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Neil McCormick is the Chief Executive Officer of the California Special Districts Association (CSDA), where he oversees and provides leadership for the implementation of Board policy and strategic direction as approved by the CSDA Board of Directors.

Neil has over 26 years of experience in association management. In his 20+ years at CSDA, he has become well versed in issues related to special districts and local governments in California and represents CSDA's diverse membership on important policy issues. He also serves as CEO for the Special District Leadership Foundation, California Special Districts Alliance, and CSDA Finance Corporation. Additionally, he holds leadership roles with the National Special Districts Association and serves as a Board Member at the Institute for Local Government. He is an expert on association management best practices and special district financing and compliance issues.

Outside of work he enjoys fishing, camping, the outdoors, and travel.

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About CSDA: The California Special Districts Association (CSDA) is a 501c(6), not-for-profit association formed in 1969 to promote good governance and improved core local services through professional development, advocacy, and other services for all types of independent special districts. CSDA represents more than 1,300 special districts statewide, and is the only statewide association representing all types of independent special districts including irrigation, water, park and recreation, cemetery, fire, police protection, library, utility, harbor, healthcare, and community services districts. CSDA provides education and training, insurance programs, legal advice, industry-wide litigation and public relations support, legislative advocacy, capital improvement and equipment funding, collateral design services, and information/resources crucial to special districts’ management and operational effectiveness.

Basic “Special District 101:” Special districts are the most local of local governments; providing essential services that cities or counties do not. They are community-formed, owned, and governed, to meet needs essential to the health, safety, economy, and well-being of the people and communities they serve.

Funding for Special Districts: Special districts must have adequate, sustainable funding to provide reliable services their communities require, such as fire protection, water, sanitation, healthcare, parks, and more. With little to no funding from the State of California or federal government, these funds must come from local property taxes, assessments, service fees, developer impact fees, and grants. CSDA can speak to issues concerning the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) as well. In the absence of other options, the CSDA Finance Corporation exists to provide financing for capital improvement projects and equipment purchases.

How Special Districts Are Addressing California’s Biggest Challenges: Given California’s prominence in the US and the world, any one of the state’ s major challenges could be considered some of the biggest issues of our time. Climate change, wildfires, drought, homeless and mental health all require thoughtful approaches built from the ground up, and they are all being tackled every day by California’s Special Districts.

How Special Districts Are Created: Special Districts are created, funded and overseen by a community’s residents when there is a public service the community wants, wants done by trained experts, and wants done with local control. Voters also elect the board members who govern the special district and approve any new taxes that fund the district.

How Special Districts Support California’s Economy: Special Districts provide essential services that many cities and counties do not, such as fire protection, health and wellness programs, and core infrastructure – including transit, airports, ports and harbors, as well as access to reliable water, electricity, and wastewater treatment. Across California, more than 2,000 special districts serve the needs of nearly all of California’s 40 million residents (many in disadvantaged communities) and employ more than 120,000 frint line workers.

Where Special Districts Fit in the Public Services /Local Government Puzzle: Special districts bridge the gap to provide essential, municipal, public services that are not provided by cities, counties, the state or federal government. These services could include water, sanitation, fire protection, parks, mosquito abatement, cemeteries, resource conservation, ports and harbors, airports, libraries and more.

Elena Lee Reeder has served on the Reclamation District 1000 board since November 2019 and is the current Board President. Elena made history as the first woman and the first API board member to serve in this role. She was Vice-President for two years and has also been the Chair of the Urbanization Committee for the last four years. In 2022, Elena was appointed as a Director at the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), and she currently serves as an alternate member. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees of Reclamation District 1000, Governor Newsom appointed Elena to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board where she has served as a Board Member since March 2022. She serves on the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) sub-committee working with disadvantaged communities.

In her work with RD 1000, Elena is focused on completion of the levee work to bring the Natomas Basin levees up to at least 200-year flood protection, and is committed to protecting our friends, families, and community from flooding and protecting our water quality for present and future generations.

