Reports and Studies
‘Advancing Energy Justice in San Antonio Through Household Energy Policies’
Prepared for Climate Action SA by Tim Barr, public health specialist.
This report marshals research and examples from across the United States to illuminate energy insecurity
in San Antonio. In describing the challenges and opportunities of various policy approaches, the goal is to
facilitate deeper conversation and engagement around community-driven solutions that ensure that every
resident’s basic energy needs are met while also safeguarding the long-term health of the planet. Energy
justice is integral to ensuring health equity: every person experiencing their highest possible level of
health and wellbeing, with the process of change being driven by those experiencing the greatest burdens
and inequities.
WEBINARS
SERIES: BUILDING A JUST RECOVERY AGENDA (2021)
March 2021
ACTION 3. Building Back Better: Community-led Energy Planning for a Time of Crisis
Guests: DeeDee Belmares, Public Citizen; Chrissy Mann, Sierra Club
CPS Energy’s Board of Trustees and our City Council are supposed to protect our communities by overseeing the operations of CPS Energy. Yet, just like the state Public Utility Commission, they failed us, plunging nearly 400,000 into freezing darkness. A community-led energy planning process is how we start making this right. Come help move us toward energy democracy and buld a safer San Antonio. | La junta de gobierno de CPS Energy y nuestro consejo municipal deberían proteger a nuestras comunidades al supervisar las operaciones de CPS Energy. Sin embargo, al igual que la comisión estatal de servicios públicos, nos han fallado, arrojando al frío y a las tinieblas a casi 400,000 personas. Podemos empezar a corregir estos errores mediante un proceso de planeamiento de recursos dirigido por la comunidad. Vengan y ayúdennos a avanzar hacia la democracia energética y a construir un San Antonio más seguro.
ACTION 3: Reconstruyendo para una mejor recuperación
ACTION 2: Winter Storm Uri Was a Housing Disaster. We can fix it.
Guests: Adam Jacobs, Optimal Energy; Ralph Garcia, Disability Rights Advocate
Days with no power from CPS Energy and temps frozen in the single digits taught us at least one thing: Energy disasters are housing disasters. Programs like free weatherization, insulation, demand response, and rooftop solar will make San Antonio more resilient to extreme weather events and can mean the difference between life and death. They can also be major jobs creators. It is time for a mass weatherization mobilization. Join the conversation. We Can Fix This. | Días sin energía de Energía CPS y temperaturas congeladas de un solo dígito nos enseñaron al menos una cosa: los desastres de energía son desastres de viviendas. Los programas como la climatización gratuita, el aislamiento de viviendas, la respuesta a la demanda, y la energía solar en el techo, harán que San Antonio sea más resistente a los eventos climáticos extremos y pueden significar la diferencia entre la vida y la muerte. También pueden ser importantes creadores de empleo. Es hora de una movilización masiva de climatización. Unase a la conversación. Podemos arreglar esto.
PowerPoint is here.
ACTION 2: Energía CPS y los Desastres de Viviendas de San Antonio
February 2021
ACTION ONE: Disaster, Debt, Disconnections
Guest: Tim Barr, public health specialist
Winter Storm Uri and the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the deep inequities in San Antonio’s energy landscape. But we can fix this. … Join us for a conversation about energy justice, power insecurity, utility debt, and environmental racism. We will learn best practices from other cities and develop shared analysis that will support specific, short and long-term policy recommendations for addressing household energy debt in San Antonio.
PowerPoint is here. Research documents here.
ACTION ONE: Desastre, deuda, desconexiones (audio issues)
PAST VIDEOS
Texas Energy Breakdown: ERCOT, PUC, and Who’s to Blame?
Guest: Chrissy Mann, Sierra Club
2018-2020
CPS Energy 101
Sierra Club’s Drew O’Bryan presents on the slow growth of renewables at CPS Energy and problems related to transparency and governance.
Housing & Climate Justice
Jessica Guerrero of Vecinos de Mission Trails speaks about her experience at the intersection of housing rights and climate justice.
Transportation, Plus: Indigenous Wisdom
Former VIA director Bill Barker speaking on how transportation transformation can cut our climate pollution; followed at 29:10 by Frankie Orona of Society of Native Nations on indigenous wisdom and climate justice.
Energy Efficiency and Solar Power Potential
Virginia Palacios of South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource and Public Citizen’s Kaiba White speak on energy efficiency and solar power.
Community Voices
San Antonio for climate action
San Antonio for climate action (2.0)
San Antonio for climate action (3.0)
San Antonio Youth Call for Climate Action
Bye, Bye Deely (Day of ‘Dirty’ Deely’s Closure, January 1, 2019)
Climate Action SA members respond to CPS Energy’s proposal to keep burning coal until (at least) 2042.