The New York State budget was released late last night and now we know what we need to ask our legislators next week. Join NYIPL and the NY Renews coalition for our post-budget Lobby asks. You do not need to speak; we do need you to show up. Every visit already has a lobby lead assigned to guide the group.
At Chautauqua Institute
Rabbi Jacob will be presenting at Chautauqua Institute this summer during Infrastructure Week. He will be delivering a lecture followed by Q&A on our religious approach to addressing climate change. His presentation is scheduled for July 24, 2023 at 2:00pm in the Hall of Philosophy. For further information go to: https://www.chq.org/
Fall Legislative Session
Storytelling Workshop
We are taking our stories and our demands to our legislators with video clips. Join us as we learn how to make a 2-3 minute video using our faith traditions. At the end of workshop you will be able to:
- Write a brief story
- Record easily (painlessly) for posting
- Learn the storytelling tradition of your faith
- Take action and reach out further into the community
- Turn the words of heartfelt prayers into deeds with others across the state.
Sunday, August 28th @ 7:00pm
To register go to: https://forms.gle/xVHsiG2WnLgyb8Xj7
Carbon Dioxide emissions in millions metric tons
West Virginia v the EPA
What Does West Virginia v EPA mean?
Congresspeople and as a whole, the Congress, are not experts on environment and environmental issues. They pass laws that give general directions and boundaries while instructing agencies to engage experts to implement the laws by drafting regulations. The majority of the Supreme Court says this methodology is no longer valid. They ruled the legislation must spell out the regulations in full in the legislation and the EPA only has the authority to oversee the regulations written in the laws. The EPA can no longer promulgate regulations. The Supreme Court demands are impossible, which means the entire fossil fuel industry is now essentially deregulated.
Power of Our Voice Confirmed
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has called for a “Special Session” of the Assembly to consider the “Build Public Renewables Act” that he failed to bring to the floor for a vote at the end of the session last week. The NYS Senate has already passed the bill.
Calling a special session is rare and unusual. Politico offers that the special session to consider the bill was called because the intense public pressure.
That pressure is US, my friend. Whoo-hoo!
The session will convene on July 28th.
Legislative Update for May 2022 webinar
Thursday, May 26, 2022 @ 7:00pm
Register here.
Public Testimony before Climate Action Council
I am Rabbi Glenn Jacob, executive director of New York Interfaith Power & Light, an advocacy group organizing people of faith across the state to fight for climate change legislation. On behalf of 3000 members and 130 congregations across the state, we bring two messages to the Climate Action Council.
We as voters and citizens do not tolerate hypocrisy by those who are elected, are employed by, or volunteer on behalf of the state. Six false solutions have been proposed in the scoping plan that in no manner will address climate change and reduce our carbon footprint in the short number of years we have. Biofuels, “renewable” natural gas, biomass, waste incineration, “green” hydrogen and carbon capture technologies either do not exist or they are still destructive to our environment and communities. Those proposing these solutions are misleading New Yorkers for their own narrow benefit.
Most important, the people of faith across the state want to know if the members of the Climate Action Council are going to act with moral courage or succumb to moral cowardice. The only possible solution is reducing the carbon footprint as thoroughly as possible and as soon as possible. Adherence to the CLCPA mandate is the only viable choice, funding its mandate as written, fully. Any other solution is an abdication of your moral obligations to the state, its citizens and to be honest, your families. Are you going to acquiesce to greed and power, or are you going to fight to save the creation?
Let me remind you: We are the first generation to address climate change and we are the last one that can. Thank you.
This is What Democracy Looks LIke
