Clean Air Coalition Rally

Rally for Clean Air

at the
J.D. Crane Coke Plant in Tonawanda, NY.

Members of the Clean Air Coalition, local residents, and supporters gathered near the J.D. Crane coke plant today to protest air pollution that is harmful to human health. The plant emits high levels of benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer.

Satellite photo of the dirty coke plant

Slide show of the rally

For more information, contact Erin Heaney, Executive Director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York.

UPDATES: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009

• Coalition brings demands to coke plant -- Tonawanda News
• Protesters demand Tonawanda Coke cut emissions -- The Buffalo News
• VIDEO: Residents rally outside of Coke plant -- WIVB TV

Benzene pollution is certainly bad enough, but the coke emissions also include soot, a.k.a. black carbon. Black carbon air pollution is a leading cause of respiratory illness and premature death. Controlling emissions will save lives and improve health.

The satellite photo above shows the accumulation of extensive black carbon deposits at the J.D. Crane Coke Plant. Soot particulate emissions contribute to the fact that our region's unhealthy air remains among the worst in the state. Nearby residents of the Coke Plant have experienced black carbon fallout at their homes in addition to benzene pollution, as shown in the video, below:

• VIDEO: Coke plant may cause health concerns -- WIVB TV - June 14, 2009

Senator Charles Schumer Demands Coke CEO Make More Concerted Effort to Decrease Emissions of Benzene - June 22, 2009

What's That Smell? - ArtVoice

In September, J.D. Crane's Erie Coke Corp. in Pennsylvania was sued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the PA Department of Environmental Protection in federal court to force the corporation to update or replace aging equipment.Regulators say the work could cost as much as $20 million. The report is here.

UPDATE: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009

The Buffalo News -- Front page report
Danger in the air
State study finds Tonawanda Coke emits benzene up to 75 times higher than recommended guidlines, stirring calls for action
By Mark Sommer
See buffalonews.com for a Video entitled: Residents Upset With Tonawanda Coke

Stimulus money flows to clean NY water

Last March, the NY State Environmental Facilities Corporation solicited projects to identify green infrastructure opportunities in need of funds. The selected projects were then submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for final approval. New York received $432 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $86 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

Western New York recieved $9.8 million for innovative water quality projects through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funds were awarded to 10 different projects through a new State initiative known as the Green Innovation Grant Program, which promotes sustainable, environmentally sensitive water infrastructure and technologies.

Monroe County, Jamestown, and Medina received the largest grants:

• $3.2 million to Monroe County for the construction of a highly visible and educational green roof on part of the plaza level of the Monroe County Civic Center.
• $2.55 million to the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, Chautauqua County, for the upgrade of existing digesters at the wastewater treatment facility, restoring the bio-solids process to allow the facility to effectively use the methane gas from the sludge digesters for power generation.
• $1.7 million to the Village of Medina, Orleans County, for the installation of green infrastructure at the wastewater treatment facility to achieve greater energy efficiency, while creating renewable energy and managing stormwater. Green improvements include rainwater harvesting, a green roof, solar units, and energy-efficient lighting.
  

The report on the funding announcement from Gov. Paterson is here.

On August 31, the Governor announced $15.4 million in federal funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for three projects in Western NY:

• The Town of Caneadea in Allegany County will receive $8.3 million to support the planning, design and construction of a project to address various drinking water quality issues. Treatment will be constructed for the existing source. A new well source will also be provided to conform to current standards for supply capacity. The project also includes a new transmission main, replacement of aged water mains and the provision of public water to areas presently served by poor quality private wells.
• The Town of Erwin in Steuben County will receive $6.3 million to support the planning, design and construction of a drinking water supply interconnection with the Town of Erwin Morningside Heights Water District as a primary source of water. Funding will support the installation of a new storage tank, distribution system, a secondary/emergency interconnection to the existing Village of Painted Post water system, and the provision of public water to areas presently served by private wells of insufficient quality and/or quantity.
• Chaffee Water Works Company, Inc. in Erie County will receive $800,000 to support the planning, design and construction of the project, which will address drinking water quality issues and includes improvements to the existing well source, the addition of a new backup source, replacement of an existing storage tank, upgrades to the hydro-pneumatic system, automated treatment controls, tank level alarms, and the replacement of the aged inadequate distribution system.
  

The report on the funding announcement from Gov. Paterson is here.

Talk: Building New York's Solar Economy

The WNY Sustainable Energy Association presents

Building New York's Solar Economy

Where We Are, Where We Need to Go, and How to Get There

A talk by

Ron Kamen

President, New York Solar Energy Industries Association

Senior Vice-President, EarthKind Solar

7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 6th

Room 202 Schenk Hall

Daemen College

4380 Main Street, Amherst

Schenk Hall is across from the Wick Campus Center.  See Campus Map for location and free parking on campus.

