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[Austin Climate Pollution Reduction News Conference ]
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME TO AUSTIN CITY HALL.UH, I'M VERY PLEASED TO HAVE, UH, ALL OF YOU HERE AND TO BE SURROUNDED BY THIS GROUP OF, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, AS WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY A BIG THING FOR OUR REGION.
UH, THIS IS A, A, A MILESTONE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND FOR OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FOR OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS IN CENTRAL TEXAS, BECAUSE TODAY WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE CITY OF AUSTIN, RECEIVING A $1 MILLION GRANT, A $1 MILLION GRANT THROUGH THE EPAS CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANTS PROGRAM.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS, UH, HERE IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT THIS GRANT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO INCREASE OUR COLLABORATION ON CLIMATE ACTION ACROSS THE AUSTIN REGION, INCLUDING IN TRAVIS COUNTY, HAYES COUNTY, WILLIAMSON, BASTROP, AND CALDWELL COUNTIES.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS EFFORT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS EXTENDS BEYOND AUSTIN'S CITY LIMITS.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES IS VITAL IN ADDRESSING THIS SHARED CHALLENGE IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER, AND AUSTIN IS PROUD TO BE LEADING ON THIS INITIATIVE IN THIS REGION BY COORDINATING OUR EFFORTS IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE COLLECTIVELY WORKING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FUTURE IN OUR REGION.
THE MAJORITY OF EMISSIONS COME FROM TRANSPORTATION.
AROUND 34% OF TOTAL EMISSIONS COMES FROM TRANSPORTATION.
WE ALSO HAVE ELECTRICITY CONTRIBUTING AROUND 30% AND NATURAL GAS AROUND 16% THAT THE, THE ELECTRICITY AND THE NATURAL GAS THAT'S USED IN OUR BUILDINGS.
THESE AREAS ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOCAL POINTS IN OUR REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS, WHICH ARE ALL I'M PROUD TO SAY, IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CITY'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
TOGETHER WE ENVISION A MORE, JUST A MORE EQUITABLE AND A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY.
OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS AIM TO SET A MODEL FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW INSPIRING POSITIVE CHANGE BEYOND OUR REGION.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THIS GRANT IS GOING TO HAVE AND THE GREAT WORK THAT IT'S HELPING US FUND.
UH, WE KNOW THAT'S GONNA HAVE A IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.
I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE FOLKS, UH, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO, TO SAY A FEW WORDS, BUT BEFORE I INTRODUCE JUST THE SPEAKERS, I WANT TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UP HERE WITH US, UH, OUR, OUR CITY, SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER IS HERE WITH US COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER IS WITH US COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS WILL BE SAYING A FEW WORDS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE WITH US COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK ORTEGA OF THE ROUND ROCK COUNCIL.
AND, UH, WE HAVE OUR TWO CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGGETT AND CONGRESSMAN GREG CA WITH US.
UH, BUT NOW IT'S MY DISTINCT HONOR TO BRING UP THE REGION, SIX EPA REGION SIX ADMINISTRATOR, DR.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE FOR INVITING US TO YOUR WONDERFUL CITY AND TO THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY HALL.
EVENTS LIKE THESE ARE ALWAYS THE RESULT OF WEEKS OF HARD WORK, MANY EMAILS AND MULTIPLE COORDINATION MEETINGS.
SO BEFORE I BEGIN, LET ME THANK ZACH BAUMER AND SHANNON STEWART AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THE HARDWORKING STAFF AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, REPRESENTATIVE DOGGETT'S OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE CASTER'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS'S OFFICE.
IT IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO GET EVERYONE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME, SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HERE FOR TAKING ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
CONFRONTING CLIMATE CHANGE IN TEXAS IS NO EASY TASK.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ALL OVER THE STATE FROM PROLONGED DAYS OF A HUNDRED DEGREE WEATHER AND INCREASED WILDFIRES TO EXTREME FREEZES IN THE WINTER AND REPEATED FLOODING, ESCALATING CLIMATE THREATS AFFECT EVERYONE, BUT THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES ARE AT HIGHEST RISK BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY EXPERIENCING A LEGACY OF HARM.
