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We’re not going to lie, the vibes feel real weird right now.
With a lot of change expected on the near horizon, we are getting prepped by organizing within our membership areas and throughout our region, and invite you to join us in these efforts – one of the best ways to address anxiety is through taking meaningful action.

It’s always time to get organized, and our time is now.

Last week, we launched the sign up form for our Rapid Response Team, which will enable us to react quickly to proposed changes to federal regulations and to better show up in support of peer actions, like labor pickets, while organically growing our membership base to build power for our ongoing campaigns. This is a flexible and dynamic team with a wide variety of roles available, from phone banking to babysitting to direct actions. Click here to sign up!

We are also hosting our next General Meeting on January 22. This meeting will be focused on the local impacts of federal actions, and about how our campaigns will be responding. Please register to help us plan.

Finally, please save the date for our Annual Meeting on March 26 and our Annual Dinner on May 1. More details, including registration links, will be shared in coming weeks for both.

Are you a current member and interested in joining our Board? we still have space for one or two new board members – please reach out to Chris for more information.

Finally, please be sure to scroll down to see an important petition that we need your signature on as well as other updates!

With Bread and Roses,
Bridge, Chris, Cindy, Gia and Kiera

Clean Air is supporting a coalition effort with Niagara Falls residents, workers, and organizations to urge the EPA and NYS DEC to take immediate action to bring emissions at the Goodyear facility in Niagara Falls down to levels considered safe.

This Goodyear facility uses a chemical called ortho-toluidine, exposure to which is a known cause of bladder cancer. For decades, this chemical has caused illnesses and deaths among facility workers, and the relatively high exposures have been pointed to as an example of the need for stronger OSHA regulations around hazardous chemicals. If you want to learn more, we highly recommend the book “The Cancer Factory” by Jim Morris, which dives deep into this story over decades of history, and is also available as an audiobook.

Emissions of this chemical exceed current safety standards, and the Goodyear Corporation does have plans to improve safety equipment to bring the facility into compliance, but is asking for two years to do so – we feel this is excessively long, especially as Goodyear has known of the danger for decades. We also feel that this is yet another example of the need for reforms in NY’s environmental permitting process, and of the dangers the regulatory status quo presents to the community and to workers.

We are asking that the EPA and DEC step in to truncate this timeline to protect residents and workers.
Help us reach 150 signatures before Friday – click here to sign the petition to the EPA, and share it widely.

To learn more, please check out these resources.

Our blog – Take Action Today – Demand Goodyear Corporation Rein in Ortho-toluidine Emissions!

Propublica – As Workers Battle Cancer, The Government Admits Its Limit for a Deadly Chemical Is Too High

Public Health Watch and WBFO –

Niagara Falls residents learn of possible carcinogen exposure from Goodyear

Computer Modeling Shows Carcinogen From Goodyear Plant Is Invading Niagara Falls Neighborhoods

Clean Air is among a coalition of organizations that will be receiving funding from the EPA’s Community Change program! We will be using the funding to organize with block clubs in the City of Buffalo around issues related to air quality and to build resiliency against climate change. Read more in this statement from our Executive Director, Chris Murawski.

While we are celebrating this award as we do with any grant funding we receive, there are some caveats – federal grants are reimbursement based and come with restrictions. This grant also does not cover all our campaign areas.

Individual donations are our bread and butter, and are absolutely crucial in our work. Donations are what is known as “unrestricted funding” in the non-profit sector, and allow us to be as bold and vocal as we are. Whether it’s $5 or $5000, each and every dollar we receive is greatly appreciated!

Just before the holiday break, Bridge sat down with Dejia James from the Partnership for the Public Good’s Public Good Radio Show to chat about the environmental and social impacts of data center industrial operations, cryptocurrencies, and AI. Listen here on Spotify, or check out the video on YouTube!

On a related note, check out this interview from last night with Mayor Austin Tylec from North Tonawanda, speaking in response to Digihost’s announcement that they would like to build a nuclear power station at the Fortistar facility to power the cryptomining operations. Clean Air continues to support residents in North Tonawanda opposing cryptomining at Fortistar, and opposes this proposal. We need local and statewide regulation of the data center industry, not nuclear buildout.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is still accepting responses to their survey on air pollution and reflections on the results of the Mobile Air Monitoring study. Take a moment today to fill out the survey.

