Eric Garcetti Declares ‘Green New Deal’ in L.A., Cancels Natural Gas Plants

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared Monday that the city would abandon plans to rebuild three natural gas power plants, despite concerns that the city could face acute power shortages as a result. Instead, the city will look for energy from renewable sources, including wind and solar, he decided. “This is the Green New Deal … Not in concept, not in the future, but now,” Garcetti said, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times. He made the decision despite the fact that “top staffers have argued in recent months that the gas plants are critical to keeping the lights on in the city,” the Times noted. The term “Green New Deal” refers to a bill introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) last week, which proposes moving the entire U.S. economy to renewable energy in the next ten years. The plan also aims to provide every American with a guaranteed “job with a family-sustaining wage, adequate family and medical leave, paid vacations, and retirement security to all people.”...MORE