RCRC has lent its support to Assembly Bill 178, authored by Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber). AB 178 exempts post-fire residential rebuilding from recently-adopted California Energy Commission (CEC) solar energy installation mandates.
The CEC will require all new residential buildings built after January 1, 2020 to be equipped with solar photovoltaic systems. Since post-fire rebuilding is considered “new construction,” they must adhere to the building standards at the time of rebuilding.
Many of these fires occurred in some of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of California, where economic resources to mitigate the impacts of such disasters and aid residents with recovery are extremely limited. This new CEC mandate will add significant cost to the price of rebuilding for those who have already lost everything and may not have the resources necessary to rebuild. AB 178 would alleviate some of the pressure on these homeowners who are trying to rebuild.
RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here. AB 178 is currently awaiting the Governor’s consideration. For more information, John Kennedy, Legislative Advocate, can be reached at (916) 447-4806 or jkennedy@rcrcnet.org.