Eastside Sol, a festive annual celebration of community and sustainability in Boyle Heights is a harmonious affair that always leads to fun and a treasured community gathering in Northeast Los Angeles (NELA).

As the daughter of Guatemalan and Mexican immigrants who met in Echo Park in the late 1960s, my roots are imbedded in NELA’s emergence. I felt fortunate to grow up in inner-city Los Angeles, which gave me access to places steeped in traditional ethnic roots and an eclectic circle of people and family to be my friends and role models.

Although some recent work by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Consumer’s Union shows encouraging signs about electric vehicle (EV) awareness generally in California, roughly 75 percent of those surveyed did not know the state offers significant rebates for electric cars and 80 percent were unaware of the substantial federal tax credit.

California remains the nation’s guiding force with the most progressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and bold environmental justice policies. In an uncertain federal climate, the state remains poised to expand and accelerate its environmental and social stewardship through a diverse array of programs focused on building innovative, future-oriented smart infrastructure and communities – the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program.

Dealer payment is unique among statewide electric vehicle rebate programs

The first two years of electric vehicle (EV) rebates in Connecticut have helped boost EV sales in the state by nearly double since 2015. The rebates, combined with a unique incentive for dealerships, also are playing an important role in motivating dealerships to sell EVs, according to a dealer survey reported by the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE).