Assembly votes unanimously against Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

On Thursday evening, the Borough Assembly unanimously voted against the FNSB Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), albeit for very different reasons. The final vote came well after 1:00 am. Assemblymembers Haney, Wilson, Cash, Lojewski, and Rotermund seemed to think the plan should have never been written, Cash even expressing the idea that nothing can or should be done about climate change. Meanwhile O’Neall, Kelly, Fletcher, and Guttenberg voted against it because they felt the version had been gutted to the point of being ineffective after the second committee got their hands on it.

44 Borough residents testified in support of reinstating critical elements of the original version of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan that was written with community input over the last year.  Community members provided 3 hours of testimony to support reinstating elements of the original plan. Tristan Glowa, Co-Executive Director of the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition, submitted a petition signed by 280 community members in support of a fully ambitious plan, which required reinstating key pieces of the plan that would show the Assembly’s commitment to the long-term sustainability and health of the community. Charlotte Basham, clerk of the Chena Ridge Friends Meeting, delivered a letter signed by 64 members and leaders from 16 faith communities supporting the reinstatement of the original plan. Prior to the meeting, over 60 community members held a rally outside the chambers in support of reinstating elements of the original plan.

Assemblymembers Savannah Fletcher and Mindy O’Neall moved to restore elements of the original plan, including adding back language to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reinstating language about shifting to renewable energy, reinstating language specifically around “climate change,” as opposed to “weather events,” as well as bringing back stronger language around equitability and access to local services, including sidewalks and public transportation.

These were presented as common-sense changes to bring the plan back in alignment with its stated goals. However, nearly all amendments were voted down by Assemblymembers Haney, Wilson, Cash, Lojewski, and Rotermund.

Assemblymember Fletcher explained her amendment to add back in language around greenhouse gas reduction, saying, “It’s really just to explicitly state what the goal of this plan is. It’s climate action and adaptation. If we don’t set some reduction goal for greenhouse gasses… then why are we here?” 

Some members of the Assembly were more outspoken than others against both the plan itself, and the amendments brought forth. Said Assemblymember Cash, “If we cut all greenhouse gas emissions in the borough, it would do absolutely nothing to impact climate change… We have a higher governing body - the United States government, and our state government - and those two bodies…can actually do something.” 

This statement drew criticism from some of his fellow Assembly members. Assemblymember Kelly said, “It might be obvious, but I just want to point out that the Fairbanks community is on the globe. We do matter. If everyone had that mentality, which is a loser mentality, like ‘I can’t do anything, that nothing’s ever gonna happen'…Every fiber in me says that is not true, and if you believe that, I do not know why you would want to serve in the local government, because obviously you don’t believe in it.” Assemblymember O’Neall also responded to Cash’s comment: “I thought you were more about local control. So I’m really surprised that you’re just willing to give it up to the ‘big bad US government’ and our state legislature to make decisions on behalf of our community....”

Cash specifically stated that he is not a climate denier, but repeatedly brought up verifiably inaccurate information attempting to disprove the scientific consensus on climate change. Cash also said later on in debate, “I don't care about lowering my carbon emissions. And yes, I just said that on the record, so you can use it against me in the election.” 

Near the end of the meeting O’Neall said, “I thought tonight would be a lot different… Respectfully, what this climate plan is, is an underwhelming, disrespectful, undermined, ignorant, blatant subversion, less hopeful version of what our community could be… This is not what we heard our community say they wanted.”  

“The Assembly majority, led by Aaron Lojewski, willfully disregarded the needs and voices of the Fairbanks community and with their actions have actively endangered the safety of Fairbanksans and the stability of our services as climate change impacts worsen. Moreover, they have undermined the public’s trust in the government process and stomped on a hopeful vision for our community’s future,” said Tristan Glowa. 

“This was our plan to begin with; it was this community that brought it to the assembly, it was us who applied and worked with the Mayor’s office and assembly on the committee, and it was us who have testified for years for a robust and actionable plan. Assembly members Cash, Lojewski, Wilson, Haney, and Rotermund ignored us. It is imperative that our elected leaders respect and work with their constituents. That is the bare minimum of their responsibility as municipal electeds. If they are going to disregard what over 500 of their constituents ask them to do, then it is time we elect other leaders who will.”