Q&A with Susan Sonne, OCPA Board Member and Mayor Pro-Tem of Buena Park

Q: The City of Buena Park is of course one of the founding members of OCPA, but it also is the first city to choose 100% renewable energy as its default electricity plan. Why is that important, both as a direct benefit to your community but also as a model for others to follow?

One of the things I often hear from my constituents is their concern about climate change. Since we were the first city to choose a default rate within the OCPA membership, we felt choosing 100% renewable energy would make it easier for other member cities to make the same choice. We’re the smallest jurisdiction within OCPA, but our community’s commitment to doing our part for the elimination of fossil fuels is huge.

We never want our residents who are struggling to have a bigger bill than they can handle. Knowing that residents can opt down to a lower renewable energy plan made the decision easier. But those of us who can afford a few dollars more each month to keep the 100% renewable energy plan do it knowing the difference it will make in our children’s futures.

And, I remind them that remaining an OCPA customer, even if they go to the Basic Choice plan of 38% renewable, is still a greener alternative, and the income from being a customer will be coming back to our city. So, it’s an investment in Buena Park.

Q: Have you already begun to see positive change even during this first year with OCPA?

The Power Content Label OCPA released shows the energy it is purchasing is much cleaner than is even required – the impact of that is going to be felt quickly. It’s already reducing the carbon footprint in Orange County greatly.

I’m seeing more and more people who are feeling good about being OCPA customers and happy to have it in our community. Education has been a big help in that regard. And the organization itself has had a lot of very positive trends this year. It’s clear the organization has become transparent, responsive and dynamic, and being one of the greenest Community Choice Aggregators in California is certainly an inspiring thing.

Q: Beyond that important 100% renewable energy plan, Buena Park also is addressing climate change and creating a healthier community through your Climate Action Commission. What’s on the climate action agenda so far and what is the end goal for the city?

We are really excited about the Climate Action Commission. It’s filled with exceptional folks who are going to lead Buena Park in achieving our climate goals. We’re starting with a climate action plan, and we’ve also approved a new position within the city for a sustainability manager to work with the Climate Action Commission on the plan and manage its implementation.

The commission is also going to work on goals for electrification, environmental justice, zero waste, energy efficiency, security and inequity. And that’s not even getting into air quality, water quality, and managing extreme heat and weather, like the hurricane we had this summer.

Ensuring that we are making the best choices for the future and also protecting our residents today from the conditions around us is going to be a key part of the work they do.

Q: You were also a key member of the Beautification-Environmental Commission Council. How have you brought your interest in climate action into your role as a city council member?

A large part of what my passion and focus is as an elected official is on climate. It clearly is an existential threat. If we’re looking at the future and how people are going to survive on this planet, we don’t have any time to waste.

Every area where we can pull together and bring people’s imaginations, passions and efforts together toward solving this is absolutely necessary.

Buena Park just approved a 1,300-unit housing development in my district. We need housing for people, and so we ask the question, how can we have housing, while still improving infrastructure in a way that helps us eliminate the use of fossil fuels, helps people live closer to transportation so there are fewer cars on the road, and other concerns that impact climate.

Q: As a former IT manager, do you have a distinct view on how businesses have and are continuing to try to reduce their carbon footprint – and how  OCPA can help?

In my 40 years in IT, it was never a topic that came up, unfortunately. But I think many businesses are starting to understand that no matter how much you improve the bottom line today, in order for your business to be sustainable, to continue to do well into the future, we have to have an environment we can all survive in.

If our businesses are going to succeed in the future, it’s because our children are going to have a sustainable planet.

Q: You’ve seen first-hand clearly what appears to be some type of an evolution in the community thinking of what’s necessary to address climate change. How is OCPA playing a role in the continued change of public opinion?

To me, the obvious thing that is pushing people to be more conscious of the issue is the climate events that are happening more frequently and reported on in the news. Acapulco just got wiped out. Southern California had a tropical storm this summer, which is unheard of. All over the world, there is intense heat. It’s a life-threatening condition now.

There are so many extremely intelligent young people who are passionate about this issue and who are looking for solutions. My own daughter is an environmental engineer and sees this as the key issue for her age. I believe that we’re going to come up with the solutions we need to do a lot of healing.

We’re working on that goal and OCPA is a strong voice in that arena. OCPA has the ability to fund local organizations that are doing things to help and to help inspire young minds to come up with solutions.

We know that we’re part of a team that is working to solve this issue and we’re making connections with organizations and people who have resources and ideas that are going to help move us toward that goal much faster.

OCPA Board Member and Buena Park Mayor Pro-Tem Susan Sonne has been a resident of Buena Park since 1999.

About Orange County Power Authority

The Orange County Power Authority is a not-for-profit public agency that offers clean power at competitive rates, significantly reducing energy-related greenhouse emissions and enabling reinvestment in local energy programs. To learn more, visit www.ocpower.org.