Help Create Over 17,000 Jobs and Power 3.5 Million Homes with California Offshore Wind

0
Signatories
0
Counties
0
Localities

Honorable Governor Gavin Newsom
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173,
Sacramento, CA 95814

Add your voice

Dear Governor Newsom,

We, the undersigned elected officials, support the responsible development of offshore wind for California to create jobs, lead America’s clean energy transition, and protect our state from the worst impacts of the climate emergency.

California’s current dependence on dirty and dangerous fossil fuel production is making our state and planet less safe. From ever-worsening droughts and wildfires that are devastating our communities to the estimated 34,000 Californians who die each year from fossil fuel pollution, the urgency for ending the era of fossil fuels is clear. In the wake of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, we must act on the scale and speed that science demands to address the escalating climate emergency, protect public health, and end systemic environmental racism caused by fossil fuel pollution.1

Responsible development of California’s offshore wind resources is imperative to reach our statewide goal of 100% clean power by 2045, while creating thousands of high-skilled jobs, reducing demand for polluting fossil fuels, and protecting our marine resources and coastal communities.2

Thank you for your leadership in proposing an additional $45 million for investments to prepare waterfront facilities in California to support floating offshore wind energy development in federal waters off the coast. We encourage you to support and implement the recommendations within California Energy Commission’s (CEC) May, 2022 report issued in response to the offshore wind law AB 525, which you signed into law after it passed with nearly-unanimous bipartisan support. The goals set out in the report, including generating 3 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 18 GW to 20 GW by 2045, which would enable California to reach 100% renewable power by 2045.3

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates California’s technical potential for offshore wind power at well over 100 GW.4 NREL estimates that building 10 GW of offshore wind power in California would support thousands of jobs, supply competitively priced power5 for at least 3.5 million homes, and generate $20 billion in GDP by 2050.6

California can become America’s offshore wind powerhouse by exporting clean, renewable wind power to other states. A report by Environment California Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group, found that California could provide 157 percent of our state’s 2019 electricity usage with offshore wind alone.7

By meeting our electricity needs through clean, pollution-free offshore wind energy, California can deliver air quality improvements to frontline communities. About 78 percent of our gas power plants reside in communities identified by CalEPA as having the state’s highest burden of poverty and cumulative environmental health burdens.8 Typically these are Black and Brown communities that suffer from fossil fuel production and factories that spew toxins, which have been strategically located in their communities because they were redlined decades ago.

California has an incredible opportunity to create more than 17,500 good-paying jobs by 2045 and improve air quality in frontline communities due to the Biden administration opening up roughly 399 square miles off the central coast region, northwest of Morro Bay, and advancing the Humboldt Call Area as a potential Wind Energy Area for offshore wind.9,10,11

Support for offshore wind development in California is growing rapidly, with wide support among labor unions, industry, and environmental groups.12To ensure the economic benefits of offshore wind are shared equitably, frontline communities must be included in the manufacturing, development, and generation of offshore wind power. Thousands of shovel-ready union jobs will be created, as well as port revitalization, which alone can add up to 6,000 local, full-time equivalent jobs per port right away, according to a report from Brightline Defense.13

Investing in offshore wind will generate thousands of additional jobs in construction, manufacturing, turbine demonstration, and transmission line projects as well as create a pathway for some oil workers to transition to this new vibrant industry. Apprenticeship training programs will add new career pathways for trade workers. These opportunities will also prepare the state’s workforce to build, operate and maintain a 100% clean energy electricity grid.14

To avert the most catastrophic effects of the climate emergency, we must heed the International Energy Agency’s report warning that governments must immediately stop new oil and gas production.15 Responsible offshore wind development is crucial to transitioning California to 100% clean energy.

California can lead our nation in developing America’s offshore wind power, which has the potential to meet 90% of total U.S. energy demand by 2050.16

We’re at the vanguard of a new clean, renewable energy industry that will generate thousands of jobs, create prosperity for our communities, improve our health, and help protect our coastlines.  Offshore wind is essential for a prosperous, healthy, and just future for California.

