FEATURED COVERAGE
California’s first-ever auction for offshore wind leases just brought in more than $757 million in bids. The Department of the Interior announced the winning bids on Wednesday, which cover five sites located off of Morro Bay and off of Humboldt County.
David Chiu is San Francisco City Attorney and a former Assembly member who authored a bill to kickstart offshore wind.
“When you walk over to the coast and feel the wind blowing on you 20 to 30 miles off the California coast from our Oregon border all the way down to Mexico,” said Chiu, “there is enough offshore wind to power the entire electrical grid: clean, green, 100% renewable, which is remarkable.”
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Sacramento. At a press conference at the Capitol, state lawmakers and local elected officials urged legislation on a windfall profits cap. Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) California local elected officials from frontline communities spoke about how their communities are being affected from gas prices as the oil industry continues to rake in billions of dollars in profits with no regard for how it hurts Californians, our climate and security.
“Oil refiners more than doubled their CA profits from the recent gas price spikes — making a clear case to enact a windfall profits cap,” said Assemblyman Alex Lee. “It’s high time the people of California see relief from this price gouging. I commend Gov. Newsom’s plan for a windfall tax on oil companies and urge legislative action. This is just the latest of countless incidents underlining the urgency for California to become energy independent from fossil fuels.”
PRESS RELEASES
May 30, 2023
The Biden administration has jump-started offshore wind development, infusing coastal states and the industry with confidence, with a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030. Governor Phil Murphy set an offshore wind goal to 11 gigawatts by 2040, enough to supply roughly 10 million homes annually. Now New Jersey is on track to be the highest offshore wind power generating state in the East Coast.
“Here in Atlantic City, we’re at ground zero with tidal flooding becoming the norm. It’s so bad, our children have ’flood days’ off from school. With offshore wind electricity Governor Murphy’s vision to transition to 100 percent clean-energy by 2050 will happen. He understands the tremendous potential offshore wind can and will play in growing our economy with union jobs that also provide training for local people in environmental justice communities, as well as the economic ripple effect in surrounding areas that are already seeing benefits” said Caren Fitzpatrick, Atlantic County Commissioner, New Jersey, EOPA New Jersey Leadership Council. “This clean electric energy will help power our homes, cars and businesses while decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions, which will save lives and livelihoods. Offshore wind is a big part of a future balance where humanity works with the natural world instead of abusing it — a future where our children will have the right to a healthy life free of pollution that causes asthma and life threatening chronic ailments — a future free of dirty fossil fuels.”
May 19, 2023
For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to issue its rules for limiting CO2 emissions for existing U.S. power plants, which produce about 25 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas pollution. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget is reviewing and adjusting the proposal before it is officially introduced.
The proposed rule would require almost all existing and future coal and gas-fired power plants to cut or capture nearly 100 percent of their CO2 emissions by 2040.
“For decades our environmental justice communities have been subjected to the worst pollution New Mexico produces. This impacts the cognitive abilities of children and worst of all their health, leading to lifelong lung issues, or worse cancer. A report, Climate, Health, and Equity Implications of Large Facility Pollution Sources in New Mexico, found that power plants, gas processing plants and compressor stations, mines, and other stationary facilities contribute approximately one quarter of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. And the communities most impacted are our lower-income, and have high populations of people of color, our environmental justice zones,” said Debbie Sariñana, New Mexico State Representative Air Force Veteran, EOPA National Leadership Council Chair, former school teacher. “Enough is enough. As an Air Force veteran, former school teacher and state representative, I say, enough is enough. It’s time the EPA brings justice to our state and helps our communities who need it the most. It is incumbent upon the EPA to enact the strongest power plant rules.”
May 10, 2023
For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to issue its rules for limiting CO2 emissions for existing U.S. power plants, which produce about 25 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas pollution. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget is reviewing and adjusting the proposal before it is officially introduced.
The proposed rule would require almost all existing and future coal and gas-fired power plants to cut or capture nearly 100 percent of their CO2 emissions by 2040.
