Advocacy Updates from Acterra
* * Action Alert * *

Speak Up in Support of Zero Emission Appliance Standards

The Bay Area Air District's Rules 9-4 and 9-6 seek to protect public health across the region by limiting the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution that can be generated by newly purchased water heaters and furnaces/space heaters in the home. These rules will start to take effect in 2027 for hot water heaters, and 2029 for furnaces, and are expected to help avoid $890 million per year in health impacts due to air pollution exposure. Opponents, likely funded by deep-pocketed fossil fuel interests, are campaigning to weaken or even repeal these rules, but residents can and should fight back.

If you care about cleaner air, now's the time to send a message to the Board members in your Bay Area county. You can use the simple tool below (created by 350 Bay Area Action) to edit and send a letter: follow the appropriate link for your county. Thanks for taking action!

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You can learn more about the zero NOx appliance rules here ([link removed]  
Legislative Updates: Advances Through the Darkness
This year’s state legislative session was unusual in many respects, with some notable bright spots amidst the gloom of new leadership instituting more opaque backroom deals and the continuing specter of federal governing malpractice.


Some 800 bills made it to the Governor’s desk, to be decided upon by October 12. While that may seem like a lot, it is actually less than average: most years average 1,100 and only the COVID years of ‘20-’21 saw less. The new rule limiting legislators to 35 bills may have something to do with it.


Two bills, SB 840 (Limón) and AB 1207 (Irwin), combined to transform the soon-to-expire Cap and Trade Program to Cap and Invest. Offsets are limited, emission reductions are increased and dedicated long term funding continues to 2045.


Senate Energy Committee Chair Josh Becker succeeded in pushing through significant reforms with his SB 254 (grid transmission financing and wildfire mitigation) and 540/825 (western grid market expansion). Taken together, these technical bills promise billions of dollars in annual long-term savings through lower electricity costs.


Unfortunately, Gov. Newsom failed to complete the cost-savings trifecta by vetoing SB 541 ([link removed] (peak grid load shifting), citing redundancy, disruption and additional cost. We disagree. California has been a notable laggard in this area, operating without a unified, coherent vision and choosing “death by a thousand pilot projects” over decisive implementation. For similar reasons, the Governor also vetoed AB 740 ([link removed] Assemblymember Harabedian’s virtual power plant bill seeking to institute VPP load shifting into the CEC’s integrated energy policy report.

In more disappointing news, the Governor vetoed Assemblymember Wilson’s AB 524 ([link removed] access and conservation) which looked to provide financial and technical assistance to support small farm agricultural land acquisition and protection.

Other legislation of note recently signed: Assemblymember Ward’s AB 368 (passive house standards) and AB 1423 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (electric vehicle charging stations payment methods).

As of this writing, we await word from Gov. Newsom on many bills of import. Assemblymember Marc Berman’s AB 1167 (utility lobbying funds), Senate Transit Chair Dave Cortese’s SB 30 (diesel locomotive decommissioning), Senator Scott Wiener’s high-profile SB 63 (Bay Area transit funding) and SB 79 (transit oriented housing), Senator McNerney’s SB 279 (compost operations), Assemblymembers Kalra and Connolly’s AB 806 (mobile home cooling) are among a few deserving bills sitting in the pile. 
Upcoming Events
October 18: "No KIngs" Rallies throughout the Bay Area. Find one near you ([link removed]

October 18: Home Is Where the Change Is, 10 am - 12 pm at the Sandpiper Community Room, Redwood City. Free family-friendly event where you can learn about sustainability home improvements in your kitchen, living room, bedroom, and outdoor space, to make small changes with big impact. Register ([link removed]


October 19: Citizens' Climate Lobby Youth Climate Rally "Now Is the Time." 1 pm - 3pm, San Mateo Central Park. Register ([link removed]


October 21 - 29. Bay Area Reuse Coalitions are hosting events in San Francisco ([link removed] East Bay ([link removed] and South Bay ([link removed] Events consist of a film, a panel of local leaders guiding a conversation on reducing plastic pollution, and an opportunity to take action by contacting local legislators in support of policies that expand and accelerate reuse.


October 30. Federal Impacts & Local Climate Solutions Roundtable, 4:30 - 7 pm. Hosted by District 3, Santa Clara County. Campbell Community Center, 1 W Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA 95008. Register ([link removed]


November 8: Acterra's Green@Home Tour: Peninsula & South Bay, 11 am - 4 pm, multiple locations. Explore innovative, sustainable, and electric homes throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, ranging from new construction to those transitioning from fossil fuels. Gain valuable insights from tour hosts on appliance selection, contractor decisions, installation, and rebates/incentives, making your transition to electric living informed and cost-effective. Register ([link removed] Want to sign up to show your green home? Click the host link here ([link removed]
 
Media and Resources
CalHealthMap ([link removed] is a new digital tool designed to help communities to take action on community-level air pollution data. The tool was developed by researchers from UCLA and partners.Cradle to Grave: The Health Toll of Fossil Fuels and the Imperative for a Just Transition. ([link removed] This report from the Global Climate Health Alliance maps the entire fossil fuel lifecycle and exposes the health harms at every stage, from extraction to abandoned sites.Small Farms Fed the Bay Area During COVID. But Now Face Federal Cuts ([link removed] from KQED2025 Indicators Report: Local Food Actions for a Cooler Future ([link removed] from Sustainable San Mateo County.
Learn about an initiative ([link removed] in San Francisco to provide more equitable tree cover. 
Support strong policy advocacy today.

Your donation can help expand our impact on policy for decarbonization, sustainable food systems, and Bay Area climate action. Thank you for your support!
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Acterra
3921 E Bayshore Rd Suite 210
Palo Alto, CA 94303
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