The Changemaker blog series celebrates MCE’s 10-year anniversary by recognizing the extraordinary people who support us and further our mission.
Senator Mike McGuire is the recipient of MCE’s 2020 Climate Action Leadership award for his work advocating for policies benefiting Community Choice Agency (CCA) customers, advancing efforts to combat climate change, and leading the way to a more sustainable and equitable world for all. Senator McGuire has been a champion of the CCA movement since his election to the California State Senate in 2014, when CCAs were still a relatively new development. At that time, only two CCAs were delivering service to customers in California, both of which are in his district in the North Coast region.
Senator McGuire’s Work
Since his election, Senator McGuire’s leadership has helped to build a critical base of supportive champions within the Senate and has fought off countless threats to CCAs. In 2019, as a member of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, he was instrumental in the defeat of AB 56 (Garcia), a bill that threatened the local governance of CCAs. Most importantly, Senator McGuire is a tireless champion for the rural communities that have been heavily impacted by wildfires in the last several years, and has been at the forefront of the calls for reforming PG&E.
Senator McGuire has authored many bills to improve emergency response systems; refine wildfire mitigation plans; demand a higher standard of wildfire survivor assistance; and strengthen the electricity grid through grid hardening, undergrounding, and infrastructure accountability. He is a powerhouse for climate advocacy and an inspirational changemaker in Sacramento. Thanks to Senator McGuire’s efforts, the CCA movement will continue to flourish, and our customers will continue to receive clean and locally controlled electricity.
MCE’s 2020 Climate Action Leadership Award
MCE presented our 2020 Climate Action Leadership Award at our annual Board retreat on September 18, 2020. When accepting the award, Senator McGuire had this to say:
“MCE has been the trailblazer on this movement for community choice throughout California. The work that you’ve done has spread across the Bay Area and the state and has paid incredible dividends for millions of Californians. Doing what’s right in life is never easy. Due to your vision and perseverance, and the knowledge that we could do better for consumers and our climate, community choice is now firmly established in The Golden State.
Take a moment to look at what your bold leadership has done: You’ve reinvested millions in profits into the community to assist low-income families and seniors on a fixed income, and you’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions with significant strides. It’s amazing to see what you’ve done over this last decade. This would have never happened without your vision. You’re creating family-sustaining jobs —over 5,000 jobs have been created through MCE and your locally sourced energy projects.
All of you today, your Board of Directors and very capable staff, deserve thanks for stepping up to do the right thing. You’ve done what’s right for California and for our climate. There is no greater priority right now than focusing on climate change here in California and throughout the United States.”
As MCE’s Board Chair Kate Sears said, “If there’s any testament to how far MCE has come as an organization, it’s that we have people like Senator McGuire on our side fighting for us. We couldn’t do what we’re doing, and have the future we hope to have, without your support.”
For the full recording of MCE’s Annual Board Retreat, visit our Facebook page.
