The tree outside my window has turned gorgeous gold, and I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy some of the phenomenal fall weather. If you have pics of the changing leaves from around the DMV – send them my way at kbenjamin@washingtoninformer.com! We may feature them in an upcoming piece.
In case you’re wondering if our unusually un-chilly fall has anything to do with climate change– yes it does! October temperature highs have steadily crept up over time, and are little more than 1 degree Fahrenheit warmer now than they were in 1970, according to analysis from Climate Central. That might not seem like much change, but even that slight warming can mean longer seasons for both mosquitos and allergies. Globally, this year is likely to be the hottest ever recorded.
Catch up quick on what’s been going on environmentally around D.C. while we’ve been enjoying the last weeks of warm sun.
Extinction Rebellion Activists Delay Work at Washington Gas Construction Site
Four people with the climate group Extinction Rebellion D.C., which focuses its efforts primarily on civil disobedience demonstrations, locked themselves together and laid down in the center of a Washington Gas construction site Oct. 26. The activists remained locked in for over three hours before police arrived, making five arrests. About 50 activists participated in the protest, according to an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson, holding banners and signs around the site, which was located near Gallaudet University in northeast D.C..
The group is protesting the continuation of Project Pipes, a multi-billion dollar plan to replace all of D.C.’s gas pipes over four decades. The D.C. Public Service Commission first approved the plan in 2014. Climate advocates argue that the project will keep the District stuck on fossil fuels long after 2045, when the city has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality.
Washington Gas recently requested a 20% rate hike for residential consumers, saying that “existing rates are insufficient” for the company to “earn a reasonable rate of return on its investments.”
Washington Gas said the replacements are necessary to ensure continued reliability and safety of its pipes. However, public health advocates and researchers note that even when pipes aren’t leaking, burning methane gas inside homes for heating and cooking raises risks for asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
D.C., Md. and Va. to Receive Over $5M in Environmental Justice Funding
Throughout October, the Biden administration announced more funding for environmental justice work as part of its “Investing in America agenda.” The newest grants, announced Oct. 24, include more than $3 million for projects in Maryland and over $2 million in Virginia. Those projects include, among others:
- A green jobs training program for youth in Baltimore city
- A study on energy affordability options in Arlington, Virginia
- Outreach efforts to “improve air quality and community resiliency” in South Baltimore and along Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Earlier in the month, the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment also received $500,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency to assist District cleaning service providers in switching to safer, more eco-friendly cleaning products. The project will focus on Wards 5, 7 and 8 and aim to reduce chemical exposures in the workplace in surrounding neighborhoods.
Less than two weeks after that grant was announced, the EPA proposed a ban on trichloroethylene, a chemical used for cleaning and furniture care products. It’s strongly linked to serious health risks including cancer and reproductive issues.
Golf Course Renovation Proposal Would Ax 1,200 Trees
The National Park Service’s plan to rehabilitate a golf course in Rock Creek Park would mean the loss of over 1,200 trees, DCist’s Jacob Fenston reported Oct. 24. The historic golf course dates back to 1927 and has long needed some love: four of the 18 holes are unplayable and much of the fairway is overgrown.
But residents are also upset at the prospect of losing about eight acres of forest land in the iconic D.C. park. The habitat loss could impact several endangered species, though an NPS environmental impact assessment noted that some of the space would be replaced by meadow areas that could serve local pollinators.
The NPS released the assessment in September, but few residents noticed it before the public comment period was set to end on Oct. 24. After public outcry, including comment from Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, NPS agreed to extend the comment period by 11 days, until Nov. 4.
