Public Comment, Data Sought On Energy Barriers In Low-Income Communities
The California Energy Commission is seeking public comment on a report that offers information on clean energy access, renewable energy investment, and energy jobs in low-income communities.
The comments are being sought on an Energy Commission energy equity indicator report, which is an outgrowth of the 2015 legislation Senate Bill 350 –which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a range of new energy programs. One of the mandates of SB 350 was the creation of a study focused on overcoming barriers to energy efficiency and renewable energy in low-income customers.
The Energy Commission adopted the study in 2016. The recently released report includes nine indicators tracking the progress of recommendations in the 2016 study. The report includes California data on such issues as clean energy, the effect of climate change on asthma and heat-related illnesses in low-income communities, energy bill disparity in low-income communities, and potential opportunities for energy savings in disadvantaged areas.
The report’s findings include how counties in the San Joaquin Valley that have high levels of asthma-related emergency room visits and heat-related illness are expected to see an increase in hotter days between 2035 and 2064. Using data from Cal-Adapt.org, the report mapped out areas of the San Joaquin Valley that are expected to see 1,000 additional cooling degree days per year on average between 2035 and 2064, compared to 1961-1990, due to climate change.
Many San Joaquin Valley counties tend to score in the bottom 20 percent in terms of clean energy jobs per 1,000 people, according to the report. The report recommends that expanded outreach and investment for energy efficiency, rooftop solar and access to electric vehicle infrastructure be designed to benefit low-income communities. The recommendations address economic savings, improved health and safety, and workforce development and small business contracting opportunities in disadvantaged communities.
After a comment period, the Energy Commission plans to update these indicators as it works to address data gaps. The plan is for the indicators to be part of an interactive mapping tool and to help finalize a tracking progress report by the end of the year.
The deadline to submit comments is March 14 at 5:00 p.m.
How to Submit Written Comments and Data:
Electronic comments can be submitted to the Energy Commission’s Docket Unit at docket@energy.ca.gov while also copying Michael Sokol at Michael.sokol@energy.ca.gov.
Written comments can be mailed to:
Dockets Office, MS-4
Re: Docket No. 18-IEPR-08
1516 Ninth Street Sacramento, CA 95814-5512
