For Immediate Release August 31, 2024
Media Contacts:
Robin Tung, Building Decarbonization Coalition
robin@buildingdecarb.org
Kelly Jones, Office of Senator Dave Min
Kelly.Jones@sen.ca.gov
California Poised to Lead with SB 1221: Empowering Neighborhood-Scale Decarbonization for a Cleaner, Safer Future
Bill empowers the State to shift utility investments toward zero-emission solutions that enhance energy affordability and climate resilience
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, the California Assembly passed Senate Bill (SB) 1221, which will empower the state to make responsible utility investments and unlock millions of dollars for clean energy investments with priority for low-income and disadvantaged communities who are vulnerable to extreme heat and pollution. SB 1221, authored by Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine), will create long-term energy affordability for Californians, reduce emissions from the state’s building stock, and create an equitable transition toward carbon neutrality by 2045.
“SB 1221 offers a concrete solution to the energy affordability crisis,” said Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine). “This bill allows us to stabilize energy rates and lower energy system costs by redirecting funds from outdated gas infrastructure to innovative, zero-emission solutions that benefit our environment, economy, and all Californians. The pilots can model for the state and nation how we can equitably power entire neighborhoods with clean energy.”
This bill is a critical piece to solving the energy affordability crisis and providing a long-term plan for energy infrastructure. Replacing California’s aging gas pipelines could cost ratepayers an estimated $20 billion over the next decade. Without action, gas bills are projected to rise, with some households facing monthly bills as high as $600 by 2050. Recent analyses show affected gas utility customers could save $32,000 this year alone on diverted gas system costs for home upgrades.
“By passing SB 1221, the California Legislature is prioritizing the most vulnerable communities in the fight against climate change and the housing crisis,” said Elle Chen, Legislative Director at Asian Pacific Environmental Network. “The Neighborhood Decarbonization Act is crucial in ensuring that Californians, regardless of income, do not bear the outsized cost of remaining on the gas system and can protect themselves from the dangers of extreme heat and live safely in their homes.”
The bill advances as the state emerges from broiling heat waves and the hottest July on record for California. Vulnerable populations—including low-income households, the elderly, and communities of color—bear the brunt of extreme heat and worsening climate impacts. SB 1221 can provide a vital lifeline by upgrading homes and expanding access to clean cooling through heat pumps in the pilot programs.
“We applaud Senator Min and the California Assembly for prioritizing Californians and energy affordability with the passage of SB 1221,” said Jose Torres, California Director at the Building Decarbonization Coalition. “California needs a more strategic approach to make smarter investments in our energy infrastructure that will benefit households now and into the future. Community clean energy projects can expand cooling, reduce emissions, and make energy affordable in the long term.”
SB 1221 is sponsored by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, Earthjustice, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, and has garnered support from a diverse coalition of environmental justice advocates, climate organizations, and energy providers. The measure will now be transmitted to the Governor for his signature. If enacted, California will lead the nation in implementing neighborhood-scale decarbonization, creating a model for others to follow as the country moves toward a zero-emission future.
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Senator Dave Min was elected to the 37th Senate District in 2020 and is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, as well as a member of the California Asian American & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. The 37th Senate District is in the heart of Orange County and includes the communities of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Foothill Ranch, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Orange, Tustin, and Villa Park.
The Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) aligns critical stakeholders on a path to transform the nation’s buildings through clean energy, using policy, research, market development, and public engagement. The BDC and its members are charting the course to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings to improve people’s health, cut climate and air pollution, prioritize high road jobs, and ensure that our communities are more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Learn more at www.buildingdecarb.org.