Hello John,

Across the country, poor communities and communities of color are exploited by greedy power companies’ domination and control.
It’s time for everyone–regardless of race or class–to have a real stake in a local clean energy future that puts people, not profits, first. In recent webinars and news articles, our stories are taking center stage in affirming energy as a human right...so that all of us have the essential light, heat, and air we need for collective survival.
If you haven't already, take a few minutes to take action in solidarity with Puerto Rico. We heard stories shared from Ruth and Federico last week about the failures of the centralized energy system in Puerto Rico. And we see how these same failures are replicated all across the country--in Maui, as power companies cause fires, to the Midwest, where outages afflict communities in the heat of the summer.
But we're taking back the power, together! We're excited to share some follow-up responses to unanswered questions from last week's webinar. Please see below my signature for more information from Puerto Rico.

You can watch the recording of last week's webinar HERE.

I would love to hear the lessons learned from Puerto Rico on state-owned utility and what the vision is for a distributed, community owned system that is rooted in the values of community.

In Puerto Rico, the Queremos Sol vision reimagines an energy future where everyday people have control over local energy systems, rather than an electric company or power authority. "We Want Sun" affirms energy as a human right, and the opportunity for a new kind of energy model for Puerto Rico that is localized through rooftop solar and battery storage.

A new future is possible; you can take action in solidarity with activists...tell FEMA: prioritize communities and rooftop solar, not centralized, fossil-fueled power!
 

Can you talk about the case that Comité Diálogo Ambiental has brought against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) [
1:23-cv-00984, (D.D.C.)]?

Together with Center for Biological Diversity and other organizations, Comité Diálogo Ambiental is holding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) accountable for not completing required environmental reviews for proposed projects. You can find out more about this lawsuit here.

How difficult will municipalization be to achieve in the case of Puerto Rico? 

Puerto Rico's grid has historically been held by a public power entity (PREPA) meant to serve the people. But PREPA's failures rested in its design as a centralized energy force. Now, activists are going beyond municipalization to call for a complete transformation that moves power away from a centralized entity, into the hands of the people. You can support them by telling FEMA to unlock the dollars to make their vision possible!

With so much excitement in Environmental Justice communities around coastal areas for off-shore wind...how real of a solution is off-shore wind [for Puerto Rico or Maui]?

From Ruth Santiago: "Two words: Punta Lima. It was an onshore wind project that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria. If it had been in the ocean I think it would have fared even worse. Recently...National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) representatives said that hardening wind mills for hurricanes/cyclones makes it too expensive, and that the waters around Puerto Rico are too deep. Also, offshore wind seems very centralized and would likely require a whole lot of long distance transmission infrastructure and investment."
 

Is there any current or proposed legislation that would eliminate the monopoly of electric companies so communities can do what is best for them?

In recent history, no. That doesn't mean we can't start this legislation in our own backyards! Community-members in Maine are voting this fall to return the state's electric grid to local control. Together, we can show these greedy company executives and shareholders that we've had enough with their negligence.

You can get involved with your local effort by reaching out to an Energy Democracy Project collaborator in your area!