Climate Change & Energy – Enviro Updates

SuzanneApril 14, 2025April 18, 2025Climate Change & Energy, Land Use, Transportationbicycle safety, fossil fuel infrastructure, gas station ban

Planning Commission denies gas station proposal in southwest Santa Rosa, the last such project citywide

Paulina Pineda, PRESS DEMOCRAT

Plans for what would’ve been the last gas station ever built in Santa Rosa — and potentially countywide — were tossed by city planning officials who argued it would pose a health and safety hazard to the surrounding community.

After a three-hour hearing, the Santa Rosa Planning Commission voted 6-0 Thursday to deny a conditional use permit for the project on a vacant lot south of Highway 12 on North Wright Road.

Commissioners said the project was inconsistent with city land-use policies and climate action goals that call for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The project had been in the works for nearly two decades and included six gas pumps and four electric charging stations.

The latest iteration was submitted to the city in late 2021 and was exempt from the city’s ban on new gas stations, which took effect a year later.

Commissioners said that while the exemption allowed them to consider the project, it didn’t require them to approve it.

SuzanneApril 11, 2025April 12, 2025Climate Change & Energy, Land Use, Transportationbicycle paths, CONGAS, fossil fuel infrastructure, gas station ban

Has the last gas station in Sonoma County already been built?

Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations (CONGAS)

Santa Rosa Planning Commission votes down what could be the last proposal for a new gas station in Sonoma County – ever

Santa Rosa – On Thursday, April 10, the Santa Rosa Planning Commission voted 6-0 with one Commissioner recused, to deny a Conditional Use Permit for a gas station that would have been built at 874 North Wright Road, at the western edge of Santa Rosa where highway 12 and Fulton/Wright roads intersect.

(874 North Wright Road, November 2024. Photo credit: Woody Hastings)

A strong showing of over 20 concerned neighbors, healthcare professionals, bicycling enthusiasts, members of the Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations (CONGAS) and others attended and spoke to share concerns including the fact that the site is a seasonal wetland (see photo), is adjacent to the Joe Rodota Trail, and is at an address where more than ten gas stations already operate within a five-mile radius. Several speakers also pointed to the fact that Santa Rosa adopted a climate emergency resolution in 2020 and imposed a permanent ban on new gas stations in 2022 and that we Santa Rosa should not be permitting new gas stations in 2025.

This proposal at 874 N. Wright Rd. was exempted from the ban on new gas stations and was still under consideration by permitting authorities because it was already “in the pipeline” with a complete permit application already filed when the ban was imposed.

The reason this may be the very last proposal for a new gas station in Sonoma County is that between 2021 and 2023 Sonoma County and six cities in the county adopted ordinances permanently prohibiting new gas stations. Only three cities have not taken the action: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, and the City of Sonoma. Each of them have stated that there is little to no chance that a new gas station will be proposed within their boundaries. So, with no other live proposals for a new gas station in Sonoma County, the last gas station to be built in the County has likely already been built.

Continue reading “Has the last gas station in Sonoma County already been built?”

SuzanneMarch 17, 2025March 21, 2025Climate Change & Energygeothermal, Geysers geothermal field, legislation, permitting

Geothermal expansion effort at The Geysers seeks help from California lawmakers on speeding up permits

Jeff Quackenbush, NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

California’s effort to generate much more round-the-clock clean energy from geothermal resources such as The Geyers area straddling Sonoma and Lake counties seems to be running out of steam because of the state’s permitting system.

One of the three initial partners in the geothermal opportunity zone (GeoZone) effort promoted by Sonoma Clean Power has acquired its first parcel of land, known as Pocket Ranch.

However, the permitting process in California is proving to be a significant obstacle for Chevron New Energies to move forward with finding out what potential there is for next-generation geothermal technologies that aim to generate more energy using far less water.

“They are putting that into a slow-moving process, because they’re finding that California’s permitting process for the exploratory phase is adding too much cost and risk relative to all the other western states,” said Geof Syphers, CEO of Sonoma Clean Power, the public electricity supplier for Sonoma and Mendocino counties, that draws a portion of its renewable power from The Geysers.

