Mayor Garcetti makes his announcement that Los Angeles’ municipal utility will NOT re-purpose dirty, aging natural gas plants, so now what? Photo by jack Eidt.
In his February 12 press conference, the Mayor stepped up and proclaimed that while using equity as a frame, we must rethink how we get our energy, and how we power our economy. “In Los Angeles,” he said, “this is what a Green New Deal looks like.”
The city will phase out by 2029 the ten gas-fired generators at three polluting units at Scattergood, Harbor, and Haynes that together represent 38 percent of the city’s natural gas portfolio. This reversed an earlier decision by the LA Department of Water and Power (DWP) to extend the life of the gas generators by upgrading to meet stringent standards around ocean water cooling, which can harm marine life.
The transition to 100% renewable will require phasing out dirty fossil fuels and nuclear, and replacing them with solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Developing these clean sources must be paired with energy efficiency and demand response — allowing customers to adjust their use during peak periods — or energy-saving programs that would optimize the grid. Energy storage also is crucial for reliability, which can include affordable long-cycle-life lithium batteries or “pumped water” options at the Hoover Dam. These, along with supporting the development of distributed small-scale locally-generated energy resources, such as rooftop solar and electric vehicles, can save money for Los Angeles ratepayers.
READ MORE IN THE ESSAY BY JACK EIDT
So Cal 350 Climate Action envisions a healthy climate for Southern California and beyond through environmental, social, and economic justice, engaging and empowering our communities through a fossil-free future.
May 6th, 2019 #NoMoreStolenSisters #NoMoreStolenRelatives #DIVEST The Coalition of Women Water Protectors organized a prayerful action in Hollywood,CA to raise awareness on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives on May 6th. Members collaboratively wrote letters to Chase Bank, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo denouncing their increasing investment in the fossil fuels industries despite the […]
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Tejon Ranch Centennial Specific Plan (or Centennial) is a massive planned city in a unique, rare, fire-prone wilderness of grasslands and mountains, a residential and commercial development in LA County. The Board of Supervisors will be deciding the fate of this incredible resource, and people are encouraged to speak out via the petition, calling their […]
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With only 12 years to resolve the climate crisis, a system change is in order. Only bold new solutions with a magnitude equal to the existential threat of climate change will generate enough power to win. It’s time for alternatives to capitalism. For decades now, the world has been warned about the growing costs of climate […]
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Los Angeles’ “Rise for Climate, Jobs and Justice” rally and block party called on the City Council, Archdiocese of Los Angeles to end neighborhood oil drilling and keep the AllenCo drill site closed. On Global Day of Climate Action, Hundreds of Angelenos Rallied in South Los Angeles to End Oil Drilling in LA Communities On […]
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As wildfires torpedo our state in climate chaos, Governor Brown has an opportunity to demonstrate real climate leadership: commit California to no new permits for oil and gas drilling and an end to fossil fuel infrastructure. Putting us on a rapid and just transition away from dirty energy not only moves us closer to meeting […]
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