81 percent support LADWP increasing its local solar goal to 1,200 megawatts. Support for this goal remains strong across the political spectrum, with majorities of Democratic, Republican and Independent voters all expressing support.

A memo detailing the survey findings is available online at www.votesolar.org.  The poll on L.A. attitudes toward renewable energy was conducted by the public research firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) for the Vote Solar Initiative.

“Sunny Los Angeles has enormous potential to lead the state in solar energy, and in recent months city leaders have done a commendable job of putting L.A. in a position to harness that homegrown renewable resource,” said Susannah Churchill, Southwestern Solar Advocate for Vote Solar. “Our poll shows that this is the kind of solar progress that Angelenos overwhelmingly want to see in their community.”

“Local solar power puts our energy dollars to work building a healthier and more prosperous L.A. An expanded solar program would put more boots on roofs and create more jobs in areas that need them most,” said Bill Gallegos, Executive Director of Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), a leading environmental justice organization. “Poor communities often get the worst of the fossil fuel energy system. It is only fair that they enjoy the environmental, health, and economic benefits of the clean energy system.”

“In addition to proving hugely popular among L.A. residents, expanded use of local clean energy can reduce the city’s dependence on out-of-state dirty coal power,” said Evan Gillespie Sierra Club, America’s largest grassroots environmental organization. “City leadership has set an exciting goal of getting LADWP off dirty coal. It just makes economic and environmental sense to harvest our homegrown solar resource, creating more local jobs and economic development for Angelenos.”

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is the largest municipal utility in the country, accounting for 10 percent of California’s electricity demand. The utility currently gets less than 1 percent of its power from solar generation. Los Angeles has recently taken important steps to expand its use of local solar power. In September 2011, LADWP reopened its Solar Incentive Program with a goal of installing 125 megawatts (MW) of solar to meet on-site power needs at homes and businesses. And in April 2012, the City Council and Mayor authorized LADWP to move forward with a new program called CLEAN LA Solar that will add 150 MW of rooftop solar power to the city’s electricity mix. Together these programs will result in about five times the amount of solar currently installed in L.A. and generate enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes.

Survey findings confirmed that Los Angeles voters stand behind the kind of solar leadership demonstrated by the city and would support further solar investment. An overwhelming majority feels that the city should achieve 1,200 MW of solar, which is LADWP’s share of Governor Brown’s statewide goal of 12,000 MW of local clean power by 2020. 1,200 MW of rooftop solar would generate enough clean, reliable electricity to power more than 260,000 homes.

Methodology:

From March 14-18, 2012, FM3 completed 400 telephone interviews with registered voters who are Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) customers. Results for the full sample have a margin of sampling error of +/- 4.9%.

About Vote Solar:

The Vote Solar Initiative (Vote Solar) is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the mainstream. Since 2002 Vote Solar has engaged in state, local and federal campaigns to remove regulatory barriers and implement the key policies needed to bring solar to scale. www.votesolar.org

About FM3:

Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) has specialized in public policy-oriented opinion research since 1981. www.fmma.com

RELATED

1. UCLA Study Calls for Cheaper Solar
2. Mayor Authorizes DWP to Buy Solar Power from L.A. Homes, Businesses
3. LA City Council Unanimously Approves Solar Feed-In Tariff Program; Solar Companies Accepting Project Submissions Through April 30

Responding to union allegations of poor working conditions at Los Angeles International Airport, two City Council members today urged airlines to work closely with contractors to improve service and safety standards.

"It's clear to me that the conduct and practices of the airline service contractors are creating poor working conditions and causing these labor tensions," Councilman Bill Rosendahl said. "We need to address that problem now. I call on (Los Angeles World Airports) and the airlines to act swiftly to avoid major labor disruptions at LAX, the largest origin and destination airport in the world," he said.

Rosendahl and Councilman Paul Koretz introduced a motion calling for the city to strengthen the airport's Certified Service Provider Program, which is aimed at ensuring airlines enforce performance standards in the areas of employee relations, training, safety and contractor experience.

The councilmen suggested that the program also include protections for whistleblowers and a reduction in the number of contractors operating at the airport.

"It is absolutely fundamental that we need to have safe and appropriate working conditions at the airport, otherwise, people may be in jeopardy, and that includes workers and travelers alike," Koretz said. "Airline service contractors need to bear responsibility for ensuring acceptable working conditions at the airport, and if they fail they should face severe consequences, certainly including potentially losing their continued right to operate at the airport."

