CONTACT INFORMATION:

For state-level issues and state trends:

Kimberly Larson

Deputy Political Director
State PIRGs
(206) 357-1788
(213) 251-3680 x323

For federal issues:
Elizabeth Hitchcock

Communications Director
U.S. PIRG
(202) 546-9707

Bernadette Del Chiaro
Clean Energy Advocate, Environment California
(916) 446-8062 ext. 103 ·

Expertise: renewable energy, energy efficiency, power plants, nuclear energy, deregulation, global warming

Background: Ms. Del Chiaro directs Environment California’s Clean Energy Program and serves as the contact for state clean energy issues. Since 2004, Ms. Del Chiaro has been the lead environmental advocate of the Million Solar Roofs Campaign. She also directed Clean Energy L.A., a successful coalition effort to establish a 20 percent by 2017 renewable portfolio standard at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.  Ms. Del Chiaro advocates in the California state legislature, before the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission, and before municipal agencies and governments on clean energy issues. She's been widely quoted in numerous and varied media outlets including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Associated Press, Sacramento Business Journal and Comstocks Business Magazine. She has been invited to testify before the Little Hoover Commission on energy policy reform and has testified before various legislative committees and energy policy workshops. In addition, Ms. Del Chiaro has authored numerous reports, including “Clean and Affordable Power: How Los Angeles Can Get To 20% Renewable Energy by 2017,” “The Economics of Solar Homes in California,” and “Bringing Solar to Scale: California’s Opportunities to Create a Thriving, Self-Sustaining Residential Solar Market.”  Prior to joining Environment California’s staff, Bernadette served as Organizing Director for the Toxics Action Center where she coordinated the successful campaign to clean up Connecticut's "Filthy Five" power plants. From 1995-1996, Ms. Del Chiaro staffed the local campaign office to stop the proposed Ward Valley nuclear waste dump in Needles, CA.  In 1998, she graduated from Green Corps, the field school for environmental organizing.

Education: B.S. in Conservation and Resource Studies, University of California at Berkeley, 1995

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