Protecting the planet and forging a sustainable future

I couldn’t agree more.

April 22 is the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day, and while we’ve made great strides, there’s so much more to be done. Making progress on the environment — on every possible front — has long been a priority in my public service.

In my first term in the California State Legislature, I was a co-author with then-State Senator Byron Sher of the landmark 2002 Renewables Portfolio Standards Program bill, which required California electricity providers to acquire at least one-fifth of their power from clean, renewable sources — like wind, solar, and geothermal — by 2017.

This was an ambitious objective, and not an easy sell. Many predicted that the state would fail to meet this goal. But it was clear what was on the horizon if we didn’t make big changes in how California generated electricity: dirtier air, increased greenhouse gas emissions, depleted resources.

So, three years later as a State Senator, I wrote legislation moving the deadline for 20% renewables up to 2010 and strengthening the program’s monitoring and economic efficiency.

I soon went even further, introducing bills to increase clean renewables to fully one-third of the state’s electricity retail sales. It took three attempts over four years, but in 2011, while I was serving as Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, “33% Renewable Energy by 2020” was finally approved and signed into law. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu called it a “groundbreaking piece of legislation.”

I’m proud to have helped California meet — and then exceed — those initial goals, laying the foundation for the state to become a national leader in renewable energy. Subsequent state legislation has now pushed the mandate to 60% renewables by 2030, and requires that all the state's electricity to come from carbon-free resources by 2045.

Renewable energy is just one of the avenues I pursued to address the impacts of climate change and, more broadly, environmental protection. While serving in the State Legislature I authored scores of bills to: better regulate auto emissions and toxics cleanup; safeguard water quality; expand hazardous waste disposal and recycling; increase open space; further environmental education; streamline and strengthen regulations; and, conserve vital habitat.

To be effective, environmental legislation often had to be multi-layered, acknowledging interwoven—and sometimes competing—complexities. My bill, the “Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009,” for example, aimed to restore and protect a major source of drinking water and an environmental treasure.

By providing a governance framework for the Delta, and establishing reliable water supply and environmental protection as co-equal goals, the bill ensured that our kids and grandkids will have a safe and clean water supply, and a thriving Delta environment.

It is deeply gratifying that in my 12 years as a State Legislator, I routinely received “100%” environmental ratings from the California League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and Vote the Coast, and received recognition from the Bluewater Network, Breathe California, Environment California, Californians Against Waste and Green California.

What I learned early on about addressing climate change was that we needed to rethink our relationship with the environment—a lesson that is even more applicable today, as increasingly severe impacts related to climate change move from “someday” to “now.”

Since returning to the County Board of Supervisors in 2012, I’ve welcomed the opportunity push our region be on the leading edge of this new way of thinking, whether it’s preparing our communities for the “new normal” in extreme weather events; decreasing our carbon footprint; improving land stewardship; safeguarding air and water quality; strengthening awareness and oversight; or, creating more equitable access to resources and protections.

In 2022, 100% of our County’s electricity was powered by renewable energy sources — one of many Sustainability Master Plan goals achieved last year. Over the next year, our County’s big picture environmental efforts will include:

• Carbon Neutrality for County Operations Plan;
• “Diesel Free by ’33” study for alternative fuel use in County equipment;
• Energy Resilience and Community Climate Action roadmaps for unincorporated areas; and an
• Updated Countywide Trails Master Plan Map.

Looking forward, we want development that is wise and well managed — complemented by parks and open spaces that provide opportunities for contemplation, recreation, and inspiration. We want robust emergency preparedness and resilience for all communities, energy sources that look to the future, and education that helps foster new ideas and a new generation of environmental experts and advocates.

Looking back, County efforts I’ve championed in recent years to address climate change and protect the environment show how much we can accomplish through partnership and collaboration. Highlights include:

Conservation and Open Space

Alpine Trail. The Board approved funding in 2022 for the Alpine Road Regional Trail Improvement Project to mitigate impacts from development at Stanford University. This 2.3-mile trail for hikers, cyclists and equestrians will close the gap between Page Mill Road and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District preserves.

Park Link-Ups. The Board approved the purchase of 47 acres of land between Santa Teresa and Calero Parks in south San Jose, a community that was added to my district, District Five, after redistricting took place in 2022. This acreage will allow travel between the two parks, which currently are several miles apart. This is the most recent of a number of County open space acquisitions that provide vital recreation and habitat linkages.

Protecting the Ridgeline. The County and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District partnered in 2021 to enforce the ridgeline preservation easement adjacent to Rancho San Antonio County Park and Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, reinforcing the protection of local hillsides and habitat for years to come.

