BRATTLEBORO — At a recent Selectboard meeting, I tried to be very clear about why I chose not to vote in favor of the Declaration of Climate Emergency.
Most likely some of you who voted for me in March as “the climate guy” might have found my vote surprising.
Let me reiterate and expand on my thought process, as I know that not everyone has the opportunity to watch our meetings (although I encourage you to try to catch them either live or later on BCTV).
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I saw the declaration that was presented asking the town to do four things. The first was to make a statement about our current climate crisis.
I do believe that we are in an urgent crisis, one that is unfolding in different ways around the globe and most affecting the people who have done the least to cause climate change.
If we were asked to simply state that climate change is an unprecedented global crisis, then I would have been okay with that, although I'm skeptical of the value of such a statement from the Brattleboro Selectboard.
The second part of the declaration called for us to “strive for zero emissions across all sectors by 2030.”
I do support the creation of a town policy that commits us to end our use of fossil fuels by 2030. Such a policy does not yet exist, and I would rather be involved in creating one than signing on to another aspirational goal with no firm commitment.
The town of Brattleboro can mandate emissions reductions in town-owned buildings, infrastructure, and transportation, but not in people's private homes and vehicles. A clear policy would force us to pause when making purchases, renovations, upgrades, and replacements to make sure that we are not locking ourselves into further decades of fossil-fuel use.
For example, at the same meeting we asked for the town Department of Public Works to reconsider its proposed purchase of a diesel generator and asked its management to explore battery-storage options.
The third part of the declaration proposed that the Selectboard warn monthly hearings to provide a forum for generating climate solutions. I believe that through our open meetings, committee structure, responsive town staff, and elected officials we already provide a mechanism for people to bring ideas to the town government.
Outside of town government, a number of organizations are working to make change. Most of them would be happy for new members.
Furthermore, one of the duties of the sustainability coordinator will be to engage community members and groups. It seems wise to me that we hire this person and then give them a chance to begin that work.
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The fourth part of the declaration wanted the ideas from the hearings to be enacted as emergency ordinances. Presumably, these ideas would come before the Selectboard during one of our two monthly meetings and we'd need to weigh whether it would be something we'd want to try, modify, or reject.
On the one hand, there's a boldness to this idea that I love. Folks in town would put their heads together and propose new things for the town to try, and then the board would set them into motion.
On the other hand, I feel that enacting these ordinances would go around our usual budgeting and public-comment process and could potentially be impossible to enforce.
When I asked the declaration's organizers what one of these proposals might be, they suggested a “No Driving Day.” It's hard for me to imagine how an emergency ordinance barring people from driving in the town of Brattleboro would have any more weight than the board imploring people to do the same.
I am proud to serve on the Selectboard and have learned a great deal about our representative democracy, the workings of our town, and how to balance the wishes of community members with my own integrity.
I will continue to make decisions that aim to move us toward a Brattleboro that works for all of us. Thanks for taking the time to listen and for caring about our precious home.