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.
Read more at https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/opinion/roth-california-must-act-on-cheaper-cleaner-energy/