CLIMATE SHOCKS MULTIPLY AND AMPLIFY EXISTING RISKS SUCH AS DETERIORATING INFRASTRUCTURE, STRESSED ECOSYSTEMS, AND LONG STANDING INEQUALITIES.
HOWEVER, WITH THIS CHALLENGE COMES AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN A CLEANER ECONOMY THAT CAN SPUR INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH WHILE BUILDING MORE EQUITABLE CLIMATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.
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WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS DOING WITH HIS INVESTING IN AMERICA AGENDA.THANKS TO LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT FROM CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT AND CONGRESSMAN CASSER GENERATIONAL BILLS LIKE THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT PROVIDE THE EPA WITH HISTORIC FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE.
ONE OF THOSE TOOLS IS THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.
THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AUTHORIZED THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM, PROVIDING $5 BILLION IN GRANTS TO STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, TRIBES, AND TERRITORIES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND OTHER HARMFUL AIR POLLUTION.
SO TODAY WE'RE EXCITED TO INVEST IN AMERICA BY AWARDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A $1 MILLION CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT, PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL USE THIS GRANT TO COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION TO CREATE A PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, A STATUS REPORT, AND OTHER REQUIRED REPORTING FOR THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK, GEORGETOWN METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA.
THE CITY WILL PARTNER WITH COUNTIES, SISTER CITIES, AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO DEVELOP GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION MEASURES TAILORED TO THE REGION WITH A FOCUS ON DELIVERING EQUITABLE OUTCOMES, IMPROVED AIR QUALITY AND OTHER BENEFITS TO COMMUNITIES IN THIS REGION.
AT EPA, WE ARE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN EXCLUDED OR OVERLOOKED, HAVE A VOICE IN THE DECISION MAKING TABLE.
THIS GRANT WILL BUILD ON THE STRONG FOUNDATION OF WORK THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED IN THEIR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS A MODEL FOR INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE PLANNING.
THROUGH THAT EFFORT, THE CITY OF AUSTIN FORMED A COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP COMPRISED OF 30 PLUS MEMBERS, WHICH HAVE MET MONTHLY SINCE NOVEMBER, 2023.
THE GROUP HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, APPROACH, DECISION MAKING, AND HOW TO MAXIMIZE BENEFITS FOR OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES.
I EXPECT TO SEE THIS WORK DEEPEN AND TO CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED.
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS ON THIS GRANT AND ON SPEARHEADING THIS REGIONAL EFFORT.
WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE SUCCESSFUL RESULTS OF THE PLAN THAT WILL SAFEGUARD THE ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP.
AND NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR COMING AND, UH, BRINGING SOME MONEY WITH YOU TO HELP US, UH, DO THIS JOB.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS, AND ANYONE WHO'S BEEN AROUND HERE THROUGH LAST SUMMER KNOWS IT'S TOO HOT.
IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING AND DO IT QUICKLY, IT WILL GET SO HOT IN THIS AREA AND AROUND THE WORLD THAT IT WILL BECOME UNSUSTAINABLE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE, UH, THIS GRANT AND THE PROGRESS AND TO WORK HERE WITH PARTNERS, UH, BOTH CONGRESSMAN CASAR AND CONGRESS.
UH, AND I KNOW, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON THE CLIMATE CORE AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, RYAN ALTER HAS, UH, GOT A RESOLUTION ABOUT CLIMATE BEFORE THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, ALL OF US TRYING TO DO A LITTLE MORE, UH, TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.
UH, LAST CONGRESS, WE DID MANAGE TO OVERCOME, UH, ALMOST UNIVERSAL REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION, UH, TO PASS SOME, UH, MODEST BUT IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS, SOME INCENTIVES FOR GOVERNMENTS, UH, FOR UTILITIES, FOR INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE.
AND TODAY IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CENTRAL TEXAS REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THAT LEGISLATION.
UH, VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROGRESS WE ANNOUNCED HERE JUST, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES, DOLLARS WHERE WE'RE GOING, GREEN ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT, UH, HOW OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE IN WAYS THAT CAN HELP ALL OF US, UH, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING THEIR ENERGY ON ADDITIONAL WAYS, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO TRY TO PASS SOME BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THIS GREAT CHALLENGE.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, AS, UH, UH, GREG AND I HAVE SEEN ALMOST DAILY, UH, THERE ARE AN UNENDING A NUMBER OF INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE WAYS TO TRY TO STOP ALL THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAD IN THE LAST CONGRESS FROM SOME OF OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES.
