Governor’s Executive Order Stops Short of Real Climate Action

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rachel Boyer, rachel.boyer@sierraclub.org

SACRAMENTO– Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that is meant to expedite California’s transition away from fossil fuel vehicles and oil and gas extraction. While executive order N-79-20 calls on state agencies to focus on mobile sources of pollution, it falls short of effectively responding to California’s need for more clean energy to keep the lights on in the midst of historic wildfires and blackouts. 

In response to the executive order, Jose Torres of Regenerate California Campaign released the following statement:

“We appreciate the good steps the Governor has taken in the transportation sector and appreciate there’s an attempt to focus on equity. However, as we decarbonize our transportation sector, we also need to ensure that our electricity is clean. With a disproportionate amount of power plants in environmental justice communities, it is important that we deploy clean & renewable energy to replace these behemoths of localized pollution & create good, green jobs now. We hope that there will be forthcoming immediate action to ensure we are building enough clean energy to power this new economy & that we continue to strive to prioritize disadvantaged communities in the transition. 

Luis Amezcua of Regenerate California Campaign released the following statement:

“Governor Newsom must direct his leadership to be at the forefront of establishing a plan for a reliable and equitable transition to 100% clean, zero-carbon energy. We need big, courageous investments in new renewable energy and storage in order to keep the lights on, meet our climate goals, and include environmental justice communities in our energy transition. At minimum, the state must aim for 10 new gigawatts of energy storage and 15 new gigawatts of clean energy by 2025, while prioritizing deployment in environmental justice communities.” 

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About the Regenerate CA campaign

Regenerate California is a coalition of environmental and economic justice advocates led by the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA), the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), and the Sierra Club who, together, share a vision for California where we run on 100% clean renewable energy – ensuring our children grow up breathing clean air and the most impacted communities have access to renewable energy and local jobs. We have a vision to transition off of dirty and dangerous gas plants in California, and to create a regenerative and just clean energy economy.