Advocates, below you'll find:
1) an update and review of the narrative we were able to introduce with several moderate conservative representatives.
2) an op ed around the MDEQ's proposed air quality deregulation for emitted chemicals
3) comment on the state of USGBC MI Advocacy in light of confusion between our chapters over the Advocacy Day.
ENERGY & ADVOCACY DAY
In case you haven't yet reached out or plan to do so again soon, here's a review of the particular (USGBC & ASHRAE specific) narrative we began positioning where feasible during the Dec. 2nd Advocacy Day that you can use too.
### narrative: http://usgbcmiadvocacy.blogspot.com/2015/12/energy-advocacy-day-in-case-you-havent.html ###
### Advocacy Day Recap (we've yet to regroup with synthesized notes as a team, these are my top notes with USGBC specific focus)###
Several representatives were unfamiliar or naive to how EE & the building industry worked. They were receptive to hearing the current feasibility of energy efficiency through using up to date LEED and ASHRAE standards.
The reps were interested in hearing:
1) The business case (among small & large business owners)
2) How it affects consumers/rate payers with their bills at home
3) How the EE/Building & Construction is affected or has benefited so far
MDEQ's background report:
http://environmentalcouncil.org/mecReports/DeregulatingMichigansToxicAirEmissionsBackgrounder.pdf
Michigan already legally emits air pollution that exceeds (in a bad way) the known limits for public health due to clever legislation written by industry years (perhaps decades by now) ago according to Vinson Hellwig (DEQ's air quality chief) at the 2011 EPA Detroit EJ conference.
At the same time, I request that we be forthright in any concerns that may arise, and that active participation from both chapters continues so that we may advance the purpose of the USGBC here in Michigan as one. Failure to designate or represent your chapter during our
Have a great weekend,
Ian D. Tran
1) an update and review of the narrative we were able to introduce with several moderate conservative representatives.
2) an op ed around the MDEQ's proposed air quality deregulation for emitted chemicals
3) comment on the state of USGBC MI Advocacy in light of confusion between our chapters over the Advocacy Day.
ENERGY & ADVOCACY DAY
In case you haven't yet reached out or plan to do so again soon, here's a review of the particular (USGBC & ASHRAE specific) narrative we began positioning where feasible during the Dec. 2nd Advocacy Day that you can use too.
### narrative: http://usgbcmiadvocacy.blogspot.com/2015/12/energy-advocacy-day-in-case-you-havent.html ###
### Advocacy Day Recap (we've yet to regroup with synthesized notes as a team, these are my top notes with USGBC specific focus)###
Several representatives were unfamiliar or naive to how EE & the building industry worked. They were receptive to hearing the current feasibility of energy efficiency through using up to date LEED and ASHRAE standards.
The reps were interested in hearing:
1) The business case (among small & large business owners)
2) How it affects consumers/rate payers with their bills at home
3) How the EE/Building & Construction is affected or has benefited so far
4) How jobs in the state have been/will be affected
If you or your company benefitted from any financing that might be something to highlight as well.
In organizing and implementing the Adovocacy day, we succeeded in increasing our exposure to legislators at a critical moment--while their attention remains focused on addressing energy--and have succeeded in bringing ASHRAE's perspective to strengthen our broader objective of increasing LEED the use of and updating the building codes.
###MDEQ Air Quality/Chemical deregulation--does anyone have a link to the specific proposal?###
If you or your company benefitted from any financing that might be something to highlight as well.
In organizing and implementing the Adovocacy day, we succeeded in increasing our exposure to legislators at a critical moment--while their attention remains focused on addressing energy--and have succeeded in bringing ASHRAE's perspective to strengthen our broader objective of increasing LEED the use of and updating the building codes.
###MDEQ Air Quality/Chemical deregulation--does anyone have a link to the specific proposal?###
We're well suited--especially through Green Schools Advocacy & any green health initiatives--to comment on this:
MDEQ's background report:
Michigan already legally emits air pollution that exceeds (in a bad way) the known limits for public health due to clever legislation written by industry years (perhaps decades by now) ago according to Vinson Hellwig (DEQ's air quality chief) at the 2011 EPA Detroit EJ conference.
There's a push underway to make it even easier to release unidentified chemicals, and no public hearing in Southeast Michigan even though organizations offered to help the DEQ do so.
As some of you may recall, Detroit's youth suffer from asthma at 30% above the national average, and Southwest Detroit/Southeast Dearborn residents have the highest cancer rates in the state attributable to highways and heavy industry's proximity to their neighborhoods.
###Internal Procedural & Administrative Notes###
In the past, we've had inconsistent participation and feedback around basic protocol for governance, though continued interest remains between both chapters. We, including myself, did not clearly communicate between chapters, even with a working, shared framework with content contributed by both chapters that lists out our objectives. As a result, confusion exists between the two groups.
As a first step to increase transparency and ease of access to our key strategic materials, I've created a Slack account (project management/collaboration) for us to use as a place to start, but need to know it works for most of us:
Slack provides better functionality for project management and dialogue than Yammer. Please let me know if you have trouble accessing, invitations will go forth in the upcoming week.
At the same time, I request that we be forthright in any concerns that may arise, and that active participation from both chapters continues so that we may advance the purpose of the USGBC here in Michigan as one. Failure to designate or represent your chapter during our
Have a great weekend,
Ian D. Tran
