollution. We are working to ensure these rules are finalized and implemented no later than May.   We are connecting US mayors with sister city mayors in Ukraine to further our Energy Security Marshall Plan for Ukraine. Additionally, we continue our work with British MP’s to support the Plan. On the anniversary of Putin’s invasion, we held a radio show with Igor Tregub, a Ukrainian American and former Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner, and myself to highlight the plight of thousands in Ukraine, and talk about our Plan. Over a million heard the show.   In New York our work continues on the New York Climate Change Superfund with State Assemblymember Anna Kelles to help ensure big oil is paying for their climate disasters. Over 100 of our New York elected officials from all levels of government signed a letter in support of the Superfund urging the Governor Kathleen Hochul to include the measure in her budget. Our recent New York syndicated radio show on the Climate Superfund featuring Asm Kelles had over 1.7Million listeners. Additionally,  Cate Rogers, Deputy Supervisor of East Hampton, NY had an op-ed published on why we need the Climate Superfund, and was interviewed by Spectrum News about it. Offshore Wind progress— The transition to renewable energy is the only path to energy independence in a world of extreme weather caused by the climate crisis — which continues to be fueled by the use of fossil fuels. Harnessing never ending clean offshore wind is critical for our nation to replace dirty fossil fuels. As more people purchase electric vehicles, and electric heat pumps, with the aid of the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax incentives, the demand for electricity increases.  Offshore wind is key to help meet that demand as combustion engines, furnaces and air conditioners are replaced. In January we hosted a national offshore wind press conference with elected officials from CA, NY, NJ and CT. Two radio shows spun off of the well-attended event. On the first, New Jersey Leadership Councilmember Kareem Shabazz, spoke on how offshore wind projects are already training people in environmental justice communities for highly skilled jobs in the industry, and Megan Daly, chief commerce officer for the Port of Albany, said the port’s expansion is an economic boon for the area and will add 550 additional jobs at the port. Over 2 million listened or read the story. The second one highlighted Cate Rogers, Deputy Supervisor of East Hampton, NY and Clint Weirick, a city council member in Grover Beach City, CA. They updated people on the progress of offshore wind in their states. Half a million people tuned in.  Heidi Harmon, former Mayor of San Luis Obispo, CA had an op-ed published detailing how much has been accomplished on offshore wind by the legislature and that people should rally around it in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.   Additionally, our CA Director Meghan Sahli-Wells attended the Yurok Tribal Offshore Wind Summit to hear from tribal leaders, and other stakeholders.  Fossil Fuel Phase out— In California, we continue to fight to ensure the 3,200 safety zone setbacks from oil and gas wells remains the law, idle wells are cleaned up, and no new permits for the oil and gas industry are issued. We’re also keeping a close eye on the progress to make sure price gouging fines are enforced. On February 10, the Daily Kos article Big Oil and Big Gas spent a record $27 million lobbying in California in 2023! quoted Meghan Sahli-Wells, EOPA California Director on the blatant lies and hypocrisy of the oil industry. (Photo: an ad we did in CA to expose the need for Big Oil to pay for idle well clean-up costs). In New Mexico, Rep. Debbie Sariñana’s three major bills on our phase out of fossil fuels outlined what the state should do.  Debbie's radio show about oil and gas setbacks reached 2.3M people. Unfortunately, opposition from the oil and gas industry stopped their progress. Debbie’s setback safe zone bill was based on the California 3,200 foot law, which we are defending. Debbie is gearing up to welcome more elected officials to the Council. We have an addition to Protect Earth Newsmagazine with an Art Corner, located at the bottom of the front page. With every issue we will highlight a work of climate crisis art for change, starting with Duncan McNelis.   As always, we are grateful for your hard work and dedication to our shared goals. Thank you all or your leadership. Everything we do is because of you. Please reach out to me with any questions, news, policy questions or projects you’d think we should be involved in.   Warm regards,   Alex Cornell du Houx, EOPA President, Co-Founder Former Maine State Representative,  Marine Veteran al...