By Katie Davis, Chapter Chair
Strong local goals need federal boost
In 2017 Santa Barbara was the 30th city in the U.S. to set a goal of 100% renewable energy. Later that year Goleta was the 51st.
Now in 2021 over 180 cities, more than ten counties, and eight states across the U.S. have goals to power their communities with 100% clean, renewable energy. And perhaps most impactful, a clean electricity standard -- which would require utilities across the nation to slash emissions -- will be part of a broad $3.5 trillion infrastructure deal Democrats hope to pass by budget reconciliation. California Senator Alex Padilla is on the U.S. Senate budget committee so let him know he should fight for this:
www.call4climate.com
Local cities tackle climate through power buying
While the US considers setting a clean energy goal and California regulators plot the gradual transition, locally we are accelerating clean energy through local programs.
Community Choice energy programs can buy and sell electricity for local jurisdictions and are responsive to community needs, while SCE and PG&E continue to operate the grid. SB County is joining Central Coast Community Energy which plans to procure 100% renewable energy for us by 2030. The City of SB is launching Santa Barbara Clean Energy, and Ventura County joined Los Angeles County in the Clean Power Alliance in 2019 -- where they started procuring 100% renewable energy immediately.
Local clean energy projects break ground
All this planning is resulting in real, live, honest-to-goodness, clean energy projects.
A 100-megawatt battery storage system was unveiled in Oxnard on June 29. It’s one of the largest energy storage facilities in the United States and is expected to generate millions in tax revenue for both the city and the county.
An even larger battery facility is proposed in Morro Bay. At 600 megawatts, it would be the largest such facility in the world.
The Lompoc wind project is under construction, and public comment is about to begin on offshore wind leasing areas off the coast of Morro Bay.
On July 13, the SB County Board of Supervisors set directions for a utility scale solar ordinance that will permit large solar installations on both agricultural lands and unused industrial sites, expanding solar options beyond the Cuyama Valley.
On July 16, SB County unveiled the Tajiguas Landfill recycling and methane-energy plant. By converting 200,000 tons of trash into recyclables, compost, methane, and energy every year, it will be the single greatest reduction of greenhouse gases in the county. To see trash in action, email us to join a tour:
santabarbara.group@sierraclub.org
City of Santa Barbara phases out gas from buildings
On July 20 the City of Santa Barbara voted to phase out gas appliances in new homes and buildings in favor of clean electric alternatives that can run on 100% renewable energy. Santa Barbara is the 47th California City in just two years to require all-electric construction – a move that cuts climate pollution, improves air quality and lowers building costs.
The Council moved forward despite a SoCal Gas affiliated group (Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions) that launched a spam text campaign last December targeting thousands of Santa Barbara residents with misleading and false information in an attempt to derail the ordinance.
That same day, the City of Goleta adopted a street lighting program that cuts energy use in half, is ‘dark sky’ compliant, uses the lowest temperature LED available (2700k), and incorporates shields to reduce light trespass especially in our creeks and open spaces. Nice!
Fossil Villain Exxon puts region at risk
Exxon seeks to restart three aging offshore oil platforms in Santa Barbara Channel shut down since the Refugio disaster with up to 70 roundrip oil tanker trucks per day on Coastal Highway 101 and Route 166.
Online hearings are set for Sept. 29 and Oct. 1. Email comments to Santa Barbara County planners now via this link: https://addup.sierraclub.org/campaigns/stop-exxon-trucking-disaster
ExxonMobil lobbyist Keith McCoy admitted to an undercover reporter how the company aims to drastically weaken Biden’s climate plans and used shadow groups to ‘aggressively’ fight climate science. This is the same company trying to restart the oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel that have been shut down since the Refugio oil spill six years ago.
Interestingly, Shell Oil recently announced plans to divest from AERA Energ, its California-based joint venture with ExxonMobil. Shell has divested numerous carbon-intensive assets this year. This begs the question: If an oil venture is too dirty for an international oil company, maybe it’s too dirty for California too?
Ditch the Car
To break free from ExxonMobil’s oily grip, lots of work is going into making electric cars the default option, with lots of places to charge up. But better yet, ditch the car entirely.
Santa Barbara County is asking for suggestions on how it can improve biking and walking in the county. Add your ideas to the map here:
https://tinyurl.com/LessCarIdeas