Our Mission: Power A Clean Future Ohio is building momentum now for a clean, prosperous future by equipping local leaders for equitable, community-driven carbon reductions in Ohio. |
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Local Action Update:
City of Columbus announces new clean-energy jobs program for residents
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On Thursday, April 7, Columbus city leaders announced a new jobs program to connect residents with training and experience in the clean-energy sector. The Empowered! Program will recruit residents ages 18-24 from communities of color and women in areas throughout the city deemed “opportunity zones.” To promote Empowered!, the city will allocate $1.5 million in funding that will allow non-profit IMPACT Community Action to implement the program.
“Addressing climate change is about more than reducing carbon emissions. It is also about expanding opportunity, promoting upward mobility and elevating quality of life,” said Mayor Ginther. “A sustainable future must also be a prosperous future, and I look forward to seeing Empowered!’s impact in our city’s Opportunity Neighborhoods as well as across the entire community.”
According to a release, participants will receive $17 per hour and compensation for their training.
Click here to learn more about the Empowered! Program. You can also find more about the city’s Climate Action Plan here.
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2023 Green Cincinnati Plan |
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The Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP) has helped establish Cincinnati as a national leader in sustainability and an attractive destination for businesses and individuals. GCP was last updated in 2018 and presented a comprehensive set of recommendations to advance the sustainability, equity, and resilience of Cincinnati. An updated plan will help map Cincinnati’s path to 100% renewable energy.
In 2023, a new GCP will be developed with input from many stakeholders and community members. Community members can engage with the process in a variety of ways including online surveys, submitting a recommendation form, attending in-person meetings, and staying up-to-date with their newsletter. PCFO looks forward to supporting Cincinnati as it continues to lead the nation in thoughtful and comprehensive planning for its sustainable, clean energy future.
For more information and to take action, click here.
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PCFO INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT SNAPSHOTS
Federal Funding: Find it here!
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Four recent grants were just released that may be of interest to your communities. If you are interested in applying or need PCFO’s support please contact Sarah Spence, IGAP Coordinator, at sarah@ohcef.org with any questions.
The Council on Environmental Quality has issued a request for information (RFI) to solicit feedback on the beta version of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.
Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grants is a competitive program for projects that improve facilities within, or outside of and directly related to operations of or an intermodal connection to coastal seaports, inland river ports, and Great Lakes ports.
The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program is an existing competitive program that will see a more than 50% increase in this year’s funding due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These grants advance the Administration’s priorities of rebuilding America’s infrastructure and creating jobs by funding highway, multimodal freight and rail projects that position America to win the 21st century.
The National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program was created to fund major projects that are too large or complex for traditional funding programs. The program will provide grants on a competitive basis to support multijurisdictional or regional projects of significance that may also cut across multiple modes of transportation.
The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL) was created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will support projects to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas to increase connectivity, improve the safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, and generate regional economic growth and improve quality of life.
The Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program makes federal resources available to states and direct recipients to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities including technological changes or innovations to modify low or no emission vehicles or facilities. The Low or No EmissionGrant Program is a sub-program.
The Low or No Emission competitive program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses as well as acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.
Open Request for Information (RFI): Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool Beta Version. Comments due by April 25.
Provide feedback to help ensure the goals of the Justice40 Initiative are realized! The Council on Environmental Quality released a Request for Information (RFI) on the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool Beta Version. This Screening Tool utilizes key indicators and interactive maps to visualize disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. Federal agencies will use the Screening Tool to identify communities with historic underinvestment in energy, transit, housing and water infrastructure, disproportionate pollution burden, and job training and employment. For more information on how to respond to this RFI, please visit here.
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Cleveland Mayor delivers first State of the City address and includes city's future climate action plan |
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Cleveland, Ohio, Mayor Justin Bibb delivered his first State of the City address to a filled auditorium on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. Bibbs gave the audience a snapshot of his administration's work so far, including early steps toward police reform, a pledge of millions of dollars toward reducing lead poisoning, changes to West Side Market operations, and efforts to boost the city's 48% vaccination rate. His initiative for the city's future climate action plan will commit to "more progressive greenhouse gas reduction goals" and more emphasis on climate justice and neighborhood revitalization. In addition, Bibb and his administration are working toward using a "15-minute city" framework for urban planning to locate grocery stores, jobs, parks, and other necessities within a short walk, bike ride, or transit trip from residents' homes.
To read more about this, click here.
