[Press Conference: "Sunnyside Solar Project Update"]
[00:00:09]
OKAY.I, I, LOOK, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS DAY AND, UH, ON EARTH DATE ON TOP OF THAT.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M REAL EXCITED ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE ARE MAKING ON TODAY, AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
IT'S, UH, REAL EXCITED FOR THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND LOOK, I'M, I'M STANDING, UH, UH, I'VE GOT TWO CONGRESSPERSONS HERE.
UH, WE'VE GOT CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN OF THE NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, AND WE ARE IN THE NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
AND THEN, YEAH, GIVE IT UP TO CONGRESSMAN GREEN.
AND THEN WE HAVE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE FROM THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WHO'S STANDING HERE.
AND WE HAVE PAUL COEN, UH, THE CEO OF BQ ENERGY, UH, WHO'S ALSO PRESENT.
AND DO I HAVE REVEREND STEPHANIE WILKINSON? HAS HE MADE A DENT? OKAY.
I WANT TO, UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CRITICAL MILESTONE, AND I WILL WORK TO TRANSFORM THIS SITE AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
UH, TODAY WE WILL HEAR FROM CONGRESSMAN, UM, AL GREEN, FOLLOWED BY CONGRESSMAN RASHIDA JACKSON LEE PAUL KORAN, UH, CURRENT CEO OF BQ ENERGY, UH, TODAY FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT FOR OVER 50 YEARS, THIS AREA WAS THE SITE OF A 200, WELL, LONGER THAN THAT, 'CAUSE THE SITE OPENED IN, IN, UH, 1930S.
AND SO FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS, UH, THIS, UH, LANDFILL, WHICH WAS CLOSED, HAS BEEN LAYING DORMANT IN THIS COMMUNITY REALLY PULLING DOWN, UH, UH, SUNNYSIDE.
UH, AND IT HAS CREATED HEALTH AND ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISPARITIES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SUNNYSIDE, ONE OF HOUSTON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN COM, UH, COMMUNITIES.
THE LANDFILL CLOSED IN 1970, AND THE AREA HAS REMAINED ONE OF HOUSTON'S BIGGEST COMMUNITY CHALLENGES FOR DECADES.
BUT I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS LAND AND THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE IT, THE SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM PROJECT IS ENVISIONED TO CONVERT 240 ACRES OF LANDFILL THAT HAVE SET DORMANT FOR OVER 50 YEARS INTO A SOLAR POWER FORM THAT, YEAH, YEAH.
YOU COME, YOU CAN GIVE IT UP ON THAT INTO A, INTO A SOLAR POWER FARM THAT WILL PROVIDE RENEWABLE POWER RESOURCES, ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER UP TO FIVE TO 10,000 HOMES ONCE COMPLETED, IT WILL BE THE LARGEST URBAN SOLAR FARM IN THE NATION.
IT WILL BE THE LARGEST URBAN SOLAR FARM IN THE NATION, BUILT ON A LANDFILL AND WILL TAKE AN ESTIMATED 120 MILLION POUNDS OF CARBON OUT OF THE AIR EACH YEAR, CREATE JOBS AND TRANSFORM A HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITY BY BRINGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT TO THE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN MARGINALIZED AND DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON.
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, LITERALLY AROUND THE GLOBE, AND CONTINUES TO GAIN MOMENTUM WITH HOPES OF BREAKING GROUND NEXT YEAR, UH, WITH A FULLY COMMERCIAL OPERATIONAL, UH, FACILITY BY JULY OF 2023.
BY JULY OF 2023, THIS YEAR MARKED A TURNING POINT FOR THIS PROJECT.
UH, THIS WEEK, UH, THE CITY AND ITS PARTNERS RECEIVED IMPORTANT NEWS, AND IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE APPROVAL FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TCEQ TO PROCEED WITH THE SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM PROJECT.
OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, BUT UNTIL THE TCEQ GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH TALKING AND HOPING, BUT NOW WE'VE GOTTEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO PROCEED.
NEXT IS TO DEVELOP THE TERMS UNDER WHICH THE POWER GENERATED AT THIS SITE CAN BE SOLD, AND THAT WILL ALLOW THE FI, THE FINANCIAL, UH, THE FINANCES, UH, FOR THIS PROJECT, UH, TO OCCUR.