Hundreds of unionized airport workers staged a protest at the airport in March, decrying what they called "reckless" contractors who cut corners to save money. Koretz and Rosendahl noted that the union was planning more protests, including a large rally on May 1.

Advance registration is required at http://communitysolar.eventbrite.com.

Topics covered will include eligibility requirements, application process and project selection criteria; solar system design, installation and interconnection costs; and project readiness for available financing options.

Register for the webcast online or call (310) 893-3100 to discuss your solar project.  More information is available at openneighborhoods.net/communitysolar.

Through April 30, 2012 Open Neighborhoods is accepting solar project submissions from commercial and multi-family property owners.

Eligible properties are located in the City of Los Angeles and have at least 4,000 square feet of rooftop or parking lot space suitable for solar. As part of the Open Neighborhoods Community Solar program, selected installer PermaCity is offering up to 33% discounts on installation costs. Financing options are also available to qualified participants.

Call (310) 893-3100 for details and ask about the Open Neighborhoods Community Solar discount. Visit openneighborhoods.net/communitysolar for more information and to submit a property location by April 30, 2012.

RELATED

1. Occupy Rooftops: Nov. 20 Community Solar Action Day
2. Jan 21st: Google and Clean Power Finance Offer Funding for Solar on Residential Rooftops
3. LA City Council Unanimously Approves Solar Feed-In Tariff Program; Solar Companies Accepting Project Submissions Through April 30

A former county appraiser who secretly and improperly slashed tens of millions of dollars from the taxable values of Westside properties in late 2010 said he did it in the hope that wealthy homeowners receiving the reductions would contribute money to Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez.

West L.A.:

read more

To commemorate 10,000 homes in California environmentally efficient enough to earn the GreenPoint Rated label, Energy Upgrade California is offering L.A. County residents up to $2,000 in rebates to bring their homes up to the same standard.

For a home to qualify for a GreenPoint Rated label, it has to meet requirements across five categories: energy efficiency, resource conservation, indoor air quality, water conservation and livable community benefits, such as bike accessibility. There is an additional $8,000 in rebates available for extensive and often high-cost energy efficiency upgrades like insulation and duct sealing.

“A green home is good for the planet, healthier for you and your family -- and now, with these new rebates, getting the label that proves your home is green is basically free,” said Howard Choy, GM of the County Office of Sustainability in a press release. “We hope these rebates will encourage more Los Angeles homeowners to consider going green.”

So far, California’s 10,000 GreenPoint Rated homes have saved enough water to fill MacArthur Park Lake five times over (112 million gallons, to be exact), and eliminated almost 9,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

Increase your chances by Tweeting about the contest and receive an extra entry for every Twitter follower that participates through your link!

Presented by the Los Angeles Business Council, the Summit will be hosted by LA City Councilmember Eric Garcetti.  The conference agenda includes keynote addresses by former Ambassador Mickey Kantor and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

A conference admission fee of $300 (or $135 for nonprofit/government agency) includes breakfast and networking lunch.  The registration deadline is April 24, 2012.  Online registration is available. Download the event flyer.

RELATED

1. Los Angeles DWP Announces Workshops for New Solar Feed-in Tariff Program
2. Los Angeles to Host Forum on Climate Change
3. The Mar Vista Education Summit 2011

To plug in to solar energy, you need photovoltaic cells, controllers, inverters, combiner boxes and plenty of copper wiring.

Experts will weigh in on science, collaboration, policy, and case studies on the City’s efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. City Council staff members, neighborhood councils, educators and all interested stakeholders are invited to participate.

The event will be held at the Japanese American National Museum located at 369 East 1st Street in Los Angeles.

To RSVP and arrange for parking, contact veronica.cavanaugh@lacity.org or 310-648-5668.  Light refreshments will be served.

Contact Jose Gutierrez at jose.gutierrez@lacity.org or 310-648-5755 for questions or comments.

RELATED

1. Los Angeles Business Resource
2. City Council Committee to Review Hollywood Community Plan Tuesday
3. City of LA to Create a Citywide Car Sharing Program

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today signed an ordinance giving the Department of Water and Power authority to sign contracts to purchase solar power from local providers to supply electricity to the rest of the city.

The department plans to sign up to 20-year contracts with a mix of residential and commercial solar power providers as part of a pilot project that will eventually generate close to 10 megawatt hours of electricity.