Ron Kamen, President of the New York Solar Energy Industries Association, NYSEIA, is senior VP of EarthKind Solar, the leading solar thermal energy company in New York.  Ron began his career as an energy policy expert in the 1980s when he worked to create Demand Side Management programs that gave the utility industry a financial incentive to invest in energy efficiency, spurring New York's current multi-billion dollar efficiency programs. In the 1990s, Ron developed energy efficiency projects with Fortune 1000 companies and government entities, and from 2000 - 2006 he played a key role in creating NY's wind power market, helping propel growth from 50 MWs to over 1,000 MWs of wind energy today.

For more information, e-mail Walter Simpson or phone (716) 839-0062. Event co-sponsored by the WNY Climate Action Coalition.

Business Gets Green: September 24th

Thursday, September 24, 2009
5:30pm to 7:30pm

Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Branch Library

1324 Jefferson Ave, Corner of Jefferson and East Utica [ Map ]

Lots of free parking - 25 spaces in the library lot - and ample, free, on-street parking

Agenda for the 15 minute featured presentations:

• Dan Conable - New York Biomass Energy Alliance
• Creighton Randall - Buffalo Car Share
  
• Dave Majewski - Premium Services, Inc.

Descriptions of the businesses in the featured presentations are here.

The format for Business Gets Green includes 1/2 hour of 30 second Introductions by businesses, organizations and individuals. See the VIDEO here.


The short Introductions are followed by 4 - 15 minute feature presentations on businesses or issues that are of special interest, usually with powerpoint slides.

As usual, this session will be filmed for LCTV and YouTube. Thanks Jon Allen!

If you would like to give one of the 15 minute presentations, please contact Bill Nowak with a 2-3 paragraph description of your presentation and dates (3rd Thursdays) you can be available to present.

Public Hearing: Buffalo Water Quality

Senator Antoine Thompson, as chair of the NYS Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, will be holding hearings throughout NY State on Water Quality.

The Buffalo hearing will be:

• Tuesday, September 29, 2009  from 11 am to 3 pm
• Erie County Historical Society, 25 Nottingham Terrace [ Map ]
• Buffalo, New York 14216 

Please plan on attending this hearing, which will be crucial in helping the Senator shape water quality legislation for New York State. For more details, read the Flyer here. 

SAVE THE DATE - We also want you to know that Senator Thompson will be holding hearings on Wetlands Regulation on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 11 am-3 pm, at the Buffalo Science Museum, 1020 Humboldt Parkway

Clean Air Coalition of WNY

Message from the Clean Air Coalition (CAC) of Western NY

It's been a busy end-of-the-summer here at CAC and we want to share a few very exciting updates. We're gearing up for an action packed fall and I hope you will be able to join us as we continue this important fight! 

Our member meeting is Monday, September 28th!  Join us at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center at 169 Sheridan Parkside Drive at 7 pm for our monthly member meeting.  We have important updates from the DEC and EPA, will prepare for the upcoming rally and get our committees working!  Newcomers and kids are welcome.

We've hired a new director! In August our board hired Erin Heaney, a Buffalo native with lots of organizing experience, the Coalition's next Executive Director. She's already been featured in Artvoice and the Tonawanda Bee.  We're excited to have her on board.

We've launched a new website! Check us out here.  The new site has lots of educational materials, ideas for how to take action and links to all the press we've received.  You can also sign up to become an official member.   We've also joined the world of facebook and twitter (cleanairwny) - follow us!

We're rallying outside Tonawanda Coke! J.D.Crane, owner of Tonawanda Coke, continues to ignore us and has not come up with a plan for benzene reduction.  On October 7th at 5:30, we're going to him.  Clean Air Coalition members and supporters are coming together outside the plant to rally.  If you would like to be part of the rally, please give us a heads up by emailing erin@cacwny.org with your contact information so we can get you all the details.

Hope to see each and every one of you soon!

[Note from David: Check out this incredible satellite map photo of the dirty Tonawanda Coke Plant! ]

Tour Solar Homes & Green Buildings

SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

WNY Tour of Solar Homes

and Green Buildings

Join us on a self-guided tour of local homes and businesses that are

doing their part to save the environment and improve our quality of life.

Features include: passive solar, wind systems, solar hot water, super-insulation,

LEED-rated buildings, and nontoxic building materials.

See the WNY Sustainable Energy Association website, www4.bfn.org/wnysea

after September 15, 2009, for tour information:

solar and green buildings, locations, directions and times.