Sincerely,

Members, Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) California

NameElected Position of TitleElected Municipal of District
Jonathan AbboudTrusteeSanta Barbara Community College District
Margaret Abe-KogaCouncilmemberMountain View
Victor AguilarCouncilmemberSan Leandro
James AguilarTrusteeSan Leandro Unified School District
Norma AlcalaCouncilmemberWest Sacramento
Elizabeth AlcantarCouncilmemberCudahy
Eric AlegriaCouncilmemberRancho Palos Verdes
Damon AlexanderCouncilmemberSan Bernardino
Jose AlonsoCouncilmemberMendota
Rebeca ArmendarizCouncilmemberGilroy
Cristina ArriolaCouncilmemberVallejo
Frank AxeCounty SupervisorAmador County
Melanie BagbyCouncilmemberCloverdale
Soheila BanaCouncilmemberRichmond
Barry BeckCounty AssessorMono County
Kristi BeckerCouncilmemberSolana Beach
Jovanka BecklesDirectorAC Transit Board
Eli BeckmanCouncilmemberCorte Madera
Sue BeckmeyerCouncilmemberPacifica
Alma BeltranMayorParlier
Tygarjas BigstyckMayorPacifica
Catherine BlakespearMayorEncinitas
CHRISTINE BOLESCouncilmemberPacifica
Mike BoninCouncilmemberLos Angeles
Gary BradfordCounty SupervisorYuba County
Phil BrockCouncilmemberSanta Monica
Chelsea ByersCouncilmemberWest Hollywood
Martha Camacho RodríguezDirectorCentral Basin Municipal Water
Adam CarranzaBoard MemberMountain View School District
Jose Trinidad CastanedaCouncilmemberBuena Park
Shana CharlesCouncilmemberFullerton
Jorgel ChavezMayor Pro TemBell Gardens
Al ClarkVice MayorCarpinteria
David CohenCouncilmemberSan Jose
James ColemanCouncilmemberSouth San Francisco
Renee Contreras-DeLoachCouncilmemberEureka
Deborah CoxCouncilmemberSan Leandro
Xilonin Cruz-GonzalezPast PresidentCalifornia School Boards Association
Justin CummingsCouncilmemberSanta Cruz
Chance CutranoMayorTown of Fairfax
John D'AmicoCouncilmemberWest Hollywood
Eddie De La RivaCouncilmemberMaywood
Serge DedinaMayorImperial Beach
Rick DeGoliaCouncilmemberAtherton
Rick DeGoliaMayorAtherton
Denise DelgadoCouncilmemberIndio
Maria DoerrCouncilmemberMenlo Park
Mark EnmeierCouncilmemberSan Clemente
Marilyn Ezzy AshcraftMayorAlameda
Paul FadeliCouncilmemberEl Cerrito
Paul FadelliCouncilmemberEl Cerrito
Patricia Farrar-RivasCouncilmemberSonoma
D'Lynda FischerFormer CouncilmemberPetaluma
Neftali GalarzaCouncilmemberCoachella
Alexis Garcia-ArrazolaCouncilmemberSeaside
Daniel GoldsteinCouncilmemberHayward
Shanthi GonzalesBoard MemberOakland Unified School District
Maurice GoodmanVice MayorMillbrae
Susan GorinCounty SupervisorSonoma County
Josh GrayDirectorRancho Simi Recreation & Parks District
Martha GuerreroMayorWest Sacramento
Jose GurrolaMayorArvin
Marcia GuthrieCouncilmemberPismo Beach
Tyron HamptonCouncilmemberPasadena
Heidi HarmonFormer MayorSan Luis Obispo
Kate HarrisonCouncilmemberBerkeley
Joan HartmannCounty SupervisorSanta Barbara County
John HaschakSupervisorMendocino County
John HeaddingMayorMorro Bay
Laura HernandezCouncilmemberPort Hueneme
Alison HicksVice MayorMountain View
City HollywoodMayor Pro TemWest Hollywood
Dr Bill HonigmanDemocratic Central Committee MemberOrange County
Shari HorneCouncilmemberLaguna Woods
Lindsey HorvathCouncilmemberWest Hollywood
Sudhanshu JainVice MayorSanta Clara
Claudia JimenezCouncilmemberRichmond
Dianne JonesTrusteeFremont Unified School District
Shebreh Kalantari-JohnsonCouncilmemberSanta Cruz
Dan KalbCouncilmemberOakland
Sydney Kamlager-DoveState SenatorDistrict 30
Rebecca KaplanCouncilmemberOakland
Andy KatzBoard PresidentEast Bay Municipal Utility District
Pat KearneyCouncilmemberLawndale