We were thrilled to receive a Boxing Day surprise when Governor Hochul signed the Climate Superfund Act into law! This groundbreaking law will require fossil fuel companies that emitted fossil fuel company that over a billion tons of greenhouse gas from 2000 to 2018 to pay into a state fund which will support climate resiliency and phase down efforts. It is expected to raise about $3 billion annually over the next 25 years towards these efforts!

Governor Hochul also signed the LOADinG Act, which regulates how Artificial Intelligence is used in the public sector, and prohibits the replacement of workers with AI.

Not all was good news, though – the Governor also vetoed a Brownfield Clean-up Program reform bill which would have required Prevailing Wages at BCP sites. She did leave the door open to revisiting the issue through the 2026 budget or further legislation. NYS Focus has a rundown of all vetoed bills.

The 2026 Legislative Session begins today in Albany. We look forward to helping push the BCP Prevailing Wages bill over the finish line as well as pushing for reforms to permit rules and sound pollution regulation, as well as supporting coalition efforts.

Take action today for the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s Woods and Waters – click here to send a letter to Stream Data Center, the investor group behind “Project Double Reed”, a proposed project to build a data center at the troubled STAMP development, voicing your opposition to data centers at STAMP and other unwanted industrial development.

This area of our shared region is inappropriate for industrial development and infringes on the sovereignty of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation – for context check out this drone video of the site, shared by the Allies of the Seneca Nation.

Further east, Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation are also asking folks to send a letter to CNY lawmakers urging them to uphold Onondaga county’s promise to return Maple Bay to Onondaga Nation.

Starbucks workers went on strike across the nation recently, including right here in WNY, the birthplace of this new and exciting union. You can learn more here, and sign up for updates on future actions by taking the No Contract, No Coffee Pledge! 

Laid off workers at Sumitomo, mostly USW members, continue to be central in our thoughts.
The Town of Tonawanda is working in partnership with Workforce Buffalo to host a second job fair on January 10 from 10-1 at the Lincoln Park Athletic Center – further details are in the flyer below.

Finally, our friends at SEIU are asking members of the community to sign this petition to the University of Rochester to urge them to settle a fair contract with professional homecare workers.

In addition to the bills we mentioned above that Governor Hochul signed into law, we are also celebrating the passage of S.8366/A.7387, which removes the grandfathered status of Amigone Crematory in the Town of Tonawanda. While Clean Air was only directly involved in this campaign during the initial formation, we are proud of our small role in the history of this work, and applaud the work of residents who stuck with this issue, as well as their most recent win, and appreciate the legislative work of elected officials who worked with them to champion this issue.

We are also celebrating two local labor wins, first the contract that University at Buffalo resident doctors and fellows won, which includes 17.3% to 34.4% raises over the three-year contract to align their pay with peers in other parts of upstate NY, and second the contract win for BCTGM workers at Milk-Bone in Buffalo, which includes pay bumps and a health care package. Both of these wins were hard fought, with months of pickets and strikes.

The US EPA just tightened federal laws related to formaldehyde exposures following the results of a risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act. ProPublica featured coverage of the study just a few days ago.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced several comment periods for brownfield projects within our membership area, as well as numerous comment periods on statewide rules.

1440 Main Street Buffalo NY –  Brownfield Cleanup Program application and Draft Interim Remedial Measures / Remedial Investigation Work Plan, comments due January 23

61 Terrace, Buffalo NY – Brownfield Cleanup Program application, comments due January 23

Statewide Rulemaking comment periods, in order of due date – 

January 17

– Designation Recommendation for The 2024 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standard

– Division of Mineral Resources Program Policy on Mining Projects and Climate Change Considerations

January 31

– Notice of Revised Rule Making 6 NYCRR Part 375, Environmental Remediation Programs, comment extension

February 3 

– Proposed Revisions to Division of Environmental Remediation Policy No. 40 / Operator Training,  Petroleum and Chemical Bulk Storage

February 24

– Division of Water Technical and Operational Guidance Series Documents Related to the Control of Phosphorus in Ambient Freshwaters

Additionally, DEC and the Department of Public Service have announced hearing dates across the state for the draft Environmental Impact Study for the “Environmental Review, Permitting, and Siting in New York State of Major Renewable Energy Facilities and Major Electric Transmission Facilities Under the Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act”, ie, the guidelines for siting of renewable energy projects.