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FACT, ONLY TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY, WE'LL HAVE YET ANOTHER RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN PRESIDENT BIDEN'S ENERGY POLICIES INSTEAD OF USING ENERGY THERE IN BOTH, UH, SIDES OF THE AISLE TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.UH, ONLY LAST FRIDAY, WE GOT A REPORT ON THE FACT THAT WHILE IT WAS BAD ENOUGH LAST SUMMER HERE, AS WE EXTEND SUMMER IN AUSTIN FROM ABOUT LATE APRIL TO THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, THAT IN JANUARY THE WORLD HAD THE HOTTEST MONTH IN HOT, THE HOTTEST JANUARY IN RECORDED HISTORY.
UH, THIS PROBLEM IS NOT GOING AWAY.
AND WE KNOW THAT WE NEED LESS FOSSILS, LESS FOSSIL FUELS, AND LESS FOSSILIZED THINKING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
UH, IT'S TIME TO END THE DITHERING AND THE DELAY.
WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE MORE OF THAT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO THAT'S WHY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THIS KIND OF INITIATIVE IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK EVERY CITY IN OUR AREA, EVERY COUNTY, EVERY UNIVERSITY, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS TO HAVE ITS OWN CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, SO THAT WE CAN BECOME A MODEL AS WE ALREADY ARE TO SOME EXTENT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT CLIMATE ACTION.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE OBSTACLES ALL OF THIS YEAR IN CONGRESS.
WE KNOW THE OBSTACLES ARE UNENDING UP THE STREET AT THE STATE CAPITOL AND THE DENIAL OF, UH, GOOD SCIENCE.
BUT WE CAN, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, UH, SHOW THE WAY FORWARD.
AND THIS EFFORT, THE CITY MAYOR, HAVE BEEN SO FOCUSED ON REGIONAL SOLUTIONS TO A VARIETY OF PROBLEMS WE HAVE, BUT DOING IT ON A REGIONAL BASIS, UH, I THINK CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I BELIEVE MY PARTNER IN WASHINGTON, CONGRESSMAN CASAR IS NEXT.
THANK YOU, CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT, AND THANKS FOR SMASHING THAT FOSSILIZED THINKING OVER AND OVER.
UH, AGAIN, I'M SO, UH, PROUD AND HONORED TO BE HERE ALONGSIDE YOU TODAY BECAUSE NO MATTER THE CHAOS CAUSED BY THE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CAUCUS IN CONGRESS, WE CAN SEE HOW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WORKING ALONGSIDE YOUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE DELIVERING FOR CENTRAL TEXAS EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM THE ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES THAT WERE DELIVERED TO THIS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, TO CONTINUED WORK, DELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HAYES COUNTY AND TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'RE REALLY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DELIVER ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR ELECTED OFFICE HERE TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE WAS A MORE OF A THEORETICAL CONCEPT, BUT IN JUST THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS OF BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, SO MANY OF US WERE COORDINATING CAP METRO BUSES TO HELP MOVE SENIORS FROM THEIR FREEZING COLD HOMES INTO HIGH SCHOOL GYMS SO THAT THEY COULD SURVIVE.
SO MANY OF US WERE WORKING AS ELECTED OFFICIALS CARRYING MOLDY FURNITURE OUT OF PEOPLE'S HOMES IN EAST AUSTIN THAT HAD BEEN FLOODED.
I'VE BEEN TOO MANY TIMES IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WATCHING WILDFIRES START SLOWLY APPROACHING OUR HOMES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT IS ON US NOT JUST TO RESPOND, BUT TO PREVENT THAT FROM GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS GRANT HERE IS ALL ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RECOGNIZING WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR MAYOR AND WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE MORE RESILIENT AS THE SUMMERS GET HOTTER AND THE WINTERS GET COLDER.
AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS CAN'T JUST BE DEALT WITH AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN AND WORK WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE OUR FUTURE IS ON THE LINE.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT SO CLEARLY, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON DELIVERING DOLLARS BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY TO DEAL WITH THE BIG CRISES AT HAND.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET USED TO SEEING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SHOW UP AND START GETTING USED TO EVERY TIME WE SEE YOUR FACE, IT MEANS THAT WE'RE BRINGING DOLLARS BACK HOME TO HARDWORKING AUSTINITES.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE, UH, THIS CRITICAL WORK ALONGSIDE ADVOCACY PARTNERS.
