Dear Mayor Garcia, Vice-Mayor Aboudamous, and City Council Members Joseph, Washington, and Oro,
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. Traditionally, it’s the day when the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, comes out of his hole, either sees his shadow or doesn’t, and thereby declares whether we will have an early spring or six more weeks of winter.
Hmmm. Those were the good ol’ days. These days, when the 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the last 11, when the trees and flowers are blossoming far too early, when summer and fall have become smoke season as wildfires rage, and each snowfall seems like a miracle in the face of an ever-deepening drought, the time has come to reckon with our climate crisis.
First, I want to thank you for what I hope will be your decision to adopt an ordinance amending the zoning rules to prohibit new and expanded service stations. This is a tangible action that is fully in step with the Climate Emergency Resolution, also your evening’s agenda, and hopefully the first of several well considered actions that will ultimately benefit the residents of American Canyon, Napa County, and the Bay Area.
I also applaud this Council for taking the courageous step of considering, and hopefully passing tonight, a bold Climate Emergency Resolution. Congratulations to all of you for making this decision, particularly Councilmembers Joseph and Washington for your leadership, and thanks especially our youth advocates, Emily Bit and Alisa Karesh, for your firm resolve in seeing this resolution through. This Resolution provides a clear vision, calling for net zero climate pollution by or before 2030 and making the case for why we must do no further harm.
On behalf of Napa Climate NOW!, we stand ready to roll up our sleeves and help American Canyon in any way we can.
As a final thought, I’m sure you all remember that other Groundhog Day, the movie in which Bill Murray keeps reliving the same day over and over, making the same mistakes even as he tries to get it right, coming face to face with frustration, but persevering and finally succeeding in the end to see another day. We must all persevere in the face of this climate crisis, and in the end, we can and will succeed.
Thank you,
Linda Brown
Napa County Resident
Co-Founder, Napa Climate NOW!
As a Napa Valley parent who has been following your steady progress on addressing the climate emergency, I just wanted to take another moment to commend your efforts. From my view, your passing an ordinance which will prohibit new and expanded service stations, in all zoning districts in the City of American Canyon that engage in retail sale of motor vehicle fossil fuels, is very significant. The only way will make real progress on decreasing warming pollutants and giving our children the chance at a livable future, is if we work, jurisdiction by jurisdiction, to pass ordinances just like these. You are setting an example for the entire valley, the Bay Area, and beyond, with regard to what real policy change looks like.
My family cannot thank you enough for your commitment to our youth and future generations. Please keep going.
Dear Mayor Garcia, Vice-Mayor Aboudamous, and City Council Members Joseph, Washington, and Oro,
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. Traditionally, it’s the day when the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, comes out of his hole, either sees his shadow or doesn’t, and thereby declares whether we will have an early spring or six more weeks of winter.
Hmmm. Those were the good ol’ days. These days, when the 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the last 11, when the trees and flowers are blossoming far too early, when summer and fall have become smoke season as wildfires rage, and each snowfall seems like a miracle in the face of an ever-deepening drought, the time has come to reckon with our climate crisis.
First, I want to thank you for what I hope will be your decision to adopt an ordinance amending the zoning rules to prohibit new and expanded service stations. This is a tangible action that is fully in step with the Climate Emergency Resolution, also your evening’s agenda, and hopefully the first of several well considered actions that will ultimately benefit the residents of American Canyon, Napa County, and the Bay Area.
I also applaud this Council for taking the courageous step of considering, and hopefully passing tonight, a bold Climate Emergency Resolution. Congratulations to all of you for making this decision, particularly Councilmembers Joseph and Washington for your leadership, and thanks especially our youth advocates, Emily Bit and Alisa Karesh, for your firm resolve in seeing this resolution through. This Resolution provides a clear vision, calling for net zero climate pollution by or before 2030 and making the case for why we must do no further harm.
On behalf of Napa Climate NOW!, we stand ready to roll up our sleeves and help American Canyon in any way we can.
As a final thought, I’m sure you all remember that other Groundhog Day, the movie in which Bill Murray keeps reliving the same day over and over, making the same mistakes even as he tries to get it right, coming face to face with frustration, but persevering and finally succeeding in the end to see another day. We must all persevere in the face of this climate crisis, and in the end, we can and will succeed.
Thank you,
Linda Brown
Napa County Resident
Co-Founder, Napa Climate NOW!
Dear American Canyon City Council Members,
As a Napa Valley parent who has been following your steady progress on addressing the climate emergency, I just wanted to take another moment to commend your efforts. From my view, your passing an ordinance which will prohibit new and expanded service stations, in all zoning districts in the City of American Canyon that engage in retail sale of motor vehicle fossil fuels, is very significant. The only way will make real progress on decreasing warming pollutants and giving our children the chance at a livable future, is if we work, jurisdiction by jurisdiction, to pass ordinances just like these. You are setting an example for the entire valley, the Bay Area, and beyond, with regard to what real policy change looks like.
My family cannot thank you enough for your commitment to our youth and future generations. Please keep going.
Sincerely,
Lori Stelling
20+year Napa Resident