Meeting Notes – 100% Clean Energy Coordinating Call Aug. 17, 2015
Attendees: Mark Dunlea, Howie Hawkins, Sue Hughes Smith, Alice Slater, Betta Broad, Ruth Foster, Jannette Barth, Gordian Raacke, Barbara Warren, Colin Fox Thomas, Lyna Hinkel
Mark—Brief Remarks about Agenda for the Call
Review of Goals, Structure and Principles Developed thus far.
Comments questioning listing the number of organizations as well as the fact they may not agree to the work done thus far on goals and structure. Suggestion to have organizations review campaign outline and agree to support.
Seemed support for proposal that organizations be given opportunity to opt out. Or that we say X number of organizations have endorsed the call for 100% clean (green, renewable) energy and here are our values and goals for the campaign.
Betta wants removal of impending catastrophe, remove biomass, replace healthy energy with clean energy.
Gordian wants more about economics and job creation.
Collin wants something on transportation and conservation.
Will send out some info re industrial biomass.
Structure
Mark recommending 2 conveners for group, acting as facilitators. Betta volunteered.
Briefly discussed the suggestion of formal officers, but most people preferred working more loosely, but having a commitment to follow through.
Minutes. Send to everyone including upcoming events.
Website Discussion– webmaster.
Present webpage was created via the RPI class. Didn’t have funds for two websites so did through GELF. Uses wordpress which is relatively easy to handle. Mark said he could handle editing and upkeep (with others than want to help) but doesn’t have expertise to create website from scratch.
Gordian brought up using nationbuilder because it has capacity for building a campaign.
Betta thought it may be more than what we need – that New Yorkers against Fracking had done a pretty good job with their site just using Word Press. Need Branding and launch.
Several people suggested we could ask endorsing groups to contribute.
Jannette asked about GELFNY.org and 501 c)3 . Mark said website and 100% clean energy can still be a project of GELF. A web committee was formed with Betta, Gordian and Collin.
Barbara brought up question about title of campaign -100% Green or Clean energy. Others recommended Renewable.
Decided to do a doodle poll on this question, due to differing opinions.
People will develop proposals – Gordian, Betta, Colin
Strategies/ Work Plans for Year
People generally liked present outline but suggestions for additional inclusion.
Gordian likes goals wants to see more advocacy at grassroots level, to support grassroots groups in achieving 100% Also to link closer to other groups working for 100% renewables.
Barbara brought up children’s climate lawsuit as activity. People want to know more.
Collin wants more specifics on goals. Such as number of legislators to co-sponsor. Wants to make sure we are also working with local legislators such as county.
Ruth wants to see divestment and stopping infrastructure as major issue.
Lyna wanted to highlight solutions, including on website.
Fall Conference
Refine goals
Gordian- limit goals and work with other 100% campaigns and groups
Betta- wants to see more of a working meeting of committed groups to figure out goals, etc.
Working group for fall conference (and priorities for goal) : Betta, Mark, Barbara, Sue, Ruth
Everyone seemed to support this idea.
Conference Calls – First Thursday of each month
100% GREEN ENERGY BY 2030
NY STATE CAMPAIGN
The New York State Campaign for 100% Green Energy by 2030 is a network of over 80 statewide organizations, working on numerous aspects of the impending energy catastrophe, who are cooperating to employ solutions to enable a rapid transition away from any use of fossil, nuclear, and industrial biomass fuel in New York by 2030, relying only on the abundant free and healthy energy of the sun, wind, water and geothermal heat of the earth coupled with efficiency and conservation.
Our Goals:
Urgent action must be taken to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avert runaway impacts of climate change. Our actions are focused on New York State.
Energy and climate change are inextricably linked and we advocate immediate action to transform NY’s energy system to 100% green energy by 2030 via conservation and energy efficiency, sustainable renewables, and by eliminating fossil fuels and nuclear power to achieve an energy system that is carbon neutral. This will be a full employment jobs creations program. Sustainability, social, environmental and economic justice is at the core of our efforts in order to ensure that the benefits of the transition to a new energy system are maximized and the burdens are reduced for New Yorkers.
Climate damages are already occurring in NY. Hurricane Sandy was a prime example. Our communities must be better prepared in order to save lives. Sound public policies are needed around climate preparedness.
Our Values
Climate change is also a human rights and equity issue, as the poor and vulnerable of the planet are the ones that already are most being harmed by climate change and the political and economic system in which we live. Any transition to a clean energy future must be a Just Transition, embracing energy democracy, with equity for those most impacted by climate change, and ensuring jobs and training for any workers displaced by such a transition, The voices and needs of those most impacted by climate change must be heard.
At the same time our children are the future of humanity. Climate change more than any other issue is an example of intergenerational injustice. Collectively we have already locked in unavoidable adverse climate impacts that our children will be forced to face. Effective action taken late will be far more difficult and costly in the midst of climate chaos. Recognition of this drives our push for urgent action NOW.
Structure: How do we communicate with 80 groups?
