Leading the Way: Montgomery County Confronts Climate Change Outcome Document
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LEADING THE WAY: MONTGOMERY COUNTY CONFRONTS CLIMATE CHANGE OUTCOME DOCUMENT Presented at a Public Briefing on September 12, 2018, Montgomery County Council Office Building, Rockville, Maryland, compiled by One Montgomery Green, Integrative Strategies Forum and Poolesville Green ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT This document was prepared following a “mini-summit” held on August 14, 2018, at the Silver Spring Civic Building in Silver Spring, Maryland. Participants, representing civic organizations and individuals with expertise in climate change, discussed critical aspects of the climate change challenge for the planet and for Montgomery County in particular. The document’s purpose is to reflect participants’ concerns and suggestions as documented at the August event and to raise these issues with Montgomery County leaders in order to inform them about programs and policies the residents would like to see implemented to address the growing threat of climate change. The organizers of these Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) affiliate events (the “mini-summit” in August and the public briefing in September) present these suggestions from local residents to help inform County leaders about which bold and urgent actions are supported by some of their active constituents, many of whom have expertise on climate change-related issues. © 2018. This document was published on September 12, 2018, in Wheaton, Maryland. It was compiled, written and edited by staff of One Montgomery Green, Integrative Strategies Forum and Poolesville Green. For more information, contact One Montgomery Green at [email protected]. FOREWORD Montgomery County residents and businesses are rightfully worried about climate change and the ominous challenges it presents, to not only themselves, but future generations. Those concerns are reflected in this report. But more importantly, this document is a call to action, with concrete steps to slow and, it is hoped, reverse the causes of climate change. These actions — switching to renewable energy sources, promoting transit and more — will make an impact only through the concerted efforts of government, business, Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker nonprofits and individuals. With our current federal government unwilling to even take seriously the grave threat of climate change, let alone act on it, our state, county and municipal governments must act, and act now. As a member of the Montgomery County Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee, and the Council’s Lead Member for the Environment, I’m working to ensure the county does what it can: adopting solar power, and other renewable energy sources, making energy-efficient Bus Rapid Transit a reality, concentrating housing and employment near transit, creating training programs for green jobs and more. Our county has set an ambitious goal of zero carbon emissions by 2035, and I’m committed to meeting that goal. I applaud the organizers of the “mini-summit” and everyone working to curb climate change. Working together, we will make a difference. Tom Hucker Councilmember, District 5 Montgomery County Council INTRODUCTION Responding to climate change—one of the most urgent issues of our time—is a challenge in which everyone has a role to play. The organizers of Global Climate Change Summit (GCAS) affiliate events on August 14th and September 12th sought to create opportunities for local climate change experts and advocates to discuss their greatest concerns and suggestions for programs and policies that could be undertaken by our County Government to address our contribution to greenhouse gases. On August 14th the mini-summit, “Leading the Way—Montgomery County Confronts Climate Change,” was attended by more than 80 participants representing more than 35 organizations in the County. Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer provided welcoming remarks. Keynote remarks followed by Patty Bubar, Acting Director of the Montgomery County Department for Environmental Protection. Bubar provided an overview of the Report of the LEADING THE WAY: MONTGOMERY COUNTY CONFRONTS CLIMATE CHANGE, OUTCOME DOCUMENT [ 1 ] Montgomery County Climate Mobilization Workgroup (Climate Mobilization Report) and the possible next steps for County programs and policies. Participants broke into small groups for a rich discussion on four central themes: healthy energy systems, sustainable communities, land and ocean stewardship and climate change economics (a combination of the GCAS themes inclusive economic growth and transformative climate investments). The concerns and suggestions highlighted in this document list participants’ contributions and highlight those issues most often raised by the participants. Also, we highlight key items raised in the Climate Mobilization Report. This document serves to inform leaders about the opinions of informed citizens and help them recognize that their constituents can serve as invaluable resources in finding the solutions we need. We are all in this together, and we all have contributions to make. We are very grateful to have received the input of so many knowledgeable and concerned County residents and the insights of experts from the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of General Services, the Department of Transportation, and Maryland National Capital Park and Planning. We look forward to supporting ongoing dialogue on Montgomery County’s role in addressing climate change in future. Wendy Howard, Executive Director of One Montgomery Green Jeffrey Barber, President of Integrative Strategies Forum Karen Onthank, Executive Director of Integrative Strategies Forum Joyce Breiner, Executive Director of Poolesville Green OVERVIEW On August 14th, One Montgomery Green (OMG), Integrative Strategies Forum (ISF), Poolesville Green (PG) and the Office of Councilmember Tom Hucker organized a public meeting at the Silver Spring Civic Building called “Leading the Way–Montgomery County Confronts Climate Change”. Its purpose was to share what local organizations and residents are doing to address climate change, review the county’s programs as reported in the Montgomery County Climate Mobilization Report, and discuss programs and policies participants believe the county should expand or create to help address climate change and meet the county’s ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gases. The event was organized in conjunction with the Global Climate Action Summit, September 12-14, 2018, in San Francisco as a local, affiliate event. LEADING THE WAY: MONTGOMERY COUNTY CONFRONTS CLIMATE CHANGE, OUTCOME DOCUMENT [ 2 ] After a welcome by One Montgomery Green Executive Director Wendy Howard, Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer made opening remarks and emphasized the importance of leadership at every level of government working with the private sector and civil society to make the significant changes needed to address climate change. He welcomed hearing the ideas of the participants at the program and cited the push for more housing around public transit and the victories in public transit funding. He also pointed out the achievement of making all Montgomery County’s buildings and fleet carbon neutral. Riemer also noted that this fall the Council will be reviewing the Climate Mobilization Report and will be discussing how to move forward with the suggestions for potential actions listed there. He mentioned that the Council’s Polystyrene Food Service Ware Montgomery County Ban also included plastic straws for take-out orders, though that Council President Hans Riemer has not been recognized by many and enforcement needs to be addressed. Keynote speaker Patty Bubar, Acting Director of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, focused her comments on the importance of working together to do what we can in concert with one another – from county government to the private sector to civil society. Despite federal government politics, our county can continue to maintain its programs and push for more efforts for greater results. It is vital, Bubar emphasized, that we not allow the efforts to confront climate change to remain a niche effort Acting Director of the Montgomery County Department but embrace all efforts to mainstream understanding and action. of Environmental Protection Patty Bubar In addition to the several achievements the county has made on addressing climate change, Bubar noted that the Climate Mobilization Report has over 100 prospective measures listed that will be reviewed this fall by county leaders. She also mentioned the potential of the Star Community Sustainability Framework as a benchmark tool to help integrate greenhouse gas reduction efforts with a broad set of quality of life measures. After these presentations, Jeffrey Barber of Integrative Strategies Forum invited participants to join one of four small group discussions around climate change themes. These are described in detail in the next section of this document. LEADING THE WAY: MONTGOMERY COUNTY CONFRONTS CLIMATE CHANGE, OUTCOME DOCUMENT [ 3 ] GENERAL CONCERNS ABOUT EXISTING COUNTY EFFORTS AND RESIDENTS’ ROLE IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES Participants raised some critiques of Montgomery County’s actions on climate change to date. The County was commended for taking up the challenge to reduce greenhouse gases in its Council resolution from December 2017 (Council Resolution 18-974). There was, however, criticism by several participants for failing to fund measures to administrate the implementation of