“We Have Not Forgotten Your Promises”

The following letter to Mayor Justin Elicker, who has promised to make addressing climate change a focus one priority of his upcoming second term, was written by members of the youth-led New Haven Climate Movement. 

Dear Mayor Elicker,

Thank you for taking the time to attend and address our concerns at our ​‘New Haven Act Now Rally’ – in alignment with the Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike. We know it is hard to win over a crowd and commend you for taking charge and speaking to the audience.

However, we hope you have not forgotten the progressive promises you made during the New Haven Climate Movement’s rally. You promised to allocate federal funds towards climate mitigation, to strengthen New Haven’s Climate Emergency Mobility Task Force, to continue progression towards reaching zero emissions by 2030, and to incorporate climate work in all City departments. We’re glad you acknowledged the urgency of the climate crisis, and we want to remind you that addressing this issue is of great concern to many New Haveners. There were hundreds of constituents who wrote their climate stories and grievances on postcards and eight hundred virtual petition signers who expressed the need for greater investments in climate projects.

The significant amount of federal funds allocated to New Haven offers a ​“once-in-a-generation opportunity” to give the climate emergency the attention it deserves, while also allowing the City to take advantage of the significant benefits of clean energy the future offers us. We hope for those funds to be distributed equitably across all sectors of climate change mitigation.

We are suggesting investing at least $3 million per year in FYs 21 – 22, 22 – 23, 23 – 24 (for a total of $9 million) in greenhouse gas reduction projects. The benefits of this investment will be a pivotal turning point for New Haven.

By investing in climate mitigation projects in our neighborhoods, we invest in the vitality and social welfare of our neighborhoods and children. Climate disasters will only accumulate to reach a dangerous tipping point of irreversible damage. We must invest in climate projects now to prevent impending climate chaos and injustice in New Haven.

The failure of past leadership is unacceptable and has left us vulnerable to the climate crisis, putting the health and wellness of New Haven citizens at risk. We must recognize that our children’s survival depends on strong preventative action, and understand that every action that reduces fossil fuel use has other benefits, such as boosting public health, and combating racial injustice .It is absolutely critical that we utilize these new funds and take immediate,decisive action.

We would like to hear updates on your commitments and we’d like for you to share an action plan to meet such obligations.

“Climate change poses an existential threat to our lives, to our economy. And the threat is here. It’s not going to get any better. … The nation and the world are in peril. That’s not hyperbole; that is a fact.” –President Joe Biden

Sincerely,
 
The New Haven Climate Movement
Proposed Climate Projects and Budget:
Energy Efficiency and Jobs

Energy Efficiency Program: Help families and businesses tap into existing Energize CT and Green Bank resources. Offer family counseling — possibly funding groups like IHeartNewHaven — to help people navigate the system (connect with resources like I Heart My Home CT, LIHEAP and CCHHP funds, or Operation Fuel). Help vulnerable families/seniors prepare for extreme weather and heat events. Develop energy efficiency policies that reduce family energy costs, including policies that push the largest property owners (Mandy, Pike, etc.) to make buildings more energy efficient. $300,000 ($100,000 per year)

Co-benefits: Save families money; make homes more resilient; access state and other funds for New Haven improvements; make homes more healthy; create jobs, many funded by energy savings; long term reduction in New Haven funds leaving the community to buy fossil fuels.

Clean Energy, Electrification and Jobs
Clean Energy Staff:
To coordinate electrification and energy efficiency work in City buildings; promote policies to move businesses and organizations to clean energy and less energy use; to address challenges related to electrification of buildings and transportation systems; promote clean energy installation in City in public and private spaces; support micro grid and transmission work. $300,000 ($100,000 per year)
Co-benefits: Lead by example; employ local businesses and workers; save funds long term.
City Building Energy Efficiency/Electrification/ Solar Installation/ Fleet Electrification:
This investment — based on experiences of other communities — will save the City funds in energy and maintenance costs. Installing solar on City property will further help limit energy costs and carbon pollution: $3,000,000 ($1,000,000/year)
Co-benefits: Lead by example; employ local businesses and workers; save funds long term.

Green Jobs Staff:
Staff to support workforce and business development to meet the growing need for energy efficiency remediation; worker training and job placement (weatherization fields (insulation, air sealing, home audits, window installs, etc)), make sure New Haveners have capacity to get work that will be coming as US accelerates climate/energy transition and new clean energy/electrification installations. $300,000 ($100,000 per year)
Equitable, Affordable and Healthy Transportation:
Street Redesign Staff:
To lead creation of Citywide bike network and safe street infrastructure; improve multimodal network, work with SCROG and neighboring towns. $300,000 ($100,000 per year). Co-benefits: Reduce air pollution and noise; more affordable transportation options

Transportation Communications and Outreach:
Staff/grants or public education on transportation alternatives, Safe Routes to Schools, goNewHavengo, working with CTrides and major employers to move away from SOVs. Work with Yale, SCSU, Gateway, Albertus, Chamber of Commerce, YNHH on coordinated efforts to allocate transportation resources. $300,000 ($100,000 per year).

Transportation Infrastructure: Funds for street modification projects to implement the Safe RoutesForAll Plan developed by the City (possibly some capital funds). $3,000,000( $1,000,000 per year)

Resilient Neighborhoods and Youth Employment:
Funding for tree planting and greenspace work to reduce GHG, address heat and precipitation challenges. (work with URI, including summer youth employment). $1,500,000 ($500,000/year)

Neighborhood Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grants:
To support small projects that engage residents and community/faith organizations in energy education and action, neighborhood resiliency, healthy transportation, greening projects. $150,000 ($50,000 per year).
Co-benefits:Engage local organizations in climate solutions.

Funds for Neighborhood-Led Climate Planning — hire facilitators and neighborhood residents for one year to work on developing climate change projects, both to reduce carbon emissions and improve resilience/health. Include funds for community education and public consultation events. Identify visible short term projects that build energy for climate action….greening, bike racks, bus shelters, educational signage, public art.

Resilient Neighborhoods and Youth Employment: Funding for tree planting and greenspace work to reduce GHG, address heat and precipitation challenges, create attractive safe streets. Youth Conservation Corps. See Bridgeport model: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/feed-news/?FeedID=2315
Climate and Public Health Education — integrate education about climate change and public health at all levels of public schools to help prepare the community for coming changes and help families to help create healthier homes and neighborhoods by reducing fossil fuel use and making neighborhoods more resilient.

Free Bus Passes for Youth — help low income families reduce transportation costs, increase use of buses, support improvement of CTtransit, and reduce local GHG emissions, air pollution, and congestion. Also increase the habit of using buses to get around. See San Francisco free transit for youth.