April 9, 2020
The Sierra Club DC Chapter is pleased to announce the roster of environmental allies we are supporting in the June 2 Democratic primary.
At-Large: The Sierra Club strongly supported Robert White in his 2016 upset win over an incumbent who consistently favored dirty energy interests. Over the last four years, Councilmember White has proven himself a top environmental ally. He opposed efforts to weaken DC’s 2018 clean energy law, has consistently pushed for increased energy efficiency and renewable energy in DC government buildings, and has supported protected bike lanes amid strong opposition. The Sierra Club is proud to endorse Councilmember Robert White for a second term.
Ward 2: The Sierra Club endorses Patrick Kennedy because he is the environmental champion best positioned to bring new leadership to Ward 2. As an advisory neighborhood commissioner, Kennedy has worked tirelessly to support sustainable transportation by disincentivizing car trips and parking and instead working for dedicated bus lanes, expanded bus service, and finding compromise to add protected bike lanes in Ward 2. Kennedy is committed to the Sierra Club’s clean energy and energy efficiency goals and to decarbonizing buildings in DC.
Mark Rodeffer, Chair of the Chapter’s Political Committee, said: “There are many candidates running for the Ward 2 seat, and all would be an improvement, except the unscrupulous former councilmember seeking to reclaim the seat from which he resigned in disgrace. The Sierra Club is particularly impressed by the candidacies of Jordan Grossman and Kishan Putta. Our priority is bringing new leadership to Ward 2, and Patrick Kennedy is the candidate best able to do that.”
Ward 4: The Sierra Club believes new leadership is also needed in Ward 4, and we proudly endorse Janeese Lewis George. The Sierra Club applauds George’s commitment to affordable housing and reducing emissions from buildings and transportation. She wants to add permanent supportive housing, housing for low-income households, workforce housing, and market-rate housing with dense development around Metro stations and high-frequency bus routes. She’s also committed to ensuring that new housing is powered by electricity from renewable sources, not fossil fuels.
The Sierra Club regrets that the incumbent Ward 4 councilmember did not respond to our questionnaire despite multiple requests. We believe Ward 4 needs leadership that is responsive to the needs of Ward 4 residents.
Ward 7: The Sierra Club endorsed Vince Gray in his races for DC Council and Mayor and we are pleased to endorse him again today. As Mayor, he brought stakeholders together to create the Sustainable DC plan, which a decade later still guides DC’s approach to clean energy, waste reduction, and improving water quality in the Anacostia River. Serving on the Council, Gray remains a top environmental ally, and the Sierra Club looks forward to working with him to zero out greenhouse gas emissions from buildings in DC.
Ward 8: Trayon White prioritizes service to his ward and his constituents above all else. He’s working to lessen plastic pollution with cleanups across Ward 8. He co-introduced the 2018 climate bill that’s moving DC to electricity from 100% renewable sources. The Sierra Club commends Trayon White for being the first sitting DC councilmember to participate in DC’s Fair Elections public financing program, which favors grassroots donors over polluters and other big money interests. The Sierra Club endorses Trayon White for another term on the DC Council.
Catherine Plume, Chair of the Sierra Club DC Chapter said: “The DC Chapter is thrilled to announce our endorsements for the Democratic Primary coming up on June 2. There are decisions that will be made in this election that will impact DC for years to come. We believe the slate of candidates we’ve endorsed are best able to secure an environmental and climate-friendly future for the District. We urge all DC residents to request a mail ballot online from the DC Board of Elections or call 202-727-2525 to request a mail ballot by phone as soon as possible. Your vote makes a difference!”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest environmental advocacy group. We are a grassroots organization with chapters in every state, DC, and Puerto Rico. Here in DC we have 3,000 dues-paying members and more than 10,000 supporters. We work to shift away from the dirty fossil fuels that cause climate change and move toward a clean energy economy. We advocate for reducing waste, expanding sustainable transportation and protecting our rivers and our drinking water. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/dc.