Tuesday, September 29th 2015  11:15am
San Jose, CA

Moving California Beyond Oil – 2015 Summit for California Elected Officials.

Please join us one day before the League of California Cities Conference, on September 29th, in San Jose.

The program includes lunch with a keynote address, panel discussions, and an evening reception, where you can engage with other leaders from the grant-making, business, outdoor recreation, political, environmental, academic, and public health sectors.

Program:

10:00am – 10:15am | Introduction and Welcome

10:15am – 11:15am | Panel 1: “Protecting Communities from Crude-by-Rail and Oil Refineries”
Trains carrying volatile crude oil threaten California with disasters like spills and explosions. We will lift the veil on the dangerous health and environmental impacts of crude transport and polluting refineries.

Moderator: Linda Maio (Berkeley City Councilmember)

Panelists: Devorah Ancel (Staff Attorney, Sierra Club Environmental Law Program); Roger Lin (Staff Attorney, Communities for a Better Environment); Jane Sandoval (Board Member, California Nurses Association); Jan Marx (Mayor of San Luis Obispo)

11:15am – 12:15pm | Panel 2: “Fighting Dangerous Oil Extraction”
Communities across the state suffer from the toxic effects of oil drilling and fracking, which poison our air and water. We will dive deeper into the consequences of oil extraction and share strategies that have successfully kept dirty fuels in the ground.

Moderator: Antonia Juhasz (Oil and Energy Policy Analyst, Author, and Investigative Journalist)

Panelists: Madeline Stano (Staff Attorney, Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment); Martha Argüello (Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility); Elly Benson (Staff Attorney, Sierra Club Environmental Law Program)

12:15pm – 12:30pm | Just Transitions Presentation
We’ll discuss strategies to transition California’s economy from petroleum-dependent to post-petroleum in a just way, ensuring that workers and communities most affected by the fossil fuel industry have access to clean transportation, clean air, and good, green jobs.

Presenter: Greg Karras (Senior Scientist, Communities for a Better Environment)

12:30pm – 1:15pm | Lunch

1:00pm – 1:30pm | Keynote Speaker

Kevin de León (California Senate President Pro Tempore)

1:30pm – 1:45pm | Break

1:45pm – 2:45pm | Panel 3: “Solutions: Expanding Public Transit, Encouraging Active Transportation, and Implementing SB 375”
Learn how we can reduce pollutants, counteract urban sprawl, and increase access to jobs and services for low income communities by implementing policies that transition California to a clean fuel economy.

Moderator: Allison Brooks (Executive Director, Bay Area Regional Collaborative)

Panelists: Tyler Frisbee (Policy Director, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition); Joël Ramos (Regional Planning Director, TransForm); Kit Decker (Electronics Technician, Bay Area Rapid Transit); Michael Turner (Government Relations Deputy Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority)

2:45pm – 3:00pm | Break

3:00pm – 4:00pm | Panel 4: “Zero Emission Vehicle Future”
We will examine the growth of zero emission vehicles (ZEV) and share methods for funding and implementing expanded ZEV access for all Californians. We will also focus on the community benefits of adopting clean transportation solutions, such as lowered GHG emissions, improved air quality, good jobs, lowered traffic congestion, and improved quality of life.

Moderator: Jesse Simons (Chief of Staff, Sierra Club)

Panelists: Andrea Tozer (Senior Attorney, Southern California Edison); George Lorente (Grants Manager, San Joaquin Regional Transit District); Joel Espino (Legal Counsel, Greenlining Institute); Anne Smart (Director of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs, ChargePoint)

4:00pm – 4:30pm | Capstone Speaker

Alberto Ayala (Deputy Director of California’s Air Resources Board)

4:30pm – 5:00pm | Reception

Please note: The event and panel discussions will be filmed. Audience members may be recorded.

Location:
Corinthian Grand Ballroom
196 N 3rd Street
San Jose, CA

Contact:
Lindsey Streeter
lindsey.streeter[at]sierraclub.org

Sponsored By:
Sierra Club and Communities for a Better Environment.