Latest news with #SoCalGas
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SoCalGas Joins Forces with Labor Community Services to Help Address Hunger at 33rd Annual "Stamp Out" Hunger Food Drive
Media assets here LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) once again joins forces with Labor Community Services (LCS) to support the 33rd Annual National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC) "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive. This year, SoCalGas will bring 100 volunteers to help sort over 1 million pounds of food donations collected across Los Angeles County. SoCalGas will also present a $25,000 donation to LCS to purchase additional needed food items, supporting thousands of families that continue to face hunger. "The 'Stamp Out Hunger' food drive is a powerful example of what solidarity looks like in action," said Yvonne Wheeler, president of the LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of NALC Branch 24, Labor Community Services, SoCalGas, and hundreds of volunteers, we are delivering hope and nourishment to thousands of families across Los Angeles County during a time of critical need." "With the support of SoCalGas and our community partners, we're not just sorting food—we're building a safety net for families who need it most," said Norma López, executive director of LCS. "We believe that a stronger community starts with meeting basic needs, including addressing hunger," said Maryam Brown, president of SoCalGas. "We're proud to stand with LCS and the labor community to help stamp out hunger and uplift families across Los Angeles." Hunger remains a pressing issue in Los Angeles County. As of late 2024, one in four households—approximately 832,000—struggled to put food on the table, according to a USC Dornsife study. Additionally, 29% of households lack consistent access to healthy and nutritious food. These figures highlight the importance of initiatives like the "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive, especially during the summer months when school meal programs are unavailable, and food donations typically decline. In Southern California, the "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive is coordinated by NALC Branch 24 in partnership with LCS and various AFL-CIO-affiliated labor unions. This year's campaign includes 38 post offices and 20 community partners. For over 60 years, LCS has supported union families with groceries, holiday food distributions, and emergency assistance. SoCalGas has supported LCS since 2007. In 2024, SoCalGas volunteers helped sort 80,000 pounds of food, which supported approximately 3,280 families. SoCalGas offers programs and services that can help customers manage their natural gas usage and help save energy and money. To see programs that can help customers save, visit In 2024, SoCalGas contributed $10.2 million in charitable giving, including $5.3 million towards social impact initiatives. Those interested in volunteering with LCS can sign up at LCS is also accepting donations—just $40 can feed a family of five for five days. About SoCalGas SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States, serving more than 21 million consumers across approximately 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Our mission is: Safe, Reliable and Affordable energy delivery today. Ready for tomorrow. SoCalGas is a recognized leader in the energy industry and has been named Corporate Member of the Year by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce for its volunteer leadership in the communities it serves. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), a leading North American energy infrastructure company. For more information, visit or connect with SoCalGas on social media @SoCalGas. About LCS For over six decades, LCS (in partnership with Los Angeles County Federation of Labor) has been assisting unemployed and underemployed union families with groceries during the year via pantries, the National Association of Letter Carriers Annual Food Drive, and holiday meal distribution. We are committed to improving lives and providing resources and referrals so that we can help union members get ahead. There are families who work 40 hours a week and still struggle. Many are forced to decide between paying rent, purchasing food, or buying medicine for a sick child. We are proud to offer basic services to working women and men who need the most help. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In this press release, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "contemplate," "plan," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "envision," "should," "could," "would," "will," "confident," "may," "can," "potential," "possible," "proposed," "in process," "construct," "develop," "opportunity," "preliminary," "initiative," "target," "outlook," "optimistic," "poised," "positioned," "maintain," "continue," "progress," "advance," "goal," "aim," "commit," or similar expressions, or when we discuss our guidance, priorities, strategies, goals, vision, mission, projections, intentions or expectations. Factors, among others, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: decisions, denials of cost recovery, audits, investigations, inquiries, ordered studies, regulations, denials or revocations of permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor contracts and commitments, by the (i) California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Internal Revenue Service and other regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S. and states, counties, cities and other jurisdictions therein where we do business; the success of business development efforts and construction projects, including risks related to (i) completing construction projects or other transactions on schedule and budget, (ii) realizing anticipated benefits from any of these efforts if completed, (iii) obtaining third-party consents and approvals and (iv) third parties honoring their contracts and commitments; changes to our capital expenditure plans and their potential impact on rate base or other growth; litigation, arbitration and other proceedings, and changes (i) to laws and regulations, including those related to tax, (ii) due to the results of elections, and (iii) in trade and other