SuzanneMarch 14, 2025March 14, 2025Climate Change & Energy, TransportationCONGAS, fossil fuel infrastructure, fossil fuels, gas station ban, gas stations

Op-Ed: The zombie gas station proposal that won’t die

Jenny Blaker & Woody Hastings, CONGAS

There will be a rally and news conference at the site: 874 North Wright Road, on March 25, 2-4 pm.

On April 10 the Santa Rosa Planning Commission will decide whether or not to approve a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a new gas station at 874 North Wright Rd, (Intersection of Highway 12 and Fulton/Wright Roads), Santa Rosa. One of the requirements for a CUP is that the project should not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare. This proposal clearly is, and the Commission should reject it.

A proposal for a gas station at this site was rejected by the Planning Commission and the City Council in 2007 due to concerns about traffic safety, noise, idling cars, and proximity to the Joe Rodota trail and land zoned for housing. In a 2013 flip-flop it was approved, but the developer never acted and the permits expired.

Although Santa Rosa adopted an ordinance prohibiting new gas stations in 2022, in line with similar actions taken by the County and five other cities, this one was exempted not because it was superior in any way but only because it had a completed permit application. It was on the agenda for the Planning Commission in October 2024 but was postponed due to lack of the required public notification. In November 2024 it was postponed again because it was pointed out that there is an autogas fueling station right next door and for safety reasons it is against the city’s rules to have two fueling stations within 500 feet of one another.

Over 20 organizations, representing hundreds if not thousands of Sonoma County residents, oppose this project. It is not needed because there are already 10 gas stations within a 5-mile radius. Multiple concerns include traffic and safety issues, pollution of surface and groundwater and impacts to nearby wells, and proximity to land zoned for medium-density housing and the Joe Rodota Trail. Much has changed since 2013 and much more is known about the impacts to human health of toxic pollutants from gasoline, such as benzene which has been linked to childhood leukemia. The proposal is based on outdated studies including traffic studies from 2006-7. Many circumstances that have changed since 2013 have not been considered. This project conflicts with Santa Rosa’s own policies such as the Climate Action Plan, Climate Emergency Resolution, and the General Plan.

For more information contact the Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations (CONGAS) at contact.congas@gmail.com

Jenny Blaker & Woody Hastings are Co-coordinators of the Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations (CONGAS).

SuzanneMarch 9, 2025March 14, 2025Climate Change & EnergyCPUC, electric transition, electric utilities, electricity rates, fossil fuels industry, rooftop solar

Op-Ed: California must act on cheaper, cleaner energy

Sammy Roth, PRESS DEMOCRAT

In the age of climate change and Donald Trump, California must find ways to produce renewable energy at affordable rates.

Californians pay some of the nation’s highest electricity rates. They’re also being devastated by the consequences of fossil fueled climate change, including more deadly and expensive wildfires, droughts and heat waves.

Politicians need to stop promising they’ll confront these challenges and start doing it.

The recent fires in Los Angeles County should serve as a political rallying cry to accelerate the phaseout of oil and gas. Instead, they’re threatening to derail Sacramento’s long-promised focus on more affordable energy.

Before the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out, lawmakers were gathering ideas to slow fast-rising electric rates. Now, though, wildfire response — and President Donald Trump — are taking up most of the oxygen in Sacramento.

“The Legislature has only so much bandwidth,” said Matt Freedman, an attorney for the Utility Reform Network.

SuzanneFebruary 24, 2025February 25, 2025Climate Change & Energy, ForestsCalfire, fire danger, hazard maps, wildfire hazard

New state fire maps bring new hazard designations — and building mandates — to region

Marisa Endicott, PRESS DEMOCRAT

CalFire Fire Hazard Severity Zone Viewer

State officials released the latest round of highly anticipated fire hazard maps Monday, covering Northern California coastal areas from the Bay Area up to the Oregon border, including Sonoma and Napa counties.

The new maps will add 1.4 million acres of land statewide into higher fire severity categories, accompanied by stricter building and local planning code requirements for property owners.

The increase in “very high” hazard areas is significant in many — though not all — areas.

Unincorporated Sonoma County saw its “very high” hazard area grow from 11 acres to 7,555 acres, with an additional 9,149 acres designated “high” hazard.

