One of the things that continually inspires us is seeing people across Contra Costa County engage in the decisions that shape their communities. From improving clean air rules to strengthening environmental protections and helping guide local planning efforts, residents continue to show that informed, constructive participation can make a real difference.
This month offers several opportunities to stay involved. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to lend your voice to the issues that matter most to you.
Contra Costa residents have a unique opportunity right now to help advance important climate legislation in Sacramento with one simple action.
Three of our local legislators serve on the powerful Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees, the final stop before they reach a vote in their respective chambers. These committees can determine whether a bill moves forward, making constituent outreach especially important.
If you live in Alamo, Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Orinda, San Ramon, or Walnut Creek, please contact Senator Tim Grayson and ask him to:
Support: AB 1577, AB 2157, AB 2461, and AB 2560
Oppose: AB 2748
Email Senator Grayson through his website or call (916) 651-4009. If you call, simply provide your hometown and the bill numbers, no further explanation is necessary.
If you live in Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, or Oakley, please contact Senator Christopher Cabaldon and ask him to:
Support: AB 1577, AB 2157, AB 2461, and AB 2560
Oppose: AB 2748
Email Senator Cabaldon through his website or call (916) 651-4003. If you call, simply provide your hometown and the bill numbers.
If you live in El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, Rodeo, or San Pablo, please contact Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and ask her to support:
Email Assemblymember Wicks through her website or call (916) 319-2014. If you call, simply provide your hometown and the bill numbers.
Take action by August 14. Both Appropriations Committees must act on these bills by then.
For bill summaries, links to email your legislators, and additional information, visit our 2026 Endorsed State Legislation Action Page.
A two-minute email or phone call can help move these important climate bills forward and keep California leading on climate action.
For several years, 350 Contra Costa Action, as part of the Bay Area Clean Air Coalition (BACA), has been advocating for strong clean-air standards under Bay Area Air District Rules 9-4 and 9-6, which will reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from gas furnaces and water heaters.
While we are disappointed that the proposed implementation date for Rule 9-6 has been pushed from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028, we are encouraged that many of the practical improvements advocated by BACA have been incorporated into the latest draft. These include greater flexibility for low-income households, emergency replacements, and situations where installing zero-emission equipment is not yet technically feasible, all while maintaining the rule’s core public health protections.
The Air District is now accepting public comments before the proposal moves toward a Board vote later this year. This is an important opportunity to show there is strong public support for practical, effective clean-air standards.
Please take a few minutes to submit a comment by Wednesday, August 13, at 6:00 PM.
The most effective comments are written in your own words. If you’re looking for ideas, consider including one or more of these points:
Submit your public comment: https://comments.baaqmd.gov/.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering changes to the state’s Cap-and-Invest program that could significantly reduce funding for affordable housing, public transit, clean air programs, zero-emission buses, and climate investments that benefit communities across California.
Learn more about what’s proposed by attending an online information session on July 28, and consider joining the statewide Rally and Lobby Day on August 10 to help protect these critical investments.
Your voice can help ensure California continues investing in healthier communities and a cleaner future.
The proposed AVAIO AI Data Center in Pittsburg has become one of the community’s most closely watched development projects. Since residents became aware of the proposal earlier this year, many have raised questions about its potential impacts on air quality, energy demand, water resources, noise, and the health of nearby neighborhoods.
The conversation is also expanding beyond Pittsburg. At its recent meeting, the Oakley City Council discussed whether data centers are appropriate within city limits after staff recommended a ban, concluding there are currently no suitable locations in Oakley. Following public comment supporting the recommendation, the Council directed staff to schedule a workshop for further discussion before making a final decision.
A legal challenge on the proposed Pittsburg Data Center by the Center for Biological Diversity resulted in a 2025 settlement that significantly strengthened the project’s environmental commitments. Those improvements include requirements for renewable electricity (except for emergency backup power), recycled water for cooling, rooftop and parking-canopy solar, zero-emission construction equipment, additional wildlife protections, stronger noise controls, and a requirement for further environmental review before future phases can proceed.
Even with these improvements, many residents remain concerned about the proposed diesel backup generators near homes and Rancho Medanos Junior High School, the cumulative impacts of future development within the Technology Park, and how future phases of the project will be reviewed before additional approvals are considered.
As communities across East Contra Costa consider the future of AI infrastructure, these questions deserve a transparent, informed, and inclusive public discussion. Residents are becoming increasingly engaged in understanding the potential impacts of these projects.
Stay informed:
What are the biggest climate and health challenges facing Antioch households? From home energy costs and extreme heat to air quality and neighborhood resilience, your experiences can help shape future community programs and investments.
Our friends at Rising Juntos are gathering input from Antioch residents to develop a community-driven climate justice plan. The survey is confidential, takes just a few minutes to complete, and everyone who participates will be entered into a raffle to win a $200 Costco gift card.
If you live in Antioch, please take a moment to make your voice heard.
Take the Rising Juntos Community Survey.
Congratulations to our friends at Sunflower Alliance on an important California Supreme Court victory that strengthens environmental protections across the state.
The Court ruled that regulators cannot automatically exempt certain oil and gas well projects from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The decision sends the case back to the Court of Appeal and could help ensure that aging oil wells receive the thorough public review they deserve before being repurposed.
While the legal process continues, this is an important win for community oversight, environmental accountability, and the protection of California’s neighborhoods and natural resources.
Read more on the Sunflower Alliance website.
Thank you,
350 Contra Costa Action
©350 Contra Costa Action
This message has not been expressly authorized, requested, or approved by any federal, state, or local candidate, candidate’s committee or their agents, or by any ballot issue committee.
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