Community-based Assessment of Energy Transition Barriers in Rural and Tribal Areas
Summary
SCH Number
2026040710
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Community-based Assessment of Energy Transition Barriers in Rural and Tribal Areas
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/15/2026
Document Description
This project will conduct in-depth, localized analyses of the challenges and opportunities for decarbonization for the Sonoma Clean Power rural customer base, providing insight and effective strategies for maximizing customer and socioeconomic benefits.
Contact Information
Name
Emily Field
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Commission Agreement Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Scott Salyer
Agency Name
Sonoma Clean Power Authority
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
Santa Rosa
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Northern California
Zip
95404
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15306
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sect; 15306 exempts basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. This project is a computer-based and field-based research project to identify high-leverage strategies to support fossil gas end-use conversion in California's residential and commercial sectors and to understand the social, technological, and socioeconomic barriers to the gas transition in rural and tribal communities. They will determine the area-specific costs and benefits of such a transition, including to health, the local economy, and
energy system reliability to identify achievable pathways and timelines for selected and comparable communities to meet statewide electrification goals. Recipient will obtain feedback from at least 250 residents of the selected communities including surveys, focus groups, interviews, and stakeholder meetings, prioritizing representation of a diverse range of demographic and contextual conditions in rural and tribal communities. This work will not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. For these reasons, the proposed project will have no significant effect on the environment and is categorically exempt under section 15306.
The project does not involve impacts on any particularly sensitive environment; will not impact an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies; does not involve any cumulative impacts of successive projects of the same type in the same place that might be considered significant; does not involve unusual circumstances that might have a significant effect on the environment; will not result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway; the project site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, none of the exceptions to categorical exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project, and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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