Good evening American Canyon Planning Commissioners,

My name is Maia Medalle, I am a Junior at American Canyon High School, and alongside other high school students, I have worked tirelessly as a representative of Napa Schools 4 Climate Action.

Napa Schools for Climate Action is a group composed of passionate students, teachers, staff, local government officials, and citizens all across Napa County & the NVUSD. Our motto is that no school should be a silent witness to climate injustice.

I write to you to acknowledge the need for a 2030 net-zero focus in our General Plan. In the past year, Napa Schools 4 Climate Action has put endless amounts of energy into drafting and fighting for the adoption of our “ Call To Climate Restoration Action” within NVUSD and successfully were able to have it adopted this past April. This resolution acknowledges the importance of restoring atmospheric carbon levels to pre-industrial levels and aiming for net-zero climate pollution, by or before the decisive year of 2030. The adoption of our resolution in our school district solidified the commitment of our community to our future, the youth’s future.

I recognize this same commitment made by the leaders of our town, my hometown. Your dedication to the future of our earth has been seen through the declaration of a climate emergency and the ban on new and expanding gas stations, yet past actions aren’t enough to guarantee our future.

We must continue to work toward progress, and this is why I urge you to consider the 2030 net-zero focus as a commitment, instead of just a goal. As the bearers of my generation’s future, I strongly compel you to recognize the urgency of including this commitment in the draft of your General Plan.

Our future is in your hands, and my generation looks to you, trusting you will make the right decisions.

I thank you for your time and consideration,

Maia Medalle
Napa Schools 4 Climate Action

Dear Planning Commissioners,

We are writing this letter today to weigh in on this important General Plan workshop discussion; namely, whether American Canyon should retain its 2030 net-zero focus as a firm commitment. Current drafts of the General Plan Policy Document and Draft EIR do not specify this goal. On behalf of residents throughout Napa County, we urge you to stand strong in support of the 2030 goal, along with each of the other jurisdictions in Napa County, NVUSD, Napa RCD, and surrounding communities.

American Canyon has been a leader in the county, inspiring other jurisdictions with its climate-positive initiatives. These initiatives are serving the vital interests of American Canyon residents and are important building blocks toward climate resilience. They are also in line with the 2030 net zero climate pollution goal.

Pulling back from a firm 2030 commitment could easily undermine these initiatives in the coming years. Pulling back could also delay or prevent the adoption of additional measures needed to protect city residents and environs, and discourage Countywide Climate Action Committee efforts. As guardians of the public trust, the Planning Commission is in a unique position to weigh the benefits and costs of development from a holistic community perspective. Now, more than ever, there is a need for this kind of leadership as climate change accelerates unabated.

The science is clearly on the side of 2030. In the latest IPCC consensus report (AR6), the world’s climate scientists agreed that the earth is very likely to exceed the dangerous threshold of 1.5°C above normal on a sustained basis by the early 2030s, and as early as 2030. As you know, record heat waves, storms, flooding, and wildfires have put communities across the country at extreme risk, along with whole ecosystems vital to our environment and economy.

Napa RCD is committed to the 2030 net zero goal and stands ready to support cities in making the transition through innovative management. NVUSD is committed to 2030. State and federal resources, including millions in infrastructure and other climate funds made available through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, are now available to help American Canyon meet its 2030 goal.

Please support the retention of 2030 as a firm net zero goal in all planning and development, for our children’s sake.

Sincerely,

Napa Climate NOW! Steering Committee:
Lynne Baker
Chris Benz
Linda Brown
Marilyn Knight-Mendelson
Jim Wilson