foreign policy, including the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. and foreign countries; cybersecurity threats, including by state and state-sponsored actors, of ransomware or other attacks on our systems or the systems of third parties with which we conduct business, including the energy grid or other energy infrastructure; the availability, uses, sufficiency, and cost of capital resources and our ability to borrow money or otherwise raise capital on favorable terms and meet our obligations, which can be affected by, among other things, (i) actions by credit rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings or place those ratings on negative outlook, (ii) instability in the capital markets, and (iii) fluctuating interest rates and inflation; the impact on affordability of our customer rates and our cost of capital and on our ability to pass through higher costs to customers due to (i) volatility in inflation, interest rates and commodity prices and (ii) the cost of meeting the demand for lower carbon and reliable energy in California; the impact of climate policies, laws, rules, regulations, trends and required disclosures, including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas, increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory environment for California natural gas distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded assets, and uncertainty related to emerging technologies; weather, natural disasters, pandemics, accidents, equipment failures, explosions, terrorism, information system outages or other events, such as work stoppages, that disrupt our operations, damage our facilities or systems, cause the release of harmful materials or fires or subject us to liability for damages, fines and penalties, some of which may not be recoverable through regulatory mechanisms or insurance or may impact our ability to obtain satisfactory levels of affordable insurance; the availability of natural gas and natural gas storage capacity, including disruptions caused by failures in the pipeline and storage systems or limitations on the injection and withdrawal of natural gas from storage facilities; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that the company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, and on Sempra's website, Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company or Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the CPUC. 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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Putting profit over people': big gas is waging war on a California clean air rule
This story is co-published with Floodlight. On a windy night in early January, Barbara Ishida, a second grade teacher, spotted the Eaton fire glowing in the hills behind her home in Altadena, California. Her mind turned to the deadly wildfires in Lahaina and Paradise and she thought, 'Let's get out – now.' Ishida and her husband evacuated safely, but the flames destroyed their home. An attribution study found that climate change, which is primarily caused by burning fossil fuels, made the January fires 35% more likely. She thought the least they could do was rebuild in a way that wouldn't compound the climate crisis that raised the fire risk. 'Building back is our only option at this point,' Ishida said, 'so we're going to build back super environmentally friendly.' Her vision is to build a fire-resistant home with no gas appliances. That approach is backed by a University of California Berkeley study in April that concluded all-electric construction was the best and most climate-friendly strategy to rebuild after the fires. But the gas industry is pushing back against this idea. Proposed rules that would have encouraged Ishida and other homeowners to buy furnaces and heaters that emit no nitrogen oxides (NOx) – a key pollutant from gas appliances – have been weakened and delayed by a coalition of groups that includes SoCalGas, the country's largest gas utility. SoCalGas has a history of lobbying hard against regulations that hurt its bottom line. After a fierce opposition campaign, the rules are going to a vote on Friday, 6 June. The rules are proposed by the south coast air quality management district (SCAQMD), the agency responsible for improving air quality in Los Angeles and nearby communities, one of the most polluted air basins in the United States. If passed, the rules are designed to create cleaner air and reduce planet-heating emissions by setting future targets for sales of new zero-emission space and water heaters. The rules would apply to manufacturers, distributors, sellers and installers. They are expected to prevent 2,490 premature deaths and avoid 10,200 asthma cases. 'Consumers will continue to have a choice of purchasing either a gas or electric space/water heaters when replacing their existing units,' explained Nahal Mogharabi, a spokesperson for the air-quality district. 'Importantly, consumers can continue to operate their existing units until the consumer chooses to replace it or the unit breaks.' SoCalGas defended its role in the opposition campaign. 'SoCalGas' stakeholder engagement and outreach efforts on this topic are a regular part of any rulemaking process where we share information that could affect Southern California customers,' Erica Berardi, a SoCalGas spokesperson, wrote in an email. BizFed, a business group that was also part of the opposition campaign, advocated for a delay in the rule-making process 'to allow for more transparency and sufficient public outreach to make Southern Californians aware of the significant costs associated with these changes', Elizabeth Daubel, communications director for BizFed, wrote in an email. At the same time that the opposition campaign ramped up, groups allied with the gas industry filed a lawsuit against the SCAQMD, aiming to undermine its authority to impose such regulations. The opposition is far from unique; a February report by a London-based thinktank, InfluenceMap, found that fossil fuel companies in the United States, European Union and Australia were waging parallel campaigns against laws that restrict use of gas in buildings – pushback that has largely succeeded in preventing and weakening these laws. Ishida signed a letter supporting the proposed SCAQMD rules because she believes they would encourage Altadena to build back in a sustainable way. When she heard about the organized opposition to the rules, Ishida felt angry. 