California Interfaith Power & Light

Our Faith, Our Planet, Our Responsibility.

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Climate Policy in Sacramento Impacted by Faith Voice

Faith advocates Jim Cramer, Allis Druffel, Jennifer Shannon and Barbara Smith-Thomas meet with Allie Umemoto of Asm Member Berman’s office June 22.

CIPL and faith advocates around the state held 32 virtual Senate and Assembly meetings on June 21 & 22 in regards to pressing environmental equity and climate bills. Priority bills were: SB 54 (Allen) – reduction of single-use plastics; SB 1482 – installation of EV charging for every parking space at new multifamily dwellings; AB 30 – Access to Nature expanding outdoor educational opportunities for all; AB 2076 – establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program; and and AB 2649 – the Natural Carbon Sequestration and Resilience Act of 2022.

The meetings inspired many good discussions with office staff and opened the door to future discussions after the July recess. The 2022 California legislative session ends on August 31, at which point all bills must pass both houses.

As of June 30, all five bills have survived: SB 54 passed the Assembly Floor on June 29, is in Assembly for concurrence of new amendments, and added several new co-authors; SB 1482 passed the Housing & Community Development Committee on June 29, and is referred to Asm Appropriations Committee; AB 30 passed Senate Appropriation on June 20; AB 2076 passed both Senate Environmental Quality and Sen Health Committees and will be heard in Senate Appropriations on August 1; and AB 2649 passed both Senate Natural Resources & Water and Sen Environmental Quality, and has been referred to Senate Appropriations.

A grateful “shout out” goes to the three dozen faith advocates that made the meetings a success. Their commitment, determination, and passion for lessening the climate crisis dictated the tone and guidance of Senate and Assembly votes. Advocates came from all regions of the Golden State, and especially from the following organizations: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Stockon; Peninsula Interfaith Climate Action Network, Marin Interfaith Climate Action Network, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angles Faith & Ecology Network. Thank you!

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EVs and Rebates – Ensuring Affordability for All

California Interfaith Power & Light has been deeply involved in the transition to affordable clean cars and cleaner heavy-duty transport vehicles for more than a decade. The Golden State is committed to having all new cars and passenger trucks be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.  At the same time, we must ensure that EVs are affordable to everyone.

Southern California Edison’s Pre-Owned EV Rebate program is one such incentive. Active now, all SCE residential customers are eligible for a $1,000 rebate on the purchase or lease of a pre-owned EV or plug-in hybrid. Better yet, income-qualified SCE residential customers may be eligible for a $4,000 rebate. This is a big deal as electric vehicles are the future of California driving. And benefits of EV ownership are multiple: greatly reduced fuel costs, minimal parts and maintenance, and little or no pollution from your tailpipe.

The Pre-Owned EV Rebate is funded through SCE’s participation in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program, which the California Air Resources Board has operated since 2009 as part of statewide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the adoption of clean transportation fuels, such as electricity. For more information, check out the program requirements and a list of eligible pre-owned vehicles to buy or lease.

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases in California. The pollution created is a major contributor of adverse health effects, including respiratory and cardiac illnesses, particularly affecting under-resourced communities along transportation corridors, and near fossil fuel extraction and oil refinement areas. Alternatives to driving (walking, biking, using public transit) is key to lessening pollution. And, for many who don’t have adequate public transportation, affordable clean cars are crucial as a buying option.

California, as home to the most pollution-laden cities in the U.S., must get this right. And the faith community is at the forefront of equitable and just action to make it so.

For more information on the SCE rebate, contact Allis at allis@interfaithpower.org. For more info on EVs and EV charging infrastructure, check out CIPL’s “Electric Faith” Guide.