“For decades our environmental justice communities have been subjected to the worst pollution New Mexico produces. This impacts the cognitive abilities of children and worst of all their health, leading to lifelong lung issues, or worse cancer. A report, Climate, Health, and Equity Implications of Large Facility Pollution Sources in New Mexico, found that power plants, gas processing plants and compressor stations, mines, and other stationary facilities contribute approximately one quarter of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. And the communities most impacted are our lower-income, and have high populations of people of color, our environmental justice zones,” said Debbie Sariñana, New Mexico State Representative Air Force Veteran, EOPA National Leadership Council Chair, former school teacher. “Enough is enough. As an Air Force veteran, former school teacher and state representative, I say, enough is enough. It’s time the EPA brings justice to our state and helps our communities who need it the most. It is incumbent upon the EPA to enact the strongest power plant rules.”
May 3, 2023
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and legislature finalized the Fiscal Year 2024 New York State Budget that contains numerous climate crisis measures. The following is our Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) New York statement on the climate provisions in the budget:
A first-in-the-nation ban on gas hookups in new buildings will be implemented under New York’s all-electric building law. Buildings account for 32 percent of the state’s climate-heating greenhouse gas emissions. With the implantation of the budget no propane heating and no gas furnaces or stoves will be legal in most new construction. This will diminish dangerous gasses, create clean energy jobs, promote public safety, and reduce the deadly indoor air pollution that takes nearly 2,000 lives prematurely every year, and is responsible for close to 20 percent of childhood asthma cases in the state. Natural gas raises levels of nitrogen dioxide, which can cause respiratory issues. Environmental justice communities suffer disproportionately from breathing the highest levels of dirty air pollution. Additionally, the budget contains exemptions for commercial kitchens, emergency generators and hospitals in this provision. The policy will take effect in 2026 for buildings under seven stories high and in 2029 for taller ones.
KCBX: Benjamin Purper
July 19,2022
Momentum is building to get offshore wind farms developed along the California coast in the waters off San Luis Obispo and Humboldt Counties. One estimate from the National Renewable Laboratory said offshore wind in the U.S. could someday provide double the current generation of the country’s entire electric grid. Read Full Article Here
OpEd: Debbie Sariñana
November 12, 2021
The climate crisis drives conflict and instability. As an Air Force veteran, I don’t want to see any more deployments, that result from wars born from climate change events. Instead, the world needs to wage the war on climate change. Read Full Article Here
Opinion: Alex Cornell du Houx – November 7, 2021
The climate crisis is a national security threat, which the Department of Defense and other national security experts have also recognized. Recently, over 100 lawmakers who are veterans and frontline leaders attended a White House summit on the climate crisis, urging for a National Climate Plan and Emergency Declaration Order to address the climate emergency. Read Full Article Here
Story By Mario A. Rodrígruez, November 6, 2021
Durante la COP 26, Murdock trabajó en proyectos de ley para limitar el uso de plásticos de un solo uso y proteger a los habitantes de Carolina del Norte de las emisiones de gases contaminantes que dañan la atmósfera. Lea aquí . n English: Read Full Article Here
Story By Ramona du Houx, September 14, 2021
On September 14th over 137 lawmakers, some who are also veterans, attended an Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) White House Summit on the climate crisis supporting urgent climate solutions and a Presidential Climate Emergency Declaration. Read Full Article Here
PRESS RELEASES:
April 21, 2023
Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA), an organization of thousands of elected officials dedicated to solving the climate crisis, honors the father of Earth Day — Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson. He proved that environmental legislative proposals with the backing of a wide coalition of engaged citizens become laws more frequently. After a major oil spill off the coast of California and the way that people came together to clean it up, he decided to leverage the power and passion of student anti-Vietnam war protesters to raise awareness for the environment. This made lawmakers aware they couldn’t ignore environmental issues. Soon, Earth Day spread from college campuses with multiple organizations and citizens from all backgrounds taking part, and has become a worldwide day of action.