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STAMFORD OFFICIALS MEET WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO SHAPE FEDERAL CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY
Climate change is the challenge of our generation, and the City of Stamford continues to be a regional leader in protection strategies. Stamford Economic Development Director, Michael Freimuth and City Planner, Erin McKenna; recently participated in a kickoff meeting in Washington, D.C. of Climate Communities attended by 18 select county and municipal representatives from diverse areas across the country. The aim of the two day event was to work with the Ferguson Group, a Washington lobbying organization, on a strategy to advocate for innovative federal policies and to attract resources to support local efforts.
The conventional approach to climate change is to focus on the issue at the state and federal levels. Local governments, however, play a central role in efforts to prevent and prepare for global warming. For instance, local governments have taken the lead in implementing innovative projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including hybrid municipal fleets, energy efficient buildings, environmentally preferred purchasing, and local land use and transportation initiatives to reduce the use of automobiles. Local governments are also the first responders to the impacts of climate change, and have begun to consider the impacts of rising sea levels, increased flooding, droughts and other natural disasters that threaten local infrastructure and the health and safety of communities across the country. What makes Climate Communities unique is that for the first time, local government will be in on policy discussions.
The group discussed its goals with the following objectives for federal climate
change policies:
q Recognize and enhance the critical role of local governments on climate change;
q Provide the funding and incentives needed to achieve adequate progress on these issues;
q Help localities address and pay for any new mandates imposed on local communities; and
q Enhance the ability of local communities to be innovators and market leaders in the nationwide effort to combat climate change.
The meeting took place as the U.S. Senate prepared to begin debate on major climate change legislation. On the eve of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s consideration of landmark “cap-and-trade” legislation, Climate Communities’ participants met privately with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the Committee’s chairwoman, to express appreciation for her climate change leadership and remind her of the critical role local governments have in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Senator Boxer promised to collaborate with the group and acknowledged the necessity of working with local government representatives.
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved the bill, which is expected to be reviewed by the full Senate and the House in the Spring. While many of the actions taken by the Committee are positive, it currently provides no direct resources, incentives, or assistance to local governments for emissions reduction or adaptation actions. Climate Communities therefore has the opportunity to communicate with the Senate Committee over the next few months and persuade them of the importance of allocations to local governments. The legislation would limit emissions for virtually all sectors of the economy, but would allow swapping of pollution permits among carbon emitters. If this “cap-and-trade” system goes into effect, Climate Communities will lobby for the auction proceeds to support local government activities.
Ultimately, Climate Communities decided to focus 2008 lobbying efforts on the following priorities:
q Establish a role for local governments in the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 (the “cap-and-trade” Bill);
q Reauthorize the Transportation Act with changes that enhance local governmental action on mass transportation, green vehicles and transit oriented development;
q Expand fiscal year 2009 federal funding for local efforts to develop and deploy technologies that combat climate change, including green fleets, clean fuels, and adaptations to climate change;
q Promote federal policies that help local governments purchase products and equipment that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
q Support federal policies that promote research and initiatives to create climate resilient communities adapted to the impacts of climate change (e.g. rising sea level, impacts on water supply, increased flooding, more fires, more severe storm events, etc.).
Representatives from the following communities participated in charting the course of Climate Communities: Alameda County, CA; Sacramento County, CA; City of Santa Ana, CA; Sonoma County Water Agency, CA; City of Stamford, CT; Charlotte County, FL; Miami-Dade County, FL; Erie County, PA; Story County, IA; Montgomery County, MD; Prince George’s County, MD; Nassau County, NY; Clean Fuels Ohio, OH; City of Philadelphia, PA; Arlington County, VA; James City County, VA; King County, WA; and Snohomish County, WA. This politically and geographically diverse membership will position local government leaders to affect our nation’s federal policies for years to come.
“Localities are some of the best laboratories for developing and deploying innovative climate change programs and projects,” said Mayor Dannel P. Malloy. “Climate Communities will bring together the best minds at the local level to develop federal policy proposals that will enhance our ability to implement new local initiatives that will produce substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to partnering with the federal government to tackle this important challenge.”
For more information about Stamford’s climate change efforts, contact Erin McKenna at (203) 977-4715 or emckenna@ci.stamford.ct.us. For more information about Climate Communities, contact Andrew Seth at (202) 454-3922 or aseth@tfgnet.com. Also visit www.climatecommunities.us.
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