SACRAMENTO – As the California Energy Commission undertakes multiple days of hearings in Oxnard regarding the proposed Puente Power Project, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara),Assemblymember Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), and Senator Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park) have released the following statements urging commissioners to pause and reevaluate the need for the plant in light of ongoing environmental and environmental justice concerns, as well as emerging questions raised by the community and a Los Angeles Times article that California may be constructing more power plants than necessary.
Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson said, “I have been opposed to the Puente Power Project given its proposed shoreline location on the Mandalay Bay and in the city of Oxnard, a community of color disproportionately impacted by pollution. Recent questions raised by members of the community and the media about the need for this plant further reinforce my concerns. We should not rush the Puente Power Project until the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission can adequately justify the need for this plant, consider the availability of new clean technologies, such as battery storage, and address the serious environmental and environmental justice concerns raised by the community.”
Assemblymember Monique Limón said, “After meeting with all stakeholders it is clear to me that the Puente Power Project does not align with the vision the city of Oxnard has for its future. With ongoing concerns voiced by the community and new questions brought to light, we must reassess the need for another power plant in an area saddled with more coastal power plants than any other city in the state. As California moves towards an ambitions renewable energy economy, we must not forget the communities that continue to bear the environmental impacts of fossil fuels.”
Senator Henry Stern said: “In light of new technological advances in clean energy, storage and efficiency, mounting environmental safety concerns and looming ratepayer risks, we need to step back and take a fresh look at our approach to providing energy to Southern Californians. There ought not be a rush to lock in long-term assets until we have an integrated plan.”