An avid hiker and angler, Ms. Reeder is also the proud mom of a beautiful little girl and a grumpy rescue cat.

About RD 1000: RD 1000 is a local flood control agency, that maintains 42 miles of levees, hundreds of miles of canals, and seven pump stations to protect the Natomas Basin (near Sacramento) from floodwaters of the Sacramento and American Rivers. The District has provided flood protection and public safety to residents, businesses, schools, and agriculture since 1911.

Flood Risk – Management & Mitigation: The Natomas Basin near metropolitan Sacramento is the second most flood-prone area in the United States (after New Orleans).  As climate change generates more powerful and frequent storms, managing and mitigating flood risk in this 119-year-old levee and canal system is a top priority, and offers best practices that can be applied to other flood control districts across the country. 

Flood Control Systems: RD 1000 manages and maintains a system of levels canals and pumps which provide the first, last, and only line of defense against flood waters from two major rivers and two canal systems (along with stormwater runoff). These systems must often work in tandem and at top efficiency. 

Upgrading Aging Infrastructure: RD 1000 is in the midst of an aggressive, voter-approved capital improvement plan, $96 million over the next 30 years, to upgrade and reinforce levees, improve weather and precipitation prediction equipment, and upgrade pumping stations that collect and discharge rainfall back into the river system.  The goal is to get the levees recertified by the US Army Corp of Engineers, and capable of withstanding a “200-year flood event.”

Ryan Clausnitzer MPA, is the General Manager of the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District where he oversees the finances, human resources, operations, technology, safety, advocacy, and research at the district. He is often cited in peer-reviewed journals related to mosquito control research as a co-author. He achieved his background in public health, municipal financing, grant writing, and public policy through work in city planning and redevelopment, as a Peace Corps volunteer and regulatory experience focused on burgeoning industries. He has certifications through the California Department of Public Health as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and Vector Control Technician; by OSHA as a Hazardous Waste Operator and Emergency Responder; and by the Special District Leadership Foundation as a Certified Special District Manager.

Ryan is a past president of the California Special District Association and its local Alameda County Chapter. He also sits on the Executive Committee of the East Bay Economic Development Agency and the board of the Rotary Club of Alameda. In his free time, Ryan enjoys volunteering – in his words, “I come from a small town in North Dakota, and volunteering helps you feel connected to your community.” He also enjoys hiking, cycling, camping kayaking, and traveling with his family.

About the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District: Alameda’s Mosquito Abatement District was formed nearly 100 years ago as a result of the California Mosquito Abatement Act of 1915. The district is guided by the principle that when you reduce the number of mosquitoes, you reduce the chances of anyone getting sick or dying from mosquito-borne diseases. In that spirit, the district provides mosquito control services to residents through property taxes, to help protect the public from the general nuisance of mosquitoes and, more importantly, the diseases they spread. The agency provides public services including addressing mosquito issues, providing mosquitofish, identifying insects, and inspecting standing water. In addition, the agency collects and tests mosquitoes and conducts field research to identify the presence of disease, invasive species, and potential public health threats.

Climate Change & Mosquito-Borne Diseases: News reports from across the state are raising concerns about how climate change is increasing the risk of dangerous, mosquito-borne diseases. As a coastal state, rising tides lead to higher water spills and more standing water, creating more environments for mosquitoes to thrive. At the same time, warmer temperatures are leading to faster mosquito and viral growth.

Disease Risk: West Nile Virus already infects hundreds and kills dozens of people in California every year, and even survival still comes with lifelong neurological problems. Dengue Fever, which kills 20,000-40,000 people worldwide each year began showing up in Southern California last year. As California sees the arrival of new, invasive species of mosquitoes, the risk of new diseases (and old ones… malaria hasn’t been seen here in 35 years but is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide), is a growing public health concern.

