Call for NYS to Move to 100% Renewable Energy & Climate Justice  

Saturday, September 8th, 2:30-3:30 at the Dewitt Town Hall, Court Room Climate Change Awareness and Action (CCAA) is hosting an event in coordination with hundreds of global events demanding real climate leadership ahead of the Sept. 12 - 14 California based Global Climate Action Summit attended by city mayors, regional government representatives and business executives from around the world.

Aug. 28th the California State Assembly passed a bill that aims for 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, one of the nation's toughest clean energy mandates. The Ca. Senate passed a similar bill Senate Bill 100 last year. Agreement on amendments is expected to be finalized by Friday before heading to Gov. Jerry Brown who is expected to sign it into law. California is the world’s 6th largest economy.

New York has an opportunity to lead alongside California by passing the Climate and Community Protection Act, which would commit the state to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2050 and invest in workers and communities vulnerable to climate change along the way. The CCPA has been passed by the Assembly for three years but has been blocked by State Senate leadership. Governor Cuomo can ensure the bill gets passed in 2019 by throwing his support behind it.

Communities across New York State are announcing plans for a series of coordinated events around September 8 calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo and all New York elected officials to Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice by (1) stopping dangerous fracked gas projects, (2) a just transition to 100 percent renewable energy; and (3) making corporate polluters pay.

The Dewitt Town Hall was chosen as a site for the event to highlight its leadership in renewable energy efforts.

This event will feature the following speakers:

* Yvonne Chu, CCAA Member and Organizer, Opening Remarks

* Samuel Gordon, Planning and Zoning Director for the Town of Dewitt - Highlight renewable energy efforts by the Town of Dewitt and future plans to install a community solar farm on the Town of Dewitt Landfill.

* Jim D’Aloisio, Engineer - NYS Climate Change Initiative Executive Order 166 is spurring on action to mitigate climate change across the state by setting greenhouse gas reduction goals and creating plans to meet those goals.

* Peter F. Cannavò, Associate Professor of Government and Environmental Studies, Hamilton College - "Climate Change Equals Climate Injustice": Climate change will hurt the poorest and most vulnerable of us, both in the US and abroad. We cannot create a just world while ignoring climate change and we cannot fight climate change without addressing its inequitable impact.