AND, AND THEN IT WILL ENABLE US TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THIS COMMUNITY.
THE INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY FROM THIS SOLAR FARM WOULD BE ABOUT $70 MILLION, UH, INTO THIS COMMUNITY.
WHAT A BETTER, WHAT BETTER DAY TO ANNOUNCE IT THAT ON EARTH TODAY, 2022.
THIS HAS BEEN AN INVOLVED PROCESS BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE COMMUNITY, AND CITY AND STATE ENTITIES.
AND IT GOES TO SHOW THAT WHEN ALL OF US COME TO THE TABLE, WE CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE ON OUR CLIMATE AMBITIONS AND TRANSFORM A COMMUNITY IN A, IN VERY REAL, IN A VERY REAL
[00:05:01]
AND MEANINGFUL WAY.I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE UNTO CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN OF THE NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FOR HIS UNFLAGGING SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM, AND FOR PASSING AND FOR PASSING A, A COMMUNITY PROJECT, SOME WOULD CALL IT IN EARMARK FOR $750,000 IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS TO HELP WITH THE PRO PROJECT.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO CONGRESS MENAL GREEN.
AND LET ME, LET ME, LET ME EMPHASIZE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUTTING FORTH SOMETHING, HOPING THAT IT HAPPENS.
UH, THIS $750,000 REAL PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT.
AND ONE CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR SUNNYSIDE SOLAR FARM UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION.
THE EMPOWERING SOLAR JOBS PROGRAM AIMS TO TRAIN AND PLACE 175 HOUSTONIANS FROM SUNNYSIDE AND OTHER COMPLETE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS INTO SOLAR AND SOLAR RELATED JOBS BY SEPTEMBER OF 2022.
AND I WANT, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE CONGRESSMAN FOR WHAT HE IS DOING.
UH, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS, THE SUNNYSIDE ENERGY, LLC.
PLEASE GIVE UP THE SUNNYSIDE ENERGY, LLC.
I WANNA THANK OUR L THE LDR ADVISORS.
I DON'T SEE, UH, RYAN OR LAUREN, BUT I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK L THAT THERE'S LAUREN.
THERE HAVE BEEN THE CONSULTANTS ON THIS, AND ALL OF THESE ENTITIES HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR THE ENTIRE JOURNEY.
AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CITY OF HOUSTON TEAM.
I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO DO THAT FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY.
PRIYA, WHERE YOU FROM? A RA TINA.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER.
AND YOU SEE ANDY WITH THE SHADES ON OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM.
THANK YOU ALSO VERY, VERY MUCH.
AND ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE CHAMPIONED THIS PROJECT.
I WANT TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT SUNNYSIDE STORY AND WHY THE PROJECT IS SIGNIFICANT IN TRANSFORMING HOUSTON.
THE LANDFILL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR WELL OVER 50 YEARS.
WE HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY OTHER CITIES FOR DEVELOP, REDEVELOPING A SITE THAT HAS HISTORICALLY IMPACTED THE COMMUNITY INTO A LOCATION OF GROWTH AND POWER.
BUT WHAT IS UNIQUE TO HOUSTON IS THE SIZE, THE IMPACT, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THIS MAJOR INVESTMENT WILL CREATE IN HOUSTON.
WE HAVE REIMAGINED THIS SPACE WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LENS IN AN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITY WITH EQUITY AS A CENTRAL AND CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE SITE REDEVELOPMENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER WITH EVERYONE TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD COME JULY OF NEXT YEAR, UH, TO REALLY SEEING THIS SITE FULLY OPERATIONAL, GENERATING THE POWER TO POWER FIVE TO 10,000 HOMES, TAKING 120 MILLION POUNDS OF CARBON OUT OF THE AIR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, CREATING, UH, GOOD JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND REALLY TRANSFORMING A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HELD DOWN BY THIS LANDFILL FOR A LONG TIME AND DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE.
AND NOW LET ME BRING UP CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN.