"This ordinance will allow Los Angeles to become the largest city in the nation to implement a feed-in-tariff system," Villaraigosa told an audience of reporters and environmental and business groups. "We are starting small, testing the market and making sure we have the best, most cost effective system for the future."

The department is mandated by the state to purchase at least 75 megawatts of solar power from residents and businesses through the feed-in- tariff program. Officials said they hoped to eventually ramp up to 150 megawatts, or about 3 percent of all the power the city uses.

DWP General Manager Ron Nichols said the rates would be set through a competitive bid process in order to get the best deal on the power for the ratepayers. "Clearly, solar is our best option for increasing local renewable energy, while meeting state renewable energy mandates and channeling economic benefits and job creation to the citizens of Los Angeles," Nichols said.

DWP will begin holding public workshops next week, though the Board of Water and Power Commissioners still needs to give the program a final approval, which is set for Tuesday.

Citing federal data, Councilman Eric Garcetti said the city gets about 260 days of sunshine per year. "We rank above Honolulu. We rank above Miami ... and now we're going to harvest the power and sunlight like we've never seen before," he said.

Garcetti said the feed-in tariff would be good for property owners and would also generate good jobs. "Most green jobs connected to solar are not in the creation of solar panels. It's in the installation of solar panels," he said.

At least one councilman, Richard Alarcon, has expressed concern the department might pay too much for the solar energy. During a council hearing last week, DWP officials said the department typically pays close to 9.5 cents per kilowatt hour from large-scale solar energy producers. The feed-in tariff program unanimously approved by the City Council and signed by Villaraigosa gives DWP authority to sign contracts for a rate as high as 30 cents per kilowatt hour.

DWP Assistant Director of Power System Planning and Projects Michael Webster told the council the department expects to pay well under the approved maximum rate.

The Los Angeles Business Council, a coalition of businesses spanning the banking, legal, development and other sectors, applauded the mayor's signing of the ordinance.

"Today we mark the start of this program that will spur new private sector investment, create meaningful jobs for a well trained workforce and generate local clean energy," LABC President Mary Leslie said.

300 spaces isn't much, but it's a start, especially because the RFP requests car share facilities near public transit (Transit-Oriented Transit?)--it specifically mentions the Green Line, Exposition Line, Purple Line, Gold Line, Silver Line, Blue Line, Orange Line, Red Line, and the Wilshire corridor as potential sites for a system with a build out of 60 units every five years. As for whether the new contract will go to Zipcar, Hertz (On Demand) or Enterprise Holdings, the LADOT expects to report back on a contract within 150 days. Image via AutomotiveIT
· Request for Proposal for the City of Los Angeles Public Carshare Program [Council File 11-1376]
· Zipcar-DOT College Collaboration Getting Crazy Use, Parking Tickets [Curbed LA]

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a new solar feed-in tariff program proposed by LADWP to purchase renewable energy from solar arrays installed on large rooftops and parking lots throughout the City.

LADWP objectives include providing a reliable, cost effective, and streamlined program; encouraging electrical generation from renewable resources close to load centers; balancing a renewable energy portfolio for reliability; and providing economic development in Los Angeles.

According to analysis by the Los Angeles Business Council, the new solar program will create over 4,500 jobs, generate $500 million in economic activity, and offset 2.25 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2016.

The cost to DWP ratepayers is projected at 52 cents per month for the solar power the new program will provide.  A similar program in Germany has successfully driven peak daytime electric rates down below off-peak nighttime levels. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicates that the five states with the most solar and wind have had the smallest increase in electricity prices.

LADWP has announced that the initial ten megawatt (MW) demonstration program will be open to thirty or forty solar projects ranging from small (30-150 kW) to large (151-999 kW).  Eight MW will be reserved for large projects and two MW for small projects.  Projects must be located in LADWP service territory in the Los Angeles Basin, with the exception of 300kW of small projects located in Owens Valley.  LADWP seeks to build a platform for expanding to at least 75 MW and potentially 150 MW beginning in Q1 2013.  Contracts and Interconnect Agreements will be standard and non-negotiable.

Open Neighborhoods and PermaCity have announced a call for project submissions from commercial and multi-family property owners through April 30, 2012.  The companies will be holding a series of free webinars during the month of April to explain participation details.  Eligible properties are located in the City of Los Angeles and have at least 4,000 square feet of rooftop or parking lot space suitable for solar.

