Thursday, July 27, 2017

PUBLIC HEARING: National Grid Proposal to Increase Electricity Delivery Charges by 17.5% -- Attend the Hearing and/or Submit Your Comments Online!

The NY State Public Service Commission will conduct a Public Hearing on a proposed rate hike by National Grid on August 1st in the Gallery Conference Room at the Central Library in Buffalo [Map].

Two Sessions of Public Hearings: 
  • Afternoon Session: 2:00 pm Information and 3:00 pm Public Comments 
  • Evening Session: 6:00 pm Information and 7:00 pm Public Comments
National Grid proposes to increase electricity delivery charges by 17.5%, which would add $8.93 to an average customer’s total bill.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:


Public Webinar: Is Enough Being Done to Clean Up Lake Erie?

Click to RSVP for the August 2nd Webinar

It is unacceptable for Lake Erie—or any Great Lake—to be 

 

so polluted that it becomes a threat to our health.


Three years ago, on August 2nd, the unthinkable happened. Toledo, a major Great Lakes city, had to ban drinking the water supply it draws from the lakes. For two and a half days, Toledo area residents could not drink the water flowing from the taps in their homes. Businesses, from restaurants to hair salons to grocery stores, had to shut down or severely curtail operations. Residents waited in long lines for clean water or drove several hours to stock up on bottled water. A few weeks later residents of Pelee Island, Ontario residents faced a similar ban that lasted nearly two weeks.

Two years ago, the Governors of Ohio and Michigan joined with the Premier of Ontario to commit to reducing the amount of runoff pollution, specifically phosphorus, flowing into western Lake Erie by 40 percent. The commitment marked a promise to the people of Lake Erie—promise of a lake nearly free of harmful algal blooms and a significant reduction in risk to people and the lake.

Unfortunately, progress by Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario 

 

has been painfully slow.


Join the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Freshwater Future for a special lunchtime briefing for an update on the Lake Erie crisis, our assessment of progress by Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario, and the next steps that must be taken for the governments to fulfill their promise of a clean Lake Erie. 

RSVP for the Webinar  Here


We’ll also share how you can help and leave plenty of time to answer your questions. Hope you can join!

For the health of the Great Lakes,
Jill Ryan
Executive Director
Freshwater Future

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Buffalo Youth Traveled to D.C. to Participate in Empowering Workshops and March for Climate Justice

Recap: MAP Youth Attend D.C. Climate March

Author: Mariama McCoy, MAP Youth  |  Re-posted from GrowWNY.org

June 12, 2017

Climate JUSTICE and YOUTH


Youth from Buffalo's Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) had the chance to go to D.C. for the People’s Climate March to represent agriculture and youth for they affect and are also affected by climate change.  Although the trip began with an overnight bus ride with very uncomfortable seating and walking very far with suitcases, the youth were lucky to have found free accommodations at a local church.  There they played Uno and Jenga while waiting to for the Youth Contingent to start.  They attended the People’s Climate March Youth Contingent workshops to talk about topics that connect some youth to climate change issues at Standing Rock, including a chief’s son.















At the Youth Contingent, they participated in a skit that showed the power of action, starting with disempowerment and then putting in place changes that could empower youth. They learned that to fix our country’s economy we have to address underlying issues such as racism.  They learned chants and songs for the day of the march, and obtained some free posters to march with.  They heard speeches from several different organizations and leading people in climate social justice movement.  After the workshops there was a dance party where the youth met teens from other organizations such as the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) fellowship in New York City, as well as the Young People’s Action Coalition.


The next day, the youth took public transportation and caught a ride on golf carts to meet the Sierra Club Niagara Group bus from Buffalo.  Before the march even started, they saw a girl faint from heatstroke.  During the march, people were selling water for $5 a bottle, but luckily the youth had already gotten water for only $1 a bottle.  The march was a far walk in the heat, but the youth had the chance to yell chants into a bullhorn, things such as “water is life” alongside Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Youth Director of Earth Guardians.

Finally, they marched past Trump’s hotel and saw some awesome art work, including a life-size piece “Putin’s Puppet”.  Together with thousands of people, they sat down in the street and all patted their hearts to make a heartbeat for 100 seconds for the first 100 days of Trump being in office.  Their trip ended with a trolley ride to get lunch before boarding the Sierra Club buses and return to Buffalo.