State Senator Dave Cortese and State Assembly Member Gail Pellerin have written strong letters to the California Energy Commission (CEC) opposing AES’s proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) adjacent to the Charter School of Morgan Hill. 🏫🚫

Won’t you join us now in writing to them and Governor Gavin Newsom? We must urge them to take the next critical step: act decisively to protect our students and school community by supporting the immediate passage of SB 954. 🛡️

This bill ensures that appropriate safeguards, meaningful local oversight, and adequate protections for students and staff are restored. Let your voice be heard! 👇

 
📧 Email Template
Subject: 🚨 URGENT: Restore Local Oversight and School Safety – Support SB 954

To: [Representative Name]

I am writing as a deeply concerned constituent to urge your immediate support for SB 954. We need this "clean-up bill" to take effect immediately to address the dangerous gaps created by AB 205 and SB 131 regarding the siting of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). ⚠️

The current legislative framework has created a crisis of safety and accountability in our community. Under the opt-in provisions of AB 205, companies like AES are moving to bypass local planning commissions and public oversight. In Coyote Valley, the proposed AES project sits directly across the road from the Charter School of Morgan Hill. 📍🏫

The current standards (including NFPA 855) are insufficient for the following reasons:

📏 Inadequate Setbacks: The lack of mandatory buffer zones between industrial BESS installations and "sensitive receptors"—specifically schools—leaves our students at an unacceptable risk of exposure to chemical plumes or thermal runaway events.

🏛️ Erosion of Local Authority: AB 205 and SB 131 have effectively silenced local governments. Decades of careful city planning and stakeholder deliberation are being discarded in favor of administrative convenience for private power companies.

🕵️‍♂️ Lack of Transparency: AES has consistently declined to participate in public town halls with parents. By pursuing expedited CEC approval as early as May 2026, the company is intentionally avoiding meaningful public engagement.

Relying on a distant agency in Sacramento to weigh the safety of our children is not a substitute for local democratic processes. We respectfully ask you to prioritize the safety of students over streamlined industrial approvals. ✋🛡️

Please act immediately to pass SB 954 to restore essential protections, local authority, and public trust.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] [Your Address/District]

Contact Info:

Governor Gavin Newsom 🏛️
📧 Email: governor@governor.ca.gov

State Senator Dave Cortese 🏛️
📧 Email: senator.cortese@sen.ca.gov

Assembly Member Gail Pellerin 🏛️
📧 Email: assemblymember.pellerin@asm.ca.gov