Dr. Kelly KentSchool Board MemberCulver City Unified School District
Paul KoretzCouncilmemberLos Angeles
Kevin LainezCouncilmemberCommerce
Neal LattDirectorHumboldt Bay Municipal Water District
Daniel LeeFormer MayorCulver City
Otto LeeSupervisorSanta Clara County
Rey LeonMayorHuron
Henry LevyTreasurer-Tax CollectorAlameda County
Andrew LewisNeighborhood CouncilmemberNorth Westwood
Sally LieberBoard MemberCalifornia State Board of Equalization
Doug LinneyPresidentEast Bay Municipal Utility District
Mina Loera-DiazCouncilmemberVallejo
Diana MahmudMayorSouth Pasadena
Dianne MartinezCouncilmemberEmeryville
Eduardo MartinezMayorRichmond
Norma Martínez-RubinCouncilmemberPinole
Justin MasseyMayor Pro TemHermosa Beach
Michael McCorristonVice MayorDublin
Gayle McLaughlinVice MayorRichmond
Yasmine-Imani McMorrinCouncilmemberCulver City
Lauren MeisterCouncilmemberWest Hollywood
Salvador MelendezCouncilmemberMontebello
Juan Muñoz-GuevaraCouncilmemberLynwood
Devin MurphyMayorPinole
Ian OglesbyMayorSeaside
Teresa OnodaVice MayorMoraga
Bryan OsorioMayorDelano
Deborah PenroseMayorHalf Moon Bay
Bert PerelloCouncilmemberOxnard
Felipe PerezCouncilmemberFirebaugh
Paula PerotteMayorGoleta
Max PerreyCouncilmemberMill Valley
Dennis PocekayCouncilmemberPetaluma
Vanessa PosterBoard MemberBeach Cities Health District
Jim ProvenzaCounty SupervisorYolo County
Freddy PuzaCouncilmemberCulver City
Freddy PuzaCouncilmemberCulver City
Caitlin QuinnTrusteePetaluma Joint Union High School District
Gabriel QuintoVice ChairEl Cerrito
Robert RaburnBay Aera Regional TransitDirector
Nithya RamanCouncilmemberLos Angeles
Dennis RamirezTribal ChairmanMechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria
Harvey RarbackCouncilmemberHalf Moon Bay
Treva ReidCouncilmemberOakland
Rob RennieCouncilmemberLos gatos
Angie Reyes EnglishCouncilmemberHawthorne
Chris RicciCouncilmemberModesto
John RizzoTrusteeCity College of San Francisco
Rigel RobinsonCouncilmemberBerkeley
Sofia RubalcavaMayorSan Buenaventura
Marisol RubioCouncilmemberSan Ramon
Meghan Sahli-WellsFormer MayorCulver City
Rebecca SaltzmanPresidentBay Area Rapid Transit
Laura SantosTrusteeMt San Antonio College
Cameron SasaiCouncilmemberPinole
Don SaylorCounty SupervisorYolo County
Ann SchneiderMayorMillbrae
Ryan SegovianoTrusteePatterson Joint Unified School District
Patricia ShowalterVice MayorMountain View
Christopher SmithCouncilmemberOakdale
Salvador Solorio-RuizMayor Pro TemDelano
Wes SpeakeCouncilmemberCorona
Tara SreekrishnanBoard MemberSanta Clara County Board of Education
Blair StewartCouncilmemberBrea
Erica StewartMayorSan Luis Obispo
Colette SuchCouncilmemberSonora
Linda SwanMayorTown of Los Altos Hills
Ali TajCouncilmemberArtesia
Terry TaplinCouncilmemberBerkeley
Anthony TaveCouncilmemberPinole
Kara TaylorCouncilmemberPlacerville
Loren TaylorCouncilmemberOakland
Caroline TorosisCouncilmemberSanta Monica
Jennifer Torres-O'CallaghanCouncilmemberLathrop
Igor TregubRent Board Commissioner (Ret.)Berkeley
Steve TrujilloTrusteeCabrillo Community College
Christopher UngarTrusteeSan Luis Coastal Unified School District
Valerie VandeverCouncilmemberSan Jacinto
Alexander Walker-GriffinMayorHercules
Princess WashingtonMayor Pro TemSuisun City
Hung WeiMayorCupertino
Clint WeirickCouncilmemberGrover Beach
George WeissCouncilmemberLaguna Beach
John WestCouncilmemberTrinidad
Kevin WilkCouncilmemberWalnut Creek
Felicia WilliamsCouncilmemberPasadena
Das WilliamsCounty SupervisorSanta Barbara County
Jenny WongCity AuditorBerkeley
Frank YokoyamaCouncilmemberCerritos
Evelyn ZneimerMayor Pro TemSouth Pasadena