May 20, 2019
Dear Chairman Mendelson,
The Sierra Club DC Chapter thanks the DC Council for funding important environmental, climate and sustainability measures in the budget given initial approval on Tuesday, May 14.
First and foremost, thank you for funding the groundbreaking Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 and not removing money from the special purposes funds that exist specifically to expand renewable energy, energy efficiency, and to fund the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act. The DC Council has demonstrated bold leadership in combating the climate crisis.
The Sierra Club very much appreciates that the Council allocated $4 million to protect children from lead poisoning. Exposure to lead early in life causes neurotoxicity and permanently injures people through their entire lives. The Sierra Club firmly agrees with the Council’s decision to levy a one percent tax on sweetened beverages that damage public health. We also support the Council’s move to reduce tax credits under the Qualified High Technology Company (QHTC) program, which is benefiting a few tech giants with little economic benefit to the District. The Sierra Club fully supports dedicating the revenues from the soda tax and the reduction in the QHTC to important priorities such as protecting children from the extreme health threat from DC’s lead service lines.
On a matter not included in the budget voted on May 14, the Sierra Club encourages the Council to hold a hearing on DC’s Freedom of Information Act to enable the public to discuss the critical role of this law in good governance and comment on any proposals for amending it.
The Sierra Club thanks the DC Council for maintaining the integrity of the Green Building Fund – which is funded by a small surcharge on building permit applications – by dropping the Mayor’s proposal to divert funds to unrelated purposes. The Fund plays a critical and ongoing role in many of DC's recent green building and climate successes. For example, the Fund pays for: the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) green building team, which has greatly expedited and simplified permitting for solar power systems in DC; the greening of the building code to make sure DC’s buildings are healthy and contribute to the climate solution; and grants for important purposes such as drafting the Clean Energy DC plan.
The Sierra Club supports increasing funding for affordable housing, which allows more people to live in a city with diverse transit options instead of more car-dependent suburbs. We share the deep concerns of many in DC that Washingtonians are being forced out of their city by the high cost of housing. The Sierra Club has a long-standing commitment to “preservation and revitalization of urban neighborhoods, with residents protected from unreasonable economic and physical disruption; rehabilitation of housing and community facilities; jobs creation; a safe and healthy workplace environment; and elimination of ‘redlining’ practices.” Amid rising costs and the resulting displacement DC has seen in recent years, the Sierra Club supports expanded funding for affordable housing initiatives.
The Sierra Club thanks the DC Council for taking a first vote in favor of a progressive and thoughtful budget that makes substantial efforts to protect DC residents from the worst effects of threats like climate change and lead-tainted drinking water. We ask that in the Council’s final budget vote next week, funding not be reduced for Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act implementation, replacing lead service lines, Green Building Fund programs, the DC Streetcar and the K Street Transitway.
Sincerely,
Mark Rodeffer
Chair
Sierra Club DC Chapter
Lara Levison
Clean Energy Committee Chair
Sierra Club DC Chapter
CC:
Councilmember David Grosso, At-Large
Councilmember Anita Bonds, At-Large
Councilmember Elissa Silverman, At-Large
Councilmember Robert White, At-Large
Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, Ward 1
Councilmember Jack Evans, Ward 2
Councilmember Mary Cheh, Ward 3
Councilmember Brandon Todd, Ward 4
Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5
Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Councilmember Vincent Gray, Ward 7
Councilmember Trayon White, Ward 8