Alert: With the mass firings and rampant cost cutting occurring in the federal government, one of the most significant and concerning is the downsizing of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Few people know of its quiet but significant importance in our daily lives. This agency (among other contributions)

 

–monitors the oceans where storms roam affecting the safety of shipping

– monitors space, affecting the safety of flight

– provides services to the agricultural community which will soon begin its plantings

— provides daily weather reports of tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, wildfires

 

And the list goes on!! Its services and importance to safety and the economy cannot be overstated.

CCAA strongly encourages you to contact your local, state and federal representatives to protest this indiscriminate action by the current administration.

 

 

This newsletter reports monthly on the GreeningUSA bag lunches. If you are unable to tune into them, note that past recordings are always available on their YouTube channel: !  https://tinyurl.com/yyl4jh9a . Past topics included The Cap and Invest Program in NYS, The Promise of Micron, Coalition Building for Sustainable Communities, and many others.

 

 

CCAA has committed to several Earth Day tabling events and plans to participate in more, but we do need volunteer support. These events allow us to get climate change information and actions out to the Central New York public.  If you can volunteer to help CCAA during any of those days or times, please  contact Ken Johnson at kmjohnson717@msn.com

THESE ARE THE EVENTS:

Saturday, April 26 :  Pompey Earth Day 9a.m. – noon and the Novelis Party For The Planet  (Rosamond Gifford Zoo)  9 a.m. -12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, April 27 : Cazenovia Earth Day  9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sunday,   May 18:  Town of Manlius  Earthfest at Green Lakes State Park   12:00 p.m.  -3:00 p.m.

 

Every other Thursday, there is a new episode of WAER’s environmental podcast Deeper Shade of Green. Recent episodes include “De-carbonizing one of the largest sources of climate emissions – buildings” in which Monique Owens, Regional Director of U.S. Green Building Council, discusses the Green Building movement and policies and regulations that can make our homes and buildings cleaner and healthier. Check it out on this link.

The second episode furthers the Green Building conversation by delving into heat pumps and geothermal heat as ways to heat and cool homes and buildings while also reducing carbon emissions. With expert insight by Ian Shapiro, Associate Director of Building Science and Community Programs with the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems, the discussion focuses on cleaner alternatives to gas heating while also touching on the importance of the NY HEAT Act. The episode can be streamed here. “

 

CCAA Board Members Jan Kublick and Sonia Kragh have been appointed as our representative on the Micron Advisory Committee. If you have any questions regarding what’s happening with Micron, feel free to contact them: jan.kublick@gmail.com and sykragh@yahoo.com

 

Interested in helping the transition off of fossil fuels in Central New York! CCAA’s  mission is to encourage  the community: individuals, corporations, municipalities…. to transition off  fossil fuels.  We work on educating the public about new technologies such as:  electric heat pumps, solar PV for homes, induction (electric) stoves. We work with municipalities to develop public policy and state legislators to aid in the transition off fossil fuels.

 

Given that almost all activities  from manufacturing, transportation, heating and cooking are based on fossil fuel consumption, this transition will take decades. It will require a cultural shift in values and at the same time there is a sense of urgency.

We need volunteers with a variety of skills  to help out such as:

 

* Writing articles

* Using social media to get our message to a wider audience

* Producing audio visual presentations

* Event planning

* Newsletter development

* Web site development

* Graphic art skills

* Fundraising

 

Your efforts will be helping secure a better future for all. For more information contact Peter Wirth, pwirth2@verizon.net or call 315-476-3396. 

 

Flash: On March 21, 2025, Citizens Action of New York is holding a Press Conference in front of the State Office Building in Syracuse, NY., from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

 CCAA is co-sponsoring this to focus on Governor Hochul’s failure to follow through on the Cap and Invest legislation that was approved by the legislature. You can register to attend this event by clicking HERE.

The Federal Administration is committed to protecting the fossil fuel industry and using every tool it can to deny the existence and importance of climate change.  The outcome: climate change will happen faster, and the world’s economies, nature, and human civilization will suffer the consequences. 

 

CCAA is committed to supporting the climate and clean energy initiatives of NY, despite opposition from the Administration, Congress, and the fossil fuel industry. Clean energy lowers air pollution, creates a new generation of jobs, and slows climate change.  Wind, sun, and heat from the earth, are renewable sources of energy.  Fossil fuels are not. 

 

Since 2019, NY has been a national leader in its goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the fossil fuel industry is making inroads in NY.  Only one significant climate bill, the Superfund Act, was signed into law last legislative session.

