Purpose

We are the Yolo County Chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby, working together with other CCL chapters and climate advocates throughout the U.S. and world to pass economically practical legislation for solving climate disruption.

See our latest newsletter here.
New blog entries (see April 2026 blog entry on Moving Forward and July 2026 entry on Clean Energy Status)
CCL National Take-Action Page
Our preferred legislative solution for reducing carbon burden.

Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA) Introduced

BAAJA was introduced to the US Senate on September 30, 2026, by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM). CCL is strongly supporting the bill because analysis is showing that the bill would:

Reduce near-term emissions reductions from the power sector of roughly 200 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide, with cumulative carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector declining by about 1.8 gigatonnes (Gt) through 2041 as compared to the baseline.
Reduce the costs of providing electricity, decreasing the average annual costs of the electricity system by 3.5–7.0 percent over the modeled period.

See the modeling results here. Watch for more actions on this in the next few months.

Meetings with congressman Mike thompson's woodland and D.C. offices

In June, Yolo CCL met with local Woodland office aide Lucy Brazil. We had excellent discussions on legislation for permitting reform to speed clean energy deployment, forest management, and ocean carbon research. CCL volunteers also recently met with Congressman Thompson's Washington DC office during the CCL National Conference to discuss these issues in further detail. Both meetings were very productive. We look forward to Congressman Thompson's engagement in upcoming legislation addressing these.

PROVE-IT Act Becomes Law and HEATS Act Passes House

The Prove-It Act, which authorizes a comprehensive study comparing the carbon emissions intensity of certain goods produced in the United States to the emissions of those same goods produced in other countries, was passed by Congress in January 2026 and signed into law. This will enable the establishment of border carbon adjustments more easily and incentivize companies to further reduce carbon intensity. The HEATS Act, another CCL supported act, clarifies the permitting process for geothermal energy projects on non-federal lands. It passed the House in late April and heads to the Senate. If passed by the Senate, this should lead to faster development of zero-carbon geothermal energy.

Climate Sensitivity is Worse Than Most Scientists Thought

While many politicians are choosing to ignore global warming, evidence is showing that it could become worse much faster than previously thought. Pioneering scientist James Hansen is now saying that three lines of evidence point to a climate sensitivity (i.e how much warming for doubled CO2) of 4.5 degrees C. This is 50% worse than the previous estimate. He also projects that with the oncoming El Nino, global temperatures will be 1.7 degrees C above baseline by 2027. While there has been some progress, we are running out of time to prevent some of the worst effects from global warming. (Ex. Raging wildfires in Georgia in April - really?? or longer term Atlantic ocean current shutdown.)

Clean energy has fans in Trump's America, complicating budget talks

CCL and others lobbying members of the Senate are starting to have an effect on keeping clean energy tax credits in place. Summary from Reuters:

Trump's bill proposes ending wind and solar incentives by 2028
Renewable projects like solar, wind, and batteries face shutdown risk
Republican lawmakers from Utah, Alaska, N. Carolina, Kansas at odds over the rollbacks
Red states capture 75% of IRA clean energy investments
Utah clean energy investments total $3 bln, with $10 bln in announced projects

Utah Senator John Curtis, who has coordinated with CCL over the years as a House member, is now stepping up as a Senator to preserve as much of the IRA Clean Energy Tax Credits as possible.

Yolo and Santa Rosa CCL meet with State Sen. Cabaldon's Office

Yolo and Santa Rosa CCL members had an excellent Zoom meeting on March 13 with Nicole Cuellar, aide to State Senator Cabaldon. We discussed potential state level actions including:

The direct return of more cap and trade money to families through more prominent rebates on electric bills. This would also help lower the net cost of electricity to further encourage electrification of homes to replace the burning of natural gas.
The passage of Senate Bill SB643 to encourage more carbon sequestration projects in the state.

Note: State level actions by CCL members and other associates are now officially under the Climate Future California organization title.

Famed Investor Jeremy Grantham on Current Climate Issues

"Climate damage a short while ago was a ‘he says, she says,’ thing. Who to believe? Now only idiots and ideologues are non-believers. Last year was not just the warmest year since humans evolved. It was the warmest year by the biggest increment ever. 6 If you include the most recent data and take the 12 months ended this January 31st, the world has breached the dreaded 1.5°C above pre-industrial level. 7 And anyone who thought 1.0°C or 1.5°C seemed like such little numbers has been disabused by the avalanche of damaging climate incidents of over $1 billion each (see Exhibit 2). Globally last year GDP was reduced by over 1%, which at 2.9% total growth 8 is a lot, with poorer countries suffering a disproportionate share of that damage. 9 Unprecedented ‘atmospheric rivers’ are dropping a month’s normal rain in a day on our son’s family in California as I write this in early February. 10 Yesterday well over 100 people died in unprecedented forest fires in Chile. 11 The day before…etc. Everyone is suddenly beginning to talk about insurance premiums rising from climate damage as a serious cost pressure. (And in an increasing number of cases, insurance is simply unavailable.)" See original article here.

Yolo county climate action

Check out the latest on Yolo County's Climate Action Plan and take their survey.

A Clear Discussion of Carbon Dividends by Fareed Zakaria

What we do

Yolo CCL has been spreading the good news about a nonpartisan approach to global warming that can do the heavy lifting, be effective internationally, and actually improve the economy. We lobby members of Congress and provide public outreach. We table at numerous community events, present to local groups, and hold meetings with Congressman Thompson and other members of Congress and their aides on advancing climate legislation. We work with other climate advocacy groups on moving solutions forward at all levels.