Environment

Mayor unveils goals for Green New Deal

WAVE NEWSPAPERS — Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled a Green New Deal for Los Angeles April 29, setting aggressive new environmental goals in a range of areas, including electric autos, air quality, trees and public transit. Garcetti’s plan comes as a national Green New Deal resolution being promoted by some Democrats in Congress sets a goal for the nation to get 100 percent of its power through renewable energy by 2030.

Published

6 years ago

May 10, 2019

City News Service

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled a Green New Deal for Los Angeles April 29, setting aggressive new environmental goals in a range of areas, including electric autos, air quality, trees and public transit.

Garcetti’s plan comes as a national Green New Deal resolution being promoted by some Democrats in Congress sets a goal for the nation to get 100 percent of its power through renewable energy by 2030.

“Politicians in Washington don’t have to look across the aisle in Congress to know what a Green New Deal is — they can look across the country, to Los Angeles,” Garcetti said. “With flames on our hillsides and floods in our streets, cities cannot wait another moment to confront the climate crisis protecting the environment and making our economy work for everyone.”

The Los Angeles City Council earlier this month approved a motion instructing city staff to draft a policy which mirrors the “principles and priorities” of the Green New Deal.

The plan includes a reiteration of some previous commitments, but also sets some new benchmarks, including:

• The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will supply 55% renewable energy by 2025, 80% by 2036, and 100% by 2045, along with big increases in solar energy.

• Sourcing 70% of L.A.’s water locally by 2035.

• Recycling 100% of all wastewater for beneficial reuse by 2035.

• All new buildings will be net zero carbon by 2030, and 100% of buildings will be net zero carbon by 2050.

• Increasing the percentage of all trips made by walking, biking, micro-mobility/matched rides or transit to at least 35% by 2025, 50% by 2035, and maintain at least 50% by 2050.

• Increasing the percentage of zero emission vehicles in the city to 25% by 2025, 80% by 2035, and 100% by 2050.

• Reducing industrial emissions by 38% by 2035, and 82% by 2050.

• Phasing out styrofoam by 2021, ending the use of plastic straws and single-use takeout containers by 2028, and no longer sending any trash to landfills by 2050.

• Planting at least 90,000 trees by 2021.

• Creating 300,000 green jobs by 2035, and 400,000 green jobs by 2050.

• And reducing municipal greenhouse gas emissions 55% by 2025, 65% by 2035; and reaching carbon neutral by 2045.

The plan, which can be viewed at http://plan.lamayor.org, does not include a detailed breakdown of what it might cost on the front end to pull off. But the document includes estimates that by 2050, it would save 1,600 lives, 660 trips to the hospital, and $16 billion in avoided health care expenses each year.

“The Los Angeles Clean Energy Coalition applauds Mayor Garcetti for establishing the Green New Deal in our city,” Andres Ramirez of the L.A. Clean Energy Coalition said. “This is a great day for Los Angeles. [The coalition] commits to helping the city reach its goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045.”

This article originally appeared in the Wave Newspapers.

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California Black Media

Gov. Newsom Goes to Washington to Advocate for California Priorities

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation. During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

Published

4 weeks ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Newsom visits the White House on Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of Gov.Ca. Gov

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation.

During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

“California is continuing our work to secure additional tools and resources to improve access to health care, clean air and water, and secure critical funding to support communities recovering from disasters,” said Newsom.

At the White House, Newsom met with President Joe Biden and key officials, advocating for disaster relief funding, healthcare expansion, and environmental protection. He also engaged in discussions with senior Biden-Harris officials, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, to address water quality improvements and the San Luis Dam project, which will support water supplies for two million Californians.

“Building on our strong partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, California is working closely with the White House over the next two months to deliver the critical protections and resources our communities need,” Newsom said.

On Capitol Hill, Newsom met with California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with other Congressional leaders, to emphasize the need to approve pending disaster funding, healthcare programs, and environmental protections. He also previewed California’s upcoming special session to proactively address potential federal challenges when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

Newsom’s discussions also focused on securing Medicaid waivers from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to enhance behavioral health services and reduce homelessness. The state seeks approval for the BH-CONNECT waiver, which would address behavioral health and homelessness, and the MCO Tax Waiver, which would provide over $20 billion for Medi-Cal to improve healthcare access.

Additionally, California is pushing for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are crucial for enforcing air quality regulations. These measures are projected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths and provide $116 billion in health benefits over the next three decades, according to the Governor’s office.

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

1 month ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
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Business

Gov. Newsom Issues Executive Order to Tackle Rising Electric Bills

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order to help alleviate the financial burden of skyrocketing electric bills on residents. This directive instructs the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Energy Commission to identify strategies to lower electricity costs and prevent rapid increases in the future.

Published

2 months ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Among the key actions proposed, the governor emphasized a closer examination of utility expenditures related to wildfire mitigation, which accounts for about 13% of residential electric bills.

Newsom underscored the state’s commitment to balancing affordability with environmental goals.

“We’re taking action to address rising electricity costs and save consumers money on their bills,” said Newsom. “California is proving that we can address affordability concerns as we continue our world-leading efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

California now has the second-highest electric rates in the country, trailing only Hawaii, with residential bills having surged as much as 110% over the past decade. The largest utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric, have seen rate hikes of 20% to 50% in just the last three years, approved by the state’s regulatory bodies.

The executive order also directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to explore increasing the California Climate Credit, which provides some relief on energy costs for residents. Additionally, the PUC is urged to pursue federal funding opportunities to further reduce electric expenses.

While consumer advocates welcomed the governor’s focus on lowering costs, concerns were raised regarding potential cuts to essential clean energy programs. CALPIRG, a consumer group, pointed out that the real issue behind high utility bills is wasteful spending by utilities and urged greater accountability.