Sara Gersen
@saragersen.bsky.social
Clean energy attorney and dog aficionado
Come work with me! Earthjustice is the best place to be a public interest environmental lawyer and our clean energy team is hiring!
earthjustice.org/job/senior-a...
earthjustice.org/job/senior-a...
Senior Attorney, Clean Energy
Earthjustice seeks a Senior Attorney to join our growing team of lawyers who work to accelerate a shift from coal- and gas-fired electricity generation, and to advance clean energy throughout the coun...
earthjustice.org
October 29, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Come work with me! Earthjustice is the best place to be a public interest environmental lawyer and our clean energy team is hiring!
earthjustice.org/job/senior-a...
earthjustice.org/job/senior-a...
Reposted by Sara Gersen
To fast-track recovery after wildfires ravaged Los Angeles County in January, Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order exempting replacement structures from the city's all-electric building requirement.
A new report argues that’s the wrong approach:
A new report argues that’s the wrong approach:
After LA fires, could it be cheaper and faster to rebuild without gas?
The city waived its all-electric building requirement in an effort to fast-track recovery after the January fires. A new report argues that’s the wrong…
ow.ly
May 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
To fast-track recovery after wildfires ravaged Los Angeles County in January, Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order exempting replacement structures from the city's all-electric building requirement.
A new report argues that’s the wrong approach:
A new report argues that’s the wrong approach:
Reposted by Sara Gersen
Explainer: Using ISRs to fight air pollution from mega facilities
This new report by Brennon Mendez and Cara Horowitz in the Pritzker Brief series from @law.ucla.edu focuses on how to use Indirect Source Rules to fight pollution from mega facilities.
This new report by Brennon Mendez and Cara Horowitz in the Pritzker Brief series from @law.ucla.edu focuses on how to use Indirect Source Rules to fight pollution from mega facilities.
April 24, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Explainer: Using ISRs to fight air pollution from mega facilities
This new report by Brennon Mendez and Cara Horowitz in the Pritzker Brief series from @law.ucla.edu focuses on how to use Indirect Source Rules to fight pollution from mega facilities.
This new report by Brennon Mendez and Cara Horowitz in the Pritzker Brief series from @law.ucla.edu focuses on how to use Indirect Source Rules to fight pollution from mega facilities.
Reposted by Sara Gersen
Berkeley continues to innovate with first-in-nation time of sale ordinance to cut pollution from existing buildings. Still lots cities can do to end reliance on fossil fuels!
www.kqed.org/news/1203655...
www.kqed.org/news/1203655...
Berkeley Policy Aims to Cut Pollution From Homes, and Targets the Moment You Sell (or Buy) | KQED
The new policy requires that one- to four-unit buildings undergo upgrades that reduce planet-warming emissions around the time a structure is sold.
www.kqed.org
April 23, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Berkeley continues to innovate with first-in-nation time of sale ordinance to cut pollution from existing buildings. Still lots cities can do to end reliance on fossil fuels!
www.kqed.org/news/1203655...
www.kqed.org/news/1203655...
This Washington Post video touches on a lot of profound problems with California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, but it oversimplifies one key thing. The cow gas is not delivered to CA. It does nothing to reduce the climate impact of the fuels we use here. 1/2 www.youtube.com/shorts/j5kms...
California’s pig fart program helps out-of-state farms more
YouTube video by Washington Post Universe
www.youtube.com
April 22, 2025 at 11:24 PM
This Washington Post video touches on a lot of profound problems with California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, but it oversimplifies one key thing. The cow gas is not delivered to CA. It does nothing to reduce the climate impact of the fuels we use here. 1/2 www.youtube.com/shorts/j5kms...
Demand for these manure gas credits is about to skyrocket because of bad federal policy. The federal government is allowing the fossil fuel industry to reap big tax subsidies for producing hydrogen, provided they buy these paper credits to recharacterize their fossil fuels as "renewables."
@michaelwara.bsky.social is quoted in this piece on how California's cap-and-trade program is creating huge incentives for Big Pork in other states, without tight monitoring of actual methane emissions, & with some very long routes for the resulting methane to reach market
Gift link
wapo.st/42k8OXX
Gift link
wapo.st/42k8OXX
California draws ire as out-of-state factory farms turn pig poop into cash
Smithfield Foods operates hog farms that create large amounts of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas. Here’s how California subsidies reward Smithfield for its own pollution.
wapo.st
April 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Demand for these manure gas credits is about to skyrocket because of bad federal policy. The federal government is allowing the fossil fuel industry to reap big tax subsidies for producing hydrogen, provided they buy these paper credits to recharacterize their fossil fuels as "renewables."
