Conservation Action: Chapter units rank conservation priorities

by Jessica Helm, Conservation Chair

The Atlantic Chapter has more than 20 issue committees run by volunteers.

Group executive committees were asked to rank three major areas of environmental focus, and then to rank six specific sub-categories in each major area.

The rank of the three major areas are:

Climate and energy (46%)

Natural habitats (28%)

Sustainable living (26%)

Sub-category ranks within these major areas are:

The top priority is clearly climate and energy, and top areas of focus within climate and energy are efficiency and conservation, followed closely by renewable energy.  Together, fossil fuels (perhaps our strongest area of activity) and climate education have only half as much support as efficiency or renewables.

Natural habitats and sustainable living are closely tied for our secondary priority. Clean water and watersheds lead other habitat priorities by a substantial margin. Environmental health tops the list of sustainable living priorities, but zero waste is also a significant concern.

Many of these areas are intertwined, so if an issue with volunteer support doesn’t appear in a top priority, we should focus volunteer efforts on those aspects of the issue which impact our top priorities.For example, forests do not appear in the top priorities, but forests are an integral part of many of our special places in New York, our natural heritage.  They are also important to keeping soil intact and dissolved solids out of our watersheds.

Resource allocations (financial, legal, and staff support) should mirror our top priorities. We should actively seek projects, issues, and legislative priorities in efficiency, conservation, renewable energy, clean water, and environmental health. New opportunities should be evaluated with these priorities in mind.

The following include areas in which we are engaged, and, in italic, potential areas in which we could engage.
 

Climate and energy

Efficiency and conservation priorities

• NYS climate and energy plans

• Support the creation of green jobs in New York state through home retrofits

• Energy plan—last released 2009; next draft due Sept. 2012; public comments January-March

• Climate action plan—Annie has been participating in the Power Supply and Delivery Technical Working Group. Interim report released. NYClimateChange.us

• Campaign for a low-meat diet

Renewable energy

• NY Solar Jobs and Development Act

• Offshore wind proposals—press for more openness and to move the process along.

• Opposing Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission line which would receive $1 billion Department of Energy loan guarantees intended for clean energy infrastructure

Opposing Fossil Fuels

• Gas Drilling Task Force education, lobbying, and organizing

• Pressure Jamestown to adopt the energy efficiency based alternative plan and eliminate the need for their existing coal plant

• Chapter will have intervenor status on Spectra Pipeline which would carry gas to NYC.

• Energy committee generated a report on fossil fuel use in the Northeast.

• Opposing Indian Point exemptions of fire safety regulations.
 

Natural habitats

Clean Water/Watersheds

• Monitor Hudson PCB cleanup via expert evaluation of cleanup progress

• Oppose Westchester County Airport expansion/Kensico Reservoir

Open space/sprawl

• NA 
 

Natural heritage

• Adirondacks: Working to establish the Split Rock Wildway as a corridor from the Adirondack High Peaks to Split Rock Wild Forest to the Green Mountains in Vermont; defending the right to paddle through navigable waterways

• Catskills: Protecting Williams Lake against overdevelopment; opposing construction of a new resort on Belleayre Mountain

• Forests: Speak up for nature in the State Forests Management Plan; provide a field identification card to fight invasive Asian longhorn beetle and emerald ash borer; support Rochester urban forest restoration

• Wetlands: Support proper DEC staffing for the Freshwater Wetlands Program and fight staff cuts.
 

Sustainable living

Environmental health

• Reach out to public commissioners about the health hazards of gas drilling; advocate for the cleanup of Newtown Creek, recently declared a Superfund site

Zero waste

• NYS draft Solid Waste Management Plan

Farm and food

• Oppose CAFOs

• Promote low-meat diets