San Diego, April 25, 2023 - Today marked a historic moment for San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). Climate Action Campaign (CAC) and a diverse coalition of students, parents, faculty, and climate and justice advocates gathered to support SDUSD’s resolution to phase out fossil fuels from all district infrastructure including all buildings and bus fleets, prioritizing investments in Communities of Concern.

The resolution will phase out all fossil fuels from the District by prompting the following actions, among others: all new buildings will be constructed all-electric (referred to as a reach code policy at local jurisdictions); retrofit existing buildings to be all-electric by replacing gas appliances and systems at the end of their useful life with all-electric alternatives; procure 100% clean energy by the end of 2024 through San Diego Community Power’s Power100 program.

By committing to electrify all buildings, buses, and energy, SDUSD can ensure that its students and faculty have access to the safe and healthy learning environment that they deserve.

“As community hubs and places of learning, schools should be healthy spaces with clean air, access to renewable energy, and be free of fossil fuels. The path to get there is through electrification.” — Serena Pelka, Climate Action Campaign Policy Advocate.

As the second largest school district in the state, SDUSD’s commitment to all-electric infrastructure debunks the myths that it cannot be done for other school districts, jurisdictions, and the whole region. Schools are leaders in innovation, and SDUSD has demonstrated its commitment to being at the forefront of the climate and justice movement, and to protecting the well-being of its students and faculty over gas industry profits.

This resolution comes at a critical time when the dangers of methane gas in buildings are of national concern. As we burn gas for appliances, indoor air pollution can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, exposing students, teachers, and staff to a range of serious health risks, including asthma and cancer. This resolution marks clear momentum in SDUSD’s commitment to protecting the health of its students and faculty.

With enormous amounts of funding available from the state and federal governments, the District’s leadership sets our entire region up to receive millions in funds such as through the Inflation Reduction Act. SDUSD is taking action to become a national leader, setting the standard for clean and safe schools, protecting health and climate, and helping other school districts and jurisdictions take the leap to go all-electric.

“The time to electrify is now. With major funding available from the state and federal government to decarbonize our schools, we must take advantage of this historic funding opportunity to get this work done.” — Serena Pelka, Climate Action Campaign Policy Advocate

“Schools should prepare for our future. Not endanger it.” - Theo Martien, Youth Advocate for Youth V. Oil

“We’ve tried to get this done at the County but haven’t quite got it over the line. The City of San Diego has tried for many years to get an all-electric reach code adopted and has not yet succeeded but, hopefully, that’s in the near future. Ultimately, there is no substitute for doing. We are starting from a place of conviction and determination and making it happen... I hope that our colleagues in the public and private sectors are paying attention. We will not allow anyone to violate our students’ right to a healthy, life-sustaining world.” — Board Member Cody Petterson