January 2025 Newsletter

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Local Action for a Better World

2025: A Time to Help Each Other

The New Year started with events which have increased our climate anxiety and feelings of fragility for those of us who care deeply about the environment. The devasting LA wildfires have again brought home the effects of a 1.5 degree C warmer world to our California Community. Our hearts go out to Angelenos who lost their homes or loved ones, and to those who will suffer indirect impacts from this massive disruption in the local economy and society. This will be the most expensive climate disaster in U.S. history, estimated at over $100 billion dollars. This is a time to take care of each other, and to continue our work on local and state climate policies.

We are inspired by President Jimmy Carter’s environmental legacy, whose prescient actions in his one term in the 1970s set in motion positive changes that continue to influence clean water, air, and energy in this country. We celebrate his Clean Air Act, strengthening the Clean Water Act, The National Energy Act, and creation of the Department of Energy. In the same way, our work today will ripple outward in creating a healthier and cleaner society.

California will continue to be a national leader in climate action. Despite the Trump Administration’s hostility to clean energy, the Biden Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will generate clean energy growth throughout the country. California is the fifth largest economy in the world, and our leadership “trickles up” to the rest to the nation. Our elected officials believe in a cleaner energy future. They need to hear our voices and feel our support as they wrangle over legislation and regulation!

In Contra Costa County, we celebrate the wins of candidates we supported through our electoral work (see list of Climate Champions below). Legislative victories in the last session include AB 1465 on pollution penalties for refineries and other stationary sources, AB 1886, which pushes oil and gas companies to clean up idle and low producing wells, and AB 3233 Local Environmental Choice and Safety which allows local regulation over pollution from previously excluded industries. Voters approved a $10 million bond under Proposition 4 which will fund statewide projects related to wildfire, flooding, extreme heat, safe drinking water and protection of natural lands. There will be a lot happening in the upcoming legislative session and we may see new legislation on wildfires and water.

Join, Support, and Inspire Action in 2025

At 350 Contra Costa Action we want you to know that our door is open! We invite you to join our volunteer advocates, join our Climate Club starting this spring, step up to become a liaison with your city, or just learn from others who are doing climate work in your neighborhood. Please get in touch at info@350contracostaaction.org.

Volunteerism, as President Carter exemplified, is an action of faith, hope, and community building. Let 2025 be the year that you take time to help others and join us in local climate policy action. Together we can make the world a better place.

  • Coming Soon:  350 Contra Costa Climate Club, a book club format that will meet monthly on Zoom or in person to discuss a current climate article or podcast. Sign up here to join the group and we will be in touch.
  • We are sharing strength and optimism from two recent podcasts from climate heroes Leah Stokes and Rebecca Solnit. You can also read them as a transcript.

Big News! New York’s Climate Superfund becomes law!

The State of New York just passed their own Climate Superfund Bill. This landmark legislation requires polluters to pay for cleanups, following the superfund model. This law extends coverage to include damages caused by climate change and greenhouse gases. In California, we are working to pass a similar bill. This will be a 2025 legislative focus of the Eliminate Fossil Fuels Team (EFF) in our work with the 350 Bay Area Action Legislation Team.

Now it's California's turn. Add your name to the list of thousands of Californians calling on the State Legislature and Governor Newsom to pass this bill this year and join our movement to #MakePollutersPay!

Here's what we can do:

Fight for a California "Polluters Pay" Climate Superfund Bill, which would require CalEPA to establish a program to assess damages and the biggest polluters to pay into a fund based on their historical emissions.

The fund would be used for:

  • Climate disaster relief and recovery
  • Infrastructure improvements for climate resilience
  • Supporting communities most affected by climate change

Find out more about this campaign, our other 2025 Climate Action priorities, and how you can get involved at our parent organization, 350 Bay Area's first Monthly Climate Action Meeting of the year on January 28th.

Contra Costa County Climate Champions take office

Congratulation to 2024 local Election Victories!

Voter’s support for climate candidates proves again that Californians are ready for climate action.

We are thrilled to welcome the 15 newly elected officials we endorsed in Contra Costa County as they step into their roles. These leaders have demonstrated a commitment to bold climate action and public health, and we look forward to seeing them implement strong local policies that prioritize our environment and well-being.

Board of Supervisors D5: Shanelle Scales-Preston

East Bay Parks Ward 2: Lynda Deschambault

Brentwood City Council D3: Jovita Mendoza

Concord Council D4: Pablo Benavente

El Cerrito Council at-large seats: Lisa Motoyama, Rebecca Saltzman, and William Ktsanes

Hercules Council at-large seat: Alex Walker Griffin

Lafayette Council at-large seats: Carl Anduriand Gina Dawson

Pinole Council at-large seats: Devin Murphy and Maureen Toms

Richmond Council D6: Claudia Jimenez

Walnut Creek Council at-large seats: Cindy Darling and Kevin Will

Thank you—

Jackie and Lisa

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©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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