I replaced my gas water heater with a heat pump model at the beginning of March and now have about a month of data on my home's fossil fuel usage after the water heater upgrade. Now, my SoCal home is zero-emissions most days, unless we're burning gas to dry laundry. 🏘️⚡🔌💧
April 1, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I replaced my gas water heater with a heat pump model at the beginning of March and now have about a month of data on my home's fossil fuel usage after the water heater upgrade. Now, my SoCal home is zero-emissions most days, unless we're burning gas to dry laundry. 🏘️⚡🔌💧
Reposted by Sara Gersen
This is an important case. Big ups to Earthjustice colleagues (@candyoungblood.bsky.social), @sierraclub.org, @industriouslabs.bsky.social ( @evangillespie.bsky.social ), and Peoples Collective 4 EJ.
The zero-emissions shift is happening and we will go to court to defend our right to clean air.
The zero-emissions shift is happening and we will go to court to defend our right to clean air.
BREAKING: @earthjustice.bsky.social on behalf of @sierraclub.org & @industriouslabs.bsky.social filed a motion to intervene in a gas industry lawsuit trying to stop SoCal’s air regulator from pursuing rules to replace gas-powered equipment w/ zero-emissions options.
earthjustice.org/press/2025/e...
earthjustice.org/press/2025/e...
Environmental & Community Groups Defend Landmark Rule to Advance Zero-Emissions Water Heaters & Boilers
Gas industry lawsuit seeks to intimidate Southern California’s air regulator from pursuing vital rules to replace gas-powered equipment with zero-emissions technology
earthjustice.org
February 13, 2025 at 1:10 AM
This is an important case. Big ups to Earthjustice colleagues (@candyoungblood.bsky.social), @sierraclub.org, @industriouslabs.bsky.social ( @evangillespie.bsky.social ), and Peoples Collective 4 EJ.
The zero-emissions shift is happening and we will go to court to defend our right to clean air.
The zero-emissions shift is happening and we will go to court to defend our right to clean air.
Reposted by Sara Gersen
Thank you @benallenca.bsky.social & Sen Stern for asking @californiapuc.bsky.social for answers on costs of building back with gas, ways it can facilitate all-electric construction, and role of gas line fires in complicating firefighting. We need a proactive PUC to enable thoughtful rebuilding.
February 7, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Thank you @benallenca.bsky.social & Sen Stern for asking @californiapuc.bsky.social for answers on costs of building back with gas, ways it can facilitate all-electric construction, and role of gas line fires in complicating firefighting. We need a proactive PUC to enable thoughtful rebuilding.
Reposted by Sara Gersen
Why are Karen Bass & Gavin Newsom rushing to rethink clean energy rules in the wake of the L.A. fires?
Rebuilding homes with gas furnaces won't be any cheaper or faster. If anything, all-electric homes are the best thing for everyone. My @latimes.com column: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Rebuilding homes with gas furnaces won't be any cheaper or faster. If anything, all-electric homes are the best thing for everyone. My @latimes.com column: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Column: The Los Angeles fires are no excuse to slow down on clean energy
State and local officials seem to be rushing to rethink climate policies. It's a terrible idea.
www.latimes.com
January 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Why are Karen Bass & Gavin Newsom rushing to rethink clean energy rules in the wake of the L.A. fires?
Rebuilding homes with gas furnaces won't be any cheaper or faster. If anything, all-electric homes are the best thing for everyone. My @latimes.com column: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Rebuilding homes with gas furnaces won't be any cheaper or faster. If anything, all-electric homes are the best thing for everyone. My @latimes.com column: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Today, Sierra Club and @ceja.org protested SoCalGas’ request to charge customers $266 million to design a hydrogen pipeline system. The CPUC has told SoCalGas multiple times recently it can’t make customers pay for Sempra’s new lines of business that don’t directly benefit us. But here we go again!
two cartoon characters standing next to each other with the words here they go again written below them
ALT: two cartoon characters standing next to each other with the words here they go again written below them
media.tenor.com
January 24, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Today, Sierra Club and @ceja.org protested SoCalGas’ request to charge customers $266 million to design a hydrogen pipeline system. The CPUC has told SoCalGas multiple times recently it can’t make customers pay for Sempra’s new lines of business that don’t directly benefit us. But here we go again!
Reposted by Sara Gersen
Earthjustice President Abbie Dillen said it best:
People want policies that safeguard clean air and clean water and protect them from climate-fueled extreme weather. The President's job is to protect the people, not corporate interests.
