Environmental News

Gov. Newsom: A ‘Solar Tax’ Threatens Your Climate Legacy

Esperanza Vielma, Ambrose Carroll and Francisco Moreno

Nov 5, 2022

Gov. Newsom: A ‘Solar Tax’ Threatens Your Climate Legacy

Esperanza Vielma, Ambrose Carroll and Francisco Moreno are founders of the Coalition for Environmental Equity and Economics (CEEE) and...

Sacramento’s municipal utility wildly overspends on executive pay, marketing & other fixed costs

Derek Cressman

Oct 6, 2022

Sacramento’s municipal utility wildly overspends on executive pay, marketing & other fixed costs

Derek Cressman is a longtime government watchdog and Sacramento resident for the last 22 years. He is also a current candidate this fall...

As Californians & planet sweat, rooftop solar revisions stuck in limbo

Justin Ha

Aug 18, 2022

As Californians & planet sweat, rooftop solar revisions stuck in limbo

The future of rooftop solar in California is uncertain. Efforts to revise the state’s landmark Net Energy Metering (NEM) program that...

In Newsom-DeSantis rivalry, it’ll surprise who’s better on rooftop solar

Nick Pilch

Aug 18, 2022

In Newsom-DeSantis rivalry, it’ll surprise who’s better on rooftop solar

Nick Pilch is an environmentalist and from 2014-2020 was a Council Member in the Bay Area town of Albany, Calif. This included serving as...

Mission critical: CPUC can (finally) meet its mission by saving rooftop solar incentives

Susannah Saunders & Rebecca Elliot

Jun 24, 2022

Mission critical: CPUC can (finally) meet its mission by saving rooftop solar incentives

Revision of California’s rooftop solar program has received more guest essay submissions than any other issue in SactoPolitico.com...

Rooftop solar advice for Gov. Newsom from low-income solar installer

Elizabeth Galante

Jun 9, 2022

Rooftop solar advice for Gov. Newsom from low-income solar installer

California’s Net Energy Metering program (NEM) has encouraged about 9% of the state’s electrical ratepayers to install solar systems on...

$50M state aid for Sacto’s American River opposed by homeless groups

Omid Manavirad

May 16, 2022

$50M state aid for Sacto’s American River opposed by homeless groups

This story was produced by the award-winning newsweekly Sacramento News & Review and co-published here with permission. California...

Guest essay: California needs a climate courage budget

Mary Creasman

Apr 26, 2022

Guest essay: California needs a climate courage budget

Mary Creasman is the CEO of California Environmental Voters. Formerly the California League of Conservation Voters, EnviroVoters is a...

Carolee Krieger

Apr 26, 2022

Deep reservations on Sites Reservoir

Carolee Krieger is executive director of the California Water Impact Network, a state-wide organization that advocates for the equitable...

Gov. Newsom: Forget PG&E crocodile tears; save rooftop solar

Jennifer Tanner

Mar 29, 2022

Gov. Newsom: Forget PG&E crocodile tears; save rooftop solar

Jennifer Tanner is the director of Indivisible’s Green Team, which represents hundreds of Indivisible chapters across California....

Study: global warming eliminates Tahoe as Olympic venue; local boosters stay optimistic

Frank X. Mullen

Feb 21, 2022

Study: global warming eliminates Tahoe as Olympic venue; local boosters stay optimistic

This story was produced by the award-winning newsweekly Sacramento News & Review and co-published here with permission. A new climate...

Gov. Newsom: Don’t let sun go down on rooftop solar

Lee Miller

Jan 26, 2022

Gov. Newsom: Don’t let sun go down on rooftop solar

Sacramento County-resident Lee Miller is a Board Member with Solar Rights Alliance, a statewide nonprofit association of California solar...

Rooftop Solar Storm: Newsom must reverse ‘disastrous’ anti-solar proposal

Dave Rosenfeld

Dec 15, 2021

Rooftop Solar Storm: Newsom must reverse ‘disastrous’ anti-solar proposal

Dave Rosenfeld is the executive director of the San Diego-based Solar Rights Alliance. He has been a community organizer for more than 20...

The Sun Belongs to Everyone, not just SMUD

Fatima T. Malik & Roger Freeman

Nov 9, 2021

The Sun Belongs to Everyone, not just SMUD

Fatima T. Malik was a 2020 candidate for the SMUD Board of Directors, Ward 5 (northwest Sacramento County). Roger Freeman is board chair...

What AB 1139 brawl means for future of rooftop solar

Jeff Burdick

May 31, 2021

What AB 1139 brawl means for future of rooftop solar

Editor’s update: The next month after publication, many were surprised when AB 1139 described below failed to earn majority support in...

Guest Essay: Calif. Climate Action Budget must double

Ann Hancock

May 31, 2021

Guest Essay: Calif. Climate Action Budget must double

As a Californian who has experienced crushing heat waves, public safety power shut-offs, and wildfire evacuations, I am hopeful that...

Guest Essay: 100% Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2030?

Doug Linney

Apr 28, 2021

Guest Essay: 100% Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2030?

This month, California lost its decades-long lead at the environmental forefront. In the race to eliminate one of the largest sources of...