Community Matters

Mr. Michael Polkabla describes the initial County of Monterey and EPA responses to the January 16, 2025 Moss 300 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Fire, how he worked with the Community to organize the widespread surface sampling for heavy metals and helped publish the results on the Never Again Moss Landing website.  Watch for his forthcoming professional paper.  https://neveragainmosslanding.org/resources/

Mr. Ed Mitchell discusses the problems with the Vistra Moss 300 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility that contributed to the fire disaster on January 16, 2025, why it is good news Vistra is now decommissioning the Moss 100 BESS facility, and his thoughts on the Santa Cruz County BESS Draft Ordinance.

https://neveragainmosslanding.org/

Hour One: Meet the new President of Cabrillo College, Dr. Jenn Capps, joined by Marketing & Communications Director Ms. Kristin Fabos.  Dr. Capps guided the change at Humboldt University to become Cal Polytechnic Humboldt.  How does she envision Cabrillo College in the future?  I think you will like what you hear!

https://www.cabrillo.edu/president/

Hour Two: Mr. Lee Butler, Planning Director for the City of Santa Cruz, explains why downtown areas are changing and what we can expect in the future.  State legislation has robbed local jurisdictions like Santa Cruz of discretion in large projects.  Developers are now more interested in building and the City is interested in building an economically vibrant downtown area that will bring 1600 new living units on board, with 320 of them deemed "affordable".  Listen in and learn how you can get involved in projects in your neighborhood...early! 

Mr. Butler's background:  https://takistalk.com/lee-butler-santa-cruz/

City Projects:

https://www.santacruzca.gov/Government/City-Departments/Community-Development/Current-Planning/Significant-Projects-Planning

https://www.santacruzca.gov/Government/City-Departments/Community-Development/Long-Range-Policy-Planning/Ordinance-Policy-Updates/Downtown-Plan-Expansion

Hour One: Mr. Bob Broussard, current Foreperson of the Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury, describes the work of the Civil Grand Jury, the investigations that lead to improved local government and how people can volunteer to participate in the 2026-2027 Civil Grand Jury.

https://www.santacruz.courts.ca.gov/divisions/civil-grand-jury

Hour Two: Dr. Mijin Cha, UCSC Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies, affiliate faculty in the legal studies department, and on the Faculty Advisory Board at the UCSC Center for Labor and Community. She is also a Fellow at Cornell University’s Climate Jobs Institute 

and authored the book A Just Transition for All: Workers and Communities for a Carbon-Free Future was published by MIT Press in Dec. 2024

https://mijincha.com/about-me/

Dr. Cha discusses the implications of transitioning energy sources from fossil fuel  to solar and wind, but cautions the real implications of the battery energy storage systems (BESS)  required that may merely shift the health and safety risks as well as pollution related to mineral mining to other disenfranchised communities.  She emphasizes the importance of full and early engagement of the Communities affected to support social and environmental justice and government transparency, focusing on the People more than the profits related.

Please visit "People of Red Mountain" re: Lithium mining on sacred Tribal lands:

https://peopleofredmountain.com/

Hour One: Dr. Xiaoliang Wang, Director of Atmospheric Sciences Graduate Program at University of Nevada, Reno, is the principal investigator of projects to study lithium-ion battery fire emissions and suppression, vehicle tailpipe and non-tailpipe (brake, tire, and road wear) emissions, emissions from mining fleets, industrial stacks, and fugitive dust sources in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in Alberta, Canada. https://www.dri.edu/directory/xiaoliang-wang/

What about the data gaps in the Region 9 EPA air quality monitoring at the Moss Landing Battery Fire, January 16-18, 2025?

View his presentation at the 7/24/2025 State Fire Marshal BESS Safety Symposium regarding the Moss Landing Battery Fire (begin at Minute 6:48:30):

Battery Energy Storage Systems Fire Safety Symposium

Hour Two: Update on Santa Cruz County Draft BESS Ordinance with caller contribution.  Also, an interview with Ms. Mila Boiko...her journey to help her daughter and an elderly woman...and what she has learned about "the system".

Due to technical difficulties, today's program is very short, but includes updates on February 3 Monterey County Board of Supervisor actions re: Moss Landing BESS Fire Clean Up and anticipated March 17 Report to the Board, updates on Santa Cruz County's Draft BESS Ordinance and upcoming February 10 meeting in Watsonville as opportunity for public comments on BESS, and critical questions we need to ask the Ag. Policy Advisory Commission (APAC) at their February 19 meeting.  Can they really justify removing prime ag land from production to build a large BESS facility when Measure J prohibits doing so?