Genetically modified mosquitoes for mosquito control: In recent years a variety of approaches have been proposed to use genetically modified mosquitoes to help control or even eliminate mosquito populations. Scientists at mosquito abatement districts have differing opinions, some ideas may be more practical and ethically/environmentally responsible than others. It’s a growing area of debate and discussion.

Good Governance: As an agency that serves a population of 1.6 million people and achieves a 100% satisfaction rating - at a cost of less than $3 per parcel per year, the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District can offer some best practices in making efficient use of taxpayer funds. The district has been recognized with the Government Finance Officers Association’s Excellence in Financial Reporting award, and the Special District Leadership Foundation’s District Transparency Certificate of Excellence.

Obstacles to Success in Mosquito Control: 1)The regulatory process for new pesticides and products takes years, with limited success, so few companies are investing in R&D to make more effective (yet still safe) tools to reduce mosquito populations. 2) Public apathy and limited awareness of the importance of mosquito abatement, the real threats to public health, and how the Mosquito Abatement District can help – especially in low-income areas.

The Public’s Role in Disease Prevention: Mosquito-borne diseases are preventable. Californians can help prevent disease from their own backyards – anywhere that water collects can become a breeding ground. Mosquito Abatement Districts have a wealth of resources and tools for residents, and the agency complements this public education with direct work to eradicate mosquitoes in public places. Their work involves three levels: controlling mosquito populations, research & surveillance to monitor invasive species and presence of disease, and public outreach.

Antonio Martinez was elected to the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors in 2020, representing Pittsburg and Antioch. He began serving as Vice President in May 2022. A resident of Antioch, he retired in 2022 from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) as the Manager of Distribution Maintenance and Construction in the Operations and Maintenance Department. He was responsible for the potable distribution system for 20 cities and 15 unincorporated East Bay communities within Alameda and Contra Costa counties. He managed a staff of more than 220 employees dedicated to meeting stringent state regulations around worker safety, water loss, and system maintenance. He is a member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), Director for the Los Vaqueros Expansion Joint Powers Authority, Region 5 Director for the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), and Bay Area Network Director for the California Special Districts Association (CSDA).

He's been in the water industry all his life with a focus on construction and maintenance, and outside of work enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, carpentry, gardening, and vintage car restoration.

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About CCWD: Contra Costa Water District delivers safe, clean water to approximately 520,000 people in central and eastern Contra Costa County. It was formed in 1936 to provide water for irrigation and industry, and today is one of the largest urban water districts in California and a leader in drinking water treatment technology and source water protection. The District’s water source is the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. In addition to providing drinking water to residences and businesses in our community, CCWD also serves major industrial customers and agricultural customers in the area.

Aging Infrastructure: CCWD relies on a 90-year-old canal system originally built for agricultural use. As the population has grown and the canals have aged, public safety issues and the cost of maintenance have also gone up. Looking at the next 100 years, CCWD is formulating plans for replacing the canal system.

Climate Change & Water Supply: The salinity of the delta is creeping further East, impacting water supplies from the delta region. Simultaneously, as climate change advances, creating cycles of very hot summers and droughts, then a deluge of storms, these weather extremes can have a substantial impact on the ability to provide water. CCWD is working to identify these concerns and find solutions. CCWD employs the most knowledgeable and well-regarded scientists specializing in Delta hydrology. State and Federal agencies as well as the environmental community partner with CCWD on studies, calculations, and Delta evaluations when looking for up-to-date and reliable information.

Conservation & Water System/Rates Education: Most water customers don’t know what their water rates pay for – they’re not aware of all the work done by utilities behind the scenes to ensure that when they turn on the tap, clean water comes out every time. Thus, they rarely understand why when they conserve water, their rates don’t go down. Conservation, which takes many forms (from using less water and repairing leaky pipes to immediately repairing active main breaks throughout the aging infrastructure and preventing “real” and “apparent” water loss in the delivery system) is key to ensuring a reliable water supply, but the costs involved in delivering that water are often misunderstood.

