Drumguy8800 [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Public safety is the top priority for the City of Dallas and the purpose of the Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) is to inform how Dallas can become a healthier, cleaner and better city.
The City of Dallas is seeking public input. The City’s Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (DEQS) is hosting public meetings through Oct. 3 to give residents and businesses an opportunity to provide their input and to gather feedback to help shape its first Comprehensive Environmental & Climate Action Plan (CECAP).
“Because City operations form such a small part of our overall carbon footprint in Dallas, we have to collaborate with our residents and businesses to find innovative ways to reduce our community-wide emissions, prepare for a changing climate and enhance quality of life through equitable and sustainable planning of our community’s environmental assets,” James McGuire, Director of the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, explained.
Extreme heat, prolonged droughts and other climate-change related impacts can have detrimental effects on a city and the health of its residents. According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment 2017/2018, Texas alone could see up to 60 additional days per year of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees if carbon emissions aren’t significantly reduced. When complete, the CECAP plan will focus on reducing the root causes of changing weather and the development of benchmarks and strategies for adapting the City to changing local conditions.
“The effects of climate change on our cities are becoming more intense every year. We need to collaborate as a society to facilitate meaningful change,” said AECOM Senior Urban Planner Tatum Lau, deputy project manager for the CECAP plan. “It will take the entire community of Dallas to ensure it’s ready to build a safe future and enhance the quality of life for all residents.”
The contract to develop the CECAP plan, which was first approved by the Dallas City Council in January, is expected to be unveiled on Earth Day 2020. Scheduled public meetings, between 6 to 8 p.m. at locations around the City, will be held to solicit the community’s ideas and goals before the final plan is unveiled. Light snacks and children’s activities will be provided as well as Spanish translation services.
The survey is available at www.Dallasclimateaction.com in English and Spanish and will remain open through Oct. 27. Community listening events are scheduled at the following dates and locations:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Singing Hills Rec Center: 1901 Crouch Rd.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Dallas Executive Airport: 5303 Challenger Dr.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3
Timberglen Rec Center: 3810 Timberglen Rd.
