Rachel Boyer, rachel.boyer@sierraclub.org
Stephanie Steinbrecher, stephanie.steinbrecher@sierraclub.org
SAN DIEGO, C.A. -- Today, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced the City’s intent to move forward with a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program to reach the city’s goal of being powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
Community Choice is a game-changing alternative to the investor-owned utility, enabling cities and counties to pool the electricity of residents and businesses to form a local, nonprofit power agency. By moving San Diego forward with a CCA program, residents and businesses will be empowered to decide where their electricity comes from, and how the revenue from the program should be reinvested in the community.
Mayor Faulconer is a co-chair of Mayors for 100% Clean Energy, an initiative of the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign. Today, the mayor offered an update on the city’s progress towards meeting the goals in its Climate Action Plan, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and powering the entire city with 100 percent renewable energy by 2035.
In response, Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative Luis Amezcua released the following statement:
"Today’s decision is a good step on San Diego’s path towards 100 percent clean energy. By listening to San Diegans, Mayor Faulconer is moving forward on utilizing an important tool many communities throughout California are taking advantage of already. Community Choice is an important and much needed opportunity to accelerate the transition to 100 percent clean energy. We look forward to working with the City and other stakeholders to ensure that any Community Choice program enhances equity, supports union jobs, and grows our economy through local clean energy investments.”
Sierra Club Ready for 100 Campaign Director Jodie Van Horn released the following statement:
“San Diego has long been at the forefront of the movement towards a future powered by 100 percent clean, renewable energy. By taking steps to ensure that local clean energy solutions are homegrown and will benefit all San Diegans, San Diego joins other cities in leading on California’s clean energy future. Community Choice is a first step towards putting power back in the hands of local communities. This model is an answer for the public’s desire for cleaner air and a healthier place to live for all communities, especially low-income communities of color. As California moves towards 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2045, more cities will be looking to San Diego to show what an equitable transition to renewable energy should look like. We look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Faulconer to create a just energy system that works for everyone.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.