Austin Environmental City Council Candidate Forum

Public Citizen Texas is hosting the Austin Environmental City Council Candidate Forum on Saturday, August 22, at the UA Local 286 Plumbers & Pipefitters hall on Airport Blvd. It's a focused afternoon: the whole thing is devoted to environmental issues, with the organizers framing environmental stewardship as a cornerstone of Austin culture and arguing that the City Council should play a key role in upholding those values.

The forum is moderated by Mose Buchele, KUT's senior correspondent on energy and environment. He'll be guiding the conversation as candidates from City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 8, and 9 take the stage in that order. The goal is to let you hear where each candidate stands on environmental issues and transparent governance before you head to the polls this fall, when Austin will elect new representatives for those five districts—half the Council, not counting the mayor.

Public Citizen Texas is organizing the event alongside a broad coalition of climate-action groups: Public Citizen, Sierra Club Austin, Solar Austin, PODER, Austin Environmental Democrats, Clean Water Action, Third Act Texas, Sunrise Movement, Austin The Parents' Climate Community, Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Citizens' Climate Lobby, with KUT also involved. It's a wide tent of organizations, so you'll see a lot of different environmental perspectives in the room.

If you're voting in one of those districts, it's a good chance to hear the candidates speak on the record about the things they'll be dealing with in City Hall. The forum runs from 12:45 PM to 5:00 PM at UA Local 286 Plumbers & Pipefitters, 814 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78702.