Environment
James Perry is honored to have the endorsement of the Sierra Club!!
Green Government
It is essential that the City lead by example by greening its own assets. First, I will usher in the use of city-owned hybrid and electric vehicles by securing federal stimulus dollars that are available for charging stations and fleet conversion. Second, my administration will support the conversion of RTA and taxi cab vehicles through innovative incentives such as tax credits to make the purchase of hybrids as replacement vehicles more attractive. Third, my administration will ensure a minimum environmental building standard for all rebuilding of new city facilities. Finally, my administration will reduce waste by reforming city government practices to streamline functions and reduce operational waste.
Green Coast
Coastal restoration is an essential component of short and long term development in our region, and must be coordinated with other lines of defense such as our levees, evacuation planning, and storm-sensitive community redevelopment. New Orleans must take the lead on this issue. The reality is that if we don’t lead on coastal restoration it will not be done. Under my administration, New Orleans will be united with the people of coastal Louisiana and our state and federal government in support of coastal restoration. As Mayor, I will ensure qualified and aggressive representation within the Governor’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and similar representation for all appropriate federal agencies. We must, however, lead by example. Bayou Bienvenue, New Orleans East and Lake Pontchartrain all constitute a critical line of coastal defense that can be fortified by city-led restoration initiatives, such as full support for the SW&B cypress marsh restoration effort at Bayou Bienvenue central wetlands.
Green Economy
In rebuilding from the storm, New Orleans has the unprecedented opportunity to become a national leader in the emerging Green economy. The building of a sustainable city means that we must not only utilize alternative energy, we must invest in our alternative energy industries and workforce. New Orleans must serve as an incubator for high-tech companies that are developing green industries, such as solar power, wind power, residential weatherization and energy efficiency, recycling industrial waste energy, LED lighting and high performance windows. As Mayor, I will direct the Office of Economic Development to collaborate with organizations such as the Idea Village, Global Green and the Green Collaborative among others to expand the city’s business incubator program to provide resources for alternative energy businesses.
My administration will work aggressively to ensure that New Orleans achieves the goal of creating high-paying green jobs, while developing a skilled alternative energy workforce so that New Orleans can become a Green industry and technology leader. The benefits are just too great to let the opportunity fall by the wayside. For example, the starting salary for solar panel installers in the New Orleans area is between $37,000 and $40,000. Working with organizations such as the Alliance for Affordable Energy’s Green Corps, we can train citizens to become skilled workers in high demand, high-paying jobs that enable them to build sustainable careers.
As Mayor I will leverage the millions of dollars our government provides in tax incentives and contracts to encourage green development. I will create a “green lane” in City Hall to assist businesses in carrying out environmentally sustainable development and building new industries for the green economy. By expediting the permitting process and giving developers financial incentive to go green, we can make sustainable development the centerpiece of our growing economy.
Green Living
Within 30 days of taking office I will constitute a joint Mayoral-City Council task force that identifies a reliable funding stream for a city-run recycling program with the goal of reinstating this program by the end of 2010.
I favor a streamlined recycling program through which residents can place recyclable materials in a single container for regular curbside pickup. Opening the contract bid process to private waste disposal companies will allow us to find a competitive, low-cost service provider. The City of Baton Rouge, for example, spends just $1.47 per household to pick up and process recyclables. Such a program in New Orleans could be implemented with a local waste contractor and utilize the recently-opened Allied Waste Recycling Plant in Metairie—reducing costs and making recycling a reality in New Orleans.
Discarding debris and household hazardous waste in our neighborhoods destroys environmental quality and creates significant health and safety risks. Illegal dumping is unacceptable to residents and will be unacceptable to my administration in City Hall. As Mayor, I will enforce our city’s waste disposal laws and promote compliance and participation through outreach and education programs and by revitalizing our brownfield initiatives.
We need to be energy efficient in our homes and businesses. As Mayor, I will continue the progress made by the City Council when it started the Energy Smart weatherization program. Net metering and smart grids should be the long-term goal, and will ultimately save people a fortune on electrical bills.
Green Transit
To make New Orleans truly sustainable, I have developed a long-term plan for our transportation infrastructure. My vision is to develop a city and an economy that benefit from being interconnected by public transportation, including buses, streetcars, light rail, and commuter rail, as well as bicycle and pedestrian routes.
On the large scale, developing light and high-speed rail between New Orleans and Baton Rouge will be a priority of my legislative agenda both in Baton Rouge as well as Washington D.C. Even traveling short distances can have an impact on the environment. I support the continued development of bike and pedestrian-centric pathways both in large projects such as the Lafitte Greenway, and on a smaller scale, such as bike lanes being included in the resurfacing of historic St. Charles Avenue.