The network is steered by a Coordinating Committee. The Committee primarily operates based on the established goals and principles of the campaign to make decisions between meetings. New issues outside these parameters will require more deliberation, including broader participation. The Committee operates by consensus where possible. In the event that there is not consensus for a position or policy, a super majority of two thirds of those present and voting will determine whether the Campaign can take a position. The Coordinating Committee shall have the authority to appoint various subcommittees for the campaign as needed including media and public relations, fundraising, membership outreach, which will report to the Coordinating Committee.
The Coordinating Committee is responsible for convening general meetings of the Campaign’s members, at least once a year, and for holding regular conference calls of the Coordinating Committee at least once a month.
The responsibilities of the Coordinating Committee are to oversee the policies and activities taken in the name of the Campaign which the Coordinating Committee determines are consistent with the Campaign’s mission to achieve a rapid transition to 100% clean energy including legislative and executive advocacy, grassroots education and mobilization, promotion of local legislative action, assisting in actual implementation of renewable energy, energy conservation, and organic agriculture at the community level, providing support to local groups opposing any investments in fossil fuels and related infrastructure and other opportunities for making the rapid transition needed to a safe, clean energy future in NY.
Draft Organizing Goals for the 100% Clean Energy by 2030 Campaign – Aug 2015 – June 2016
Fall 2015
Goal – 100% clean energy by 2030 (or ASAP, net zero carbon emissions) – say no to nukes, natural gas, fossil fuel infrastructure. A7447 / S5527
Secondary goals – enact state or federal carbon tax, support fossil fuel divestment campaigns (A8011A / S5873);
Strategies: promote positive examples of implementing clean energy
Provide support to local clean energy campaigns in NYS, especially groups fighting fossil fuel infrastructure
Develop local campaigns both to implement clean energy and to build support for resolutions, etc.
- Strengthen the base of the campaign – Local Organizing
- increase number of endorsements of 100% clean enery from 80 to 125 by Oct. – more focus on faith groups, unions, groups working on fossil fuel infrastructure
- better network with and support local groups opposing fossil fuel infrastructure
– identify local groups and contacts (see Sane Energy)
– facilitate increase networking among such groups
- organize several 100% clean energy / climate change workshops and conferences in fall, starting with Capital District and NYC (see if can do in conjunction with other efforts such as Energy Democracy, divestment)
- get more groups to contribute to regular updates in support of action – increase number of subscribers from 200 to 500
- Increase networking with other climate action groups throughout the state (including Solutions Project) – support groups pushing for just transition, equity, assisting low-income individuals, solarize campaigns, wind. Build stronger working relationship with other groups pushing 100% clean / renewable energy.
- Produce and improve materials – postcards, flyers, multi-media, posters, and memes
- Recruit volunteers and interns for specific tasks
- fundraise – hire one to two organizers, grants, special events
- More general education re climate change – help develop and distribute educational outreach materials, public speaking, media, op eds, radio
- Support other efforts to deal with climate change (e.g., PCM NY, 350). Provide support to children’s lawsuit demanding state action on climate change.
- Legislative Activities – at all levels
- increase number of state legislative sponsors of 100% clean energy bill from 14 to 40 by Dec. 1 – set day(s) for local meetings, outreach to state legislators. Introduce state carbon tax bill; increased number of sponsors of divestment bill to at least 30.
- Organize five town hall meetings with state legislators in the fall with state legislators (some with city council members)
- Distribute model resolutions for local government (County, city, town) adoption in support of state and local 100% clean energy. Also provide info on how communities can get their own local government / communities to adopt and implement a goal of 100% clean energy. Include info re Community Choice Aggregation.
- Work with other groups to comment / impact on various state proceedings – REV, RPS, low-income affordability, large scale renewables, community net metering
- Develop state budget requests for fall meetings (e.g., funding for a study of a plan for 100% clean energy) – meeting with Richard Kauffman Sept. 9
- Set up meetings with NYSERDA and PSC in August and September
- Meet with Senate Republicans in the fall (e.g., Griffo, Chair of Senate Energy Committee)
- Organize lobby days in Albany – January, April, May
- Organize event in conjunction with the state of the state
- Sign on letters re 100% clean energy – in the fall, spring
- Push for legislature and Assembly Climate Change Task Force to hold hearings re 100% clean energy
– hold Climate Change Town Hall in Engelbright’s district on LI (chair of As CCTF and EnCon Committee)
– hold event with As. Amy Paulin in Westchester
– do event with Heastie in the Bronx
- Promotion of Off-Shore Wind
- follow up with NYC roundtable that was convened by SANE Energy and Citizen Action to develop task forces and asks. Promote 5,000 MW by 2025 and 10,000 by 2030.
- Connect with Deepwater Wind and other off-shore wind providers
- Push for specific off-shore wind carve out in Large Scale Renewables
- Push for major off-shore wind component as part of NYC plan to have its $600 million electric purchases all from new renewable energy courses
- Develop more fact sheets re offshore winds – its benefits, its costs, what needs to happen
- Enactment of State Carbon / greenhouse gas Tax
A copy of the draft bill is on the GELF website.
- obtain 50 organizational endorsements
- develop fact sheets, promotional materials
- Line up additional legislative sponsors.
- Interact with conservatives and business groups on.
- Could be part of NYS response to new federal Clean Power Plan
- Seek funding for a state feasibility study of a carbon / greenhouse gas tax