Rochester Energy Democracy Press Conference Please Come!!
RG&E's incompetence continues while rate hikes make us pay more for RG&E's failures. Thanks to growing public outcries against RG&E and grassroots organizing by our Rochester for Energy Democracy Coalition, the Monroe County Legislature is once again drafting legislation to fund and commission a study on replacing RG&E with a public utility. Progress has stalled, however, because County Executive Adam Bello will not commit to signing legislation to initiate a study even if it passes the County Legislature.
RG&E and their Big Business cronies are trying to stop Bello and his administration from even studying a public utility, thus preventing the public from having an informed choice on how we get our power. The business lobby against a public utility study includes the Head of the Chamber of Commerce, Bob Duffy – who is paid to serve on the board of RG&E’s parent company. The residents of Monroe County have already waited too long for a solution to the RG&E crisis; it's time for County Executive Bello to show whether he will side with the facts and the people, or RG&E's corporate owners.
The public uproar has been loud and clear: we deserve a real chance to explore a public alternative to foreign-owned RG&E. Monroe County must study replacing RG&E with a locally controlled and publicly owned utility that is cheaper, prioritizes customer service and reliability, and invests the money we pay into our local economy and needs. The next opportunity for the County Legislature to introduce legislation, so that it can undergo review in time for them to vote on it this spring, is the Democratic Caucus meeting on March 18th. County Executive Adam Bello's support is critical to ensuring that legislation for a study gets introduced, reviewed, passed, and implemented. Join our press conference where we will share updates on whether or not legislation for a study is being introduced, what this means for how we move forward to get a public utility study, and call on County Executive Adam Bello to side with the people over RG&E's corporate owners.
Join us at the press conference:
Wednesday, March 20th at 9 AM
at the front entrance of the Monroe County Government Office
39 West Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614
CONTACT Mohini Sharma · mohini@metrojustice.org · 585-397-3534
Spring Spark and Summer of Heat: Targeting the “Dirty Banks” on Climate
The Fossil Free Liaisons meet to dicuss plans for future actions and activities. The article is condensed from the meeting report.
The idea for “Spring Spark” is to kick off escalations in New York City (NYC) targeting Citibank
around the time of its annual shareholder meeting in late April. (Although some actions could conflict with Passover, the timing is determined by the Citi AGM). Following the Spring Spark actions, the “Summer of Heat” will involve 3 months of sustained, disruptive actions and educational activities in NYC, again primarily targeting Citibank. This would build on the success of the "wave of actions" in NYC last September at the UN Climate Summit. The lead partner organizers are Stop the Money Pipeline, Climate Defenders, and New York Communities for Change. Third Act has joined and endorsed these actions.
Interested in participating? SIGN UP HERE!
Summer of Heat Partner Information Overview
Third Act-Specific Summer of Heat Sign-up Link (PLEASE USE THIS ONE so we can track Third Act sign-ups. Please add in the affiliation box Third Act Union spelled out, not abbreviations)
WG Interest Survey Results - Re: Spring Spark & Summer of Heat. Many thanks to those
members who filled out the interest survey!
We are looking into the possibility of having simultaneous actions in other cities and states – so look for information about upcoming events.
Getting Involved with Summer of Heat on Wall Street
To sustain this campaign we’ll need thousands of people! We’ll have many ways for organizations and individuals to participate at whatever risk level they are comfortable with. To get involved with the Summer of Heat on Wall Street, take these 2 steps:
Fill out the Partner Interest/Endorsement Form
RSVP for this Onboarding Call - this call will take place on March 20th – so please sign up now!
Third Act Rochester working group meeting
We will be discussing what action we want to take in support of the Rochester Energy Democracy campaign and the Spring Spark and Summer of Heat.
Zoom meeting: Thursday, March 21st, 2 pm to 3:30 pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9345918056?pwd=SmpQeFhRN01nd0hpaTUrM3UxVk1BZz09
Meeting ID: 934 591 8056
Passcode: BxKGf1Lw46
Or by phone:
1-929-205-6099; Meeting ID: 934 591 8056
Climate Solutions Summit April 19-20
Friday, April 19, 2024 12:30 PM, Saturday, April 20, 2024 4:00 PM. , Hyatt Regency Rochester 125 East Main Street Rochester, NY, 14604 United States (map) Registration opens in March.
Mission Zero Movement
Planning is underway for our third Mission Zero event, which will be held on Saturday, April 27, from 10 am till 2 PM in the Geneva Ice Rink (minus the ice). ROC Third Act will be there. missionzeromovement@gmail.com From Richard Cox.
Geneva Recreation Complex Ice Rink and Turf, 666 S Exchange St., Geneva, NY 14456