People want policies that safeguard clean air and clean water and protect them from climate-fueled extreme weather. The President's job is to protect the people, not corporate interests.
January 21, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Earthjustice President Abbie Dillen said it best:
People want policies that safeguard clean air and clean water and protect them from climate-fueled extreme weather. The President's job is to protect the people, not corporate interests.
People want policies that safeguard clean air and clean water and protect them from climate-fueled extreme weather. The President's job is to protect the people, not corporate interests.
Right now, we need states to lead on climate. Sadly, New Mexico's draft Clean Transportation Fuel Standard won't truly deliver the emissions reductions required by law because shabby carbon accounting rewards biofuels for reductions that only exist on paper. We filed comments on how to fix it!
January 17, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Right now, we need states to lead on climate. Sadly, New Mexico's draft Clean Transportation Fuel Standard won't truly deliver the emissions reductions required by law because shabby carbon accounting rewards biofuels for reductions that only exist on paper. We filed comments on how to fix it!
Good article on the new rules for the federal hydrogen tax credits. My one quibble is with the suggestion that manure methane has "long been treated as 'carbon negative.'" The LCFS has only treated manure gas as a magical "carbon negative" fuel since 2018.
The Biden administration has finalized rules for the IRA's lucrative — and contentious — clean hydrogen tax credits that hold fast on key climate safeguards, despite industry pushback. Will the Trump administration honor or undermine those safeguards? www.canarymedia.com/articles/hyd... #energysky
Biden’s clean hydrogen tax credits are officially decided — for now
The contentious rules for the Inflation Reduction Act’s hydrogen subsidies have been finalized. But Trump could weaken them — or rewrite the rules…
www.canarymedia.com
January 8, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Good article on the new rules for the federal hydrogen tax credits. My one quibble is with the suggestion that manure methane has "long been treated as 'carbon negative.'" The LCFS has only treated manure gas as a magical "carbon negative" fuel since 2018.
It looks like the new rules for the "clean" hydrogen tax credit will apply strong rules to some hydrogen producers, but gives industry in California and Washington a pass from meeting statutory emissions requirements. Bad news for the climate and energy bills, when folks are already struggling.
a screenshot of a real housewives show
ALT: a screenshot of a real housewives show
media.tenor.com
January 3, 2025 at 8:27 PM
It looks like the new rules for the "clean" hydrogen tax credit will apply strong rules to some hydrogen producers, but gives industry in California and Washington a pass from meeting statutory emissions requirements. Bad news for the climate and energy bills, when folks are already struggling.
Reposted by Sara Gersen
BIG NEWS in California climate world: On New Year's Eve, EPA issues first ever injection permit for carbon capture and sequestration in California.
It's going to California Resources Corporation, the state's largest oil driller.
It's going to California Resources Corporation, the state's largest oil driller.
December 31, 2024 at 5:45 PM
BIG NEWS in California climate world: On New Year's Eve, EPA issues first ever injection permit for carbon capture and sequestration in California.
It's going to California Resources Corporation, the state's largest oil driller.
It's going to California Resources Corporation, the state's largest oil driller.
BREAKING: SoCalGas asks to charge its captive methane customers $266 million for costs to develop a hydrogen pipeline. Presumably buried before the holidays because SoCalGas knows customers don't want to pay for stuff that has nothing to do with their gas service. www.socalgas.com/regulatory/a...
A.24-12-XXX Angeles Link Phase 2 | SoCalGas
www.socalgas.com
December 21, 2024 at 1:57 AM
BREAKING: SoCalGas asks to charge its captive methane customers $266 million for costs to develop a hydrogen pipeline. Presumably buried before the holidays because SoCalGas knows customers don't want to pay for stuff that has nothing to do with their gas service. www.socalgas.com/regulatory/a...
Reposted by Sara Gersen
A big win for customers across SoCal!
earthjustice.org/press/2024/l...
earthjustice.org/press/2024/l...
Landmark Rate Case will Save Southern Californians from Paying Tens of Millions for Dead-end Hydrogen Projects and SoCalGas’ Climate Obstruction Efforts
Decision includes critical new transparency measures for SoCalGas’s lobbying and legal expenses
earthjustice.org
December 20, 2024 at 7:14 PM
A big win for customers across SoCal!
earthjustice.org/press/2024/l...
earthjustice.org/press/2024/l...
