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California Energy Crisis
In the midst of the energy crisis in 2001, VCEDA launched the “POWER Taskforce” to work with industry leaders and elected officials to play a leadership role in education, public awareness, strategic planning, and advocacy to identify long-term solutions to the energy crises. Subsequently, and with funding from the California Public Utilities Commission, the Local Government Commission worked with POWER Taskforce representatives, elected officials, technology based businesses and interested consumers to establish the Regional Energy Working Group (REWG) for the purposes of determining the ability of the region to sustain long-term support for an organization devoted to energy planning and advocacy.  As a result, the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance (VCREA) was formed in 2003. The VCREA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) composed of public agencies working in collaboration to approach the availability, reliability, conservation and innovative use of energy resources in the Ventura County region.  For more information about energy resources and programs see: www.vcenergy.org
 
 
Housing
Despite a good economy, our county has a housing shortage and affordability issue. The growth of business is impacted when employees can no longer afford to buy homes. VCEDA formed the Housing Task Force “ HOME ” in 1999 to work for the creation of more affordable, well-constructed and appropriately located workforce housing in Ventura County. The Task Force was built on the premise that local employers should be actively involved in working with government to find innovative solutions to housing issues affecting their firms and employees. For more information on HOME see: www.vchome.org.
 
 
A Regional Airport
The lack of a regional airport was recently identified as a key issue of Ventura County business based on a recent survey of Ventura County business by California Lutheran University. VCEDA believes it is time to examine alternatives.
 
 
LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
As California and Ventura County continues adapting to new or alternative sources of energy, the following is reality in California:

1. The energy crisis and rolling blackouts suffered by Californians in the past were due to a lack of supply and competition in the natural gas industry. We are at the end, not the beginning of the gas pipelines that power our electrical generators, businesses and homes.

2. Californians need plentiful and available supplies of natural gas because it is used to heat and cool our homes, schools and hospitals, create electrical energy to light our way, cook and refrigerate our food, and power vital medical equipment.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE POSITION PAPER ON LNG

 
 
 
 
Land Use
The balance between new development, agriculture and open space is a subject of ongoing discussion. VCEDA believes that development can occur without compromise to the environment and the quality of life.
 
 
Storm Water Runoff
The Regional Water Quality Control Board has proposed new regulations for the runoff of storm water. VCEDA believes these regulations should not be a mirror image of those for Los Angeles.