Actions for Earth Day

San Francisco – Call Your Supervisor

On Earth Day, San Francisco could strike a powerful blow against global warming by building the nation’s largest municipal solar project. The choice is in the hands of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Board of Supervisors, who are considering a 5 MW photovoltaic installation for the Sunset Reservoir at 11 AM on Wednesday, April 22.  It’s a crucial hurdle for a world-class solar project organized by Recurrent Energy (Note: Bite client).

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has spent the last year developing a solar project for the Sunset Reservoir, at 24th and Noriega.  It would be comprised of 25,000 solar modules, covering an area the size of twelve football fields.  At 23.5 cents/kWh, that’s cheap.

When the project went before the Budget and Finance Committee for the first time last month, it received some unexpected opposition.  Several Supervisors had significant questions about the project’s financing by a power purchase agreement with Recurrent Energy.  (Note: The PPA allows the city – a non-taxpaying entity – to effectively harness the 30% federal investment tax credits.  It’s pure fiscal prudence.)

The good news is that all the questions and concerns raised at the initial hearing have similarly easy and compelling answers.  For more, you can find a comprehensive Q&A here (PDF).

If you are a San Francisco resident, please take a moment to contact the Supes now: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1179/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27078. Or give your Supervisor a call.  Or show up at the hearing.  This project is too important to fail.  Note that if the Budget Committee votes in favor, it goes before the full Board on the 28th.

Greater U.S. – Call Your U.S. Representative

The Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday started four straight days of hearings on the draft climate bill sponsored by Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.).  The legislation would create a cap-and-trade plan that aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, and 83 percent by 2050.  Waxman and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) want the bill passed out of committee by Memorial Day-just five weeks away-and approved by the full House by July.

What happens in the next few days and weeks will set the stage for climate action this year.

Today EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will kick off a parade of high-profile witnesses. Testimony from Al Gore, other environmental leaders, and a passel of corporate bigwigs will follow throughout the week.

The key issue/sticking point is shaping up to be the estimates on costs to American taxpayers. Despite the opposition’s spin that the legislation will cost more than $3000 per household, the EPA estimated on Tuesday that the bill would cost the average U.S. household $98 to $140 a year, or 27 cents to 38 cents a day. (Are you kidding me? I’ll happily write a check – or pay in cash.) In addition to checking out the hearings will be webcast on the Energy and Commerce Committee site, call your Congressperson and let them know that you support this bill.

Tagged as: Cleantech, climate change, ed markey, epa, henry waxman, nancy pelosi, san francisco, solar