Three years is too long to wait for solar bonds!

San Francisco has dramatic opportunity to lead the nation

San Francisco has the opportunity to build the largest solar-power network in the country. In 2001, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition H, a bond measure to fund energy efficiency, solar power, and other clean-energy projects. Unfortunately, for over three years the city has put off the needed actions to fulfill this voter mandate!

A large-scale, local renewable energy supply will have numerous benefits for the city. It will provide a secure, reliable energy supply to protect us from events like the 2001 "energy crisis" and increasingly volatile natural-gas prices. It will help solve some of the urgent public-health and environmental-justice issues in the city and cut global-warming emissions. It could also provide high-quality local jobs and boost the local economy. There can be no better time for San Francisco to act on our clean-energy goals than this June as we host World Environment Day.

This year we have the opportunity to make history - creating a model for the rest of the Bay Area and nation - by finally issuing the long-overdue solar bonds.

San Francisco is the first city to be implementing Community Choice Aggregation (see article to right). PG&E has not shown any substantial commitment to renewable energy and energy conservation, but the Board of Supervisors has shown itself to be more accountable to the needs and wishes of San Franciscans for clean, reasonably priced, reliable electricity. All eyes are on San Francisco to make this happen. Let's show the rest of California how to make clean energy work!

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on a final implementation plan for Community Choice Aggregation in early May.

WhatYouCanDo

Contact Mayor Newsom today at:
City Hall, #200
One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102.
(415)554-6141
gavin.newsom@sfgov.org

Urge him to expedite the city's becoming a Community Choice Aggregator - with a 40% renewable portfolio standard - and also to make sure that the first solar bonds are issued by the end of the year!

Cathleen Sullivan