The situation is urgent. This year's SF City budget mandates drastic cuts to the SF Environment Department (SFE). SFE has already been forced to cut 3 full-time-equivalent staff positions this fiscal year, with another 7.8 FTE positions slated for elimination in July. With them goes the department's core climate action expertise and most of its climate programs, including the Climate Equity Hub.
Demand strong climate action from elected leaders!
Politicians, including the mayor, claim they almost never hear climate concerns from constituents. But we know people do care strongly — they just don’t speak up that much. As a result, the local press, too, largely ignores the crisis.
At extreme risk:
Climate action planning expertise—department coordination guidance & oversight
Building electrification to phase out polluting gas-fired water and space heaters, including losing the Climate Equity Hub that provides education and support to lower-income families in SF to ensure health benefits of improved air quality
Program to replace gas-fired landscaping equipment with electric
Public EV charging for people who have no way to charge at home
Biodiversity and habitat restoration programs
Also at risk are millions in future grants. Since 2022-23, SF Environment Department has brought in $29 in outside grants for every dollar invested by the City.
People expect San Francisco to lead - especially with the federal government hell-bent on destroying the climate — but on this all-encompassing issue we are going backwards. San Franciscans need to know what's really happening. Please come to the rally and show your commitment to local climate leadership. Bring signs and your organization's banner if you have one! Find our flyer here.
Questions? Email info@sfclimateemergency.org
Right after the rally, we will march into City Hall to the Mayor's office to present copies of our Letter and Petition to the Mayor!
Then at 1:30pm, there will be a hearing on SFE's budget where people can make public comments to the Supervisors on the Budget & Appropriations Committee. This is our chance to tell the Board of Supervisors why we should be funding the Climate Action Plan and the work of the SF Environment department. We’ll provide talking points.