Help Stop Coal Burning at the Capitol! Meeting Jan 24!

The Capitol Power Plant (CPP) continues to periodically burn coal though it has been outfitted to burn natural gas. While coal is a dirty fuel source, height restrictions of CPP stacks due to the plant's proximity to National Airport mean that even higher levels of residue fallout across the DC region - exacerbating asthma and other respiratory issues and flying in the face of DC’s Sustainability goals.

DC Council Member Tommy Wells is convening a meeting to discuss this issue see details below!  PLEASE ATTEND!! Yard signs will be available and small donations to this grass roots cause will be welcome!

See Tommy Wells’s letter for the meeting below:

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Dear Capitol Hill residents and other interested community members :

The Architect of the Capitol’s recent permit application for changes to the Capitol Power Plant has been a source the great concern for many of us. I will be hosting a community meeting on Thursday, January 24, 2013, to hear your concerns and to discuss next steps. The District Department of the Environment will present background information about the Power Plant, after which I will moderate a discussion. The meeting will not be limited to concerns about the current permit application. I also want to discuss strategies for addressing broader concerns about the power plant, particularly the ongoing use of coal as a fuel source. See details below:

Community Meeting on the Capitol Power Plant

Thursday, January 24, 6:30pm to 8:00pm

United Methodist Church -- 421 Seward Square SE

I hope to see you there, however, if you are unable to attend, there will be more opportunities to get involved -- this will be an ongoing community discussion.

Tommy

Mayor Gray to Sign Sustainable DC Act!

DC Mayor Vincent Gray is set to sign the Sustainable DC Act of 2012 on Wednesday, January 16^th, 2013 at 10:00 am. The specific location is still being finalized.

The Sustainable DC Act will benefit the District in each of the three legs of sustainability: economy, equity, and environment. The legislation wil help promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, urban agriculture, and will keep dangerous chemicals out of our rivers. Highlights of the Sustainability Act include: 

• Additional funding for two existing DC programs that are key for energy efficiency and renewable energy: the EnergyStar Benchmarking Program and the Renewable Energy Incentive Program;
• Reducing the use of fertilizers by increasing the buffer between fertilized areas and waterways to help clean our rivers and streams;
• Making it easier to keep bees, which is valuable for agriculture and gardens and providing educational opportunities; 
•  Separating the location of children-occupied facilities and drycleaners that use chemicals with dangerous health effects; and 
• Providing assistance to low-income and elderly households to access weatherization services and energy system retrofits to tune-up heating systems and hot water heaters.

Background on the Sustainable DC Act

In July 2011, Mayor Gray announced his intention to make DC the greenest, healthiest, and most livable city in the nation. Through the winter of 2011 and spring of 2012, a group of residents, local businesses and institutions, and local and federal government, developed a plan to make this vision a reality.  For more information on Sustainable DC check out: http://sustainable.dc.gov/

Recycle Your Holiday (and other occasion) Cards!

St. Jude's Ranch for Children will take your holiday ...or other occasion cards ..and make new ones out of them. You can also purchase upcycled cards from them.  Check out the program at http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/  To mail in your used cards here are a few details:

• All types of greeting cards, including Christmas are accepted. 
• Only the card front can be used (please check to be sure the backside of the front of the card is clear of any writing, etc.
• We can not accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards 
• 5″ x 7″ size or smaller is preferred 
• To mail large quantities in the least expensive way, use the United States Post Office in a Flat Rate Box (available at the Post Office), which holds up to 70 pounds 

Mail donations to :
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street 
Boulder City, NV 89005