'They're just putting profits over people,' she said. 'It's sad and it's selfish and it's not right.' Related: 'Big oil's negligence': LA residents call on fossil fuel industry to pay for wildfire damages Although progressive states like California are leading the transition away from fossil fuels, gas appliances remain ubiquitous in California homes and across the western United States. Buildings account for one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in California but are subject to local control, meaning that local regulators like the SCAQMD have a big role to play in lowering emissions. In 2023, recognizing the air pollution caused by gas appliances, the agency proposed amendments to two rules to encourage alternatives. Changes to Rules 1111 and 1121 would establish a zero-emission NOx standard for furnaces and water heaters. As originally written, the new rules would have affected more than 10m gas-fired residential and commercial furnaces and residential water heaters. The rules would not affect gas stoves, a flashpoint in similar regulatory efforts. As they were written in October 2024, the proposed rules would have required all furnaces and water heaters installed to become zero-emission by 2026 for new residential and commercial buildings. Existing buildings and mobile homes had a few more years to comply. But in recent months, SCAQMD staff have softened the proposed rules. The current version now requires manufacturers to meet zero-emission sales targets for residential buildings, starting at 30% in 2027-28 and rising to 90% by 2036. The rule no longer requires that all new furnaces and water heaters be zero-emission by a certain date. The original rules would have reduced NOx emissions by 10 tons a day, which would have been the largest emissions-reducing rule package adopted in over three decades by the SCAQMD. The revised rules would achieve a reduction of 6 tons a day of NOx emissions. Kim Orbe, senior conservation program manager at Sierra Club, said pushing back the compliance date would allow manufacturers to continue building gas-powered equipment for years to come. She described the rules as 'tremendously weakened'. In late 2024, an opposition campaign sprang up, prompting SCAQMD's board to push back a scheduled hearing and final vote by six months, to Friday, 6 June. SoCalGas and groups aligned with the company helped delay the rule-making process by encouraging public officials to oppose the rules, according to records obtained by the Energy and Policy Institute and shared with Floodlight. Ahead of a major SCAQMD meeting on 20 December, SoCalGas employees sent 'urgent' requests to public officials, including mayors of cities in the south coast area, asking them to send letters, testify and pass resolutions opposing the rules. Their emails claimed – misleadingly – that the rules would prohibit the sale and installation of all gas furnaces and water heaters. Some of the letters that SCAQMD received from public officials were drafted by a consultant working for BizFed. Several city governments copied the consultant's draft letter on to their letterhead. Almost word-for-word letters were sent to the SCAQMD by the Orange county council of governments, the city of Lake Forest and the city of Loma Linda. The response to the rules was overwhelming, generating over 12,500 comments. But staff reported that many letters opposing the rules contained faulty information, including that the rules would mandate homeowners switch to all-electric appliances. The governing board delayed the vote and modified the rules to give more time to address concerns about 'cost, technology availability and consumer choice', Mogharabi wrote in an email. 'Even though the rule has been modified, as is typical during the rule-making process,' she added, 'the current NOx reductions are significant.' Mogharabi noted that this summer the agency was launching a Go Zero rebate program that will provide more than $21m to help residents and small businesses install zero-emission heating appliances. On 10 January 2025, as unprecedented mega-fires burned out of control in Los Angeles – destroying thousands of homes and killing 30 people – SCAQMD officials held a public meeting to consider the proposed rules 1111 and 1121. The tone of the meeting was somber. Officials began by acknowledging the wildfires and smoke cloaking the city, offering condolences to a board member who lost his home to the flames. Minutes later, lobbyists including a representative of SoCalGas asked for the rules to be delayed or retracted, citing the lawsuit challenging SCAQMD's authority to make such rules. Related: Big oil pushed to kill bill that would have made them pay for wildfire disasters Jessi Davis, a SoCalGas lobbyist said, 'We think it would be prudent for the board to postpone this rule-making until these issues are resolved by the courts.' In December, a coalition of groups, including homebuilders, restaurant owners and unions, filed the lawsuit against the SCAQMD, seeking to overturn a related rule that phases out large gas-fired furnaces and water heaters in commercial and industrial facilities. That rule is different from the proposed rules, which are specific to smaller residential and commercial furnaces and water heaters. 'The legal theories they're trying to push would undermine the ability of the [agency] to protect its residents,' said Adrian Martinez, an attorney at Earthjustice, an environmental non-profit that is intervening in the case. 'They're attempting to strip local entities like SCAQMD of the ability to clean up pollution.' With another wildfire season on the horizon, Ishida is thinking about the future of Los Angeles if climate change continues to worsen. 'We're not going to be the only community that burns,' Ishida said. 'We're not going to be the last if we continue down this stretch.' Floodlight is a non-profit newsroom that investigates the powerful interests stalling climate action. • This article was updated on 5 June 2025 to clarify that SCAQMD's board pushed back a scheduled hearing and final vote to Friday 6 June; an earlier version mistakenly gave the day as Tuesday.