Disaster Response & Recovery: Antonio has experience managing resources through disasters and is well versed in the incident command structure instituted at the state and federal level known as the National Incident Management System (NIMS)/State Incident Management System (SIMS). He worked during the Oakland fire; more recently, he led response teams to the Napa earthquake and Paradise fire.

Electrification of Public Agencies: Antonio is very involved in the Association of California Water Agencies’ Energy Committee, which focuses on carbon reduction and electrification of public agencies. A specific focus is on state mandates for electrification and how public agencies can meet those in ways that don’t overburden ratepayers.

Labor & Right-Sizing In a Hybrid Work Economy: Antonio has 25 years of labor activism and works to help young adults develop skills and find meaningful work in the water and wastewater industry. He collaborates with and supports local pre-apprenticeship programs for young adults like Cypress-Mandela (Oakland), Richmond Build (Richmond), and Future Build (Pittsburg). He brokered a relationship between Civicorps and CCWD to help expand their services from Oakland to Pittsburg through a service contract. Today, CCWD, like many public utilities, is contending with the “work from home” dilemma involving office space and workforce sizing for the future to ensure reliable water delivery, cover costs of operations & maintenance, and keep water rates affordable.

Water Recycling: CCWD is actively working on ways to expand water recycling and the use of recycled water in its service area (e.g., public streetscapes, medians, etc.) to minimize waste and environmental impacts in the bay and local waterways.

Water Storage & Delta Water Conveyance: CCWD manages an off-stream reservoir, Los Vaqueros Reservoir, which provides water quality, supply reliability, and emergency response benefits. Simultaneously, CCWD is focused on the Delta ecosystem – as the Colorado River is essentially tapped out, Southern California is looking to the Delta for its future water needs. As that increases the conversation about a Delta conveyance, CCWD and its customers are at the center of the public debate.

Peter Kampa is a seasoned leader with more than 30 years of experience in special district management across northern and central California. As General Manager for the Groveland Community Services District (GCSD) in Tuolumne County, he oversees vital services such as water, sewer, fire protection, parks, recreation, and community center operations. He also manages the Copper Valley Community Services District in Calaveras County, providing road maintenance, stormwater management, street lighting, common area upkeep, and mosquito abatement.

Throughout his career, Peter has managed districts offering diverse services, including ambulance, solid waste, snow removal, and libraries. Peter's leadership has facilitated the planning, design, funding, and construction of more than $80 million in infrastructure projects, covering water and wastewater systems, roads, parks, and trails. A dedicated advocate for the sector, Peter has been a Board member of the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) for 25 years. His efforts have focused on raising awareness of the value of special district services, educating leaders, and mitigating the impact of unfavorable legislation and regulations.

Outside of work, Peter enjoys history-related travel, renovating old homes, and drone photography.

About Groveland CSD: The Groveland CSD was formed in 1953, one of the first “multi-service” CSDs formed in California provides water, sewer, fire, and park and recreation services. Its mission is to provide environmentally sound, economic, and compliant services that meet residents’ needs for water and wastewater treatment, fire protection, and park facilities in the unincorporated township of Groveland, California.

Funding the Needs of Rural Communities (with slow growth): As costs and residents’ expectations continue to rise, areas like Groveland are experiencing very small growth, and therefore no new sources of revenue. That combined with Prop 13 and Prop 218 limitations on raising property-related revenue makes it very difficult to provide for district and community needs or services (aging water and sewer systems, streets, parks and other infrastructure, community programs, fire protection, etc.). Smaller rural districts have had to get very good at implementing strategies to get out of a financial hole and pull together partners, teams, and grants that can keep the services flowing.

