At CleanAIRE NC we’re fighting every day for cleaner air and climate solutions. That’s why we’re so grateful to the donors and partners who make our work possible. We’re so proud to work with you towards our shared goal: a cleaner, healthier North Carolina.
Here’s how we’re tackling the climate crisis this year, thanks to your support:
In a monumental win for our climate and community health, CleanAIRE NC reached a settlement agreement in September with Align RNG over a proposed biogas plant in Sampson County. Align has agreed to set much stricter limits on air pollution from the facility, and will be required to monitor for (and publicly report) methane leaks going forward.
Our NC Climate Ambassadors workshops equip civic leaders and community advocates with the skills and resources to push for climate solutions. In 2021 we expanded this program statewide to increase the number of grassroot advocates who can speak and act confidently on climate change. So far we have trained over 100 Climate Ambassadors.
No state can solve the climate crisis by itself. But North Carolina can meet the carbon reductions we need by partnering with other states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). CleanAIRE NC successfully petitioned for North Carolina to join RGGI at the N.C. Environmental Management Commission. Our petition now sits before the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
To reach a clean energy future, we need advocates who know how to navigate North Carolina’s energy regulatory system. Our ongoing six-part webinar series Pulling Back the Curtain: Who’s Charting Our Energy Future gives aspiring clean energy advocates the tools to help them reshape North Carolina’s energy landscape to create a more just system that puts people over profits.
In 2018 CleanAIRE NC (then Clean Air Carolina) spearheaded the creation of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Climate Leaders, a broad coalition of Charlotte-area organizations focused on mobilizing our community to act on climate change. This year, we were selected as one of 10 national finalists for the 2021 American Climate Leadership Awards in recognition of this innovative program.
Our inaugural Greening Our Faith Communities Summit helped people of all faiths in the Charlotte region connect on the urgency of the climate crisis. Over the course of the two-day summit attendees shared ideas for creating a stronger and healthier community for everyone.
For over a decade the CPI power plants in Roxboro and Southport generated energy by burning garbage, including tires and railroad ties. Thanks to a legal challenge from CleanAIRE NC, the Division of Air Quality stepped in to enforce air quality standards, resulting in both plants ending operations in March. This means cleaner, healthier air for the communities of Person and Brunswick Counties.
Following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we again hosted our annual NC BREATHE Conference in April. This year’s virtual conference brought together a diverse group of North Carolina stakeholders to discuss climate change solutions that advance both health and equity in our state.
In late 2021 CleanAIRE NC launched a new clinician-led organization focusing on climate solutions. The new organization, NC Clinicians for Climate Action, will harness the growing interest among health professionals in addressing the health impacts of climate change.
All Carolina families deserve affordable, clean, and equitable energy. And while Duke Energy has publicly set some ambitious climate goals, it’s worth asking how the company plans to meet those goals. CleanAIRE NC released a report earlier this year comparing Duke Energy’s public climate goals with the specific carbon reduction strategies the company is taking. The big takeaway: While Duke Energy is making encouraging progress, they still have a ways to go to make its climate targets a reality.
Thanks to your generosity and support, we’re able to advance lasting environmental policies, hold polluters accountable, build a grassroots movement, and protect the health of our most vulnerable populations. We look forward to all we will accomplish together in 2022 and beyond due to your commitment to our shared goals.