Coalition for Clean Air (CCA)

The CCA has led advocacy campaigns for statewide ballot propositions and weather-dependent energy laws. ² The CCA has been the recipient of grants as well as issuing its own microgrants to promote environmentalist activities and weather-dependent energy alternatives. ^{3 4}

Advocacy

The left-leaning weather-dependent energy advocacy group, ClimatePlan, featured a blog interviewing Sofia Rafikova, policy advocate for Coalition for Clean Air, where she outlined why CCA sponsored the 2022 California Proposition 30. The New York Times described the Proposition’s purpose, stating, “The personal income tax on income above $2 million would rise by 1.75 percent, with proceeds to help support the transition to zero-emission vehicles.” ² It failed to pass. ²

CCA has been successful in enacting weather-dependent energy policies. ⁵ SB 535 of 2012, introduced by then-State Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) is a law that compelled the California State Air Resources Board “to adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of emissions of greenhouse gases and to monitor and enforce compliance with the reporting and verification program, and requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020”; it directs that “a minimum of 10 percent of the available moneys [from revenue raised by the regulations] in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund [be allocated] to projects located within disadvantaged communities, as specified.” ⁶

Further, the main purpose of AB 1550 was redoubling the revenue commitments of SB 535, changing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund requirement to allocating “a minimum of 25 percent of the available moneys in the fund to projects located within, and benefiting individuals living in, disadvantaged communities.” ⁷

“Charge Ahead California” Coalition

Around 2014, the Coalition for Clean Air organized a new coalition of weather-dependent energy advocacy groups, including “Communities for a Better Environment, Environment California, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Greenlining Institute” under an umbrella group called “Charge Ahead California” with the stated goal of “accelerating the replacement of gasoline cars and dirty diesel trucks and buses with zero emission vehicles.” ⁵ Charge Ahead California supported legislation known as “the Charge Ahead California Initiative.” ⁵ It sought to “place in service at least one million zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles, including cars, trucks, and buses, by January 1, 2023, and to establish a self-sustaining zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle market in which zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles are a viable mainstream option for individual vehicle purchasers, businesses, and public fleets.” ⁸

CCA supported unsuccessful legislation to create a fleet of zero-emission (or almost zero-emission) vehicles by January 1, 2023, and to incentivize more consumers to buy zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles as opposed to traditional gas-powered automobiles. ⁸ It also backed legislation seeking to “expand the list of criteria that a project is required to meet in order to be given preference for funding by the [Clean Transportation Program, administered by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission] to include that the project is in a nonattainment area, as specified, and that the project advances the comprehensive strategy for vehicles.” ⁹

As of January 2024, Charge Ahead California’s legislative goal is to “prioritize investments in frontline communities by ensuring that at least 50 percent of charging infrastructure dollars are spent in low-income and disadvantaged communities.” ¹⁰

Grants Received

Coalition for Clean Air was a grant recipient from the Hewlett Foundation from 2003 to 2017 to accomplish such objectives as “lead and re-engage the coalition of clean air, public health and environmental justice organizations to develop a more comprehensive strategy around freight, including infrastructure, logistics and new technologies to further reduce global warming and conventional pollutant emissions.” ³

The CCA is also a recipient of a $297,220 government grant from the California Climate Investments (CCI) program, specifically under the California Air Resources Board (CARB). ¹¹ The CCA formed and led a group of weather-dependent energy activist groups and “environmental justice groups” (Del Amo Action Committee, Pacoima Beautiful, Comité Pro Uno, and Coalition for a Safe Environment) to conduct an air quality study in and around Los Angeles County to “raise awareness of local issues that affect air quality and health, as well as empower communities to reduce pollution.” ¹²

“Clean Air Day” Microgrant Program

The CCA has also created a statewide “holiday” similar to Earth Day, called “Clean Air Day,” where up to $1,000 per grantee is offered for weather-dependent energy and environmentalist initiatives, such as creating “no-idling zones” for cars, mural painting, and so forth, with an entire website ran by CCA to promote Clean Air Day events throughout the state. ⁴

Staff

As of January 2024, Coalition for Clean Air staff included Joseph K. Lyou as its president and CEO. Lyou founded the California Environmental Rights Alliance, a who promotes “environmental justice” issues. ¹³ Dr. Lyou has also “previously held management positions with the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and Committee to Bridge the Gap.” ¹³

As of January 2024, the CCA’s staff included Bill Magavern as its policy director. Magavern’s role as policy director at CCA tasks him with the duties of writing “reports and articles on energy and environmental issues,” as well as “testif[ying] frequently before the State Legislature, Air Resources Board, and other agencies.” ¹³ Prior to working at CCA, Mr. Magavern worked with the California chapter of the Sierra Club “on a variety of environmental issues” from 2000 through 2011. ¹³