Stretching Firefighting Services: Current zoning in Tuolumne County lists areas outside of Groveland’s District Boundary as within a larger “commercial/recreational” area, where there is no county fire station, meaning Groveland’s fire Department must respond to calls outside the Groveland CSD boundary. In effect, Groveland taxpayers pay the cost of sending their own fire department to places closer to Yosemite than Groveland, and it’s possible that when a fire breaks out in Groveland, their fire engine could be 30 miles away.

Wildfire Preparation, Response & Evacuation: One of Tuolumne County’s greatest economic drivers is recreational tourism. During a busy summer weekend, there could be 10,000 people visiting Groveland area resorts and amenities. Groveland CSD is taking an active role in planning and preparedness for these kinds of events and taking steps to ensure emergency response times remain within adopted standards and smaller fires don’t become large.

Emily Barnett is the Communications and Government Relations Manager for Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San). Ms. Barnett previously worked as a Government Relations Manager for Pacific Gas & Electric Company and as a District Representative for the California State Senate. Ms. Barnett has a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies from San Jose State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from California State University, Stanislaus.

Outside of work, Emily is a car enthusiast and a licensed pilot. She sits on the county airport advisory committee, where she actively encourages more women to pursue flying.

About Central San: The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) has been protecting public health and the environment since 1946. Today, Central San collects and cleans wastewater from nearly 500,000 residents and more than 15,000 businesses in the east San Francisco Bay Area. The agency maintains a 1,500-mile sewer system to transport wastewater from across its 146-square-mile service area to its treatment plant in Martinez, California, where it cleans about 13 billion gallons of wastewater every year. Central San also operates a popular Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, provides recycled water for landscape irrigation and industrial use, and promotes pollution prevention through award-winning education, outreach, and inspection programs.

Educating Customers: Through stewardship and environmental education, Central San teaches residents of all ages about where their water goes after it disappears down their drains, as well as actions they can take to protect their pipes and the environment.

Government Transparency and Accessibility: When you call Central San, an actual person answers the phone. The agency is highly focused on exceptional customer service and believes that goodwill and customer satisfaction are founded on ensuring residents can talk and have access to their government service providers.

Household Hazardous Waste – A National Model: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) includes paints, varnish, chemicals, fluorescent lights, batteries, cleaning products, and other items that can harm the environment if disposed of improperly. Central San runs one of the premier household hazardous waste programs in the nation, taking these products out of the waste stream and preventing pollution of the local environment. Central San’s HHW Collection Facility is open six days a week and serves about 150 customers a day. Nearly 90% of the materials collected are given new life through reuse, recycling, and other beneficial uses. Products that still have “shelf life” (leftover paint, for example) are put in Central San’s popular “Re-use Room,” where customers can pick them up at no charge.

PFAS and Other Emerging Concerns: Central San’s customers expect the agency to be their advocates in Sacramento and DC when it comes to protecting public health and the environment. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a prime example. PFAS chemicals are found in many common household products—from cookware to clothing to personal care products—that consumers unknowingly buy and use every day. Due to their strong chemical bonds, PFAS can build up in the environment and our bodies over time, harming the planet and our health. PFAS that enter the wastewater stream are a particular challenge for wastewater utilities across the country, since they are very costly to remove—costs that ultimately must be paid by consumers. Central San is very active on these issues, taking the position that their customers should not be left paying the cost of cleanup for chemical manufacturers. To this latter point, Central San also works hard to educate consumers on what these chemicals are, where they come from, and how to minimize their use/impacts.

Serving a Changing Demographic: Demographics throughout California, and especially the Bay Area, are changing as the population ages. Seniors in our communities have unique needs and expectations. Many live on fixed incomes that can’t absorb higher costs needed to pay for new infrastructure. Central San is focused on how they, and other local agencies, can and must evolve to meet the changing demographics of the communities they serve.