SuzanneJanuary 29, 2025February 25, 2025Climate Change & Energybattery fire, battery storage, CPUC

California PUC proposes energy storage safety, emergency response requirements

Brian Martucci, UTILITY DIVE

Published 10 days after a fire at Vistra’s 300-MW battery installation near Santa Cruz, the California Public Utilities Commission’s proposal would set new standards for energy storage facilities.

The Jan. 16 fire was the most destructive of three safety incidents to occur at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility since 2020. A fourth incident occurred in September 2022 at an adjacent 182.5-MW battery installation owned and operated by Pacific Gas & Electric.

No injuries or deaths were reported in the Jan. 16 incident. Federal air quality monitoring concluded Jan. 20 after finding no risk to public health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said.

But local elected officials nonetheless raised alarms about the facility and the broader safety profile of battery energy storage facilities, with Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church calling the fire a “worst-case scenario” and California Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D, vowing to “[explore] all options for preventing future battery energy storage fires from ever occurring again on the Central Coast.”

SuzanneJanuary 27, 2025February 17, 2025Air, Climate Change & Energyair quality, battery storage, fire danger, grid battery, soil pollution

Why we don’t need to worry too much about the latest grid battery fire

Julian Spector, CARANY MEDIA

Safety standards and industry practices have improved considerably since construction of the Moss Landing battery plant that recently burned up in California.

The fire that ripped through what was once the world’s largest standalone grid battery on January 16 left clean energy fans and foes alike wondering how it happened and what’s preventing another disaster.

Energy company Vistra built the Moss Landing energy storage facility, on the California coast south of Silicon Valley, as a shining example of the clean grid of the future. The facility stored solar power by day and delivered it in the pivotal evening hours when California’s households need the most energy — an emissions-free alternative to burning fossil gas for energy.

The mid-January fire all but eradicated a building that housed 300 megawatts of battery capacity. Investigators are just beginning to sift through the smoldering remains to ascertain the cause of the fire.

SuzanneJanuary 19, 2025January 22, 2025Climate Change & Energy, Forests, Land Usefire resilience, house hardening, rebuilding after fire, wildfire, wildfire hazard

Why are lone homes left standing after the Los Angeles fires? It’s not entirely luck

Ed Davey & Ingrid Lobet, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Emails and videos of burned buildings in Los Angeles next to those left standing have been flying back and forth among architects, builders and fire safety specialists around the world.

For many homeowners, like Enrique Balcazar, the sometimes scattershot nature of the carnage can seem like random chance. Balcazar, a real estate agent, posted video that showed little more than chimneys remaining of most homes on his block after fire leapt through his Altadena neighborhood. Balcazar stood on his neighbor’s destroyed classic Mustang to douse his smoldering roof, but his home was otherwise fine.

“It’s an older house and it still has the old wood sidings,” Balcazar said. “To me there’s nothing explainable in logical or scientific reason of why my house would not have burned.”

Many experts say luck does play a part. After all, wind can shift 180 degrees in a split second, pushing fire away from your house and towards a neighbor’s. But they also say there are many ways that homes can be made less vulnerable to fire.

SuzanneJanuary 17, 2025January 22, 2025Climate Change & Energy, Forests, Land UseBoard of Forestry, defensible space, fire resilience, house hardening, rebuilding after fire

California is years behind in implementing a law to make homes more fire resistant

Tran Nguyen, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Reeling from destructive wildfires, including the deadliest in California history, state lawmakers in 2020 passed new requirements for clearing combustible materials like dead plants and wooden furniture within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of homes in risky areas.

The rules were set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. But as Los Angeles grapples with blazes that have destroyed thousands of homes in what could be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, the regulations still haven’t been written. The state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has no firm timeline for completing them.

“It’s frustrating at every level of government,” said Democratic state Sen. Henry Stern, who was part of a group of lawmakers who authored the legislation. “I feel like a failure on it, being quite frank.”

Most of the neighborhoods ravaged by the Palisades Fire are in areas that must follow state requirements to keep the immediate surroundings of their homes free of combustible materials and would be subject to the new rules because they are deemed at highest fire risk by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire, driven by hurricane-force winds that spread embers by air, destroyed at least 5,000 structures across areas including Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga Canyon.

Environmental Center of Sonoma County

Category: Climate Change & Energy