The world is experiencing a climate crisis and EcoAction Arlington urges the County Board to declare a climate emergency, develop a robust Climate Action Plan, and use its guidance to the County Manager for the FY 2023 Budget to put the County on a clear path to addressing this crisis. Communities around the world are declaring a climate emergency and Arlington needs to join our neighbors in Alexandria, Fairfax County, Montgomery County, and Frederick, Maryland, which have declared climate emergencies or adopted comprehensive climate action plans.
Furthermore, Arlington County should back up this declaration with an appropriate response by providing funding for climate investments in next year’s FY-2023 Budget and allocating American Rescue Plan Act and carryover FY-2021 funds. Priorities for such increased climate funding should include:
- Creating a Chief Sustainability Officer, as EcoAction Arlington recommended earlier this year, to coordinate an all-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis
- Expanding staffing in AIRE and targeted other units in the government to support programs that advance the County’s climate goals to transition County operations to net zero emissions and create programs to equitably support the transition to a carbon neutral community
- Providing significant funding to maintain, protect, and expand Open Public Space as “natural capital” to redress environmental racism and help secure a livable world for future generations for all Arlingtonians
On November 13 the County Board will provide its guidance on the FY-2023 Budget and decide how to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and carryover FY-2021 funds. Let them know you want the County to declare a climate emergency and prioritize County efforts to meet this crisis by sending an email to countyboard@arlingtonva.us (see sample email below) or consider speaking out at the meeting virtually or in person (register to speak here). See Demystifying Speaking at the County Board for details on the process.
Click the link below to send your own email to the Arlington County Board. Please Considering adding your own personal story.
Send an email to the Arlington County BoardCopy of the letter EcoAction Arlington sent to the Arlington County Board
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This content originally appeared in The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee. For more information about the Advocacy Committee, please visit ecoactionarlington.org/get-involved/ecoaction-arlingtondvocacy/
