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Dear CARB,

Bay Localize is pleased to weigh in on the allocation of
California’s Cap and Trade funds. Bay Localize, a nonprofit based
in Oakland, builds equitable and climate-resilient communities
throughout the nine-county Bay Area. Bay Localize also hosts the
Local Clean Energy Alliance, Northern California’s largest
grassroots clean energy advocacy alliance with more than 90 member
organizations.

We respectfully request CARB prioritize spending on the following
items:

1)	Revolving loan fund for municipalities launching Community
Choice Energy programs. Bay Localize and the Local Clean Energy
Alliance are supporting the local governments of San Francisco,
Sonoma County, and the Cities of Oakland and Berkeley in their
efforts to launch their own community choice programs to offer the
lowest GHG energy mix possible to their residents and ramp up
energy efficiency programs through locally-tailored outreach.
However, initial financing for start up costs are a barrier. A
revolving loan fund would enable these municipalities to move
forward in their desire to meet their ambitious GHG reduction
goals.

2)	Funding for transit. Bay Localize supports the “Cap & Trade
Auction Revenue Proposal: Funding for transportation choices and
homes affordable to core transit riders” developed by Transform and
other colleagues.

3)	Energy efficiency programs for renters and low/middle income
homeowners. These populations are frequently left out of energy
efficiency programs, resulting in state subsidies to higher-income
households. Cap and Trade funds offer a golden opportunity to pilot
and scale up programs to address these populations. We especially
support mandated energy efficiency standards in rental units,
similar to the program in Boulder, Colorado that requires landlord
to meet building energy standards in order to renew their rental
licenses. See
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&id=179&Itemid=513.

4)	Climate resilience in vulnerable communities. Bay Localize has
been contracted by the Bay Area Joint Policy Commission to research
and draft recommendations for regional government to partner with
vulnerable communities in adaptation planning. Our draft
recommendations are available at
http://www.baylocalize.org/files/EquityReportProof%28HighQP%29v7.pdf
. We believe many common-sense investments in vulnerable
communities, including those listed above and identified by the SB
353 coalition (Greenlining Institute, etc), meet both GHG reduction
and climate adaptation goals. 

Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to working
with you on implementation of these wonderful programs.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Schwind
Director, Bay Localize