LET ME START BY WELCOMING MY GUEST TODAY, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SHE HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO BE WITH US.
AND, UM, IT MEANS SOMETHING TO ME TO HAVE ANOTHER CONGRESS MEMBER HERE AS A GUEST AT THIS EVENT.
WOULD YOU GIVE HER A HAND, PLEASE, FOR BEING HERE? THANK YOU.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR.
UM, THIS MAYOR IS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF CHANGE.
HE IS A GOOD STEWARD OF PUBLIC DOLLARS.
HE HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT HE IS NOT ONLY GOING TO HELP THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE SWEETSS OF LIFE AS WE ALL DO, BUT HE ALSO HELPS THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE STREETS OF LIFE.
HE'S A MAYOR FOR THE LEAST, THE LAST AND THE LOST.
[00:10:01]
THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE HE WILL NEVER, EVER MEET AND GREET.HE IS THE HONORABLE SYLVESTER TURNER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
GIVE HIM A BIG EXPRESSION OF LOVE FOR ME, PLEASE.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY PERSONS WHO'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EFFORT, AND THE MAYOR HAS RECOGNIZED THEM.
SO LET ME DO SO IN A VERY GENERAL WAY, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITY, UH, MY CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE REPRESENTING THE GOVERNMENT.
OF COURSE, THE STATE HAS BEEN INVOLVED, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED.
AND WE DON'T WANNA FORGET THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT HE HAS SAID AND THEN ADD THIS.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT SUNNYSIDE WOULD SURVIVE.
A DECISION WAS MADE TO PLACE A LANDFILL, SOME 240 ACRES OF LANDFILL IN THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY.
THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER SUNNYSIDE WOULD SURVIVE, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT SUNNYSIDE WILL NOT ONLY SURVIVE, IT WILL THRIVE BECAUSE WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A LANDFILL FOREVER WILL BECOME A SOLAR FARM THAT WILL BECOME THE EPICENTER MM-HMM.
OF CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO SOLAR ACTIVITY IN URBAN AMERICA.
THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY DESERVES A BIG EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION.
IF YOU GIVE IT LOUD ENOUGH SO THAT THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE CAN HEAR US.
LET'S LET 'EM HEAR ALL THE WAY OVER AT THE SUNNYSIDE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, SUNNYSIDE, WILL SURV SURVIVE AND THRIVE.
NOW, LET ME SAY JUST A WORD ABOUT THE JOBS, BECAUSE THIS $750,000 IS GOING TO HELP PEOPLE WITHIN AND WITHOUT SUNNYSIDE.
AND EMPLOYMENT IN THE STEM OCCUPATIONS IS PROJECTED TO GROW 8.8% BY 2028.
AND HEALTHCARE OCCUPATIONS, WHICH GENERALLY REQUIRE A STRONG STEM BACKGROUND, ARE PROJECTED TO GROW EVEN MORE.
MY DEAR FRIENDS, THE AVERAGE ADVERTISED SALARY FOR ENTRY-LEVEL STEM JOBS REQUIRING A BA OR HIGHER DEGREE, IS $66,123.
COMPARED WITH $52,299 FOR NON STEM JOBS.
FRIENDS, THAT'S AROUND $14,000 AS A PREMIUM.
WELL, PEOPLE WHO GET STEM JOBS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN HOMES.
THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO BUSINESSES.
THIS $750,000 WILL HELP US TO ACQUIRE SOME OF THE STEM JOBS THAT WE NEED.
LET'S HEAR IT FOR $750,000 IN STEM OCCUPATIONS.
AND FINALLY, THIS FRIENDS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THIS $750,000, MAYOR, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE LAST TIME.
THE BEST WAY FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE SUNNYSIDE TO ACQUIRE WHAT IS NEEDED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM SUNNYSIDE TO TELL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHAT'S NEEDED, AND FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF SUNNYSIDE.
THAT'S WHY THEY ELECTED ME TO CONGRESS, TO BRING THE NEWS AND FOR THE CONGRESS TO ACT.
CONGRESS NOW IS FULFILLING ITS ROLE.
IT'S A REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
THE REPRESENTATIVE OUGHT TO BE IN A POSITION TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF SUNNYSIDE.