The draft EIS is available to download by clicking here.

Two WNY hearings will be held on Tuesday, March 4 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo.

Online hearings will also be held on March 11.

Clean Air will be posting an online letter campaign to urge priority siting on industrial brownfields, like Tonawanda Coke – stay tuned!

Want to learn more about the opportunities presented by siting renewables on industrial brownfields? Check out these webinars next week from our friends at the NJIT TAB!

Redeveloping Brownfields for Energy and Environment

Out With The Old, In With Renew; Utilizing Brownfields for Renewable Energy

Erie County Department of Health issued an alert yesterday of a spike in several respiratory illnesses in our region.

We urge taking reasonable safety precautions, such as wearing a mask in crowded spaces and staying home if ill.

Clean Air staff will continue to track alerts and will make an announcement on social media if there is need to shift our events to online-only.

We applaud Congressmember Kennedy for introducing a bill to amend FEMA rules to make it easier for federal aid for snow-related disasters to reach communities.

The “no dough for snow” policy  has been an ongoing issue for our region for years, but with climate change generating stronger storms, this reform is increasingly crucial.

Last month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, a court case that could gut the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is a core piece of environmental legislation which as been part of federal law since 1970.

Learn more about NEPA in this short video, and check out these articles to learn more about the potential impacts of this court case.

SCOTUSBlog case overview

EarthJustice – We’re Defending a Bedrock Environmental Law at the Supreme Court

Mother Jones Magazine – How a Fantasy Oil Train May Help the Supreme Court Gut a Major Environmental Law

Clean Air’s offices are on the campus of Trinity Episcopal Church with several other non-profits, including peer policy  organizing groups. We love our home and our work has immensely benefited from the availability of the shared meeting spaces.

Trinity, like many communities of faith, has been grappling with some big questions concerning their future direction as their regular parish population has decreased in size. 

We urge our members and supporters to consider making a donation directly to Trinity to support the parish as they navigate these transitions.

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Seham Haj, a Buffalo advocate for the homeless community. Her family is accepting donations to support her daughter.

Xanath Hernandez, Teen Vogue – Environmental Racism Means Students Have to Breathe Polluted Air at School

Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network – East Coast States’ Climate Coalition Considers Ways to Expand

Alex Brown, Stateline – Blue states prepare for battle over Trump’s environmental rollbacks

Nina Lakhani, The Guardian – Biden administration warns natural gas expansion would drive up domestic costs

Katie Myers, Grist Magazine – Faith organizations have a complex relationship to disaster relief

Laura Jedeed, The New Republic – The Shadowy Millions Behind San Francisco’s “Moderate” Politics

Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica- The Militia and the Mole

Colin Kinniburgh, New York Focus – New York May Finally Put a Price on Pollution in 2025  

Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service – Poll: Most voters want a robust EPA, more pollution controls

Canary Media Articles

Jeff St. John – Data centers are driving US power demand to hard-to-reach heights

Dan McCarthy – The clean energy transition, in 10 charts

Carrie Klein – Chart: Wind and solar overtook coal on the US grid in 2024

Jeff St. John – How heat pumps can maintain their momentum in 2025 and beyond

CACWNY Events

• January 22 – Clean Air’s January General Meeting
• March 26 – Clean Air’s Annual Meeting
• May 1 – Clean Air’s Annual Dinner

Upcoming Training Opportunities, Conferences and New Resources

Are you a Clean Air member or supporter who is engaged with a current campaign, and is there a training opportunity that you would like to pursue to strengthen your organizing? Please let a staff organizer know, as we budget to support leadership development! All Clean Air members and supporters also have free access to trainings from the Advocacy Institute.