 

 

 

 

 

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California Congregations Lead the Nation in Rooftop Solar – Press Release

NEWS RELEASE
February 1, 2022
Contact: Susan Stephenson, executive director (510) 484-7198 (mobile)

Gerald Bernstein, report author (510)444-4891 or jerry@interfaithpowerandlight.org

California Houses of Worship Lead the Nation in Adoption of Rooftop Solar
Slowdown expected if utilities reduce the incentives for onsite solar energy

Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) has reported its third survey of congregations in the United States with solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems.  Congregations from all faith traditions have dramatically increased their investments in solar PV systems for both environmental and financial benefits. View the solar directory and a map of solar congregations here:https://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/congregational-solar/
IPL’s survey identified:
  • 1,250 congregations with PV systems in 48 states and the District of Columbia.
  • The 480 congregations added nationwide in the past two years exceeds the 400 additions identified in the 2019 biennial survey.
  • California is home to 305 of these congregations, almost twice the number identified in 2019.
  • On a population (per capita) basis, California has twice the national average of congregations with on-site solar PV systems. 
Rooftop systems vary from a 3.5 kW system at the Felton, CA Bible Church (smaller than the average residential system) to a 1000 kW system at Destiny Christian Church in Rocklin, CA.  The largest system is a 2000 kW ground-mount array at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center and Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center in Three Rivers, just outside Sequoia National Park.

As this enormous variation in installations suggests, not all congregations are equal in size and financial capability—just as there are lower and higher income households, there are financially strong and financially-challenged congregations.  However, when seeking to install a solar PV system, all houses of worship already have one challenge —as non-profits, they cannot directly access the federal tax credit which is available to homeowners and businesses.  Thus, they either pay full-price for an installation, or seek lease-financing with its attendant interest costs.  The new Net Energy Metering (NEM) plan proposed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) would add monthly fixed charges to these already elevated-cost systems, which from California Interfaith Power and Light’s (CA-IPL) experience, would eliminate the economic benefit of a PV installation for many congregations. 

“States’ solar and utility policies really make a difference,” said IPL President Rev. Susan Hendershot. “If utilities greatly reduce payments to solar customers for the clean energy they deliver to the grid, or charge them more to deliver this clean energy, as they are currently proposing in California and has happened in other states, we could see solar becoming unaffordable for houses of worship and other nonprofits.”

Pastor John Current of Hope United Methodist Church in South San Francisco explained the inspiration for many houses of worship: “We have installed a pollution free solar powered energy system because we are aware that God’s creation itself is under attack.  Air, water, trees… fruit and flower, birds and beast; adults, children and those generations yet to be born are all under the shadows of environmental degradation.  We can’t just talk about the goodness of God’s work.  We are called to do the work of defending God’s creation in all that we do. Our leaders should empower every community across California to turn their rooftops into clean power plants, to fulfill our duty as stewards of Creation.” 

But finances are a consideration.  According to Shirley Pajanor, Chief Financial Officer at the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, “Our solar generating program (in the Diocese of San Diego) shows the power of doing well by doing good. In his encyclical, Laudato SI, Pope Francis reminds us of our responsibility to care for the Earth as our ‘Common Home.’ Here in San Diego, in addition to our constant efforts to recycle and transition to sustainably sourced products, we’ve installed over 50 solar power plants at a number of schools, parishes, and our Diocesan Pastoral Center.” she continues “That’s good for the environment, but it’s also significantly reduced what we pay for electricity.”

According to Bishop E.L. Jackson of Grace Tabernacle Community Church, San Francisco “Every rooftop has the potential to redeem humanity’s debt to Creation and lift up those in our community who need a hand.” 

CIPL urges Gov. Newsom and the California PUC not to increase the cost of rooftop solar, which could derail this expanding segment of solar users.

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To set up an interview with any of the leaders quoted above, please email susan@interfaithpowerandlight.org
If your house of worship is interested in going solar, check out CIPLs Energy Efficiency and Solar Resource Guide. More questions? Email us at allis@interfaithpower.org.

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Rallies Urge Governor Newsom: Keep Rooftop Solar – and Jobs – Strong!

Many hundreds of solar workers and supporters showed up in the heart of downtown L.A.

Solar job workers, solar companies, and supporters showed up in large numbers on Thursday telling Governor Newsom to protect the growth of local rooftop solar.

Last year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) heard from large state utilities PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E, as well as long-time advocates for local solar expansion about their upcoming proposed changes to Net Metering NEM 2.0. Solar advocates, including faith and climate justice leaders, supported continuation of a strong payment for solar customers for electricity fed into the grid and no monthly fee for solar customers. The Big 3, instead, supported less local rooftop solar and more investment to go into large-scale remote solar installations that require a greater demand on production and transmission.