THE PEOPLE OF SUNNYSIDE CAN'T COME TO WASHINGTON, DC AND LOBBY THE HOUSE, THE SENATE, AND THE PRESIDENCY, BUT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE HAS A VOTE.
AND THAT VOTE GIVES THAT REPRESENTATIVE THE POWER TO USE HIS VOICE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE PEOPLE IN SUNNYSIDE.
GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND THANK GOD FOR THIS EARTH DAY ON WHICH SUNNYSIDE WILL DO MORE THAN
[00:15:01]
SURVIVE.GOD BLESS YOU, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THESE CONGRESS MEMBERS,
I LOVE THESE CONGRESS MEMBERS.
I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE DIRECTOR KENNY ALLEN, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC.
SEE HERE, NICOLE IRVIN OVER THE MAYOR'S ALSO OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND MARGARET WALLACE BROWN OF OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK YOU ALL TOO FOR BEING, FOR BEING HERE.
UM, UH, AND THEN NOW LET ME BRING UP, UH, THE CONGRESSWOMAN OF THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, IT IS GOOD TO BE IN SUNNYSIDE.
I SAID IT, IT IS GOOD TO BE IN SUNNYSIDE, AND IT IS EVEN BETTER TO BE IN SUNNYSIDE ON EARTH DAY.
COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO BE.
MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHOWING AMERICA THAT THE ENERGY, CAPITAL OF THE WORLD IS ALSO LED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL MAYOR OF THE WORLD AND OF THE NATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING TO THE CITY IN ALL OF ITS SECTORS OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THAT, UH, EXHIBIT OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS FINE AND WONDERFUL EARTH.
AND THANK YOU TO MY FRIEND, UH, AND OF COURSE MY COLLEAGUE, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN IN THE GREAT SUNNY SIDE OF WHICH I HAPPEN TO BE A STRONG ADVOCATE AND NEIGHBOR TO THE GREAT HISTORIC SUNNY SIDE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASTUTENESS CONGRESSMAN DREAM.
STEM JOBS ARE THE KEY AND CORNERSTONE OF CONTINUING TO BUILD AN ENGINE AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF ENERGY, UH, AND ENVIRONMENTALIST MATCH TOGETHER.
WOULD YOU GIVE CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN FOR HIS WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTIONS? A ROUSING APPLAUSE.
YOU CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER THAN THAT.
LET ME, UM, SAY, UH, IN THIS DAY OF EARTH DAY THAT, UH, WE ARE PLEASED TO BE HERE, CELEBRATING THE PLANET, LEARNING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, AND YES, PROMOTING CONSERVATION.
I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE WITH BQ.
UH, AND PAUL HAS A SHINING SMILE.
EXHIBITS THE UTILIZATION OF THE BEAUTIFUL SUN, AND TO WHAT BE ABLE TO SAY TO CALIFORNIA.
YOU MAY BE AT THE TOP OF SOLAR NOW, BUT TEXAS IS ON THE RISE AND ON THE MOVE.
AND I BELIEVE ALL YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
UH, I BELIEVE WITH THE SECTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE EAST END, UH, TO THE OLD FIESTA IN THIRD WARD, UH, WITH INCUBATORS, OH, THERE'S A, THAT
UH, WITH THE VARIOUS SITES DEALING WITH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOLAR AND RENEWABLES, TEXAS WILL BE ON THE MOVE AND IT WILL BE ON THE MAP.
AND I PROCLAIM THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW THESE ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY, UH, AS WE BUILD ON OUR FOUNDATION THAT GREW TEXAS, WE CAN BE TO THE WORLD, NOT JUST THE NATION, THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY.
AND YES, THE IDEA OF SUNNYSIDE AND THIS OUTSTANDING SOLAR ENTITY FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS TO SEE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE US WITH IS THAT THESE SOLAR PANELS BE PART OF NOT ONLY HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION, NEW, BUT TO PLACE IN THE EXISTING HOMES.
SUNNYSIDE, THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THESE ARE OUR HOMES, AND THEY'RE NOT FOR SALE.
THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT IN SUNNYSIDE AND SOUTH PARK, INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, AND, UH, WAY OUT, UH, IN PLACES THAT THE CITY INCORPORATES THAT PEOPLE THINK IT'S NOT A PLACE TO BE.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE THOSE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES AS, UH, OUR GOOD FRIENDS, UH, HAVE DONE, UH, AND ALL OF THE CITY HEADS ARE DOING.
AND AGAIN, MY APPRECIATION TO ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF THE CITY STAFF THAT THE MAYOR HAS GATHERED AND GARNERED TO REALLY PULL TOGETHER, NOT PULL APART, BUT PULL TOGETHER.
SO LET ME LEAVE THIS PODIUM BY SAYING THAT WE AND CONGRESS WORK
[00:20:01]
TOGETHER.WE INSIST THAT IF YOU'RE IN THE NORTH, UH, IF YOU'RE IN THE EAST, IF YOU'RE IN THE WEST OR YOU'RE HERE, WE, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WORK TOGETHER, DEMOCRAT, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND OTHERS WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE HEARD.
AND SO MAYOR, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A ROADMAP, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ROADMAP THAT ALLOWS US TO FUNNEL FEDERAL DOLLARS AS THEY SHOULD.
BUT I THINK MY MESSAGE IS REALLY TO SUNNYSIDE SANDRA MASSEY HINES.
I KNOW YOU'RE THERE SOMEWHERE.
THE MAYOR OF SUNNYSIDE AND ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS.
THIS IS OUR HOME AND IT'S NOT FOR SALE.
AND WE CAN DRIVE DOWN THIS STREET AND BEGIN TO SEE AS PAUL WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE OF MULTI-MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC ENGINE.
AND WE CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE ROOFS OF HOMES ALREADY BUILT IN SUNNYSIDE WITH THEIR SOLAR PANELS AND YOUR ENERGY COSTS COMING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.
AND WE'LL NEVER HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT A FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, THAT TOOK THE LIVES OF SO MANY TEXANS NEVER AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE CORNER AND SUNNY SIDE BUILDING UP WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR TURNER, MY GOOD FRIEND, AL GREEN.
AND THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF ALL OF US AS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SAYING, THE DOLLARS THAT YOU SEND TO WASHINGTON ARE THE DOLLARS WE BRING HOME.
IT'S GOOD TO BE IN EARTH DAY TODAY.
APRIL 22ND, 2022 IN SUNNYSIDE, TEXAS.
THIS IS OUR HOME AND IT'S NOT FOR SALE.
THANK YOU CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MARETTE HUNTER, WHO HAS BEEN WITH THIS PROJECT FROM THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING.
SO THANK YOU, UH, MARETTE FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND THEN I SEE, UH, I THINK THAT'S CAROLYN WRIGHT AND ANTHONY BOWIE BACK THERE FROM OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND, AND THE POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE, YOU CAN SEE HOW IMPORTANT THIS PROJECT IS, UH, SUNNYSIDE, BUT FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN GETTING US HERE.
NOW I REALLY WANT TO, UH, BRING UP AT THIS TIME PAUL CURRAN, WHO IS THE CEO OF BQ ENERGY.
PAUL, I CAN'T THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, UH, THE INTEREST YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN, YOU KNOW, BUT FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR, UH, WE WILL NOT BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT, UH, TO BQ UH, ENERGY, TO THE ENERGY SECTOR FOR COMING IN AND INVESTING, UH, IN THIS PROJECT.
BUT FOR THEM, UH, WE WILL NOT BE, UH, STANDING WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO PAUL CORAN.
UM, IN SO MANY WAYS, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
IT'S AN HONOR TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THREE PEOPLE WHO END EVERY SINGLE CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE THEM WITH THE WORDS, HOW CAN I HELP? UM, THAT'S UNUSUAL, FRANKLY.
WE GO AROUND THE COUNTRY, OUR BUSINESSES, TO GO AROUND THE COUNTRY AND LOOK FOR LANDFILLS AND GROUND FIELDS TO REDEVELOP WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY.
UM, AND WE'VE WORKED HARD ON THIS PROJECT TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS, AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.
