Raphael Warnock won, putting another climate warrior in the Senate for six years. That caps the remarkable defeat of many election deniers running for high office, and the arrival of a pink puddle rather than a red wave. All things letter writers, texters, and phone bankers can take credit for as well as being grateful.
Until the election cycle starts up again, we will be writing to government officials on issues of policy. This may involve some research and will certainly challenge us to be persuasive.
Please join the 350 Humboldt letter writing group tonight and every Sunday on zoom at 7pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86943045708?pwd=clVqWVJZNEFQSVl0QWd6VCtOZGtWZz09
Below are a couple things you can write about to get started. But this is also your chance to write to officials about any of your concerns from the Willows oil lease to funding Loss and Damage. There’s really no end to actions that need our attention.
1. In August, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a federal research agency, published a report saying it is possible for us to get to 90% renewable power by 2035. However, they warned: “This includes siting and interconnecting new renewable and storage plants at a rate three to six times greater than recent levels, which would set the stage for doubling or tripling the capacity of the transmission system, upgrading the distribution system, building new pipelines and storage for hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and/or deploying nuclear and carbon management technologies.” See: https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/nrel-study-identifies-opportunities-and-challenges-achieving-us-transformational-goal
Danny Cullenward, an important California policy analyst, made the same point in describing the draft Scoping Plan last June: California needs to increase the rate of adding renewables by 300% to 600%.
Write to Governor Newsome and our representatives Senator Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Jim Wood to stress the need to move faster on renewable power.
2. The Governor has proposed a limit on windfall profits for oil and gas companies with a fee to be levied if profits exceed that limit. The Legislature will take it up in January. A CalMatters story on the issue is at: https://calmatters.org/politics/california-legislature/2022/12/california-legislature-new-session/? It contains a link to the actual proposal.
Everybody wants lower gas prices and the climate needs an end to fossil fuels, but is this a way to go? Would it be legal? Desirable? Here’s where some research might help. When you have a position, write to the Governor and Wood and McGuire.
They can all be reached through their online portals, or you could consider sending a letter:
Governor Newsom: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/
Senator McGuire, email: [email protected]
Assemblymember Wood: https://a02.asmdc.org/contact