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Ward 3 Update: Climate Bills and Summer Recess
Dear Neighbors,
Yesterday, the Council held our final Committee of the Whole and Legislative Meetings before our summer recess. I am especially proud of my two pieces of environmental legislation that passed second reading:
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B24-0267, the Climate Commitment Act of 2021 codifies the 2050 carbon neutrality commitment, as well as adding interim targets for greenhouse gas reductions between 2025 and 2050. It requires the District to achieve carbon neutrality for emissions associated with District government operations by 2040, and prepare an inter-agency action plan for achieving this goal. The legislation revises the 50% target to 2030, to align with the recent 2030 target announced by the Biden Administration. It also requires the Department of Energy and the Environment to report annually on the District’s progress toward these targets.
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B24-0420, the Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2021 requires the Mayor to adopt a net-zero-energy building code that would apply to most new buildings and substantial renovations by December 31, 2026. This would ensure that new buildings in the District are constructed to be highly energy efficient and produce renewable energy on site wherever possible. Through this combination of renewable energy generation and energy efficiency, these new buildings will be “net-zero energy,” meaning they will produce as much or more energy as they use in a given year. And because the energy they produce will be from clean sources, they will also have virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The Council will return from recess on Friday, September 16th, and our first Committee of the Whole and Legislative Meetings back will be on Tuesday, September 20th.
Regards,
Mary
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My granddaughter Dahlia and I had a great time walking (and riding) in the Palisades Fourth of July Parade last week. Thanks to everyone who came out and made it a fun event for all. |
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Wisconsin Avenue Community Walks |
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The Office of Planning will host two Community Walks about the Wisconsin Avenue Development Framework.
The Tenleytown walk is on Wednesday, July 13th at 5pm. It will start at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Brandywine Street (behind the Tile Shop at 4530 Wisconsin Avenue) and will end around Rodman Street.
The Friendship Heights walk is on Saturday, July 16th, at 10am. It will start at the corner of Wisconsin and Western Avenues, by the Chevy Chase Pavilion (5335 Wisconsin Avenue) and will end at Fessenden Street NW.
For more details and to register for the Tenleytown walk, click here, and to register for the Friendship Heights walk, click here.
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Every ward in the District has a COVID Center, where you can receive vaccinations, boosters, PCR tests, and take-home rapid antigen tests.
Ward 3's COVID Center is located at 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW, and its hours are:
- Monday: 10 am - 8 pm
- Tuesday: CLOSED
- Wednesday: 10 am - 8 pm
- Thursday: 11 am - 9 pm
- Friday: 9 am - 7 pm
- Saturday: 10 am - 8 pm
- Sunday: 10 am - 8 pm
For a full list of all locations and more details, click here.
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Cleveland Park Trivia Night |
Join Cleveland Park Main Street for an evening of DC-themed trivia. The event is at All Fired Up (3413 Connecticut Avenue NW) on Wednesday, July 13th. Doors open at 6:30pm, and trivia starts at 7:30pm. For more details, click here. |
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Van Ness Main Street will host outdoor movies at the UDC Amphitheater on Wednesday, July 13th and Wednesday, July 20th at 9pm. For more details, click here. |
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Our own Tenleytown Main Street is hosting Bastille Day this Saturday, July 16th, from 2-4pm in Fessenden Park. The event will feature French food and drinks, games, music, and crafts.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
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DCist: D.C. Residents Will No Longer Need A Doctor To Access Medical Marijuana
The bill, which was introduced by Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) and Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), instead allows residents over the age of 21 to “self-certify” they need marijuana for medicinal uses when they register for a patient card. The card allows them access to any of the city’s seven medical marijuana dispensaries. Earlier this year the council passed a similar bill allowing residents over the age of 65 to self-certify that they need medical marijuana.
Proponents of the bill say it aims to ease access to medical marijuana for potential patients, some of whom may face challenges in finding a doctor who will provide a recommendation for medical marijuana (there are 620 registered with the city to do so, out of thousands in D.C.) or may not have the time, insurance coverage, or money to manage a visit to a doctor.
But the measure also looks to help sustain the city’s medical marijuana dispensaries, which face growing competition from unregulated “gifting” shops and services — known as the “gray market.” D.C. officials say those illicit vendors can offer lower prices that undercut the legal and regulated dispensaries.
“Due to the lower barriers to access in the gray market, a significant number of medical marijuana patients have shifted from purchasing their medical marijuana from legal medical dispensaries to the illicit gray market, creating a significant risk to the long-term viability of the District’s legal medical marijuana industry,” reads a declaration from McDuffie and Cheh accompanying the emergency bill. “If this trend continues, it is possible that gray market sales could wipe out the District’s legal marijuana dispensaries. Given the… benefits that regulated and safe legal dispensaries provide to medical marijuana users in the District, it is vital that the industry survive until the District can stand up a regulated recreational market and transition toward full regulation of recreational marijuana products.”
Washington Post: D.C. Council to let drivers with unpaid tickets stay on the road
Council members Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), Christina Henderson (I-At Large) and Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) were in the minority, voting for an amendment that would have narrowed the bill to allow the city to keep withholding license renewals from those who have at least three unpaid tickets for certain violations like speeding and running red lights.
“Make no mistake, we are sending a message that will go out and tell people they can run red lights, they can go significantly over the speed limit, and nothing will happen to them. They won’t have to pay their tickets,” Cheh said. “We’re inviting dangerous drivers. We’re making our streets less safe.”
To read the full article, click on the headline
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Our Office is Open!
Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.
You may continue to reach us via email or phone through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services requests.
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