Berkeley, CA — Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) today welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to California’s 13th Congressional District for two events highlighting innovative responses to the global climate crisis.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Secretary Jennifer Granholm, a former UC Berkeley faculty member, first toured the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to hear from the nation’s leading scientists about their efforts to discover new technologies, ensure a clean and sustainable water supply, decarbonize the planet, and solve the climate crisis.
Following the tour and discussions with scientists such as Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, Congresswoman Lee and Secretary Granholm joined East Bay mayors and other local officials at a solar-powered Berkeley home to promote the Department of Energy’s Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP+), an online tool helps local governments cut red tape on the review and approval of residential solar power.
State Senator Nancy Skinner, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, and other local leaders participated in the event at the home of Berkeley resident Pablo Diaz-Gutierrez. With the sky covered in gray smoke from the California’s massive wildfires, Congresswoman Lee, Secretary Granholm, and local leaders spoke about the importance of residential solar power at a time when threat of fire is causing shutdowns of traditional power sources across the state.
“It’s such a pleasure to welcome Secretary Granholm back to California’s 13th Congressional District, and to hear about cutting edge efforts to transition to clean power,” Congresswoman Lee said. “Here in California, we’re experiencing the climate emergency first-hand. We have lost so many homes and lives – and entire towns – to wildfires over the last few years. We know that these unprecedented fires are driven by climate change. We also know that communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis both here and around the world. As President Biden has said, justice has to be at the heart of our response. Increasing access to residential solar in communities like Oakland and Berkeley – where certain neighborhoods have experienced generations of environmental racism – helps to keep us on the path to justice. I look forward to continuing to work with Secretary Granholm and President Biden to build back bolder and address the climate crisis with the urgency that it deserves.”
For more information about the SolarAPP+ tool, go to: https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/leadership-roundtable-empowering-cities-accelerate-rooftop-solar-installations-across
Congresswoman Lee, Energy Secretary Granholm and local leaders
promote the DOE’s Summer of Solar campaign in Berkeley, CA
Who Is Congresswoman Barbara Lee?
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking woman of color in the U.S. Congress.