BUT IT'S, IT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, AND IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT WORKS WELL BECAUSE IF WE NEED SOMETHING FROM THE MAYOR, IF WE NEED SOMETHING FROM THE CONGRESSMAN, UM, THEY'VE GIVEN US THEIR CELL PHONE NUMBERS.
AND, AND WE DON'T USE THEM VERY FREQUENTLY, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE.
THIS PROJECT, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT NERDY FOR A SECOND HERE.
UM, AND, AND IT, IT'LL BE 150,000 SOLAR PANELS IN THE AREAS BEHIND ME AND OFF TO THE RIGHT.
UM, WE THINK OF IT AS THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS.
UM, ABOUT 50 MEGAWATTS, WHICH WILL BE SOUTH OF THAT ROAD.
UH, WE CALL IT THE UTILITY SCALE PROJECT.
THAT'LL BE CONNECTED TO CENTER POINT AND IT'LL GO INTO THE GRID.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY BASED PROJECT, WHICH WILL BE NORTH OF INCINERATOR ROAD, ANOTHER TWO MEGAWATTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A BATTERY STORAGE COMPONENT, 150 MEGAWATTS, WHICH WOULD BE LOCATED ALONG THE, THE CREEK DOWN HERE.
UH, EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT RESILIENCY IN THE ERCOT SITUATION ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POWER WE MAKE, YOU KNOW, THOSE CLOUDS UP IN THE SKY THAT COME BY FROM TIME TO TIME.
THE POWER COMING OUT OF HERE CAN BE SMOOTH AND RELIABLE BECAUSE OF OUR BATTERY STORAGE COMPONENT.
UM, ANOTHER NERDY THING THAT I WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE, AND THAT IS THE, UM, THE LOCATION.
UM, IT'S A DUMP WITH A HISTORY THAT, UM, FRANKLY IS RATHER HORRIBLE TO TELL, BUT IT'S A LAND THAT IS A WASTE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.
UM, REDEVELOPING THIS REAL ESTATE FOR A RENEWABLE ENERGY PURPOSE IS JUST A PERFECT IDEA.
WE HAVE DONE THIS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS BEING THE LARGEST URBAN, UH, LANDFILL BASED SOLAR PROJECT.
UH, WHEN IT'S FINISHED, IT'S CURRENT.
CURRENTLY THE LARGEST IS IN ANNAPOLIS.
WE DEVELOPED IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
THIS ONE WILL BE FOUR TIMES THAT SIZE.
[00:25:01]
A VERY LARGE IMPACT INTO THE, THE, THE ENERGY SITUATION OF TEXAS.THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT, THOUGH, IS THAT WE ALL HEAR ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY.
WE HEAR, YOU SEE THESE WIND TOWERS OUT IN WEST TEXAS.
WE SEE SOLAR FARMS OUT IN WEST TEXAS.
WE SEE LOTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY COMING, BUT IT HAS TO GET FROM WEST TEXAS TO HERE.
HERE IS WHERE THE ENERGY SHOULD BE GENERATED.
CONGRESSMAN LEE HAD IT PERFECTLY SAID, THE ELECTRICITY SHOULD BE GENERATED ON TOP OF PEOPLE'S HOUSES OR IN PEOPLE'S COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TRANSPORTING IT ACROSS HALFWAY ACROSS TEXAS.
UM, THIS IS THE BEST RENEWABLE ENERGY SITE IN THE COUNTRY FOR GENERATING 50 MEGAWATTS.
AND WHEN WE FINISH WITH IT, IT WILL BE A SHOWPIECE THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD WILL COPY.
MAYOR, THE MAYOR, THE CONGRESSMEN, THE COMMUNITY HAVE ALL BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE.
FRANKLY, THEY'VE BEEN PATIENT.
IT IS NOT EASY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO TURN AN UNMAINTAINED LANDFILL INTO A COMMUNITY SHOWPIECE.
IT'S AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY, AND IT'S ONE WE TAKE VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
I CAN'T WAIT TO COME OUT HERE AGAIN NEXT YEAR, AS THE MAYOR SAYS, SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN AND SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN WITH A BIGGEST SMILE ON MY FACE SAYING, LOOK AT WHAT WE DID.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR COMING TODAY.
