Honorable Mayor Taylor and City Council Members, Thank you for your leadership on climate action, with the Declaration of a Climate Emergency and the “Reach Codes” for clean, electric new homes and buildings that created a regional model for action. I’m writing in support of the recommendation from the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt a new Climate Action Plan and goal for Zero Carbon emissions by 2030. We need strong local climate leadership now more than ever as Menlo Park is already feeling the impacts of climate change with more intense heat waves, increased fire danger and smoke, and rising sea levels that will bring serious flooding. Further, the issue of climate is one of racial justice that requires immediate action to rectify. The community of Belle Haven, which has the highest percent of people of color in Menlo Park is also bearing the brunt of the worst flooding and impacts resulting from climate change. We have a chance to turn this around! The Environmental Quality Commission has worked hard crafting the strongest plan possible for Menlo Park. I support their recommendations for a new climate target: Zero Carbon by 2030, and Climate Action Plan with focused measures to reduce pollution. I hope you’ll approve this historic Climate Target and Plan. My Family of four voting members and I will be so proud of Menlo Park and grateful to provide this leadership! Please please deliver this excellent path forward. We know we can do it: this is clearly as important as taming COVID-19, with easily as severe consequences if not done. Let’s please work together towards an equitable, fossil free, and climate-stable future. We can do this!! Sincerely, Elsa Elsa Schafer 650.740.5733 (c) ElsaSchafer_at_(domainremoved) 1202 Sharon Park Drive Menlo Park, CA 94025 Received on Tue Jul 14 2020 - 13:20:14 PDT
