Defensive Wins, a Disastrous Budget, and a Need for Community-Centered Environmental Justice Solutions 2023 was, in many ways, a disappointing year for environmental justice communities across California. Bold bills like SB 556 (Gonzalez) – which aimed to shift the burden of proof to polluters, holding fossil fuel companies legally accountable for health issues like cancer or high-risk pregnancy suffered by those who live near an oil or gas operation – were drowned in a wave of lobbying money.  While the environmental justice community weathered more than its share of disappointments, the ..read more

On October 13, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced $1.2 billion in funding for hydrogen infrastructure development in California, as part of $7 billion in hydrogen hub funding available nationwide.  In response, CEJA submitted a letter to the DOE vehemently opposing California’s approach to obtaining this funding.  California’s application process entirely cut out input from low-income communities of color who are already overburdened by pollution, and whose voices should be central in developing California’s energy future.  CEJA and its partners also recently release ..read more

October 13, 2023 To: David Crane Suzanne Baker Angelique Besnard Catherine Clark David Crane   Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations U.S. Department of Energy  1000 Independence Ave SW  Washington, D.C. 20585  The undersigned groups regretfully write to express our strong opposition to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) funding the first phase of California’s hydrogen hub application, the Alliance for Reliable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES).  Our groups represent the low-income communities of color who stand to be most i ..read more

On Wednesday, August 9, the California Energy Commission (CEC) is scheduled to vote on whether to keep three toxic gas plants – Ormond Beach, Huntington, and AES Alamitos – operational for another three years. It will cost over a billion dollars to keep these dangerous once-through-cooling gas plants active. A recent study commissioned by Regenerate California, of which CEJA is a member, found that these gas plants did not hit their energy targets during the 2022 heatwave, and in fact made pollution in the communities they were supposed to serve demonstrably worse. CEJA is proud to join 6 ..read more

New analysis of California’s 2022 heat wave confirms gas plants failed to deliver promised power while toxic emissions soared in environmental justice communities. Results call into question Gov. Newsom’s strategy to prolong the life of gas plants to prevent energy shortfalls. Download the 2023 Heatwave Report here California gas plants underperformed and over polluted in the record breaking heat wave of 2022, the latest in a string of extreme, prolonged heat events. Following Governor Newsom’s Executive Order lifting emissions limits on gas plants and diesel backup generators, toxic emissions ..read more

Twenty-one years ago, six environmental justice organizations from across the state came together to form a policy working group. At that time “environmental justice” was a little-known and poorly respected concept in California public policy. In the two decades since our founding, the California Environmental Justice Alliance has grown to include ten organizations and notched historic policy victories. This coming year marks CEJA’s tenth annual legislative scorecard, the successful launch of our 8th voter guide, and an expanded knowledge of environmental justice and environmental racism insid ..read more

For Immediate Release December 15, 2022 California Air Resources Board Votes to Approve State Climate Plan; The Catch: Billions in Anticipated Subsidies for Carbon Capture Schemes Environmental justice groups note Board leadership in scaling up mass transit, stopping the expansion of gas power plants, and planning for a coordinated phasedown of oil production; warn that reliance on carbon capture schemes for fossil fuel infrastructure derails meaningful climate action. SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the California Air Resources Board voted to adopt the final 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan Update, a ..read more

Living in California is expensive, and rising energy bills makes it harder. While the state has championed renewable energy solutions, not all residents are able to shoulder the up-front costs in order to receive the benefits of those programs. Today, many renters have limited access to options such as solar panels, energy efficient appliances, or electric vehicle charging stations. Environmental justice organizations and some policymakers are working to change that. Initiatives like the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Program are a step towards ensuring that working class comm ..read more

Right now, Governor Newsom’s top air regulators are putting together their Scoping Plan, a 20-year climate blueprint for California. For months, we’ve been organizing, marching, calling, emailing, and submitting public comments calling on the California Air Resources Board to help build a future beyond oil and gas. But Big Oil aren’t going to go down without a fight. If Governor Newsom lets oil and gas lobbyists have their way, our state’s climate roadmap will pave the way for billions in subsidies for fossil fuel executives’ carbon capture projects, extend the life of the state’s fossil fue ..read more

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