As part of the Open Neighborhoods Community Solar program, PermaCity is offering discounts of up to 33% on solar projects in Los Angeles County.  Eligible participants can learn more, register for an upcoming webinar, and apply for a free rooftop assessment at www.openneighborhoods.net/communitysolar or by calling (310) 893-3100 prior to April 30, 2012.

RELATED

1. LA City Council Calls for Moratorium on Solar
2. LADWP Suspends Solar Incentive Program
3. Councilwoman Perry introduces Feed in Tariff Pilot Program motion at Los Angeles City Council

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A series of tornadoes and high winds in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas have left several flights departing from Los Angeles International Airport either canceled or delayed by as much as three hours.

Five departures to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and three arrivals from Dallas have been canceled at LAX as of mid-afternoon on Tuesday, according to Los Angeles World Airports.

Four other departures and two other arrivals have been delayed.

The Federal Aviation Administration enacted a traffic management program at DFW after a rare tornado storm ripped roofs off of homes and flattened tractor trailers in the Dallas area.

Passengers or people planning to meet passengers at LAX are being advised to check with airlines about flight status before heading to the airport.

The Argonaut newspaper covering Venice, Mar Vista and surrounding areas announced Thursday that it has been sold to Southland Publishing, Inc.

The local weekly newspaper was founded in 1971 and claims an audited print circulation of 30,000.

Launched as the Marina del Rey Argonaut, the paper expanded its coverage to include Playa del Rey, Venice, Santa Monica, Westchester, Los Angeles International Airport,  as well as the adjacent neighborhoods of Playa Vista and Mar Vista.

Southland Publishing oversees magazines, newspapers and websites in the Southern California region including The Pasadena Weekly, The Ventura County Reporter, San Diego CityBeat and Los Angeles CityBeat/ValleyBeat,  Arroyo Monthly, Life After 50 monthly and Culture Magazine.

Click through to read the announcement on the Argonaut.

Be sure to follow Venice-Mar Vista Patch on Twitter and "Like" us on Facebook.

On Monday, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission’s Center for Santa
Monica Bay Studies, the Center for Urban Resilience and Ecological Solutions (CURES), and Loyola Marymount University (LMU) co-hosted their annual Southern California Urban Wetland Research Symposium at LMU.

The symposium brought together about 180 scientists, students and members of the public from across southern California interested in wetlands research in the region.

Karina Johnston of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission said she was pleased with the success of the symposium.

“It was an incredible opportunity for scientists, water quality experts, students and members of the public to hear about research that is happening in our region,” she said.

The conference, Johnston told Patch, focused on urban wetlands issues “because all the wetlands in our region have a high degree of urbanization.”

Dr. Sean Anderson of California State University Channel Islands presented his research on fauna mortality around wetlands. Johnston said his paper demonstrated that, “road kill rates around Ballona are several times higher than elsewhere in the region,” pointing to the need for safe corridors for animals to pass from one wetlands area to another across the urban landscape.

Student presenters mostly from LMU participated in a poster session following the speakers. They shared their research on Ballona including data on the Ballona Seed Bank and on local mammal movements using the motion capture cameras now placed in the riparian corridor between LMU and Ballona. One of these posters demonstrated how red foxes - an invasive species - has been out-competing the native grey fox.

Johnston said she was particularly glad to hear Keynote Speaker Dr. Joy Zelder from the University of Wisconsin.

"Zelda literally wrote the book on wetlands restoration,” Johnston said, adding that she has been in the forefront of that work for decades. Zelder along with other presenters highlighted the continuing need for work to restore and maintain critical wetlands in the region particularly in the face of climate change and rising sea levels, Johnston said.

Restoration plans continue for the Ballona Wetlands. Johnston said that the Notice of Intent/Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the restoration will be released to the public in the next couple of months.

Following the release of the NOP there will be a public scoping meeting. Input from the NOP and the meeting will go into the writing of the draft Environmental Impact Statement this fall. The environmental report will assess the five restoration design alternatives that were selected through a public process.

The Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report are mandated by state and federal law in order to get permits to begin the restoration work. These processes are expected to last two years including public input, after which the project will be implemented in phases, to achieve the most benefit to the wetlands and public.     

Contact Diana Hurlbert dhurlbert@santamonicabay.org to give input or ask questions about the Ballona restoration.  Visit www.ballonarestoration.org for information about public meetings, open houses and other public events related to the project.