FORUM: Repower America (Except in Novato)
What: a community forum on Marin Energy Authority
Who: Marin Conservation League, Sierra Club Marin Group, Sustainable Marin and Sustainable Novato team up to co-host
Where: Novato Unified School District Office, 1015 7th Street, Novato
When: Wednesday, Dec 16th, 7pm until 9pm; Live broadcast available on Novato Public Access Television
Panel Speakers:
- Supervisor Judy Arnold- Forum Introduction
- Supervisor Charles McGlashan, Chairman, Marin Energy Authority
- Dawn Weisz, Marin Energy Authority Interim Director
- David Erickson, Principal, Local Power, Inc.,
- Rick Fraites, Boardmember, North Marin Water District
- Jim Leland, Former Mayor of Novato
Leading environmental organizations will host a community forum in Novato on Marin Energy Authority’s plans, on December 16th when experts will outline the plan for Marin to shift from an electric supply based heavily on nuclear and fossil fuels, to one that is composed of local renewable energy sources in a matter of years. The forum is intended to encourage the Novato City council to reconsider joining the MEA, so that Novato residents and businesses will have a choice of cleaner energy than is currently provided by the utility.
To date the Novato City Council has not scheduled a public forum or an update on the Marin Energy Authority since their decision not to join it nearly a year ago. “A lot has changed since last February when three members of the City Council voted not to continue discussions about joining Marin Clean Energy with the rest of Marin County. Recently, Novato’s City Manager wanted to present this new information to the City Council. Unfortunately, the Council pulled it from the agenda, allowing neither the City Administration nor the public to discuss it further. So I am grateful to Sustainable Novato, Sustainable Marin, Marin Conservation League and Sierra Club Marin Group for scheduling and hosting a public “town hall” meeting on this subject and look forward to having many community dialogues on this important topic. It will be ‘the meeting the City Council should have had’” commented Jim Leland, former Mayor of Novato and Chair of the city’s Sustainability committee.
“We ask Novato Council members to make decisions based on the most recent and accurate information, and hope that by hosting the community workshop for them, they will schedule an update and decision on Marin Energy Authority (MEA) membership in January. “Their prior decision to prohibit Novato residents and businesses a choice of more renewable energy at the same cost as their current provider should not be taken lightly. At the very least they should hear an update so they fully understand what they are rejecting” commented Marla Fields, Chair of
Sustainable Novato’s Green Community Planning Initiative. “The loss of benefits to residents, the economy and the environment are significant” she added.
“We feel MEA has made significant progress and the people of Novato deserve to know about it. We are hopeful the Council will agendize an update and decision on MEA shortly after our public forum,” commented Susan Stompe, Former Mayor of Novato and Boardmember of Marin Conservation League.
MEA Benefits the Local Community:
In the first year, Marin Energy Authority through its Marin Clean Energy program will offer 25% renewable mix of electricity, compared to the 14% currently available by PG & E. But the real win comes in the near future as more and more local renewables are created, owned and operated by MEA, creating local jobs, price stability, and a healthier local economy. In spring 2010, Requests for Proposals will be issued for local energy providers who can install renewable energy projects like solar paneled shade tents over parking structures, and hybrid/electric service refueling stations for new car technologies. At the forum, David Erickson of Local Power, Inc will be presenting the specific plan for building local renewable power such as solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal, creating hundreds of local jobs in the green collar workforce while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. But not in Novato unless councilmembers agree to hear information about MEA before the door closes on February 4th.
The bottom line is MEA will provide cleaner energy, at the same or lower cost as PG & E for customers in most Marin cities, unless customers choose to opt out. Navigant Consulting’s feasibility study concluded that if the County did not move forward with creating the Community Choice Aggregate (CCA) of Marin Clean Energy, in the long term ratepayers in Marin County would spend an additional $33-$442 million. 1 in 4 Californians already get their electricity from a municipal-owned energy provider. One of the oldest municipal providers is Sacramento’s SMUD, which provides its residents and businesses with cleaner energy at 35% less cost than PG & E’s rate available in surrounding cities.
“The generation fee that residents and businesses already pay as a line item on their PG & E bills would be the only thing that would change under a Marin Clean Energy scenario,” explained Ed Mainland, Sierra Club State Energy Chair. “While the rate amount will stay the same or be even lower than PG & E’s, the difference is with Main Clean Energy the profit stays in the local economy, facilitating development of local renewable projects and local jobs, and providing a reserve to shield those Marin Clean Energy customers from any future price fluctuations. It’s a real benefit for our local economy to deflect that revenue that is currently fattening up PG & E’s shareholder profits and apply it to our local community. Of course, PG & E is putting everything they can into keeping their current monopoly on the generation fees intact despite the fact that they have already admitted that they will not meet the State mandated 20% renewable energy goal by 2020. Marin Clean Energy’s energy mix is at least 25% from day one and is projected to be 100% renewable well before 2020.” Mainland added.
Sustainable Novato’s Community Forums are partially funded through a grant from the Marin Community Foundation.