House Party to Support Run with the Sun in Carlsbad, Sunday April 7, 2013
Join us to raise funds to support our continued efforts to move San Diego from fossil fuel to clean renewable rooftop solar. House Party Saturday, April 7 in Carlsbad. More info.
Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Tells SDG&E Their Dirty Energy Has to Wait
On March 21 the PUC rejected SDG&E’s request for two new natural gas plants. The proposed Quail Brush and Pio Pico power plants would have emitted 800,000 tons of greenhouse gases annually. Moreover, Quail Brush would have desecrated Mission Trails Regional Park, and the combined plants would have cost SDG&E customers over $1.5 billion via higher electricity bills.
RWTS’ Jay Powell outside the CPUC meeting
Bill Powers, energy expert and chair of the Run with the Sun campaign, provided much of the evidence that debunked SDG&E’s claims in the proceeding. The power of Run with the Sun proved to be the marriage of technical expertise and community organizing that harnessed the power of Sierra Club San Diego’s 12,000 members.
Moreover, Environmental Health Coalition, Save Mission Trails, and Preserve Wild Santee were invaluable partners that made this win possible.
The PUC decision was not permanent, however. They gave SDG&E the option of amending their application so that a certain number of megawatts would come online to coincide with an estimated energy need in 2018. Sierra Club has evidence that there will be no need for new power plants in 2018, and we will be back in the game if SDG&E tries again.
View TV coverage of this CPUC victory on 5 stations:
Victory at the San Diego City Council
On Sept 24, the San Diego City Council voted unanimously to deny a request by Cogentrix to initiate a Community Plan amendment that would have allowed rezoning of the proposed Quail Brush power plant site, adjacent to Mission Trails Park, from open space to industrial.
Coverage on 5 TV stations:
While Cogentrix is pressing forward with their application at the California Energy Commission, this is a big victory and and we want to thank everyone who helped make it happen – everyone who came to the Council Meeting, emailed or called their councilperson, or who helped in any other way. Together we can beat this power plant and push the transition from fossil fuels to clean renewable solar. Visit our news page for more great coverage of this win!
Run with the Sun’s Pete Hasapopoulos speaking at the city council
Victory: Planning Commission Denies Quail Brush Power Plant Initiation
At its July 19 meeting, the San Diego Planning Commission denied initiation of a Community Plan amendment to Cogentrix to allow the rezoning from open space to industrial which would lay the legal framework to approve situating the Quail Brush power plant. The vote was 4-1, with commissioners Eric Naslund, Susan Peerson, Mary Lydon and Stephen Haase voting in support of the motion to deny. Next steps: we expect the applicant to appeal the decision to the San Diego City Council – so we’ll be educating council members about the plant. Actions: 1) Write letters to the editor supporting the commissioners’ decision to deny the application to initiate a zoning change for the power plant. 2) Plan to join us when we call on San Diego City Council members to turn down Quail Brush. More: Take Action.
Television coverage of Planning Commission decision to deny initiation of rezoning July 19, 2012. Coverage on KGTV channel 10, KFMB channel 8, KNSD channel 7 (NBC), and KGTV channel 10.
Company that proposed 850 MW power plant in University City backs off
The Canadian company Capital Power Corp. has pulled the plug on a timeline that would have put approval for this power plant on the city’s November 6 ballot. The company has told the mayor’s office that they would begin “extensive consultation” with the community before launching the political and regulatory processes. After the plans for the power plant became public, community residents and elected officials were vocal in their opposition, responding with calls, letters and emails to the city council. Stay tuned for further developments on this power plant.