AND, AND IF YOU HEARD WHAT HE SAID FOUR TIMES, UH, LARGER THAN THE ONE, THAN THE LARGEST ONE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS IN THE COUNTRY, UH, IT IS, IT SPEAKS TO WHO WE ARE IN THIS CITY AND THIS STATE.
WE SAY, YOU GO BIG OR YOU GO HOME.
UH, WHERE WE ARE GOING BIG IN SUNNYSIDE, UH, WHICH IS A GOOD DEAL.
UH, LOOK, I, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE.
NOW, LET ME, LET ME STEP ASIDE FOR THE MAYOR.
UH, SHE KNOW I LOVE HER AND SHE'S A LITTLE MAD WITH ME.
'CAUSE I WORE, I WORE A FEW PHONE CALLS.
I, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME MAKE UP TO HER RIGHT NOW ON EARTH DAY BEFORE SHE COMES, BEFORE SHE COMES TO THE MIC, YOU KNOW, SHE KNOWS HOW, HOW MUCH I LOVE ME, SOME MAYOR, SANDRA HIGHES.
YOU KNOW, MY PHONE WASN'T WORKING.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I DID, BECAUSE
UH, SO SHE'S BEEN WITH THIS PROJECT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND SHE LIVES, RESIDES AND TAKE CARE OF SO MANY FOLK RIGHT HERE IN INSIDE AND SIDE.
LET ME BRING UP, UH, SANDRA, UM, MASSEY HINES, MAYOR SANDRA MASS HIN FOR COMMENTS ON THIS PROJECT.
I MEAN, PRINCE CHAIRMAN
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF HISTORY MAKING HERE IN SUNNYSIDE.
UH, I PLAY A DUAL ROLE HERE, AND I'M GONNA JUST BE BRIEF WITH WHAT I'M SAYING.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY ENERGY GROUP.
AND, UH, THEY ARE NOT PRESENT TODAY.
UH, IT'S JUST, WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS GOING ON TODAY WITH KIDS AND A JOB FAIR.
UH, SPEAKING OF JOB FAIR, WE'RE PROVIDING OVER 300, UH, JOBS TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THOSE PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT ARE IN NEED OF A JOB, WE HAVE IMMEDIATE OPENINGS.
UH, THEY'RE READY FOR YOU TO COME.
NOW I HAVE 250 WITH ANOTHER SOLAR ENERGY COMPANY.
BUT WE'RE WAITING ON, UH, YOU TO INVITE YOUNG PEOPLE, VETERANS, SENIORS, AND THE COMMUNITY TO COME TO HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE OVER FOR AIRPORT AND 2 88, I THINK THAT'S 1 9 9 0 AIRPORT BOULEVARD.
WE'RE HIRING, WE'RE OPEN ON THE SPOT.
LEMME THANK MAYOR HINES FOR THAT.
AND JUST YESTERDAY I WAS TALKING WITH, UH, UH, CHANCELLOR MALONA FROM HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ON THEIR RESILIENCE AND RENEWABLE PROGRAM, UH, ABOUT WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ON WORKFORCE TRAINING.
CONGRESSMAN GREEN, IT TIES RIGHT IN TO THE $750,000 THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING ON WORKFORCE TRAINING AND UPSKILLING AND RESKILLING.
SO ALL OF THIS JUST ALIGNS WELL.
AND SO TODAY WE HAVE WITH US MA, DR.
MATT S UH, S, UH, FROM SIDIKI, PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON, UH, COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE CENTRAL PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT SIDIKI.
UH, AND, UH, ALL THE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, THANKS FOR PROVIDING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS, UH, GREEN REVOLUTION IN THIS, UH,
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COMMUNITY.SUNNYSIDE, UH, HOW WE ARE DOING THIS, UH, LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES.
UH, THREE WEEKS AGO, WE SCHEDULE A COMMUNITY AWARENESS, UH, SYMPOSIUM AT OUR SOUTH CAMPUS WHERE WE INVITED 50, 60 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MOSTLY, UH, UH, WOMAN.