In December, despite a massive amount of letters, calls, and public hearings, the CPUC issued a proposed decision to impose a tax on solar customers, and drastically reduce the repayment rate for energy sent to the grid. If passed at the next CPUC meeting on January 27, this would place a significant obstacle to future solar installations and penalize current solar customers.

Solar workers and a four-legged supporter at Thursday’s solar rally.

CIPL has been active with this campaign for almost a year for many reasons: one, keeping rooftop solar incentives strong speeds the transition to clean energy and our response to climate change; two, rooftop solar is now possible not just for the wealthy, but for households in under-served communities and all houses of worship; and three, the expansion of local solar has created tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, often for folks from communities faced with high rates of poverty and unemployment.

Thus far, CIPL’s solar petition has garnered almost one thousand signatures, the most from any campaign in CIPL’s history. It has taken its campaign nationwide as well, getting sign-ons from both California and national faith organizations that have seen attacks on local solar in many other states.

On Thursday, Jan 13, in San Francisco and Los Angeles, rallies were held demanding that Governor Newsom step in and stop the CPUC’s dangerous proposal. In Los Angeles, almost one thousand fully-masked solar supporters turned out. Speakers from the faith, solar jobs, and policy sectors inspired the crowd while shouts of “Save Solar Jobs” rang through. The rally then took to the streets, winding down to the CPUC’s Los Angeles office, and then back again to Grand Park for food trucks and further conversation. The feeling of excitement and energy was palpable, further strengthening the commitment of those present to keep solar expansion strong in the Golden State.

A final decision from the CPUC is due on January 27. To date, Governor Newsom has made non-committal remarks on the proposed decision saying that “changes need to be made.” Details are few and many in California – including the faithful – are anxiously awaiting what transpires.

If you’d like to take action, sign on to CIPL’s solar petition to Governor Newsom. Stay tuned for more!

 

The L.A. Solar Rally gathered across from the L.A. CPUC office demanding local solar be kept strong.

 

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COP26: What happened, what needs to happen

Representatives from all faith traditions were present at COP26, including Franciscan Friars.

The global faith community was active and influential in the recent Conference of Parties 26 in Glasgow, Scotland. Faith representatives from the U.S., including those from Interfaith Power & Light, were on hand to witness, advocate, and learn from our brothers and sisters around the world most affected by a changing climate.

The faith community took its lead from those countries that, despite being the least responsible for climate, are being affected disproportionately by it. The demand to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 Celsius, was a common meme. Simon Kofe, the Foreign Minister of Tuvalu delivered his address from the South Pacific sea – a dramatic image that signified the damage from sea level rise. Rev. Cindy Crane, Director of the Lutheran Public Policy in Wisconsin, wrote about Loss and Damage, a huge talking point for vulnerable countries.

And issues such ending fossil fuel subsidies were a topic of discussion. Steve Trent, founder and CEO of Environmental Justice Foundation wrote in his article, “Continuing subsidies for planet-destroying industries locks us into the economic models we need to leave behind, stranding assets and finance which could otherwise be used to start a surge of sustainable green jobs.”

Rev. Vy Nguyen, Rev. Susan Hendershot, and Al Gore at COP26

Rev. Vy Nguyen, IPL Board Member and Executive Director for Week of Compassion, stated in a blog his desire for the U.S. to move from assistance to systemic change: “From Bosnia and Herzegovina to Puerto Rico, we help families to thrive through renewable technologies. From Honduras to Indonesia to Liberia and Sierra Leone, we support food security through sustainable agriculture. In these places, and in so many others, we work with partners to help empower farmers, families, and entire communities to thrive, despite mounting challenges to their livelihood and survival. Support for these programs goes a long way towards changing lives and creating a better future for all. But such interventions are not enough. The urgency of this moment, and the call for far-reaching systemic change, cannot be denied.”

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California Interfaith Power & Light
672 13th Street, Suite 100
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 444-4891
Southern California Office
Phone: (310) 752-3436)
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