Expanding Recycled Water Opportunities: Central San discharges 30-33 million gallons of treated wastewater into San Francisco Bay every day. The agency is exploring opportunities to expand its existing recycled water system and implement new multi-benefit regional recycled water projects that would provide more beneficial use and greater overall water resiliency/drought resistance to the region. This requires regional, interagency cooperation and partnerships with water purveyors. Central San has been a leader in fostering partnerships and advocating for the expanded use of recycled water in the region.

Brad Sherwood is an assistant general manager at Sonoma Water, overseeing the functions of business services and external affairs, including administration, finance, government relations, community engagement, emergency management, security, and project management. Since joining Sonoma Water in 2006, he has worked with his colleagues to develop and implement strategic legislative, funding, and community affairs programs that support the reliable delivery of drinking water to 600,000 residents in portions of Sonoma and Marin counties, wastewater collection and treatment services to 8 sanitation districts/zones, and support for flood protection projects. He is an active member of the Association of California Water Agencies, serving nearly a decade on the Region 1 Board of Directors, and participates on a variety of leadership committees for the North Bay Watershed Association and California Special Districts Association. Mr. Sherwood is an active volunteer for a variety of neighborhood improvement projects since the Tubbs 2017 fire destroyed his and thousands of homes in Sonoma County.

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About Sonoma Water: Sonoma Water was initially formed in 1949 to be the local sponsor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Russian River Flood Control Facilities – now Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma. Today the agency is responsible for flood control operations, maintaining a water supply for 600,000 residents, and providing sanitation and wastewater services to about 70,000 customers.

Advanced Weather Prediction: Sonoma Water has helped define and increase awareness of the term “atmospheric river” across the nation. When these storms hit California, current technology does not provide forecasters with the information needed to inform reservoir operations, flood protection, combined sewer-stormwater systems, and emergency preparedness. Sonoma Water in cooperation with a host of partners, is working to develop a new atmospheric river radar network called “Advanced Qualitative Precipitation Information” (AQPI) system to improve precipitation monitoring and prediction in the San Francisco Bay region and enhance public safety through early warning and atmospheric river tracking. See videos and additional information here.

Building (and sustaining) a Carbon-Free Water System. Sonoma Water treats, pumps, and distributes water to more than 6000,000 residents, while also collecting, treating, reusing, and discharging wastewater from 70,000 customers, and has been doing it all carbon-free since 2015.

Fishery & Habitat Restoration. Sonoma Water is one of the few agencies with a fully-staffed environmental resource team, working in the streams and creeks every day to monitor, track and evaluate endangered species and ecosystems while implementing the Russian River Biological Opinion. More here.

Flood Control vs. Drought Preparedness: A New Playbook. For decades, water agencies have had to white knuckle reservoir and water supply management decisions – specifically about how much water to release from dams and reservoirs in rainy seasons in order to prevent flooding, while trying to ensure there is sufficient water supply to get through the dry season. Sonoma County launched the Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) approach at Lake Mendocino and for the first time, was able to use data from watershed monitoring and improved atmospheric river forecasting to help water managers make more informed decisions. Based on the benefits and success of this approach it is now being evaluated for use at other reservoirs throughout the nation.

Water Education for the Public. Educating the public on the value of their water, and how they get it is one of Sonoma Water’s largest areas of investment. A team of full-time teachers on staff educates, on average, just over 20,000 elementary school students annually. That’s in addition to a robust public tour program for parents and adults, as well as a new “Lake Sonoma Ambassadors Program.”

Water Infrastructure & Funding / Serving Disadvantaged Communities. Like most parts of the state, the water distribution and wastewater collection system in Sonoma is getting older – and more costly to replace – every day. A mile of pipe costs three times as much to replace today as a decade ago. These costs can’t be borne by ratepayers alone, especially those living in low-income areas. Sonoma Water is working hard to navigate the complex path to equity and parity for all ratepayers, while aggressively rehabbing and upgrading its infrastructure.