Reposted by Sara Gersen
BREAKING: California PUC votes out SoCalGas rate case decision 4-0. Big improvement from last rate case. Assigned Comm'r Houck deserves credit for holding utility to burden of proof, cutting frivolous costs and requiring new reporting to identify misuse of customer $$ for lobbying. Some highlights:
docs.cpuc.ca.gov
December 20, 2024 at 12:18 AM
BREAKING: California PUC votes out SoCalGas rate case decision 4-0. Big improvement from last rate case. Assigned Comm'r Houck deserves credit for holding utility to burden of proof, cutting frivolous costs and requiring new reporting to identify misuse of customer $$ for lobbying. Some highlights:
Communities on the fence lines of factory farms sue because CARB's review of the LCFS refuses to recognize the obvious: When you pay big ag an enormous amount of money for a commodity (methane), they will make more of it. And farms produce biomethane by managing manure in the grossest ways.
We're part of a coalition suing the California Air Review Board over a Low Carbon Fuel Standard that incentivizes biogas pollution. It's long past time for @gavinnewsom.bsky.social to prioritize people and planet over profit!
Groups Sue CARB Over Environmental Impacts of Flagship Climate Program
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard Incentivizes Factory Farm Pollution Nationwide
www.foodandwaterwatch.org
December 19, 2024 at 6:39 PM
Communities on the fence lines of factory farms sue because CARB's review of the LCFS refuses to recognize the obvious: When you pay big ag an enormous amount of money for a commodity (methane), they will make more of it. And farms produce biomethane by managing manure in the grossest ways.
We begged the California Air Resources Board to reform the LCFS to not subsidize biofuels with fake climate benefits and real pollution. Sad that they appeased the refineries and big ag, ignoring the recs of their own environmental justice advisory council and making this lawsuit necessary.
BREAKING we're taking @airresources.bsky.social to court on behalf of Communities for a Better Environment over the broken Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which would waste billions on polluting biofuels instead of accelerating California's transition to EVs and cleaner air.
Environmental Justice Group Sues California Agency Over Flawed Low Carbon Fuel Standard Changes
The changes would waste billions on polluting fuels over the next decade while harming refinery communities and dirtying California’s air
earthjustice.org
December 19, 2024 at 1:40 AM
We begged the California Air Resources Board to reform the LCFS to not subsidize biofuels with fake climate benefits and real pollution. Sad that they appeased the refineries and big ag, ignoring the recs of their own environmental justice advisory council and making this lawsuit necessary.
Reposted by Sara Gersen
Revisions out on proposed decision in SoCalGas rate case with vote likely Thursday. A lot to like - rejection of outside legal/lobbying costs + new reporting to spot continued abuses, denial of slew of hydrogen projects, and savings from elimination of subsidies for gas lines to new homes🧵
docs.cpuc.ca.gov
December 17, 2024 at 11:11 PM
Revisions out on proposed decision in SoCalGas rate case with vote likely Thursday. A lot to like - rejection of outside legal/lobbying costs + new reporting to spot continued abuses, denial of slew of hydrogen projects, and savings from elimination of subsidies for gas lines to new homes🧵
With demand for fossil gas going down, SoCalGas is looking for new lines of business and wants its captive methane customers to foot the bill. In proposed decision, the California Public Utilities Commission is ready to say "nope." Here are some examples...
a woman wearing glasses is reading a book and says " nuh uh " at the bottom
ALT: a woman wearing glasses is reading a book and says " nuh uh " at the bottom
media.tenor.com
December 18, 2024 at 12:02 AM
With demand for fossil gas going down, SoCalGas is looking for new lines of business and wants its captive methane customers to foot the bill. In proposed decision, the California Public Utilities Commission is ready to say "nope." Here are some examples...
idk if I worked in Toyota's government affairs department, I'd probably keep quiet, hope Trump rolls with his worst economy-destabilizing impulses, and not highlight that rolling back Biden's EV policies is a great way to give a competitive edge to foreign companies.
Toyota is breaking with the rest of the auto industry, calling on Trump to alter a federal electric vehicle tax credit so that its hybrids can qualify: www.eenews.net/articles/toy...
Toyota breaks with rival automakers, urges changes to EV tax credit
The company said it's proposing revisions to make zero- and lower-emission cars more affordable at a time when EV adoption is growing at a slower rate.
www.eenews.net
December 1, 2024 at 11:19 PM
idk if I worked in Toyota's government affairs department, I'd probably keep quiet, hope Trump rolls with his worst economy-destabilizing impulses, and not highlight that rolling back Biden's EV policies is a great way to give a competitive edge to foreign companies.