Associated Press
07-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
LA Kings and Grades of Green Team Up To Create Vital Green Spaces for Students Through Adopt-A-School Program
AEG'sLA Kings teamed up with environmental nonprofit Grades of Green to revitalize green spaces at two schools in Inglewood, CA. The initiative sought to empower students through hands-on learning and environmental education as part of Grades of Green's Adopt-A-School Garden Program. On Wednesday, May 28, LA Kings employees along with volunteers from SoCalGas worked side by side with 60 students at Bennett-Kew Elementary School to transform the school's garden into a vibrant learning environment. Before any digging took place, teams followed safety best practices by contacting 811 two business days prior to have underground utility lines marked. This important step helps prevents injuries, property damage, service disruptions, and costly fines. Throughout the day, volunteers dug, planted, and taught students about the importance of green infrastructure, how trees improve air quality, and how gardens contribute to community health. Additionally, on Monday, June 2, LA Kings employees joined with volunteers from Farmacias Similares to revitalize a second campus garden at La Tijera K-8 School. The project kicked off with a speech from the school's Principal Robbie Tate, who shared how the garden would serve as a vital outdoor classroom for students to explore science, sustainability, and career pathways in the environmental field. Students from grades K–8 then participated in digging, soil preparation, and vegetable and tree planting activities guided by environmental educators from Grades of Green. 'Our partnership with Grades of Green is about more than just planting gardens,' said Amanda Apel, Senior Director, Community Relations, LA Kings. 'It's about giving students a space to learn, grow, and connect with the environment. But it also gives our employees an opportunity to drive meaningful change in communities throughout Los Angeles. We're proud to partner with organizations like Grades of Green, SoCalGas, and Farmacias Similares to make a lasting impact in our communities.' 'SoCalGas volunteers loved working alongside students of Bennett-Kew Elementary School with Grades of Green and the LA Kings to beautify their school and enrich their educational environment,' said Andy Carrasco, Vice President, Communications, Local Government and Community Affairs, SoCalGas. 'It's also an amazing moment for the students and community to learn about how to safely dig around schools, homes and businesses so that we can keep everyone safe – always call 811 before you dig.' Grades of Green's 'Adopt-A-School' program helps create more green spaces for students and school community members to enjoy. This initiative not only provides a nurturing outdoor classroom that supports hands-on learning and career exploration in environmental sustainability and related fields but also give students the opportunity to learn about the many benefits of green spaces, including their positive impact on air quality, community health, and overall well-being. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from AEG
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LA Kings and Grades of Green Team Up To Create Vital Green Spaces for Students Through Adopt-A-School Program
NORTHAMPTON, MA / / June 6, 2025 / AEG's LA Kings teamed up with environmental nonprofit Grades of Green to revitalize green spaces at two schools in Inglewood, CA. The initiative sought to empower students through hands-on learning and environmental education as part of Grades of Green's Adopt-A-School Garden Program. On Wednesday, May 28, LA Kings employees along with volunteers from SoCalGas worked side by side with 60 students at Bennett-Kew Elementary School to transform the school's garden into a vibrant learning environment. Before any digging took place, teams followed safety best practices by contacting 811 two business days prior to have underground utility lines marked. This important step helps prevents injuries, property damage, service disruptions, and costly fines. Throughout the day, volunteers dug, planted, and taught students about the importance of green infrastructure, how trees improve air quality, and how gardens contribute to community health. Additionally, on Monday, June 2, LA Kings employees joined with volunteers from Farmacias Similares to revitalize a second campus garden at La Tijera K-8 School. The project kicked off with a speech from the school's Principal Robbie Tate, who shared how the garden would serve as a vital outdoor classroom for students to explore science, sustainability, and career pathways in the environmental field. Students from grades K-8 then participated in digging, soil preparation, and vegetable and tree planting activities guided by environmental educators from Grades of Green. "Our partnership with Grades of Green is about more than just planting gardens," said Amanda Apel, Senior Director, Community Relations, LA Kings. "It's about giving students a space to learn, grow, and connect with the environment. But it also gives our employees an opportunity to drive meaningful change in communities throughout Los Angeles. We're proud to partner with organizations like Grades of Green, SoCalGas, and Farmacias Similares to make a lasting impact in our communities." "SoCalGas volunteers loved working alongside students of Bennett-Kew