Rebuilding Communities After Wildfire (or other disasters). Brad’s was one of hundreds of homes destroyed by the Tubbs Fire in 2017. Now, in addition to his work with Sonoma Water, he’s created a nonprofit to get grant funding to rebuild his community, and volunteers with “After the Fire USA,” a nonprofit group that works across the nation to share best practices and guidance on how to rebuild communities impacted by wildfires.

Gregg Fishman was first elected to the SMUD Board of Directors in 2015. He has been a clean energy advocate for much of his career. As a former SMUD employee, he promoted wind and solar energy when they were in their infancy, and at the California Independent System Operator, he led public engagement efforts supporting new wind energy farms in California. As President of the SMUD Board in 2018, he led the utility in passing its Integrated Resource Plan, hailed by the California Energy Commission as “... an ambitious road map for lowering greenhouse gas emissions in the Sacramento region.”

In his varied career, Gregg was a news reporter and anchor at KFBK and KGO Radio, a public information officer at SMUD and the California Independent System Operator (California ISO), and a communications coordinator for the California State Association of Counties. He currently works at Sacramento Regional Transit as the Sr. Community Relations Officer.

Gregg is also an active volunteer with the Sacramento Tree Foundation and has led a neighborhood effort that has planted more than 2,000 new trees since 2001. When he’s not working or planting trees, he enjoys swimming laps, or a good day of fishing.

About SMUD: SMUD began providing electric service to Sacramento in 1946 and is now the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned electric utility, recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative energy efficiency programs and renewable power technologies. While providing electric service and keeping the lights on is “the job,” the mission is to improve the lives of the people the district serves by providing electricity in an environmentally responsible way, eliminating its carbon footprint, leaving no community behind, and supporting local nonprofits through its SHINE program. Each year SMUD contributes approximately $3 million in financial support and in-kind services to community-based organizations.

Carbon Footprint Reduction: SMUD has the most aggressive carbon reduction approach of any utility in the nation, with a projected goal of operating completely carbon-free by 2030. As such, SMUD is profoundly redefining the utility industry. (Gregg himself drives a Hydrogen-powered car).

Environmental Stewardship & Building Sustainable Communities: The gas-fired plants many utilities rely on are in economically disadvantaged communities where there may be environmental impacts. SMUD works to find ways to mitigate the impact in these communities and enable them to participate more fully in energy-saving programs that help lower costs and reduce demand. Simultaneously, SMUD’s Sustainable Communities program helps bring environmental equity and economic vitality to all communities in our service area, with special attention given to historically underserved neighborhoods.

Fleet Electrification: SMUD works closely with Regional Transit, the Sacramento Air Quality Management District, and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments – all of which have signed an MOU to work together in support of grant options for fleet electrification, EV charging stations, and “mobility hubs” that connect people to transit.

Energy Reliability & Affordability: This is job one – if SMUD can’t keep the lights on, and at an affordable price, little else matters. As California considers how to electrify everything from vehicles to buildings, the challenge is to deliver electricity at the same – or lower – price as natural gas.

Rooftop Solar and Net Energy Metering: This refers to the price utilities will pay for the extra energy from customer-owned rooftop systems. The SMUD Board recently approved a comprehensive and industry-leading package of rates and programs to replace the outdated Net Energy Metering (NEM) rate for rooftop solar, and work is now underway to help the public better understand these programs and benefits.

Shine Awards: Shine is a community development program designed to improve and revitalize neighborhoods in the Sacramento region. The program, as part of SMUD’s Clean Energy Vision awards grant funds to local projects and organizations that support zero-carbon workforce development, environmental justice and equity, inclusive economic development, and STEM education. Awards range from $5,000 - $100,000. In 2023, SMUD awarded more than $500,000 to 22 local nonprofits.

System Infrastructure Charges: This is the fixed amount that shows up on customers’ electricity bill each month – that is not tied to how much electricity the customer used that month. Most utilities are including a Fixed Charge on their bills now, but few people understand what it is and why utilities are going in that direction.