Linking Saratoga to Skyline. Being able to hike from the City of Saratoga all the way to the Pacific Ocean has long been a dream for many. I was eager to collaborate with the City of Saratoga to turn this dream into reality. We at the County synched our work schedules with those of the City so we could have a timely trail opening in November, 2020. Today ambitious hikers can start in Quarry Park in Saratoga, walk through Quarry Park into the County’s Sanborn Park and all the way through Sanborn to Skyline Boulevard where they can hook up with the Skyline to the Sea trail.  

Stevens Creek. Improvements to fish passage barriers on Stevens Creek in 2018 are fostering a healthy population of steelhead trout.

Education

Acterra: “You(th) Be the Change” program to teach middle school students about the effects of climate change and potential solutions.

Canopy: Urban forestry education and advocacy programs in the northern part of Santa Clara County.

Deer Hollow Farm: hands-on field education for elementary age students covering a range of topics from farming, animal husbandry, and life sciences to the culture and history of the native Ohlone.

Environmental Volunteers: In-class and field science education for elementary school students, promoting understanding of and responsibility for the environment.

Grassroots Ecology: Education and training for young people interested in pursuing a career in sustainable land management.

Emergency Preparedness

County Parks. In 2022 the County strengthened operations partnerships to better manage fire-prone areas in County parks, protecting neighboring communities, as well as vital outdoor recreation and habitat.

Empowering Community. Expansion of the Cool Block Mountain View three-year pilot program in 2022 brings neighbors together to build community, tackle climate change, and address disaster preparedness on their own city block.

Fighting Fire. In 2022 the Board approved the purchase of Los Altos Hills County Fire District equipment that specializes in the transport of water from the source to the fire scene. The Board also approved a multi-jurisdictional agreement to provide an “all-risk” engine crew during wildland fire season at a strategically located fire station in Palo Alto’s Foothills Park.

Livestock Protection. The County’s 2022 “Livestock Pass” program gives ranchers, livestock producers and managers, and first responders limited access to restricted areas to care for or evacuate livestock during natural disasters.

Mountain Community Safety. The Board’s approval in 2022 will upgrade emergency services for our residents living in the Santa Cruz Mountains’ remote Loma Prieta community, which faces a high threat of wildfires and other natural disasters.

Wildfire Prevention. Expansion of the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District’s Pre-Fire Management and Wildfire Resilience program in 2022 added a dedicated crew to clear brush and vegetation along evacuation routes, and extended a free “chipping” program that helps district residents and communities create and maintain defensible space.

Oversight

Leaded Fuel. The Board voted in 2021 to eliminate the sale of leaded fuel at Reid-Hillview and San Martin County airports to protect nearby communities from aviation lead exposure.

Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry. Increased oversight of this 3,510-acre industrial site in unincorporated Cupertino, and held the owner accountable for repeated violations of air, water, and noise regulations. Through regular Town Hall meetings I helped the public navigate the thicket of local, state, and federal agencies that have jurisdiction over operations. In December 2022, at my request, the Board began exploring options to ensure that Lehigh’s cement plant operations—dormant since April 2020—would remain permanently closed.

Stanford University. When the University withdrew its application for an updated General Use Permit in 2019, the County moved forward with a much needed update to the 2020 Stanford Community Plan, which is part of the County’s General Plan. The Board is scheduled to consider the updated Community Plan, with more modern policies related to housing and transportation, in October 2023.

Stevens Creek Quarry. More rigorous County oversight in 2020 resulted in the improved monitoring and enforcement of use-permit conditions at the Quarry, particularly those related to noise monitoring and an accounting of trucks and daily loads. And while their use permit has expired, the Quarry did enter into a compliance agreement while the County is processing it’s application for a new use permit.

Sustainability

Clean Energy. I led the County’s participation in Community Choice Energy, and was a founding Director of Silicon Valley Clean Energy, which in 2017 began providing residential and commercial customers carbon free electricity options at competitive rates, with profits re-invested locally.

Prescription Drug Reuse. As a State Senator, I worked to legalize safe redistribution of unopened prescription medications, a program adopted in 2015 by the County’s Better Health Pharmacy that gives local health facilities a green, cost-effective option for disposing of unused drugs. Disposal costs an estimated $100 million annually in California alone, and causes significant environmental harm: medical waste incinerators are the country’s largest source of the highly toxic pollutant dioxin, and one in three water samples contain hormones widely used in pharmaceuticals.

Renewable Fuel. Thanks to a Los Altos Hills resident who introduced the idea, the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District in 2022 switched its fleet from operating on traditional petroleum-based diesel to renewable diesel, made from a variety of organic material—including soybean oil and used cooking oil.

Water Bottles. In 2014, the County began requiring that private commercial development in unincorporated areas install water bottle filling stations to encourage the use of reusable containers.