“Prince George's County's Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to climate change impacts. The plan, developed by the Prince George's County Climate Action Commission, sets a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.”
To stop or reverse Climate Change our county and state have a role to play.
How PGC Residences Can Reduce Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions. To stop Climate change, the world will have to stop putting large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
(1) An increase in greenhouse gases has accelerated climate change, leading to higher temperatures, urban heat, severe storms, and increased flooding.
(2) By decreasing our Greenhouse Gas Emissions, we can help mitigate climate change.
(3) Inform households how to reduce their Carbon footprint.
1. Our county and state should focus on energy resilience. They should encourage electricity utilities to fortify electric power lines, gas lines, and power plants.
2. Our county and state should encourage everyone to obtain whole-house backup generators.
3. Our county and state should encourage gas station and apartment building owners to obtain backup generators.
For society, I have concluded that the only way to ensure there is enough energy to achieve energy resilience is to electrify the country and shift away from fossil fuels.
To achieve this goal, the government will have to create incentives for the population to abandon gas and other polluting fuels. The only incentives that will work are cheaper prices for electricity and government subsidies to encourage citizens to replace their gas water heaters, gas furnaces, or gas cooking stoves with more energy-efficient electric ones. Due to politics and low public support, this is unlikely to happen soon. I remember President Lyndon B. Johnson saying Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die to get there.” Our society is unwilling to pay the costs or make the necessary changes to stop or reverse climate change.
In his book, Bill Gates commented that the only way to get the population to shift from fossil fuels to green energy is to make green energy much cheaper than fossil fuels. To accomplish this, every state would have to build massive solar farms and wind turbines; in addition, they would have to construct large numbers of transmission lines all over the country. There would have to be nuclear power or some other sources of power to use when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining, destroying large tracts of undeveloped land.
There would have to be a tax on fossil fuels and incentives for big oil to transition to renewable energy. Due to politics and low public support, this is unlikely to happen until there is a massive climate change event that causes the death of millions of people. Most Americans do not accept this as a solution. A transition to renewable energy and the adoption of alternative energy sources will require the destruction of large tracts of undeveloped land. The public is not interested in solutions that would increase the price of energy and require them to change their lifestyle.
“In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter accurate prophecies but never to be believed. In modern usage, her name is employed as a rhetorical device to indicate a person whose accurate prophecies, generally of impending disaster, are not believed.”
I see today's conservationists and environmentalists as modern-day Cassandra’s, speaking the truth about climate change and the existential harm it will cause to the planet. The sad reality is that most of the population either does not listen to or refuses to believe the warnings about climate change.
There is a term “Critical mass: the size or number that something needs to reach before a particular change or development can happen.” If enough people believe in climate change and discuss it, and the climate becomes harsher, more people will believe in climate change and join in doing something while there is still time.
Airport pollution linked to acute health effects among people with asthma in Los Angeles
by Wendy Gutschow - This study was funded by the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center
A recent research study by Dr. Rima Habre took a detailed look at the short-term health impacts caused by breathing in ultrafine particulate (UFP) matter that is emitted from aircraft activity at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Several years ago, USC researchers identified a clear pattern of UFP emissions from takeoff and landing aircraft activities at LAX. Levels of the dangerous UFPs were found to be 4 to 5 times greater than background levels in downwind communities. “Ultrafine particulate matter is known to contribute to reduced lung function, and airway inflammation in individuals with asthma.”
https://envhealthcenters.usc.edu/2019/02/ultrafine-particle-pollution-lax.html
Planes’ exhaust could be harming communities up to 10 miles from LAX
Los Angeles Times By DAN WEIKEL, TONY BARBOZA MAY 29, 2014
“High levels of potentially harmful exhaust particles from jets using Los Angeles International Airport have been detected in a broad swath of densely populated communities up to 10 miles east of the runways, a new air quality study reported Thursday. The research, believed to be the most comprehensive of its type, found that takeoffs and landings at LAX are a major source of ultrafine particles. They are being emitted over a larger area than previously thought, the study states, and in amounts about equal in magnitude to those from a large portion of the county’s freeways. It further concludes that areas affected by aircraft exhaust at major airports in the U.S. and other parts of the world might have been seriously underestimated.
https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0529-lax-pollution-20140529-story.html
Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition steering committee Goals
The Southern Maryland, Fair Skies Coalition goals, are to seek equitable solutions to decrease aircraft noise in the regions south of DCA.
The Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition steering committee met on January 4, 2019. The steering committee approved a revised mission statement. The mission of the Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition is to represent concerned citizens in the Maryland counties of Prince George’s and Charles committed to resolving the excessive levels of aircraft noise and air pollution imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration's flight paths and procedures at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA).
The Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition will be on the agenda at “next regular membership meeting of the Greater Accokeek Civic Association on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. at the Accokeek Volunteer Fire Hall, 16111 Livingston Road, Accokeek, MD. 20607.”
We are looking for volunteers.
1. We need researchers and writers for our social media platforms
2. We need people with web development skills
3. We need people to help with recruitment
4. We need people to engage in political outreach
5. We need people to work to increase noise complains to DCA
If you wish to volunteer, please contact the coalition.
Information: The Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition:
On Twitter https://twitter.com/stop_NextGen
Our website address: https://www.somdfairskies.com/
Our Email: somdfairskies@gmail.com
House Passes Amendment to Prioritize Efforts To Combat Airplane Noise
The House passed an amendment telling the FAA to prioritize efforts to combat airplane noise. The measure was sponsored by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who co-chairs the Quiet Skies Caucus, a group of lawmakers who represent districts dealing with issues related to aircraft noise. Congressman Steny Hoyer is not a sponsor or a member of the caucus. He’s not helping us.
Read moreThe Proposed South Flow Departure Revision - Because “Nobody Lives There”
A proposed change to DCA South Flow departure procedures would lead to more aircraft noise in Accokeek and Fort Washington. Because “nobody lives there.”
Read moreThe Trombone queuing system at DCA
When DCA operates in North Flow, aircraft are queued to make the final approach over the river from Piscataway Creek to Runway 1/19. Aircraft approaching from the south can simply get in line further south of Accokeek; aircraft approaching from the east or west meet a parallel path to the approach heading south before making a 180 degree turn onto the approach. This path and turn is known as a "Trombone Maneuver".
Read moreWhy DCA air traffic arrives from the south more often than from the north
DCA airport has two operating patterns: "North Flow" and "South Flow". In North Flow, planes arrive from the south and depart to the north. In this pattern, they often pass over Accokeek and Fort Washington. In South Flow, planes arrive from the north and depart to the south. There are multiple factors that go into the FAA's decision to use North Flow or South Flow on a given day, all ostensibly weather related, but the FAA has a strong preference for North Flow.
Read moreSOMD Fair Skies will meet MWAA on Dec 15th
We've been invited to attend a presentation at MWAA offices on Dec 15th, followed by attendance at the MWAA/FAA working group. Our goal is to get the recommendation of a "river route" for North Flow traffic to the FAA for consideration.
Coordinating Committee Meeting, Chair Elected
On Monday 9/26/16 the coordinating committee met in a closed meeting for the purposes of establishing goals and electing a chair.
In attendance were John Mitchell, Reuben Firmin, Paul Jett, Phil VanWiltenberg, and Kent L. Hibben.
The meeting began with a recounting of facts as known, since not all were in attendance at the prior meeting. We then moved on to discuss ideas about ways the group could focus effort, and proceeded to formalize the following goals:
1) Seek an equitable distribution of aircraft passing over the region. This encompasses a range of activity, including research & collection of data, engagement with political representatives, and community outreach.
2) Learn from other communities and their experiences to guide our approach. The introduction of NextGen has been protested by communities near seemingly most airports that have implemented it. Palo Alto, Phoenix, Baltimore, Brooklyn, San Diego, Boston, Chicago and others each have active community led groups, sometimes involving city governance and/or including litigation among their methods, who are protesting to the FAA about the rollout.
3) Formalize our coalition. This was our first meeting as a committee; we seek to partner with other regional groups who are also focusing on Reagan aircraft noise.
Finally, we elected Kent L. Hibben as chair of the committee. An open followup meeting will take place within the next several weeks.
Initial Meeting Held
A meeting involving representatives from GACA (Greater Accokeek Association), the Moyaone Association, MWAA (Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority), and concerned neighbors took place at the Wagner Center on 09/14/2016. The outcome of the meeting was to nominate a steering committee who will coordinate action. More detailed minutes will be published soon.
