Adrian Huq, cofounder of the New Haven Climate Movement, presents an “award” to Gov. Ned Lamont “for hurtling us towards a chaotic climate future.” More than 300 Dwight residents told Alix Rachman and a team of Yale researchers about their struggle with extreme seasonal temperatures, wro ught by the changing climate: Summer heat keeps many residents from sleeping through the night, and during the winter, some keep the oven on to stay warm. On Tuesday, Rachman cited those findings while urging city alders to fund the city’s climate and sustainability office next fiscal year. She was one of almost a dozen climate advocates to testify during a public hearing hosted by the Board of Alders Finance Committee. Tuesday marked the committee’s second public hearing on Mayor Justin Elicker’s proposed $733.3 million general fund budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. It was also the second time this budget season that climate advocates called for maintaining the Office of Climate and Sustainability (OCS), as well as improving the city’s public transportation. OCS has been funded for the last four years through federal, pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that expire in December. Elicker has proposed continuing to fund the climate office through the general fund. He has budgeted $91,177 for the position of director and $80,000 for the position of deputy director — two of the three positions that make up the office. Similar to the previous hearing, held on March 19, advocates testified about how the office — led by Director of Climate and Sustainability Steve Winter, who also serves as a state representative — has pursued projects to improve air quality, electrify city vehicles, create infrastructure for geothermal energy for Union Station and the future Union Square mixed-income development, provide bike lessons for middle schoolers, and expand composting across the city. Testifiers restated that the office has attracted over $34 million in funding, while costing less than $250,000 in Elicker’s proposed budget. On Tuesday, advocates of the youth-led New Haven Climate Movement hosted a small rally outside of City Hall. They presented “awards” to President Donald Trump, Gov. Ned Lamont, and Yale University for failing to take action to address climate change. They also presented a positive “No Foolin'” award to the city’s climate office “for being serious about the climate emergency.” After the rally ended and advocates filed into City Hall, Rachman testified about her study to city alders. A group of Yale researchers organized five focus groups and surveyed almost 300 Dwight residents in 2023 about how they experience extreme heat, Rachman told the Independent. They discovered that many families cannot afford the high cost of air conditioning (AC), and some renters are not allowed to install AC units. In Dwight, the problem is especially acute, as the neighborhood has minimal tree cover, few green spaces, and a high concentration of buildings and roads, making it one of the hottest places in New Haven. Researchers also discovered that there were no shaded bus shelters or cooling centers in Dwight, increasing residents’ contact with the heat. People “are forced to make an impossible decision between running an air conditioner they can’t even afford or risking their health,” Rachman said on Tuesday. That’s why the climate office exists: “to make homes safe and healthier, through efforts like energy efficiency and resilience programs.” The post Researcher Cites Dwight Temps In Climate Office Support appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less