Hour One: Mr. Drew Bohan, Executive Director of California Energy Commission (CEC), discusses the process for Opt-In Certification of large non-fossil fuel power facilities and energy storage systems that streamlines permitting process.  The CEC makes the decisions, not local land-use agencies, but does that mean local authorities are ignored and powerless???Listen in!

AB 205 Opt-In Fact Sheet: https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/Opt-In_Certification_Fact_Sheet_ada.pdf

dashboard of current Opt-In Projects: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/60636fa7f262449f8f033a74b0ccc763 

Hour Two: Interview with Ms. Ashley Bridges, Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes Executive Director discusses the work to help feed 80-100 families daily with the help of many volunteers.  Since beginning in 1989 in response to the great need of many displaced by the Loma Prieta Earthquake, this wonderful organization helps nourish people and support the Community.  Listen in and learn how to help!

https://www.pvloavesandfishes.org/

Santa Cruz is facing a critical moment. Recent decisions by the city's planning commission to eliminate public hearings for 100% affordable housing projects could have far-reaching implications not just for community involvement, but also for the environment. 

The proposed Affordable Housing Overlay District would cover approximately 15% of the build-able area of the City. Other cities have far smaller overlay zones or are going project by project to evaluate if public hearings are required. Santa Cruz is going for the max .

If approved, there will be no public hearings held at meetings of the City Council or Planning Commission for 100% affordable housing projects in the proposed overlay district.

One year ago today, the Moss 300 lithium battery storage facility in Moss Landing erupted in massive toxic flames.  Dedicating this program to those who have come together to seek the truth about what happened and why.

Hour One: Nina Audino describes questions re: environmental analysis and regulatory holes in the Santa Cruz County Draft Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) rules Supervisors approved 1/13/2026, relying heavily on information conjured by 90 Minto Road developer.  No large-scale fire testing, no plume modelling,no seismic regulation.  No public comment???

Donate to legal fund necessary to protect agricultural land and challenge siting 90 Minto Road project next to densely-populated working-class neighborhoods: https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/

Hour Two: Scott Smith, Blue Shirt Justice League and Government Accountability Project leader, discusses the EPA cover-ups and lack of accountability to people harmed by major environmental disasters, such as East Palestine, Ohio,  Roseland, Louisiana, and Moss Landing, California. Joined by ASPECT whistleblower Dr. Robert Kroutil, discovery that EPA reported only a narrow and incomplete subset of chemicals detected in Roseland disaster between August 22–27, due to fundamental failures in data analysis and interpretation. These failures mark a pattern of ASPECT's negligent use after similar evidence in East Palestine which showed ASPECT being turned off over key waterways and only recording eight minutes of data.

https://whistleblower.org/press/epa-aspect-flyover-data-confirms-chemicals-found-by-independent-tester-after-smittys-supply-explosion/

https://goblueshirtjustice.org/

First Hour: Gary Patton discusses the 1978 Voter Referedum Measure J's importance in continuing to preserve agricultural lands, require 15% affordable housing in new subdivision projects, define the urban services line and require an annual County Growth Goal that reflects the County's fair share of the State's growth.  It can only be changed by the vote of the people...so how can the County Draft BESS Ordinance remove acres of farmland for utility grid battery energy storage use????

Second Hour: Three Guests who are local activists  speak out about public safety problems with the County BESS Ordinance:

Carol Bjorn:The importance of preserving agricultural land and demanding full EIR. Opt out of Central Coast Energy (3CE) because they support siting lithium BESS in our neighborhoods. https://3cenergy.org/billing/energy-choices/opt-out/

('Ban Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County' meets 1st & 3rd Mondays at Porter Library, Soquel, at 6:30pm)

Phillip Carranco: Local activist and internationally -known regulatory policy expert: The County used very little of his professionally-developed BESS Ordinance gifted to them, such as seismic safety requirements and enforcement with large fines.

Karell Reader, local farmer and activist with 'Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County' shares concerns that Planning Dept. is too vague on environmental review of the BESS Ordinance and the 90 Minto Road BESS Project in Watsonville...the two are mingled and confusing and the public may not have opportunities to weigh in with concerns 

SUPPORT THE ATTORNEY THIS GROUP HAS HIRED TO SAVE THE AG LANDS IN OUR COUNTY:

https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/

learn more about the County BESS Ordinance and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON JANUARY 13 AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETING IN SCOTTS VALLEY (WHY AREN'T THEY DISCUSSING THIS IN WATSONVILLE, WHERE THEIR ACTIONS WILL HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS THERE!)

https://cdi.santacruzcountyca.gov/UPC/GetInvolved/MajorProjectApplications/BatteryEnergyStorageSystemsOrdinance.aspx