The Community Environmental Council (CEC) has released its most recent Impact Report, which shares key highlights of how CEC is converting a historically oil producing region to one that is regenerative and renewable. View the report at cecsb.org/impact. 
 
“At a time when the federal administration’s regressive climate policies threaten to unravel years of progress, California serves as a critical safeguard, and its stance will determine whether the United States advances or regresses by decades in climate protection,” the CEC said.

“Central Coast communities play a vital role by providing courage, backbone, and proof of concept that strengthen and inform statewide policies,” the group said.

“Now is the moment — when things get dark and chaotic — when lighthouse communities like ours are most needed,” said CEO Sigrid Wright. “Despite the unexpected loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funding, we are more determined than ever to ensure that Central Coast lighthouses remain lit.”

In the absence of a federal climate action plan, subnational climate leadership like CEC’s is the only path forward, Wright said.

In 2025, CEC has adjusted its focus to meet the realities and opportunities of the current era. The CEC action plan is:

· Resist federal rollbacks and maintain California’s position as a climate leader, providing a model for national and global action.
· Protect vulnerable communities on the Central Coast from the immediate impacts of climate change.
· Ensure that the green transition is rapid, equitable, and achievable.
· Convert public angst into action — including providing skills and outlets for the voices of youth.
· Transform the Central Coast from a fossil fuel-dependent region to a living laboratory for climate innovation.

The report highlights CEC’s work in 2024. Highlights include:
• Providing concierge services in Spanish and English that have helped nearly 1,000 residents, businesses, and nonprofits navigate options, financial incentives, and resources to make EV ownership and charging accessible and affordable.
• Leveraging some $5 million in regional, state, and federal funding to directly assist farmers, ranchers, and land stewards in implementing carbon farming solutions. 
• Training hundreds of community members to stand up for climate action and push forward thousands of solutions, one neighborhood at a time.

Learn more about the work of CEC at CECSB.org/impact.