AND WE, UH, UH, WE, WE EDUCATE THEM HOW TO USE SOLAR ENERGY AND CAN AVOID EXPENSIVE ELECTRICAL BILLS.
UH, SO ANESS IS A CONTINUOUS PART OF WHAT WE ARE DOING, ESPECIALLY FROM CENTRAL SOUTH CAMPUS AND CENTRAL COLLEGE AND HCC OVERALL.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS WE ARE OFFERING CLASSES, CREDIT CLASSES, CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES SHORT TERM BECAUSE WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR PEOPLE ARE READY FOR, UH, REVOLUTION IN GREEN ENERGY, ESPECIALLY IN SOLAR.
IF YOU SEE, UH, CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, SOLAR ENERGY POLICY, UH, THERE ARE, UH, UH, 40%, 50% TARGET UNTIL 2030 OR TO 2040.
UH, SWITCHING FROM, UH, ELECTRIC.
ELECTRIC, NO, UH, TRADITIONAL ELECTRICITY TO SOLAR ENERGY.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM OUR MAYOR.
WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM OUR OFFICIALS FOR GREEN ENERGY SAVING OUR EARTH.
AND, UH, AND THE THIRD THING IS WE ARE, UH, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE, UH, UH, MINIMIZE THE INEQUITY IN ENERGY JUSTICE SCENARIO, RIGHT? WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN RE BENEFIT FROM THIS GREEN REVOLUTION, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO WERE IN DISADVANTAGE IN THE PAST.
SO THAT, THESE ARE THE THREE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON.
THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL, UH, CAREER DAY AT SOUTH CAMPUS, NOT FAR FROM YOU.
PLEASE COME AND MEET COMPANIES.
WE WORK VERY HARD ON THAT, THIS EVENT.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION.
AND LOOK, AND I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION LAURA HAM, WHO, UH, FORMALLY LED OUR OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, AND SHE'S NOW, UH, ONE OF THE OFFICERS OVER AT GREENTOWN LABS HOUSTON.
SO LAURA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR WORK.
YOU KIND OF GOT US STARTED ON THIS.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE NOW COMING FULL CIRCLE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE WHOLE TEAM IS HERE.
UM, SO FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO THE STATE LEVEL, UH, TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, TO OUR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, TO OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE MAYOR HINES, ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS.
BUT I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO THANK, I WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL OF MY, UH, DIRECTORS AND CITY EMPLOYEES AND CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, FOR REALLY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO MAKE THIS, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UH, AND I CAN'T UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT, ESPECIALLY ON EARTH DAY.
AND THEN FOR SUNNYSIDE, UH, REALLY FOR A COMMUNITY THAT'S HAD TO DEAL WITH LANDFILL SINCE 1930.
OKAY? AND FOR ONE TO CLOSE AND, AND BE LIKE THIS FOR THE LAST 50 PLUS YEARS, IS THIS REALLY, IT'S REALLY HAS BEEN HURTFUL AND HAS WORKED AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY, BUT NO MORE, UH, THINGS ARE CHANGING AND THINGS ARE CHANGING FOR THE BETTER.
AND THEN AS I CLOSE, I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO THANK, UH, UH, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, UH, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, FOR HIS TIRELESS WORK IN MAKING IT HAPPEN.
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, THE RESOURCES, YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR PUSHING FORWARD.
I WANNA THANK CONGRESSMAN SHEILA, UH, JACKSON LEE FOR HER COLLABORATION ON OTHER, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER PRESS CONFERENCES THAT ARE COMING WHERE SHE'LL BE MAKING SOME SIMILAR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
BUT LET ME JUST THANK HER, UH, IN ADVANCE FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND HER TIRELESS EFFORT.
THESE ARE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY, REALLY HAVE REALLY CARRIED THE BALL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND I AM VERY, VERY INDEBTED TO THE TWO OF THEM.
THESE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN SO MANY FEDERAL DOLLARS, AND SO, BUT FOR THEM, UH, OUR CITY WOULD BE IN BAD SHAPE.
SO LET ME THANK THEM FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE'VE SAID ENOUGH ON EARTH TODAY.