Events

CA FWD’s Wildfire Policy Forum convened state leaders and subject matter experts across wildfire, land use, finance, insurance, and economic development to provide a grounding on actionable policy pathways to reduce wildfire risk, improve fiscal resilience, and strengthen the capacity of California’s regions to adapt.

CA FWD’s “Energy 101” event, co-hosted with UC ITS, UC Davis ITS, and UC Berkeley Energy Institute at Haas, convened energy experts and state leaders to provide a grounding on the state’s electricity and fuel infrastructure. The event, which included academics and energy experts from across California, was targeted at legislative staff and highlighted the challenges and opportunities in balancing affordability, reliability, and decarbonization as the state works toward a long-term transition away from fossil fuels and toward more sustainable and resilient energy sources.

Webinar 1: General CPUC Engagement Strategies

This webinar, in partnership with #OaklandUndivided, focused on general CPUC engagement strategies. #OaklandUndivided mobilizes community members to engage with state agencies including CPUC on digital equity issues. Cinthia Diaz, Director of Community Impact, and Carolina Mendez, Program Manager, shared experiences, strategies, and best practices for successful participation and engagement.

Webinar 2: Formal Engagement Before the CPUC

This webinar, in partnership with Paul Goodman, legal counsel at the Center for Accessible Technology, provided training on formal engagement before the Commission, including understanding rule-making, attaining party status, providing written comments and verbal testimony, and other means of engagement.

CA FWD and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments were thrilled to present a virtual discussion on removing fiscal barriers to housing production on June 27, 2023. This session featured newly released results of an innovative, in-depth study examining the net fiscal impact of the sixth regional housing needs assessment cycle production targets on Gateway City budgets.

The Gateway COG consists of 27 cities in Southeastern LA County as well as unincorporated portions of the County. The Gateway Cities serve many disadvantaged communities that would benefit from housing production as an economic development strategy, but absent reform, California’s current convoluted tax system would result in an estimated over $37 million burden on city budgets.

Speakers included:
Konstantin Hatcher, California YIMBY Senior Director of Community Impact
Melani Smith, Gateway Cities Council of Governments Director of Regional Development
Adam Briones, California Community Builders CEO
Patrick Atwater, CA FWD Senior Research Analyst

Annual Imperial Valley Economic & Energy Summit

This Regional Energy Listening Session took place during the Imperial Valley Economic and Energy Summit hosted by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation.

Following a day of panel discussions on crucial energy topics – including Lithium Valley, renewable fuels, transmission, and workforce – CA FWD created a space for participants to talk about the opportunities and barriers they’ve encountered as they develop and bring to scale solutions for a sustainable energy future in California, and the resources that they need to further advance their work. The session included live polling and interactive group discussion.

Input gathered will be used to inform statewide energy policy advocacy by building on CA FWD’s Energy Call to Action – a framework for how stakeholders can break through silos and work across sectors to advance energy solutions – and CA FWD’s infrastructure acceleration report, developed and released in partnership with the Governor’s Office.

Regional Energy Listening Session: Sierra and Rural Forested Communities

The Listening Session focused on the opportunities, barriers, and resources needed to make energy independence and reliability a reality in the Sierra and rural forested communities. Discussion topics include forest biomass energy, integrating microgrid technologies, and the energy sector workforce pipeline.

We were joined by experts:
Elizabeth Betancourt (Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor, Department of Conservation);
Andrea Schumer (Resilience Coordinator for Microgrid Policy & Pricing Planning, PG&E); and
Melanie L. Danuser (Director of Education & Training, Northwest Energy Efficiency Council).

Input gathered from this Listening Session will be used to inform statewide energy policy advocacy, building on California Forward’s (CA FWD) Energy Call to Action, which provides a framework for how stakeholders can break through silos and work across sectors to advance energy solutions.

This Listening Session was co-hosted by CA FWD and the Sierra Business Council, and in partnership with CivicWell; CSU Chico – North State Planning & Development Collective; High Sierra Energy Foundation; Sierra Nevada Alliance; and Sonoma County Water Agency.

In 2021, CA FWD hosted a series of webinars delving into critical issues from criminal justice, housing, climate resiliency to broadband access and youth engagement. We invite you to view the recordings of these webinars, which feature powerful conversations centered on moving the state forward through community empowerment to build more equitable economies.