NOACA's climate action plan missing the word "climate"
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is expected to face spirited commentary at its board meeting this morning, after staff leaders removed the word "climate" from a document outlining its work on a regional climate action plan.
Driving the news: Climate change deniers who hijacked the agency's January community meetings — and who view the organization as an agent of Joe Biden's "woke agenda" — are expected to attend.
Yes, but: Local progressive groups have been mobilizing as well and are also likely to show up.
State of play: Some members of the board of directors will seek to restore original language to the NOACA Overall Work Program document, which staff recently amended to remove all direct references to climate action planning — even though that's what the document is intended to outline.
- The section of the document previously titled "Regional Climate Action Plan" is now titled "Local Emissions and Weather Resiliency Planning."
The intrigue: Multiple sources told Axios that this watered-down language was a superficial attempt to appease the vocal right-wing fringe.
- NOACA executive director Grace Gallucci, who did not respond to requests for comment, previously told Axios that it was important to engage all people in the region, "whether or not they support climate change action."
What they're saying: "This is more about messaging than it is about actual substance," Dale Miller, Cuyahoga County Council's representative on the NOACA board, told Axios.
- "Nevertheless I consider it ominous. It would send a very bad message if we didn't describe climate action planning in the same way that the entire civilized world has been describing it for the past couple of decades."
What's next: The meeting is scheduled for 9am at NOACA's offices at 1299 Superior Ave.