Elementary School with Grades of Green and the LA Kings to beautify their school and enrich their educational environment," said Andy Carrasco, Vice President, Communications, Local Government and Community Affairs, SoCalGas. "It's also an amazing moment for the students and community to learn about how to safely dig around schools, homes and businesses so that we can keep everyone safe - always call 811 before you dig." Grades of Green's "Adopt-A-School" program helps create more green spaces for students and school community members to enjoy. This initiative not only provides a nurturing outdoor classroom that supports hands-on learning and career exploration in environmental sustainability and related fields but also give students the opportunity to learn about the many benefits of green spaces, including their positive impact on air quality, community health, and overall well-being. Students joined alongside volunteers to help transform the school's garden into a vibrant learning environment. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from AEG on Contact Info:Spokesperson: AEGWebsite: Email: info@ SOURCE: AEG View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
The Guardian
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
‘Putting profit over people': big gas is waging war on a California clean air rule
This story is co-published with Floodlight. On a windy night in early January, Barbara Ishida, a second grade teacher, spotted the Eaton fire glowing in the hills behind her home in Altadena, California. Her mind turned to the deadly wildfires in Lahaina and Paradise and she thought, 'Let's get out – now.' Ishida and her husband evacuated safely, but the flames destroyed their home. An attribution study found that climate change, which is primarily caused by burning fossil fuels, made the January fires 35% more likely. She thought the least they could do is rebuild in a way that wouldn't compound the climate crisis that raised the fire risk. 'Building back is our only option at this point,' Ishida said, 'so we're going to build back super environmentally friendly.' Her vision is to build a fire-resistant home with no gas appliances. That approach is backed by a University of California Berkeley study in April that concluded all-electric construction is the best and most climate-friendly strategy to rebuild after the fires. But the gas industry is pushing back against this idea. Proposed rules that would have encouraged Ishida and other homeowners to buy furnaces and heaters that emit no nitrogen oxides (NOx) – a key pollutant from gas appliances – have been weakened and delayed by a coalition of groups that includes SoCalGas, the country's largest gas utility. SoCalGas has a history of lobbying hard against regulations that hurt its bottom line. After a fierce opposition campaign, the rules are going to a vote on Friday, 6 June. The rules are proposed by the south coast air quality management district (SCAQMD), the agency responsible for improving air quality in Los Angeles and nearby communities, one of the most polluted air basins in the United States. If passed, the rules are designed to create cleaner air and reduce planet-heating emissions by setting future targets for sales of new zero-emission space and water heaters. The rules would apply to manufacturers, distributors, sellers and installers. They are expected to prevent 2,490 premature deaths and avoid 10,200 asthma cases. 'Consumers will continue to have a choice of purchasing either a gas or electric space/water heaters when replacing their existing units,' explained Nahal Mogharabi, a spokesperson for the air-quality district. 'Importantly, consumers can continue to operate their existing units until the consumer chooses to replace it or the unit breaks.' SoCalGas defended its role in the opposition campaign. 'SoCalGas' stakeholder engagement and outreach efforts on this topic are a regular part of any rulemaking process where we share information that could affect Southern California customers,' Erica Berardi, a SoCalGas spokesperson, wrote in an email. BizFed, a business group that was also part of the opposition campaign, advocated for a delay in the rule-making process 'to allow for more transparency and sufficient public outreach to make Southern Californians aware of the significant costs associated with these changes', Elizabeth Daubel, communications director for BizFed, wrote in an email. At the same time that the opposition campaign ramped up, groups allied with the gas industry filed a lawsuit against the SCAQMD, aiming to undermine its authority to impose such regulations. The opposition is far from unique; a February report by a London-based thinktank InfluenceMap found that fossil fuel companies in the United States, European Union and Australia are waging parallel campaigns against laws that restrict use of gas in buildings – pushback that has largely succeeded in preventing and weakening these laws. Ishida signed a letter supporting the proposed SCAQMD rules because she believes they would encourage Altadena to build back in a sustainable way. When she heard about the organized opposition to the rules, Ishida felt angry. 'They're just putting profits over people,' she said. 