@protectingamerica.net PROTECT EARTH NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE XXI FEATURES — Over 550 elected officials want inclusive, equitable offshore wind power development to improve health, economies and mitigate climate disasters NY/NJ offshore wind manufacturing grows CA offshore wind projects picking up steam California’s first offshore floating wind farm could be in state waters as project near Space Force Base progresses Off of Massachusetts Vineyard Wind 1 delivers first offshore wind power to grid The CA Humboldt Bay Harbor District gets $426.7 million federal grant to build a terminal that will serve the construction and maintenance of floating offshore wind farms The US Bureau Of Ocean Energy Management has designated 2.4 GW potential to two OR final offshore wind energy areas Dr. Dagher, inventor of VolturnUS floating offshore wind platform, advocates offshore wind “Marshal Plan” for U.S. ports Gov. Newsom is keeping his promise to stop fracking, let’s continue to transition to 100 percent clean energy say over 480 CA elected officials EPA proposed rule to reduce wasteful methane emissions from the oil and gas sector to drive innovation and protect communities CA students prevail in campaign for a fossil fuel-free future at Oxnard Union High School District New Mexico better-health bills aim to end oil and gas spills, ensure clean water, and secure safety zones around schools  New York Superfund Act would make polluters pay for climate damage Rallies across CA, U.S. planned for anniversary of Ukraine invasion EOPA elected officials, support an Energy Security Marshall Plan for Ukraine to rebuild with for a clean energy future New heat-pump technology helps Maine reduce oil use, reach climate goals Biden Administration announces significant progress to catalyze solar energy development throughout the West with IRA $254 Million from IRA and other federal programs to decarbonize America’s industrial sector and revitalize domestic manufacturing FEMA unlocks new IRA provisions for public assistance projects, while advancing Biden Administration’s goals to reach net-zero by 2050 $83 million in funding to expand air quality monitoring across the nation as part of Biden Investing in America agenda EPA announces $3 Billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for clean ports USDA funding to ease application process for clean energy projects with IRA Rural Energy for America Program CA gets $15.5+ Billion in Climate Investments from Biden Administration VOICES — CA former SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon urges community to ‘rally behind’ offshore wind Op-ed by Heidi Harmon, former mayor San Luis Obispo, CA Major oil, gas and coal companies must pay the staggering costs of the climate crisis Op-ed by Cate Rogers, Deputy Supervisor East Hampton, NY Maine must develop healthy offshore wind energy Op-ed by Gary Friedmann, Vice Chair Harbor Town Council, ME Afghan refugees pay the price for Iran-Taliban power play in drought Op-ed by Naweed Kawusi, EOPA Program Director, Fmr. Director of Veterans’ Affairs, Fmr. Director of International Cooperation, Ret. ANDSF Colonel, Afghanistan Client Weirick, Councilmember, Grover Beach, CA, spoke on how offshore wind will help communities up and down the coast Megan Daly, Chief Commerce Officer, Port of Albany NY, speaks about the ports build out for offshore wind Cate Rogers, Deputy Supervisor, Town of East Hampton, Long Island, NY speaks about the successful South Fork offshore wind farm about to come online NEWS PARTNERSHIPS — City Climate Corner podcasts explore how small and mid-sized cities are tackling climate change and moving toward an equitable and sustainable future. The Listening Project podcast has community stories about the environmental fight in the refinery port city of Richmond, CA  A partnership with Public News Service allows us to share important Radio/Print news reports from across the country on the climate crisis and action being taken.   HELP US KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU — We encourage you to spread your news with us. We’re here to help. Please reach out to our communications director Ramona du Houx at ram...@protectingamerica.net.   OUR MISSION — To create a safe, prosperous, and healthy planet, we empower leadership from elected officials and civic leaders to protect our environment and fight the climate crisis. As current and former elected officials who care deeply about protecting our planet and people from the dangers of climate change, EOPA educates through value-based storytelling, trains lawmakers, and connects elected officials to inspire strong environmental policy. Lawmakers who are veterans and elected officials representing frontline communities lead our mission.   Elected Officials to Protect America 20 Main Street Rockland, ME 04841 United States If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.