EBCE–Community Choice or Corporate Charity?

Photo credit: California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA), 2020 Report(07/2022) The Local Clean Energy Alliance urges you to pressure East Bay Community Energy (EBCE)’s board of directors to redirect the proposed $15 million dollars of ratepayer funds into local development business plan programs instead of giving it away to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.


We were able to stall the board from a fast-track vote, but we need you to continue to hold EBCE accountable to the community it serves. The hospital is already extremely well funded and the community is in deep need of resources to support equity programs and projects that directly address energy needs for a just transition such as building microgrids, providing batteries for medical baseline customers, and electrifying homes to reduce indoor pollution.

We need you to urge EBCE Board Members to reallocate this $15 million dollars of ratepayer fund into local development business plan programs. *Click the link to send a letter to the board: tinyurl.com/EBCEFundAsthmaPreventionNow

East Bay Clean Power Alliance (EBCPA) has generated over 60 letters in opposition to the proposed $15 million “gift” and submitted a letter that included 15 signatories from various organizations like CEJA – California Environmental Justice Alliance, SF Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility and the California Nurses Association (CNA).

The $15 million gift item was postponed from the budget because of a lack of public transparency. It was negotiated in advance with board members and came to the public at an eleventh hour during a budget overview in May.  We need this to be a completely transparent and public process as it is advertised on EBCE’s website.

EBCE’s original goals are to invest in local development, repair the harms of environmental racism within the community it serves, and address the root causes of these issues. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors made an investment in a Local Development Business Plan–a commitment to investing into the just transition that our communities need but cannot afford. The decision around this $15 million has the power to make a huge impact on these energy inequities.

The vote on this item is expected to occur at the Board of Directors Meeting on September 21st, 2022 at 5:00pm PST
             
The board has CANCELED the EBCE Executive Committee Meeting that was meant to occur Friday July 29th, 2022 at 12:00 pm (the new date and time will be updated by EBCE)

Action Items:


Clean Power To The People!



Talking Points

  • Click here for suggested talking points document (we will continue to update this document).
  • Some Background Info
    • The $15 million gift item was postponed from the budget because of a lack of public transparency. It is expected to be voted on September 21st at 5:00pm pst and we need this to be a completely transparent and public process as it is advertised on EBCE’s website.
    • There is a need for full public transparency–the public should not be the last to know about such a major budgetary decision! EBCE should not ignore its mission, commitments or the needs of the community it serves.
    • This process is EBCE staff driven and similar to other outrageous and concerning proposals. In 2021, EBCE tried to give the Oakland Roots soccer team $600,000 over two years to promote their Renewable 100 product.  Public outrage led the EBCE board to bring down that sponsorship to $375,000 over 3 years.  In 2020, EBCE staff proposed accepting a “nuclear allocation” from PG&E and their Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo.  The staff seems to be pushing these proposals, rather than presenting possibilities to the Board and letting them decide.