'It's sad and it's selfish and it's not right.' Although progressive states like California are leading the transition away from fossil fuels, gas appliances remain ubiquitous in California homes and across the western United States. Buildings account for one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in California but are subject to local control, meaning that local regulators like the SCAQMD have a big role to play in lowering emissions. In 2023, recognizing the air pollution caused by gas appliances, the agency proposed amendments to two rules to encourage alternatives. Changes to Rules 1111 and 1121 would establish a zero-emission NOx standard for furnaces and water heaters. As originally written, the new rules would have impacted more than 10m gas-fired residential and commercial furnaces and residential water heaters. The rules would not affect gas stoves, a flashpoint in similar regulatory efforts. As they were written in October 2024, the proposed rules would have required all furnaces and water heaters installed to become zero emission by 2026 for new residential and commercial buildings. Existing buildings and mobile homes had a few more years to comply. But in recent months, SCAQMD staff have softened the proposed rules. The current version now requires manufacturers to meet zero-emission sales targets for residential buildings, starting at 30% in 2027-28 and rising to 90% by 2036. The rule no longer requires that all new furnaces and water heaters be zero emission by a certain date. The original rules would have reduced NOx emissions by 10 tons a day, which would have been the largest emissions reducing rule package adopted in over three decades by the SCAQMD. The revised rules would achieve a reduction of 6 tons a day of NOx emissions. Kim Orbe, senior conservation program manager at Sierra Club, said pushing back the compliance date would allow manufacturers to continue building gas-powered equipment for years to come. She described the rules as 'tremendously weakened'. In late 2024, an opposition campaign sprung up, prompting SCAQMD's board to push back a scheduled hearing and final vote by six months, to Tuesday 6 June. SoCalGas and groups aligned with the company helped delay the rule-making process by encouraging public officials to oppose the rules, according to records obtained by the Energy and Policy Institute and shared with Floodlight. Ahead of a major SCAQMD meeting on 20 December, SoCalGas employees sent 'urgent' requests to public officials, including mayors of cities in the south coast area, asking them to send letters, testify and pass resolutions opposing the rules. Their emails claimed – misleadingly – that the rules would prohibit the sale and installation of all gas furnaces and water heaters. Some of the letters that SCAQMD received from public officials were drafted by a consultant working for BizFed. Several city governments copied the consultant's draft letter onto their letterhead. Almost word-for-word letters were sent to the SCAQMD by the Orange county council of governments, the city of Lake Forest and the city of Loma Linda. The response to the rules was overwhelming, generating over 12,500 comments. But staff reported that many letters opposing the rules contained faulty information, including that the rules would mandate homeowners switch to all-electric appliances. The governing board delayed the vote and modified the rules to give more time to address concerns about 'cost, technology availability and consumer choice', Mogharabi wrote in an email. 'Even though the rule has been modified, as is typical during the rule-making process,' she added, 'the current NOx reductions are significant.' Mogharabi noted that this summer, the agency is launching a Go Zero rebate program that will provide more than $21m to help residents and small businesses install zero-emission heating appliances. On 10 January 2025, as unprecedented megafires burned out of control in Los Angeles – destroying thousands of homes and killing 30 people – SCAQMD officials held a public meeting to consider the proposed rules 1111 and 1121. The tone of the meeting was somber. Officials began by acknowledging the wildfires and smoke cloaking the city, offering condolences to a board member who lost his home to the flames. Minutes later, lobbyists including a representative of SoCalGas asked for the rules to be delayed or retracted, citing the lawsuit challenging SCAQMD's authority to make such rules. Jessi Davis, a SoCalGas lobbyist said, 'We think it would be prudent for the board to postpone this rulemaking until these issues are resolved by the courts.' In December, a coalition of groups, including homebuilders, restaurant owners and unions, filed the lawsuit against the SCAQMD, seeking to overturn a related rule that phases out large gas-fired furnaces and water heaters in commercial and industrial facilities. That rule is different from the proposed rules, which are specific to smaller residential and commercial furnaces and water heaters. 'The legal theories they're trying to push would undermine the ability of the (agency) to protect its residents,' said Adrian Martinez, an attorney at Earthjustice, an environmental nonprofit that is intervening in the case. 'They're attempting to strip local entities like SCAQMD of the ability to clean up pollution.' With another wildfire season on the horizon, Ishida is thinking about the future of Los Angeles if climate change continues to worsen. 'We're not going to be the only community that burns,' Ishida said. 'We're not going to be the last if we continue down this stretch.' Floodlight is a non-profit newsroom that investigates the powerful interests stalling climate action.
