September 23, 2024
CAP County
The County Board of Supervisors voted last Wednesday to adopt the updated 2024 Climate Action Plan (CAP). The document will serve as a blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the unincorporated area and at County facilities. It features 70 actions for GHG emission reduction. The Chamber advocated for realistic timelines for regulation implementation, increasing transit availability and frequency, and opposed costly mandates for building electrification and charging stations. The County also voted 3-2 to adopt the Fire Safe Alternative Plan, requiring most housing developments to be placed in central and coastal zones, rather than in Eastern San Diego County. Chamber staff will continue to advocate for the business community’s inclusion in County CAP discussions and clean energy policies that acknowledge and consider the economic realities of our region.
Battery Energy Storage
The Chamber led a group of stakeholders in opposing a potential moratorium for Batter Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the County of San Diego. These systems are crucial to the reliability of our grid, capacity to provide energy for the region, and public safety. The County of San Diego Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to continue new fire technical study requirements for BESS proposals in the unincorporated County. They rejected a moratorium and urgency ordinance that would have paused all battery storage projects and had a chilling effect on the industry & workforce. In the same vote, the board directed the Chief Administrative Officer to have the County Fire Chief analyze buffer distances and based on plume modeling to develop a plan for the board to consider in December. This effort to prevent a moratorium was led by the Chamber and involved correcting significant misinformation about the technological and fire safety advances. The Chamber worked with a variety of businesses and organizations invested in San Diego’s clean energy future. The Chamber also attempted to prevent a moratorium in the City of Escondido, to no avail. Chamber staff will continue to monitor BESS moratoriums proposed throughout the County, to dispute any false claims made about this energy infrastructure and ensure they can continue to operate throughout our region.