HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupport Letter - SB 617 (Wiener) - 05.14.2021
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May 14, 2021
The Honorable Scott Wiener
State Senator, 11th District
State Capitol, Room 5100
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 617 (Wiener) – SUPPORT
Dear Senator Wiener,
On behalf of the City of Cupertino, I am writing to express our support for SB 617, your
measure that will implement an online, automated permitting platform that verifies code
compliance and issues permits in real time to a licensed contractor for a solar energy system.
Additionally, this measure will provide resources to local governments to support the
implementation of instant online permitting for solar and storage installations.
Before any homeowner in Cupertino can install solar, they need to apply for a permit from
the City. SB 617 will provide resources to help the City establish an online system that automates
the review of standard residential solar systems to ensure they are up to code. A number of cities
in California have already developed easy online permitting, and the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory has created a tool, SolarAPP+, for this purpose.
The rapid growth of solar arrays from SB 617 will bring substantial benefits to
Californians. Solar energy generates greenhouse gas‐free electricity and lowers energy bills.
Paired with storage, solar energy can keep the lights on and medical devices operating during
planned and unplanned grid disruptions, and put electricity back into the larger grid during peak
usage such as during extreme heat events.
This important legislation will help our state accelerate its urgently needed transition to
clean energy and meet our climate emissions targets, which must be accelerated to be in
alignment with the most recent climate science. SB 617 will also reduce the wait time for those
looking to obtain a permit for a solar arrays or storage projects, thereby reducing costs and
increasing the speed of installing solar throughout the state.
MAYOR DARCY PAUL
CITY OF CUPERTINO
CORRESPONDENCE TO SENATOR WIENER SUPPORTING SB 617 Page 2 of 2
It is for these reasons that we support SB 617.
Sincerely,
Darcy Paul
Mayor
City of Cupertino
cc: Senator Dave Cortese
Assemblymember Evan Low
Assemblymember Marc Berman
Senate Appropriations Committee:
Senator Anthony Portantino (Chair)
Senator Patricia Bates (Vice Chair)
Senator Steven Bradford
Senator Brian Jones
Senator Sydney Kamlager
Senator John Laird
Senator Bob Wieckowski