County Establishes Energy Council to Bolster Sustainable Energy Programs

A new Energy Council Joint Powers Authority for Alameda County has been formed with the goal to bring more sustainable energy to the area, according to media reports.

The Oakland Tribune reports that the newly formed entity was created by the Alameda County supervisors in order to go after sustainable energy grants, which include grants totalling $42 million that are available through the Bay Area Regional Energy Network.

Here's more from the report:

So far, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Hayward, Oakland, Piedmont, San Leandro and Union City, as well as Alameda County, have signed on to the Energy Council, as the new JPA is called. They will pursue sustainable energy grants, including $42 million available through the Bay Area Regional Energy Network.

Coordinating the efforts and money for the council will be StopWaste, which a 2011 Alameda County grand jury criticized for high personnel costs and mission creep. The grand jury said the organization, made up of the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling and Alameda County Waste Management Authority boards, should be reduced in size because it has fulfilled its mandate to reduce refuse going into the county's landfills.

A 2012 grand jury called on the county to exercise stricter oversight of its numerous joint powers authorities.

For more details, click here to read the full report from The Oakland Tribune.