Los Angeles County and FUSE are working together to address rising energy costs that weigh heavily on low-income residents, renters, and communities with limited access to technologies like rooftop solar. Existing rate structures can shift costs onto those who can’t adopt these solutions, and many of the decisions that drive energy pricing are made at the state level. The Chief Sustainability Office (CSO) has set net zero goals, developed positions on technologies like hydrogen and battery storage, and begun exploring more renewable installations on County facilities. The County now wants to engage more effectively with bodies like the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission while streamlining its own internal processes.
Starting in Fall 2026, FUSE Executive Fellow Pamela Arnold will meet with CSO leadership and staff, the Internal Services Department, and other County agencies, and will review County plans, policy positions, and best practices from peer jurisdictions. Arnold will then map relevant state proceedings, build a system to track and prioritize engagement, help draft intervenor comments and letters, and develop policy positions on emerging energy technologies. In parallel, Arnold will use interviews and process mapping to find ways to speed up permitting for renewable installations on County facilities. By Fall 2027, deliverables will include a policy engagement framework, active advocacy on state proceedings, standardized policy briefs, a permitting improvement plan, an internal tracking system, and an implementation and sustainability roadmap.
