EASTON, Pa. — After getting positive feedback from city officials last month, Easton's Environmental Advisory Council continues to work on an ordinance to help temper light pollution.
“The climate and appetite for DarkSky after the presentation seems pretty warm, like how the light should be,” city Sustainability Coordinator Brandon Sullivan said.
The EAC is working on an ordinance that would make the city DarkSky-complaint, which may include using LED bulbs, shielded fixtures, temperature range limits and dimmers on streetlights.
During a City Council meeting last month, EAC members urged the board to consider adopting an ordinance that could help combat light pollution and improve health for humans and animals.
“We got pretty vocal support across the people who did comment.”city Sustainability Coordinator Brandon Sullivan
“We got pretty vocal support across the people who did comment,” Sullivan said. “Council Member [Roger] Ruggles was really grateful and thankful to see the EAC present something of meaning, so he personally thanked them.
“Crystal Rose was supportive, and then the mayor was also supportive, just with the caveat of, let's make sure that things are still safe, like streets are still safe."
Sullivan said Councilman Frank Pintabone "seemed rather supportive, as well.”
Next steps for DarkSky
This month, the EAC’s DarkSky Committee will meet to discuss DarkSky ordinances in other cities, such as Flagstaff, Arizona, to inform its draft.
DarkSky International, a nonprofit focused on decreasing light pollution, has templates available, EAC Vice Chairwoman Stacy Melvin said.
“We're going to review it as a committee,” Melvin said. “If everything looks fine — we're going to have some additional folks that are going to attend that to just give an extra set of eyes to that.
“And then we're going to, if everything's fine, then bring it here, make sure everybody else reviews it as well.”
Once a draft is approved by the EAC, expected at next month’s meeting, it will be submitted to City Council for review.
Climate Action Week, Youth Climate Summit
Also during the meeting, Kate Semmens, Nurture Nature Center’s science director, said the nonprofit’s Climate Action Week, which included events in early October focused on engaging residents in sustainability efforts, was successful.
“We had some really great events, like the Boys and Girls Club had a big event that went really well,” Semmens said.
“We had a TED climate talk night at the Community Bike Works … and that went really well, too. And then we had exhibit openings at the Bethlehem and Easton public libraries on that Saturday, Oct. 11, and that went really well.”
State Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Northampton, spoke at the Easton opening, she said, “about the need for sustainability and climate action.”
“Those events are still up for about four more weeks, I believe,” Semmens said. “So if you haven’t had a chance to go check them out, please do.”
Now that Climate Action Week is over, Semmens said she’s turning her attention toward the upcoming Youth Climate Summit.
Next year will mark the sixth year for the summit, which aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.
With the center’s 518 Northampton St. location closed as construction continues on the new Earth & Sky Dome, the summit will be held April 24 and 25 at Northampton Community College.
“We’re already starting to think about really cool programming, so I’ll keep you guys updated on that as we get closer,” Semmens said.
