February 2014 – Climate Action Alliance of the Valley

February 14, 2014

Getting “Performance Standards Coordinator” in next year’s City Budget

Sustainability Coordinator, Facility Manager … Performance Standards Coordinator. Let the Council and City Manager know to make this position a budget priority. It will likely pay for itself in financial savings while streamlining and facilitating city efforts to save energy and reduce our carbon footprint for the health of our community and planet. More about the possibilities for this role in this earlier posting.

“… at the Budget work session (February 8, 2014) for City Council, City staff recommended that the next budget include a Facility Manager/Sustainability Coordinator. The City Manager said he would like that new job to take effect before the budget goes into effect. The staff circulated the attached beginning thoughts about a job description. I spoke with Kurt (Hodgen) afterwards and he said they are interested in getting comments about what else should be in the job description or how it should change. He stressed this is their first effort and expect it to change because they have not done this before.

This is very very good news. Pete Bsumek and others have been working on this for years and this is a great development.

So, if you have ideas for what should be in the job description then send those to the City Manager. Also, we should encourage people to use the budget survey at http://beheardharrisonburg.org/surveys/2014-2015-budget-ideas and let the City know that this proposed new job should definitely stay in the budget. The recommendation from City Staff is tremendous but City Council has to know not to remove it.

Truly this is huge. Great work Pete and all who have been working on this issue. – Thomas D. Domonoske

More from Tom about this position:

The Comprehensive Plan that was adopted by the City in 2011 had Goal 8: To preserve and enhance the City’s natural resources and encourage development that is compatible with nature. It specifically listed adoption of performance standards for the following: Pollutant discharges into water resources; Air emissions; Erosion and sediment control; Noise exposure limits; Excessive light emissions; Energy use and efficiency; and Protection of environmental features: floodplains, wetlands, steep slopes, sinkholes, tree cover.

Many of our public buildings use far more energy than necessary and do not deliver consistent comfort to the occupants. A Performance Standards Coordinator would both save the City money and implement the vision in the Comprehensive Plan.

Here is what is in the Comprehensive Plan – see specifically 8.3.1 at the end.

Goal 8. To preserve and enhance the City’s natural resources and encourage development that is compatible with nature.

Objective 8.1 To keep abreast of environmental issues facing the City and to monitor the City’s environmental health.

Strategy 8.1.1 To tap local expertise as available to keep abreast of environmental issues facing the City and to monitor the City’s environmental health.

Strategy 8.1.2 To prepare an annual or biannual “state of the City’s environment” report using compiled data collected by the City, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and other sources and describing and recommending programs to address environmental issues.

Objective 8.2 To develop water and air quality improvement programs to comply with federal and state standards, programs and requirements.

Strategy 8.2.1 To continue to implement the City’s MS4 Phase II storm water management program dealing with improving the quality of storm water runoff.

Strategy 8.2.2 To continue working with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and other partner organizations that implement best management practices to improve stormwater and water quality.

Strategy 8.2.3 To collaborate with Rockingham County and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in developing an air quality improvement plan, should the region be declared to be nonattainment for ozone pollution.

Objective 8.3 To create a set of environmental performance standards for public and private development and redevelopment projects.

Strategy 8.3.1 Using state standards where applicable, to prepare a set of environmental performance standards for all development which may include such issues as:

Pollutant discharges into water resources
Air emissions
Erosion and sediment control
Noise exposure limits
Excessive light emissions
Energy use and efficiency
Protection of environmental features: floodplains, wetlands, steep slopes, sinkholes, tree cover

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Daily News-Record’s Preston Knight reported about this issue on February 10, 2014:

City Eyes “Green” Keeper: Sustainability Position Would Help Track Carbon Footprint

The Harrisonburg Rockingham Green Network’s request for the city to add a sustainability coordinator may be granted a year after the fact. …

Read the article here: DNRonline _ City Eyes ‘Green’ Keeper.

February 13, 2014

Conservation Lobby Day 2014

Sponsored by the Virginia Conservation Network

Report by Cathy Strickler, January 27, 2014, Richmond VA

Laura and Bishop Dansby, Doug Hendren, Joy Loving, Charlie and I attended.

We met with the aide of Sen. Obenshain and the aide of Del. Landes. Three of us met with the aide of Del. Wilt and three met with Sen. Hanger. We left information at all offices including CAAV’s handout “Climate Disruption: Virginia at Risk.”

We urged them to support:

SB 498/HB 882 – strengthens the RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard)

SB 418/HB 1239 – eliminates the solar machinery and tools tax.

We urged them to vote against SB615 that cripples the EPA’s effectiveness in VA. And HB 915 that makes fracking permits easier to obtain.

