January 16, 2024
Chair Marquez and Honorable Board of Directors
Ava Community Energy
1999 Harrison Street, Suite 2300
Oakland, CA 94612
Subject: Support for Ava Community Energy’s Workforce & Environmental Justice Project Selection Criteria Policy (Staff Report Item 11)
Dear Chair Marquez and Honorable Directors,
On behalf of the CCA Workforce and Environmental Justice Standards Alliance, a coalition of over 40 labor, environmental, climate, and environmental justice organizations, we express our wholehearted support for the adoption of the Workforce & Environmental Justice Project Selection Criteria Policy.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Ava Community Energy (formerly East Bay Community Energy) staff for their unwavering commitment and collaboration in developing the Workforce & Environmental Justice Project Selection Criteria Policy. We commend the openness and dedication of your staff throughout this process and believe that the demonstrated responsiveness, collaboration, and transparency should serve as a model for all future community and stakeholder engagement by CCAs across the state. This engagement process showcases how community-driven initiatives can thrive when stakeholders are actively involved.
Public Comment from Leslie Austin for the January 17, 2024 Ava Board of Directors Meeting We appreciate Finance Administrative Procurement (FAP) Committee Chair Bauters and members for their guidance in supporting this groundbreaking policy. If adopted by your board, the policy will establish a new standard for clean energy projects among Community Choice Aggregations (CCAs) in the state. Your commitment to environmental justice and workforce considerations positions Ava Community Energy as a leader among CCAs in California.
While the adoption of the Workforce & Environmental Justice Project Selection Criteria Policy is a significant achievement, we emphasize the importance of robust implementation. The success of this policy hinges on how it is translated into Request for Offer (RFO) language, the weighting of scoring criteria, proposal evaluations, and comprehensive reporting to the board during project approval and post-completion. Consistent and transparent reporting will be crucial in maintaining accountability and ensuring the policy's objectives are effectively realized.
In conclusion, we wholeheartedly support Ava Community Energy in taking this bold step towards a cleaner and more just future. Your leadership in adopting this policy will undoubtedly influence other CCAs across the state, setting a new standard for best practices in clean energy projects.
Thank you for your dedication to workers and the communities that host your clean energy projects.
Sincerely,
Endorsement list of alliance organizations follows:
Susan Penner, Co-Chair, Legislative Working Group, 1000 Grandmothers for Future Generations
Alan Weiner, Coordinator, 350 Conejo / San Fernando Valley Transition Team, California Alliance for Community Energy Lucas Zucker, Co-Executive Director, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy Ana Rosa Rizo-Centino, Network Manager, Central Coast Climate Justice Network Lynda Marin, Chapter Lead, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Santa Cruz Chapter Michael Chiacos, Policy Director, Community Environmental Council Jordan Ackerman, Sr. Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Construction Trades Workforce Initiative
Ratha Lai, CEO, Critical Impact Consulting
Rita Casaverde, Executive Director, Diversity Coalition, San Luis Obispo County Jessica Tovar, East Bay Clean Power Alliance
Public Comment from Leslie Austin for the January 17, 2024 Ava Board of Directors Meeting John Foran, Founding Editor, Eco-Vista
Andy Carman, Director, Environteers
Leah Redwood, Action Coordinator, Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area Tim Frank, Representative, Building and Construction Trades Council of Alameda Bart Pantoja, Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County John Doherty, Business Manager, IBEW Local 6
Paul Guiterrez, Business Manager, IBEW Local 234
Bill Baker, Business Manager, IBEW Local 413
Greg Bonato, Business Manager, IBEW Local 595
Scott Wein, Business Manager, IBEW Local 617
Mark Simonin, Business Manager, IBEW Local 639
Hector Huezo, California Director, Jobs to Move America Veronica Wilson, CA Organizer, Labor Network for Sustainability Leslie Austin, Director, Let’s Green CA!
Jessica Tovar, Steering Committee Member, Local Clean Energy Alliance Gopal Shanker, President, Récolte Energy
Nancy Faulstich, Executive Director, Regeneración Pajaro Valley Sara Nelson, Executive Director, Romero Institute
Alex Lansberg, Director, Research & Advocacy, San Francisco Electrical Contractors Assoc.
Jill ZamEk, Board Member, San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace Robert M. Gould, MD, President, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility Joni Eisen, Representative, San Francisco Climate Emergency Coalition Ken Hough, Executive Director, Santa Barbara County Action Network Pauline Seales, Educator Organizer, Santa Cruz Climate Action Network Eric Veium, Chair and Co-Executive Director, SLO Climate Coalition Melissa Yu, Senior Energy Campaigns Representative, Sierra Club Timothy Duda, Directory, Terra Advocati
Woody Hastings, Fossil Fuel Phaseout Manager, The Climate Center Public Comment from Leslie Austin for the January 17, 2024 Ava Board of Directors Meeting Kristin Kusanovich, Founder, tUrn Climate Crisis Awareness & Action Bijan Ashtiani-Eisemann, Organizer, UC Green New Deal Coalition Louise Auerhahn, Director of Economic & Workforce Policy, Working Partnerships USA Public Comment from Leslie Austin for the January 17, 2024 Ava Board of Directors Meeting