Due to oversight on CCAA’s part, Courtney Hills(R) and Daniel Carrols (C) did not receive our survey until early October. We will post their answers if they respond.
| Climate Action Survey Questions | Mary Kuhn (D) |
| The science behind climate change goes back to 1862 when John Tyndall discovered that CO2 in the atmosphere radiates heat back to the earth and causes the earth to heat. In 1896 a Swedish scientist, Svante Arrhenius, was the first to claim that the burning of fossil fuel would lead to enhanced global warming. Do you accept the scientific consensus behind climate change? | Yes. I am in complete agreement with the scientific consensus that climate change /global warming is real and is man made. I am not an expert in this regard but am in full support of those who are experts and I respect facts. |
| Since the industrial Revolution, the CO2 concentration has increased from 280 parts per million to 415 PPM today. Do you accept the scientific consensus this increase in CO2 is primarily due to burning fossil fuels? | Yes. Again, I have no reason to doubt the consensus of those whose lives have been spent studying this disaster in the making. I believe we are in a climate emergency and are in need of paying close attention to the scientific evidence accumulated over decades. |
| Will you commit to expanding the County’s Climate Action Plan to include community-wide emissions and not just emissions from County operations? For emissions that are difficult to eliminate entirely, such as process emissions from waste water treatment plants, the County can implement other mitigation measures such as tree planting. | Yes. |
| Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan recently signed an executive order committing to 100% renewable energy by 2030. The Dewitt Town Board unanimously approved a resolution pledging to work towards a goal of achieving 10% regionally sourced, clean energy consumption for municipal operations by 2020 and 100% regionally sourced energy across all sectors by 2035. Do you support the concept of committing to 100% renewable energy for all municipal operations for Onondaga County? | Yes. I am a resident of DeWitt and have attended the meetings relative to this commitment. They have actually come very close to achieving the goal of 10% clean energy by 2020. Their commitment was demonstrated by having a paid staff to design and oversee the project. It is this kind of commitment that is necessary for the County to truly mean what it says. Specific time lines and specificity of goals should be part of any realistic County plan with accountability built in. |
| Do you support installing electric vehicle charging stations at County-owned buildings and facilities, for use by County employees and by the general public ( for example Rosamond Gifford Zoo, NBT Bank Stadium, Regional Market, Western Shore Loop the Lake parking lot, Long Branch Park parking lot, Jamesville Beach parking lot, County libraries…). | Yes. The County commitment to clean energy must include the plan to switch to electric vehicles. Research regarding overall cost/cost savings must be undertaken so as to make the case as budget discussions commence. |
| Do you support passage of a local law to join the Energy Improvement Corporation (EIC), ( www.energizeny.org/commercial/eny-open-pace ) a statewide local development corporation that administers the “Open C-PACE” (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) finance program to make it easier for commercial buildings to make their property more efficient? | Yes. I reviewed the link and this seems like a very exciting possibility. It is certainly something I would like to learn more about and learn how this could be operationalized in Onondaga County. |
| Next year the Climate and Community Investment Act in NYS will probably be introduced that will establish a carbon fee/tax of $35 per ton of carbon-dioxide equivalent and would raise $7 billion per year for clean energy investments. Do you support the concept of a fee on carbon dioxide? | Yes. Carbon tax is something that is long overdue. I absolutely support such a tax. |
| Do you support enacting a requirement that all new County buildings reach “net zero energy” status? | Yes. Any new County building need to produce as much energy as it consumes. |
| Do you support earning certification for Onondaga County as a Climate Smart Community from the NYS DEC ( https://climatesmart.ny.gov/ )? | Yes. Again, earning the certification as a Climate Smart Community will require more than just signing on. This is a serious and long term commitment that will require leadership and accountability. I fully support such a commitment. |
| Other actions you support to mitigate the effects of climate change in CNY. | As DeWitt has demonstrated, the installation of solar PV on County owned buildings and land where feasible should be planned. Lighting in County facilities should be converted to LED. While our our President has withdrawn the Country from the Paris Agreement, this doesn’t mean that localities cannot work towards these goals. The discussions related to the I 81 project seem overly focused on commute times from the suburbs in individual vehicles. I believe we are long overdue to develop a comprehensive plan for public transportation. Park and ride options should be supported, with the city and CENTRO collaborating on such plans to move people into and out of the city. The Legislature has a number of committees that focus on specific issues. There should be an Energy Committee whose focus would be to address the issues highlighted in this survey. As stated above, I absolutely believe we are in a climate emergency. I will depend on those whose knowledge base far exceeds mine and I will support all efforts in the service of preparing for and mitigating the impact of climate change. |