The WNY Tour of Solar Homes and Green Buildings is sponsored by

the WNY Sustainable Energy Association in collaboration with

the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour and

the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's Green Building Open House and in cooperation with other local environmental groups including the WNY Climate Action Coalition.

Further questions,

contact Elizabeth Nichols at enarcht@gmail.com or WNYSEA  881-1639

Celebrating Energy Conservation, Renewable Energy,

and Our Commitment to the Environment

This event is free and open to the public.

Green Jobs Training Grant

Message from Frank Hotchkiss, Western New York Apollo Alliance

Please look at this message ASAP and respond to Frank Hotchkiss (Office: 716 565-1720, Cell: 716 432-6922, fhotchkiss@usw.org) if interested. The Apollo Alliance needs responses soon to meet a grant deadline next week.

Friends,
The Western New York Apollo Alliance has put together a strategic partnership of academic institutions, business, labor groups; non-profit community groups and the workforce investment system to apply for a U.S. Dept. of Labor grant entitled Pathways Out of Poverty. The purpose of this green jobs training grant is to teach workers the skills required in emerging energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.  As a local entity, we are planning on requesting the full grant amount of $4 million.  The proposed areas which we identified to address are: energy efficient building, construction and retrofit industries, renewable electric power industry, the deconstruction and materials reuse industries, the energy efficiency assessment industry serving residential, commercial and industrial sectors and manufacturers that produce sustainable products using environmentally sustainable processes and materials.
We are in the stages of establishing appropriate training curriculum with the various educational institutions and we would like the input from the business community as to what skill sets they would like to see in prospective employees.  We have contacted the BNE regarding this opportunity and they have taken the step of reaching out to businesses which have shown an interest in relocating to WNY.  We feel this grant presents WNY with a unique opportunity to go beyond the usual training courses and procedures and provides our area the chance to develop specifically identified skill sets our local business community has helped create.
With the recent passage of the Green Jobs Bill in NY, there is an anticipated new funding stream for residential and small business energy retrofits.  Buffalo will be a targeted area for these funds and proposed work and will require a skilled workforce.
One of the major requirements of the grant is to identify job placements.  Due to this we are asking any potential employer to review the attached curriculum and decide if these trainings options fit the type of employee you may be seeking and let us know about specific training employers may be seeking.  If you feel you may be able to hire individuals' trained under this grant we would need a written commitment from you to consider such employment and state a possible number of positions over the next two years.  I emphasize, this is a commitment to consider placement, not a promise to employ.  I have also attached a training partner form and an employer form. [see links to attachments, below]
The grant must be submitted in a very short time frame, the third week of September, therefore I am asking that any business which may be interested in participating in the grant to please respond as quickly as possible. 
If you have any questions, contact Frank Hotchkiss: Office, 716 565-1720; Cell, 716 432-6922; fhotchkiss@usw.org .


Frank J. Hotchkiss
USW District 4, Staff Representative
WNY Apollo Alliance
305 Cayuga Rd., Suite 175
Cheektowaga, NY, 14225
Fax: 716 565-1727

Attachments:

• Partner Template-Training 
• Job titles
• Partner Template-Labor-Employers 
• Examples of Training to be offered

Information on the recently passed Green Jobs/Green NY Bill is here.

People United for Sustainable Housing

PUSH wins grant for Green Rehab - 9/12/2009
People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH) has been awarded $1.87 million to rehabilitate 11 apartments in three vacant buildings on the West Side using green designs.
The focus on energy conservation and affordability helped secure $1.47 million from the state Department of Housing and Community Renewal, and $400,000 from the City of Buffalo. The two-to four-bedroom apartments, at 397, 398 and 460 Massachusetts Ave., will be among properties on several square blocks to also feature community gardens and sustainable projects created by the Massachusetts Avenue Project.  
“These buildings themselves will set a new standard for green, affordable housing in Buffalo,” said Aaron Bartley, PUSH Buffalo’s executive director. “We will have extensive solar electricity on two of the three buildings, and cutting-edge heating systems to reduce utility bills and carbon emissions.” Bartley said he is hopeful the project will become “a national model of neighborhood-based green development.” Read the full report by Mark Sommer in The Buffalo News.

WNY AmeriCorps and PUSH Buffalo Announce Major Inner-City Job Training Initiative 
PUSH Buffalo and WNY AmeriCorps came out today to announce the availability of 60 paid training positions in housing renovation for out-of-school individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 as well as dates for two open houses for interested applicants. The positions will be funded through the Federal YouthBuild program, which combines on-site construction training with daily GED classes for high-school dropouts in neighborhoods with high poverty rates.  
Watch a video announcing the job training program below:

Article and video from  ArtVoice. For more information, visit the Web sites for PUSH Buffalo and WNY AmeriCorps.