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NOACA Climate Action Summit |
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On Tuesday, March 15, NOACA hosted a virtual Climate Action Summit in partnership with The Cleveland Foundation and The George Gund Foundation. This summit convened as a half-day event that included keynote speakers and panel discussions on subject matters related to developing a regional climate action plan for Northeast Ohio.
The overall goal is to build support for the regional climate action plan and demonstrate commitment to a low-carbon future for Northeast Ohio. Specific goals for the summit included:
- Educate participants about the unique opportunities in Northeast Ohio to protect valuable resources and achieve co-benefits
- Raise awareness about the experience of other organizations to address the climate crisis through Climate Action Plans.
- Demonstrate unity from leaders across regional organizations in support of NOACA’s efforts to develop a regional climate action plan through partnership and bold investment, particularly as it relates to the region’s transportation system.
To view the summit recording, click here.
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Environmental Justice and Distributive Leadership Model |
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Considering all the nuances within the scope of environmental justice work like lead poisoning, climate change, and green energy, how can any one organization make a significant impact in this space? How does an activist know where to start and how to best tackle these issues?
Black Environmental Leaders Association (BEL) and the Global Shapers Cleveland Hub have seemed to figure out a way to get more done with fewer people, by approaching the work from a distributive leadership model.
“As we were looking at how we wanted to show up in the marketplace, we wanted to embrace the notion that everyone is a leader,” says SeMia Bray, BEL co-director.
PCFO is fortunate to work in close partnership and collaboration with BEL, as a member of our coalition and Steering Committee, and to have Kwame Botchway and Elena Stachew leading PCFO’s engagement with communities in Northeast Ohio.
To learn more about their work and read the team’s profiles, click here.
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Utility-Scale Solar Workshop for Ohio Public Officials
Thursday, April 21, 2022, from 8:30 am - 3:30 p.m., VFW, Fort Defiance Post, 201 Clinton Street, Defiance, OH 43512
The workshop is designed to provide information to local leaders to better understand Ohio’s energy environment and how their communities can take an active role in addressing the demand for renewable energy sources in a responsible, forward-thinking manner. The workshop is also designed to promote a conversation and collaboration between all participants. By attending the workshop, you will receive up-to-date fact-based information on topics related to utility-scale solar presented by industry leaders, academia, and county officials. To learn more and register, click here.
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Modern-Era Mine Reclamation Needs and the Bonding Crisis
Thursday, April 21, 2022, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Register via zoom
The decline of the coal industry nationwide is exposing the deep cracks in the coal mine clean-up process. As more coal companies go bankrupt, it’s revealing that the system that was designed to ensure reclamation is failing. In many cases the funds set aside can’t cover the cost of cleanup. This leaves local communities bearing the burden of dangerous and polluting former mine sites. Learn more about this growing national issue, the proposed solutions that communities have been developing, and how you can help. To learn more and register, click here.
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Climate Justice for All
Friday, April 22, 2022, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Cleveland Public Library Auditorium (Main Library Downtown)
Join us for an Earth Day panel discussion on how bold policy will advance climate action & environmental justice in our community. We will hear from elected leaders about how they are advancing important policy at all levels of government to secure a healthier environment for all who call Cleveland home. To learn more and register, click here.
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2022 Climate Change Seminar: Making the Business Case for Climate Action
Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Dayton Realtors, 1515 S. Main St. Dayton, OH 45409
This in-person event is open to all and free to attend. Presentations will include OSU climate research center report from Dr. Aaron Wilson, legislative updates on climate and energy from Kevin Futryk and Julia Wynn of Government Advantage Group, and a panel on action areas for local government to include local climate and clean energy policy, fleets and making your community solar-ready. To learn more and register, click here.
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2022 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit
June 16, 2022, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Cintas Center, Xavier University
Each year, the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit brings together hundreds of passionate business, nonprofit, government and community leaders to share inspiring forward-thinking and solution-oriented ideas that propel us toward a healthier, more resilient, sustainable and equitable future. Relevant topics like healthy & resilient communities, business & green, circular economy, government & policy, and more will be discussed. To learn more and register, click here.
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Interested in getting started? Join today! |
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PCFO is an expansive, diverse coalition engaging with cities and local governments across the state of Ohio to build a clean future for our communities. Power A Clean Future Ohio is empowering local leaders with tools and resources to create carbon reduction plans and implement them in ways that are achievable, measurable, equitable and economical.
Our coalition of expert organizations wants to share our technical expertise and resources with your community. If your community wants to work on plans to reduce emissions, attract business investment, implement equitable clean energy policy, and reduce costs – contact us today to set up a meeting!
If your business or organization would like to support PCFO, we invite you to join the campaign as a PCFO Partner. Contact us for more details.
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