May 6, 2020
OPPOSE AB 2736 (E. GARCIA)
As amended May 5, 2020
The above-listed organizations must OPPOSE AB 2736 as amended May 5, 2020, which paired with AB 2255 (Eggman) seeks to greenlight NextEra’s Eagle Crest project. AB 2736 will not protect the environment and will do nothing to protect California ratepayers.
- AB 2736 simply restates language within the Eagle Crest Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license in efforts to greenwash the related AB 2255 Eagle Crest procurement mandate bill (a bill which has already been rejected multiple times by the legislature: AB 2787 (2018) and most recently SB 772 (2019).
- AB 2736 does not add protections for Joshua Tree, nor does it address environmental concerns or protect ratepayers from an unnecessary project and costs.
- AB 2736 responds to the pandemic and associated economic fallout by forcing the State to spend its limited resources in a costly process of observing FERC, reviewing Eagle Crest’s plans to damage Joshua Tree and raid the wallets of ratepayers, and filing a legally futile “petition” if Eagle Crest doesn’t comply with FERC.
- This bill redefines California’s clean energy approach from ‘we can protect our national parks, scarce groundwater and ratepayers in our clean energy future’ to ‘let’s establish a maximum fine of $1M in exchange for a $3B ratepayer-funded, out-of-state corporate bailout that also harms Joshua Tree.’
- California already suffers from an affordability crisis – given current economic hardships facing Californians, we cannot saddle Californians with additional costs for a special interest project.
WE REMAIN UNITED IN OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION THAT BYPASSES ESTABLISHED STATE POLICIES TO BENEFIT SELECTED BULK STORAGE PROJECTS.
| Michael Boccadoro Agricultural Energy Consumers Association | Jan Smutny-Jones Independent Energy Producers Association |
| Juan Altamirano Audubon California | Shannon Eddy Large-Scale Solar Association |
| Kevin Emmerich Basin and Range Watch | Geary Hund Mojave Desert Land Trust |
| Trudi Hughes California League of Food Producers | Steve Bardwell Morongo Basin Conservation Association |
| Kelly Catlett California Hydropower Reform Coalition | Neal Desai National Parks Conservation Association |
| Melissa Romero California League of Conservation Voters | Michael Madrigal Native American Land Conservancy |
| Nick Jensen California Native Plant Society | Sarah Taheri Northern California Power Agency |
| Chris Shutes California Sportfishing Protection Alliance | Matthew Baker Planning and Conservation League |
| Ryan Henson California Wilderness Coalition | Lauren Cullum Sierra Club California |
| Ileene Anderson Center for Biological Diversity | Rick Umoff Solar Energy Industries Association |
| Phil Francis Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks | Amy Mmagu Southern California Public Power Authority |
| Pam Flick Defenders of Wildlife | Lucas Frerichs The Nature Conservancy |
| Bill Allayaud Environmental Working Group | Kate Hoit Vet Voice Foundation |
| Jon Norman Hydrostor | Laura Cunningham Western Watersheds Project |
Original post – Coalition Opposes Amendment that Props Up Eagle Crest