Tag: UpLiftCA

California Makes Big Money from its Carbon Pricing Program. Who Gets It?

Gov. Jerry Brown recently unveiled a $1.25 billion plan to spend the money raised from California’s cap and trade program. It would put millions of electric cars on the roads, clear tinder from the state’s flammable forests, and replace exhaust-belching motors with cleaner engines. But, according to critics, it wouldn’t […]

City, Advocates Win Grant for Disadvantaged Neighborhoods

STOCKTON — We haven’t won the race. But we’ve got our running shoes on. City officials and advocacy groups earned a small state grant this week that may help position them for a much larger award as soon as 2019 — a chance for serious money that would at least […]

Meet the Real Faces of California’s Clean Energy Economy

Like a lot of construction workers, Jesus (Jesse) Magallenes took a serious hit during the Great Recession. California’s Central Valley, where Jesse lives in the town of Visalia, had it particularly rough. Jesse got by taking odd jobs wherever he could — driving a forklift or whatever he could get. […]

Kevin de Léon: Valley Is Poised for Green Energy Economic Boom

California’s great middle is a land set apart. No valley is more vast, no soil is more fertile, and tragically, no air is more polluted. As a landscape of paradox, the San Joaquin Valley is a region where poverty and bounty sit side by side. This situation has been aggravated […]

A Greener Wilmington… Coming Soon!

Another refinery explosion. Another flaring incident. Another industrial project polluting our air. We are used to hearing the bad news, but things are starting to look up for Wilmington. California took the lead in combating global warming with landmark legislation called AB 32, passed in 2006. AB 32 requires a […]

The Cancers from Kern

Governor Jerry Brown long has rejected either a ban or a moratorium on fracking in California like those adopted in New York state and France, where citizen outcry has prevailed. Brown’s alternative has been to beef up the state’s regulatory apparatus with serious environmental scientists and additional staff, claiming the […]

What Cap and Trade Means for Latinos in the Golden State

On January 15, Environmental Defense Fund released the second report in a series that explores how one of California’s signature climate and clean energy policies – our cap-and-trade program – is working. Today, EDF is making this information available in Spanish – you can find the Executive Summary here along […]

New Boost Proposed for CA LGBT Businesses

LGBT businesses in California would get another boost from a proposed law now pending in the Statehouse. Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) introduced legislation last week that would require recipients of California Energy Commission grants or loans to increase procurement from minority-owned business enterprises, including those run by LGBT individuals. The […]

Bill Wants California’s Minority-owned Businesses to Get Better Access to Energy Dollars

SACRAMENTO – A bill in the State Assembly would push California Energy Commission grantees and loan recipients to increase procurement from California small businesses and bring jobs and opportunities to underserved communities. The measure, Assembly Bill 865, introduced by Assembly Member Luis Alejo (Dem-Salinas), would require recipients of Energy Commission […]

Alejo Introduces Bill to Encourage Clean Energy Contracts with Minority Firms

Would Boost Small Businesses with Supplier Diversity Program Similar to Longstanding CPUC Effort Contact: Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Director, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell) SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) introduced legislation today designed to boost California small businesses and bring jobs and opportunities to underserved communities. The measure, Assembly Bill […]

California Climate Policy Improves Lives in Valley

Denny Sysaknoi had never met Leticia and Gerardo Ramirez until last November. Today, they not only know each other, they stand as real-world examples of how California’s climate change laws are changing lives for the better here in the Valley. The Ramirez family lives in Madera, in a home they […]

California Lawmakers Introduce Major Package Of Bills To Tackle Climate Change

California, which has long been known as a leader in finding ways to cut its contribution to climate change, just one-upped itself. On Monday, Democratic lawmakers in the state unveiled a package of four bills that aim to tackle climate change in the state. One of the bills, SB 350, calls […]

Calif.’s Solar Industry Employs More People than State’s Utilities

It’s widely known that the solar industry is creating a lot of jobs, but some figures presented at an energy conference yesterday put that job performance in a new light. The California solar industry now employs almost 55,000 people, more than the state’s three major utilities — Pacific Gas and […]

The Real “Hidden Gas Tax”

It’s funny that when sudden spikes in gasoline prices line oil company’s pockets at the expense of consumers, it’s nothing but crickets from the industry.  However, when these same oil companies are expected to lower their pollution emissions through longstanding planned state regulations, suddenly they claim to care about low-income […]

Carsharing for Electric Cars Coming to Low-Income Communities This Summer

Contact: Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Director, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell) BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – Thanks to legislation enacted last year, SB 1275 (de León), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has taken the first steps to create carsharing programs for electric cars in low and moderate income communities. CARB will begin […]

Transportation tops governor’s plan to spend $1 billion in GHG revenue

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is proposing in his fiscal year 2015-16 budget to spend $650 million out of $1 billion expected to be collected through the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) allowance auctions on low-carbon transportation initiatives, including $250 million on high-speed rail, $200 million on subsidies for zero-emission cars […]

Clean Energy Policies Provide Jobs, Training

Now that oil industry fear-mongering over gasoline prices has turned out to be completely phony, it’s time to take a serious look at the real impact of California’s climate change and clean energy policies on communities around our state. Simply put, the news is good and getting better.  These successes […]

Valley Benefits in Many Ways as We Battle Climate Change

Re “How Lima climate talks will impact Central Valley” (Opinion, Jan. 9): Prof. Roger Bales is right to point out that California’s efforts to combat climate change can greatly benefit the Central Valley, both by cleaning the air and creating jobs and economic opportunities. What readers may not know is […]

Cap-and-trade Fund Grows to $1B; Groups Say It Could Reach $2B

California will spend $1 billion to combat climate change under a new budget proposal from Gov. Jerry Brown. But some argue it will reach $2 billion. The money in the Democrat’s draft fiscal 2015-16 budget comes from the state’s cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions, which requires some businesses to account […]

Environmental Equity Advocates Call for More Investment in Disadvantaged Communities

Advocates for climate justice responded to Governor Brown’s budget proposal with a call for more funding for programs that reduce pollution, create jobs and improve services in low-income communities of color. The groups – Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Coalition for Clean Air, The Greenlining Institute and Public Advocates – lead […]