 

CCAA strongly supports resolute and ambitious climate action in New York. We support one bill in particular: the HEAT Act, which passed both the Senate and the Assembly last session but was not signed by the Governor. This bill would end subsidies for the gas industry in New York and will accelerate the transition away from gas.  It must pass again this legislative session. 

 

Governor Hochul has a legal mandate to implement (by January of 2025) Cap and Invest, a program to place a price on carbon pollution to be paid by producers of the pollution, generating revenue to fund renewable energy programs and lower energy bills for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers.  She has postponed implementing this mandate, even though draft regulations are ready to go.  Pressure must be applied to encourage her to follow through with the legal mandate in a timely manner.  

 

Call your state representatives to express your support for these climate actions and concern for NY’s slowdown on climate initiatives.  Share your concerns about climate with others.  New York’s support for progress on climate initiatives demonstrates what can and must be done in the face of hostility from the fossil fuel industry and the Federal Administration supporting it. 

CCAA is pleased to welcome Van Cleary-Hammarstedt to our Board of Directors as its treasurer. Having grown up in northern Minnesota on the outdoor hockey rinks, he is well connected to the environmental scene. With a background and work experience in social justice causes, he brings a special awareness to our effort. Having a PhD from Maxwell allowed him to also be a part of academia teaching college courses. As a recent retiree, he is taking advantage of spending more time with his favorite pursuits –hiking at Green Lakes, playing his guitar writing his own songs, and traveling. He believes climate change is an existential crisis, and his favorite saying is: “They thought they could bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.”

 

Happy to have you onboard, Van!

Submitted by Rhea Jezer (rjezer@gmail.com)

The Twenty First Symposium on Energy in the 21^st Century will be held on April 4, 2025, in Syracuse. This Symposium will once more include the top experts to help us achieve a clear path toward a healthy world through renewable energy. The morning sessions will be dedicated to covering the future of large-scale renewable energy, mainly thermal, wind and solar. Among those joining Anthony Lopez will be DONOVAN GORDON, the Director of Community Thermal Networks at NYSERDA. ED NADEAU, Chief Executive officer and Business Manager of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local. 

 

Registration includes breakfast & lunch. In person space is limited. The program begins at 8am and ends at 2:00pm. It is held at the Gateway Building, SUNY ESF, Syracuse. Parking is accessible and free. Space is limited so register soon.

 

The luncheon program will be an important discussion by leaders in the environmental movement covering “How Does the Environmental Movement Move Forward Now”. A panel of experts will discuss ideas and plans. The panel will include JULIE TIGHE, NYLCV, MARGUERITE WELLS, ACE NY, ROGER DOWNS, Sierra Club, and other leading environmentalists. This will be a very important discussion. We invite you to register.

Photo provided by Michael Lorefice

It’s official!! You can now show your support for CCAA and for renewable energy by ordering your very own CCAA t shirt!. It’s easy.., just CLICK HERE and place your order!

Photo provided by Sonia Kragh

Photo provided by Roseann Lorefice

On February 11, Dr. Timothy Volk, Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Sustainable Resources at SUNY ESF, gave an illuminative presentation on a renewable and sustainable energy source produced right here in Central New York. Citing biomass in the U.S. energy supply as the single largest source of renewable energy, he then discussed energy consumption in the U.S. and how much of the energy produced is actually consumed and how much is wasted. He then proceeded to discuss ESF’s efforts to grow and harvest willow biomass for energy production and other uses here in Central New York. . The speed of growth of the willow makes it an ideal biomass source to be used. His excellent graphics were useful in illustrating his talking points.

Did you miss this presentation?  Watch it HERE.

Passcode: tQA@=5Uz

And you can also access excellent coverage of this by referring to the February 26, 2025, issue of The Eagle Bulletin in an article written by Jason Klaiber. You can access the article with this LINK.

 

On March 11, once again at the Fayetteville Library from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Dr. Ian Shapiro, Associate Director of Building Science and Community Programs at Syracuse University, will address the topic of heat pumps. A recognized authority in the field, his presentation will be both academic and personal since he has had one in his home for the past five years. The meeting is in person or on Zoom and you can access it RIGHT HERE.

 

APRIL IS EARTH MONTH. There are numerous climate organizations across Central New York that are sponsoring educational and fun activities. Check out our Upcoming Events to follow along.

 

MAY and JUNE Member Meetings are in the planning stage and could include field trips to willow growing areas, tours of solar displays as well as tours of buildings using no fossil fuels. Stay tuned!!