“There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all (very high confidence).”
IPPC report, March 20, 2023
Arlington County’s response to the unfolding climate crisis, as reflected in the FY 2024 Proposed Budget, appears to be a backtracking from its commitments made last year and fails to invest in efforts to drive rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across our community. The overall budget for the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy (AIRE) team, which is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Community Energy Plan, is being reduced by 8% and the second position for the new Office of Climate Coordination and Policy is set to be eliminated.
While the proposed budget advances efforts to expand rooftop solar on County facilities, increase the EV fleet of sedans, and install public EV charging, it notably lacks funding to aggressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions in County and private sector buildings and public transportation. EcoAction Arlington is urging the County Board to support critical climate solutions by:
- Restoring the second position in the Climate Office and investing the $2.6 million in savings in electricity costs from its virtual power purchase agreement into climate actions.
- Ensuring that funds are available to support the transition to zero-emission ART buses as existing buses reach their end of life, and that the new ART Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility is operational.
- Prioritizing comprehensive building retrofit pilots targeted to low-to moderate-income households and underserved communities to improve energy efficiency; electrify heating, air conditioning and hot water systems and appliances; and install rooftop solar and EV-charging infrastructure.
- Developing programs to educate, engage, encourage, inspire, and assist the private sector and the public to meet our urgent climate goals.
- Embracing electrification and elimination of fossil fuel use as an essential climate action strategy for all County Government facilities as soon as opportunities arise.
Make sure that County Board members know you support higher investment in addressing climate change for a livable future for our families and for all of the Arlington Community by sending an email to countyboard@arlingtonva.us by April 15 or speaking at the public hearing on the FY-2023 Budget on March 28 at 7:00 pm. For more details on speaking see Demystifying Speaking at the County Board.
Sample Letter – please use our template and consider customizing to highlight your personal concerns and priorities.
Dear County Board members
I am increasingly worried about the impact of the unfolding climate crisis—with record heat waves, extreme storms, massive wildfires, and unprecedented melting of arctic and Antarctic ice—will have on me and my family, including our health, well-being and safety and the integrity of our homes and County infrastructure. I urge you to be the leaders we need in addressing this emergency and adopt a FY24 budget that:
- Restores the second position in the County’s new Climate Office and invests the $2.6 million in electricity cost savings from its virtual power purchase agreement into climate actions
- Ensures that funding is available to support a transition to zero emissions buses for ART as existing buses reach their end of life and the new ARTBus Operations and Maintenance Facility is operational.
- Prioritizes comprehensive building retrofit pilots targeted to low- to moderate-income households and underserved communities to improve energy efficiency; electrify heating systems, hot water heaters, and appliances; and install rooftop solar and EV-charging infrastructure.
- Develops programs to educate, engage, encourage, inspire, and assist the private sector and the public to meet our urgent climate goals.
- Embraces electrification and elimination of fossil fuel use as an essential climate action strategy for all County Government facilities as opportunities arise.
Sincerely
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]
This content originally appeared in The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee.