We emphasized these bills at the direction of the VCN staff.

At lunch we heard Molly Ward, Secretary of Natural Resources speak.

Evan Feinman is her assistant, the Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources, and has a history in energy. .
Water quality is the first focus of her office.
She wants to have a Climate Task Force.
She wants an open door policy, to take risks and be creative.
She plans to ‘dust off’ Kaine’s Commission on Climate Change report and implement it

Chelsea Harnish of VCN said they have two asks of this administration:
1. Appoint a Senior adviser on climate
2. Implement the CC Commission Report

Kate Rooth, Campaign Director for Appalachian Voices, talked in detail about Dominion Power and Virginia’s energy plan. Appalachian Voices has an alternative plan at NewPowerforVA.org.

As of halfway through the legislative session, we've seen some positive outcomes. — As of halfway through the legislative session, we’ve seen some positive outcomes.

At noon, approximately 40 of us, holding miniature wind turbines, lined the walk on both sides handing out literature to legislators as they went from the General Assembly building to the capitol.

At 3 PM we marched and chanted for Climate Action around the capitol and Governor’s mansion. One new song that is worth learning is Bella Ciao with Climate Change lyrics. It is on you tube. One well-produced version with Flemish musicians is here. A version with lyrics is here.

February 8, 2014

Your voice is needed!

Let’s build an energy efficient middle school that saves us all money!
And let’s build a healthy vibrant learning environment for our children!

Please attend the Harrisonburg City Council meeting Tuesday, February 11, 7:00PM

Here’s the scoop:

The City is building a new middle school and renovating Thomas Harrison Middle School. These projects are expected to cost over $40 million dollars. When spending money on public buildings, the City should spend dollars on energy efficiency and energy production (solar and geothermal) that will reduce energy use in the buildings. The city will do this if enough of us ask for it.

>>> Please plan on attending the City Council meeting next week, Tuesday, February 11, 7:00 pm at Council Chambers at 409 S. Main Street.

During the public comments session, which is very early on the agenda (so be there by 7:00 pm) people who are City residents should go to the microphone and urge the City Council to allocate money for schools that are efficient and healthy buildings. If you are not comfortable speaking in public, please show up to lend your support. Let’s fill the council chambers so they get the point.

The talking points include any of the following ideas, some of which are the same concept just discussed in more detail:

The City should spend money building a high performance building: an energy efficient building that is a healthy building where students can get a high quality education. The buildings should use natural light, should be energy efficient, and should be full of healthy, comfortable spaces to work and learn in.
Energy efficiency saves dollars. The City should allocate more money in upfront costs to save operating costs in the future.
Energy production – solar and geothermal should be used as a hedge against future energy costs.
Locating a new middle school close to the high school is a good idea because of the savings that result from that proximity.
A LEED certified energy efficient building contributes to the health and well being of the facility and those using it. LEED contributes to better indoor air quality, lower utility bills, and flexible vibrant spaces.
We should be spending money on public building projects by discussing the energy per sq. foot of various designs, including energy efficiency measures and on-site energy production, computing the annual energy and maintenance costs for the different designs, and then comparing the annual cost savings to the debt servicing cost of the difference in initial cost of the designs
The life cycle cost of a building should be used to determine how to spend our tax dollars. Whether paying for debt servicing or paying for utility or maintenance costs, the money each year comes from our budget. A higher initial capital cost for a building that results in greater cost savings in the future is a wise choice.

Please come out and ask the City Council to do what should be done.

The way to get them to do this is to show up and tell them what we want!

More about this campaign here.

February 6, 2014

Vigil of Protest against Keystone XL Pipeline

Monday, Feb 3, 6:00 PM in front of the Courthouse in downtown Harrisonburg

The State Department just issued its final report on the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Oil companies are spinning it as a victory, but the facts in the report provide President Obama with all he needs to reject the pipeline as a threat to our climate–a decision he will make within weeks.

On Monday, KXL pipeline opponents are holding events across the country to tell President Obama to reject the pipeline and make good on his promise to act on climate change. Pipeline opponents in Harrisonburg will gather on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse on Main St. at 6:00PM for a candlelight vigil to make our voices heard in opposition to KXL. Bring your own sign or poster if you’d like, and your own statement of opposition to KXL. Come and be heard! – Ralph Grove, Shenandoah Group of the Sierra Club

Many members of CAAV were among the few dozen participants of this candlelight vigil in protest against the Keystone XL pipeline.

Jonathan Shacat does a nice job of covering the event for the February 5, 2014, edition of the Daily News-Record here: Pipeline Opponents Take Stance Downtown.

Lots more photos in the Picasa web album accessed by clicking on the image above. Photos by Carl Droms.

KXL Vigil