• WE ACT TCTAC – resources, technical and policy trainings on demand, and numerous upcoming online trainings this month! 
• New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities – brownfield education webinar archive
• EPA Contaminated Site Clean-Up Information Center – multiple webinars, both live and on demand recordings
• EPA Superfund Training and Learning Center – multiple webinars, both live and on demand
  
• Little Sis – on demand webinar recordings

New This Month – 

• January 8 (today) – Municipalism Learning Series Webinar on Community Defense
• January 8 (today) – Showing Up for Racial Justice National webinar on organizing
  • Part of a series of “Gearing Up” webinars by SURJ National
• January 13 – NJIT TAB webinar Redeveloping Brownfields for Energy and Environment
• January 14 –  NJIT TAB webinar Out With The Old, In With Renew; Utilizing Brownfields for Renewable Energy
• January 20, March 26 and May 28 – Center for Creative Land Reuse’s Vacant to Vibrant Webinar Series on Brownfield Redevelopment
• February 12 – NJIT TAB webinar The Great Georgia Gas Station Cleanup
• March 26-27 – Smart Growth America’s Equity Summit, DC

Community and Coalition Events

• January 10 – WNYALF’s Living the Legacy Community Service Day 
• January 17 – WNYALF and  AFL-CIO’s 2025 MLK Legacy Luncheon
• January 17 – SURJ Buffalo New Member Orientation
• January 18 – MLK Was a Lawbreaker (and we should be too) – Martin Sostre on King’s Radical Legacy
• January 20 – Monarch of Infinite Possibilities WNY’s 5th Annual MLK Day of Service 
  
• January 23 – Jennifer Black on Anti-Prison Tenets

Public Comment Deadlines and Hearings

• January 17 – Designation Recommendation for The 2024 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standard

• January 17 – Division of Mineral Resources Program Policy on Mining Projects and Climate Change Considerations

• January 23 – comments due on BCP Application and IRMs for 1440 Main Street Buffalo
• January 23 – comments due on BCP Application for 61 Terrace, Buffalo

• January 31 – Notice of Revised Rule Making 6 NYCRR Part 375, Environmental Remediation Programs, comment extension

• February 3 – Proposed Revisions to Division of Environmental Remediation Policy No. 40 / Operator Training,  Petroleum and Chemical Bulk Storage

• February 24 – Division of Water Technical and Operational Guidance Series Documents Related to the Control of Phosphorus in Ambient Freshwaters

• March 4 – public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Study for siting of Major Renewable Energy Facilities and Major Electric Transmission Facilities 

  • The draft EIS is available to download by clicking here
    

Also see our regularly updated list of events at bit.ly/CleanAirEvents and linktr.ee/cleanairwny

You can also click here to join the Buffalo Snow Brigade. We also suggest checking out the resources at mutualaiddisasterrelief.org as well as their new website relieftoolkit.com. If interested in joining mutual aid efforts with Clean Air, particularly in the realm of community resiliency amid climate change,
please reach out to Bridge about trainings or to Gia about our events and membership committee.

Among our New Years Resolutions, Clean Air staff have included ideas for how we plant to remain resilient amid adversity.

• Chris resolves to be more gentle with himself when he needs to postpone or drop certain work, like plans to install new interior doors on his house over the weekend.
• Bridge resolves to start taking long walks every weekend in the morning instead of spending their mornings doomscrolling on their phone.
• Cindy resolves to “stop squawking like a duck and soar like an eagle“, ie, let go of things that she cannot change and instead rise above to reach her goals.
• Gia resolves to travel more, including to some new locations.

We urge our members and supporters to also ask these question of yourself – what do you need to stay active in this work? What boundaries do you need to set? How do you intend to prevent burnout?

Interested in connecting with CACWNY generally as an organization, or have an emerging campaign or issue you’d like CACWNY to consider, or interested in joining our Peabody Street or  Lovejoy campaigns?
Do you know of a grant opportunity that might support our work?

Interested in joining our Tonawanda Just Transition campaign teams, our work to regulate data center use or other Energy Democracy work, or have a submission for this monthly newsletter?

Interested in supporting Clean Air’s grassroots fundraising efforts, or joining our events or membership committee?

Want to join our American Axle campaign or support our work in the Delavan-Grider neighborhood and greater East Side, or support our statewide climate justice work with NYRenews,?

Interested in donating to support our work?