Santa Barbara Climate Champions Hit D.C. to Champion Crucial Environmental Legislation!

This week, two Santa Barbara residents made their way to Washington, D.C., as part of a national push for climate action. Charles Feinstein and Kirk Peterson, members of the local chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), were among many advocates urging Congress to maintain crucial environmental policies.

Feinstein and Peterson attended CCL’s annual Summer Conference and Lobby Day from July 20-22. This event featured two days of informative panels and strategy sessions, culminating in a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill.

During the trip, they met with Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff and Representative Salud Carbajal, who already support clean energy initiatives. However, they didn’t get a chance to speak with Republican offices. Feinstein admitted that was a limitation of their lobbying effort.

Feinstein, a former director at the World Bank, expressed the need to recharge his motivation amid the challenging climate landscape. “I hope to regain enthusiasm,” he said before the trip.

Their discussions focused on critical legislation, including the Fix Our Forests Act, which seeks to improve forest health and resilience against wildfires, and the Foreign Pollution Fee Act, aimed at imposing fees on carbon-heavy imports. CCL also advocates for a carbon fee-and-dividend model to hold polluters accountable.

“Currently, polluting is free, and basic logic tells us that when something costs nothing, we tend to consume a lot of it,” Feinstein explained.

Peterson’s commitment stems from personal experiences, as he recalled friends who suffered losses during a devastating landslide in La Conchita in 2005. “Climate disasters hit the most vulnerable hardest,” he noted. Both men emphasized that their visit was more about having a presence than persuading lawmakers.

Despite their efforts, the political climate appears discouraging. Feinstein raised concerns that the U.S. is falling short of its Paris Agreement goals. “Now, we’ll be lucky to achieve a 30 percent reduction,” he said, reflecting on recent legislative rollbacks.

In June, the House passed a budget bill that would undo significant portions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, reducing federal support for clean energy initiatives. If passed in the Senate, this could slice billions in climate investments.

Yet, they insist the trip was meaningful. Feinstein pointed out that Santa Barbara is particularly vulnerable to climate change, citing NOAA data that shows it’s warmed more than any other U.S. county over the last 50 years. “Our ecosystems aren’t just threatened; they’re already affected,” he stated.

For Peterson, it’s important to stay engaged, even when progress seems slow. “Integrating climate action into the market can spark movement,” he mentioned. “We have to continue showing up.”

After the conference, Feinstein reflected on how the experience exceeded his expectations. The drive and commitment he witnessed within the climate community left him hopeful. “No one’s giving up,” he remarked. “CCL has a solid plan—lots of plans.”

These plans focus on three critical areas: restoring clean energy support in appropriations, reforming transmission to enhance the national grid, and pushing for the Fix Our Forests Act. “A stronger grid is vital,” Feinstein noted. “It connects clean energy to where people live and safeguards against climate-induced failures.”

With over 850 volunteers at the conference, Peterson felt reassured by the turnout. “Hard work is needed, and the commitment from our community gives me hope,” he said, emphasizing the continuous fight for climate solutions.

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