Our Time is Now – Rise to Meet the Moment |
{{ Nombre de pila | commonize | por defecto: 'Amigo’ }}, 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. Semana pasada, 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. Finalmente, por favor 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. Finalmente, por favor asegúrese de scroll down to see an important petition that we need your signature on as well as other updates! Con pan y rosas,
Puente, cris, cindy, Gia and Kiera |
Clean Air is supporting a coalition effort with Niagara Falls residents, trabajadores, 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. Por décadas, 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 “La fábrica del cáncer” 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, La 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 Un modelo informático muestra que el carcinógeno de la planta Goodyear está invadiendo los barrios de las Cataratas del Niágara |
Clean Air Awarded EPA Funding |
Clean Air on Public Good Radio Show |
Last Call – Fill Out DEC Air Quality Survey |
Climate Superfund Act Signed! |
NY Renews is hosting a rally in Albany on Wednesday January 22 to urge legislators to invest in environment and climate justice communities in this year’s budget cycle as well as urge the passage of several bills this session – pulse aquí para registrarse! |
Our friends at Beyond Plastic are hosting a rally in Albany on Tuesday January 28 to urge legislators to pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act as well as the Bigger Better Bottle Bill.
Click here to sign up! |
Indigenous Nations Solidarity |
Starbucks workers went on strike across the nation recently, incluso aquí en 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 desde 10-1 at the Lincoln Park Athletic Center – further details are in the flyer below. Finalmente, our friends at SEIU are asking members of the community to firma esta peticion 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, que incluye 17.3% a 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. |
Noticias de la EPA y el DEC |
The US EPA just tightened federal laws related to formaldehyde exposures following the results of a risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act. ProPública 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 / Plan de trabajo de investigación correctiva, 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 – Enero 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 Enero 31 – Notice of Revised Rule Making 6 NYCRR Part 375, Environmental Remediation Programs, comment extension Febrero 3 – Proposed Revisions to Division of Environmental Remediation Policy No. 40 / Operator Training, Petroleum and Chemical Bulk Storage Febrero 24 – Division of Water Technical and Operational Guidance Series Documents Related to the Control of Phosphorus in Ambient Freshwaters Además, 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”, es decir, 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, Marzo 4 en 1:00 p.m. y 5:00 p.m. en el Frank E.. Merriweather Jr.. Biblioteca, 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, como la Coca-Cola Tonawanda – 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 |
Public Health Alert – Respiratory Illnesses Spike in WNY |
Congressmember Kennedy Champions FEMA Rule Changes |
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. La “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. |
NEPA Supreme Court Challenge |
Trinity Church Fundraising |
Orar por los muertos, Lucha por los vivos! |
Titulares de justicia ambiental, Justicia climática, y la transición justa |
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, Revista Grist – 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, ProPública- 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, en 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 |
Calendario de próximos eventos |
Eventos CACWNY - Enero 22 – Clean Air’s January General Meeting
- Marzo 26 – Clean Air’s Annual Meeting
- Mayo 1 – Clean Air’s Annual Dinner
Próximas oportunidades de formación, Conferencias y nuevos recursos ¿Es usted miembro o partidario de Clean Air y participa en una campaña actual?, ¿Existe alguna oportunidad de capacitación que le gustaría aprovechar para fortalecer su capacidad organizativa?? Por favor, infórmaselo a un organizador del personal., mientras elaboramos presupuestos para apoyar el desarrollo del liderazgo! Todos los miembros y simpatizantes de Clean Air también tienen acceso gratuito a capacitaciones del Advocacy Institute. New This Month – Eventos comunitarios y de coalición Plazos para comentarios públicos y audiencias Consulte también nuestra lista de eventos actualizada periódicamente en bit.ly/CleanAirEvents y linktr.ee/cleanairwny |
¿Necesitas una mascarilla N95?? Tenemos un suministro limitado disponible en la oficina para nuestros miembros. – envíanos un correo electrónico rápido y te enviaremos algunos! Fomentamos el uso de máscaras en nuestros eventos presenciales., particularmente durante las temporadas de máxima transmisión de COVID. Asegúrese de revisar el Grupo de Facebook de Buffalo Mutual Aid Network, donde se publican de forma continua servicios de ayuda mutua y convocatorias de donaciones y donaciones. |
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“, es decir, 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, o tiene un envío para este boletín mensual? |
Interesado en apoyar los esfuerzos de recaudación de fondos de base de Clean Air, 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?
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La Coalición de Aire Limpio de WNY 371 Delaware Avenue Suite 6 Buffalo NY 14202 |
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