GLAD TO SEE FOLKS HERE FROM THE SIERRA CLUB AND PUBLIC CITIZEN AND ENVIRONMENT, TEXAS.
WE HAVE SUCH A LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT THIS IS A NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CRISIS.
UH, AND WITH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, I BELIEVE THAT THE CONGRESS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE THE BIGGEST STEPS WE'VE EVER SEEN, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTINITES UH, AND PEOPLE IN HAYES COUNTY AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THEIR BACKS.
I WANNA INTRODUCE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS MADE BY MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS HERE FROM CITY STAFF, OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE IN ADVANCING CLIMATE ACTION IN AUSTIN.
I AM COUNCILWOMAN PAIGE ELLI, AND I'M PROUD TO STAND HERE TODAY.
I'M CHAIR OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND A MEMBER OF OUR CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, REAFFIRMING OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO
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PRIORITIZING CLIMATE ACTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.OUR WORK IS FAR FROM OVER AND WE MUST REMAIN DILIGENT IN OUR ACTIONS.
WITH THE HELP OF THIS GRANT, OUR IMMEDIATE FOCUS IS CREATING A REGIONAL PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
THIS WILL IDENTIFY HIGH PRIORITY ACTIONS AIMED AT LOWERING EMISSIONS IN OUR REGION.
IMPROVING OUR AIR QUALITY WILL LOWER HEALTH RISKS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES OR AILMENTS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATE, DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPOSED TO POOR AIR QUALITY IN A MAIN FOCUS OF ANOTHER REGIONAL BOARD, THE CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, AND ITS CLEAN AIR COALITION.
THE ACTIONS IDENTIFIED IN THIS PLAN WILL GUIDE ALL OF OUR EFFORTS AND BE THE FOCUS OF FUTURE GRANT APPLICATIONS.
THIS ENSURES OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS RESULT IN TANGIBLE IMPLEMENTATION, BENEFITING THE ENTIRE REGION.
THE EFFORTS AHEAD EXEMPLIFY OUR DEDICATION TO BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FUTURE FOR AUSTIN AND FOR OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.
AND TOGETHER WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE SETTING A STANDARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CLIMATE ACTION.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN ABLE TO STEP UP AND JOIN WITH US TODAY.
YOU'RE SEEING LEADERS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, AND SOME OF MY MOST FAVORITE WORK AND THE WORK THAT I'M PROUD TO DO WITH ALL OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS IS JUST UNDERSTANDING WHERE OUR OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE COMING FROM, WHERE THEY ARE IN EXPERIENCING GROWTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR REGION, AND TRYING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN SHARE OUR BEST TIPS AND TRICKS.
AND WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING BIG AND BOLD GRANTS SUCH AS THIS ONE.
WELL, WITH THAT, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UM, PICK UP THE MONEY, UM,
BUT, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT, I WANT TO, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING YOU'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS, AND THAT IS A SENSE OF PRIDE, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A REAL SENSE OF PRIDE ABOUT OUR HOME REGION AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
AND I, I LOOK OUT, IT IS BEEN MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, DIFFERENT FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE THAT ARE PLAYING SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HOW THIS REGION ADDRESSES CLIMATE, UH, AND, AND HELPING SET STANDARDS FOR HOW WE ADDRESS CLIMATE.
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE A MAYOR AND COUNCIL IN AUSTIN, AND YOU HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER COUNCILS IN THE REGION THAT, THAT ALSO TAKE PRIDE IN DOING RIGHT IN THIS REGARD.
AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT CARE AS DEEPLY AS THE TWO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT WE HAVE WITH US.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ADMINISTRATOR FROM REGION SIX, UH, DR.
NANCE, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU'RE HERE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I UNDERSTAND YOU GOT MONEY, SO LET'S, UH, UH, AND YEAH, LET, LET'S, IT, IT'S RIGHT OVER HERE.
WHY DON'T YOU, HEY, EVERYBODY, COME OVER HERE,
MAKE SURE YOU GET A NICE PICTURE OF THIS
THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE, AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.