The Greater Irvine Chamber Connects Business with Policy, Partnerships, and Progress
The Greater Irvine Chamber is committed to being a strong, informed voice for the business community, actively advocating on behalf of Irvine’s thriving economy through vigilant monitoring of legislation and public policy initiatives at all levels of government. Beyond advocacy, the Chamber fosters meaningful relationships between the business sector, elected officials, public agencies, and private partners.
Through strategic collaborations, educational forums, and direct engagement opportunities, the Greater Irvine Chamber ensures that the business community is not only heard but actively involved in shaping policies that support innovation, growth, and long-term regional success.
Greater Irvine Chamber President & CEO Dave Coffaro will testify in person at a public hearing in front of the South Coast AQMD Stationary Source Committee at its headquarters in Diamond Bar on April 18 to oppose Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121. Below is a summary of the testimonial Coffaro will present on behalf of the greater Irvine business community:
- The business and nonprofit community is in a fragile economic state, after years of significant inflation, increased regulatory burdens, and now long-term uncertainty coming from U.S. trade policy.
- The Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121 still ban certain appliances covered by the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act, thus ignoring the concept of fuel source neutrality (The zero-NOx emissions standard bans covered appliances)
- SCAQMD’s proposed amendments to PARs 1111 & 1121 overlook consumers' choice of affordable appliances and are not cost-effective. In fact, the SCAQMD staff conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis for PAR 1121 and found that switching to an electric heat pump water heater from a gas water heater is not cost-effective.
- We are concerned about the impact of these elevated costs, particularly on the most economically vulnerable people in our business community.
- With higher wage expenses, 3+ years of significant inflation, much higher insurance costs, and higher energy costs, the failure rate of businesses is rising.
- Besides statistics that the Greater Irvine Chamber tracks reflecting business challenges, we also see evidence of the impact of SoCal’s extraordinary cost of living on our broader community.
- According to the CA Budget & Policy Center, our state’s poverty rate (measured by the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure) has increased significantly over the past year, to 18.9%, the highest in the US. Our food banks are seeing the need to help provide food at an even greater level today than during the COVID era. In OC alone, one nonprofit focused on food-insecure populations is providing food for over 470K of our neighbors a month.
- From the business community perspective, we recommend that SCAQMD staff analyze fuel-source-neutral, lower NOx alternatives that are more cost-effective.
- On behalf of the Greater Irvine Chamber and our business community, we support the goal of a clean environment and believe there are many paths available to achieve this without adding to the economic challenges of operating a business (including nonprofit) in Southern California. We encourage SCAQMD to seek alternative approaches to achieve our shared goals in a fuel-source-neutral manner.
- Many areas of focus of the California (Jobs First) State Economic Blueprint align with Irvine’s job growth and economic priorities.
- A recent Irvine Innovation Economy Study conducted by the City of Irvine in partnership with the Greater Irvine Chamber has identified four industry clusters poised for the greatest growth in new jobs over the next five to 10 years (ranked by number of jobs expected):
- Creative & Enabling Technology (AI, quantum computing, simulations/gaming, software as a service)
- Evolution of Healthcare (next-gen MedTech, treatment and delivery)
- Climate Transition/Clean Tech (mobility, alternative energy vehicles, clean tech software, hydrogen)
- Next-Gen Defense (advanced autonomous systems, cybersecurity)
- Investing in growth acceleration and reducing barriers to entrepreneurship in these Irvine sectors closely aligns with the State’s economic goals (sustainable and equitable job growth, assuring a well-prepared workforce of the future, creating an attractive environment for job creators, and strengthening California’s innovation and entrepreneurial culture).
- The close alignment with the State’s goals helps Orange County move toward net-new job growth as we create the economy of the future.
- While the work of the Greater Irvine Chamber is centered in the City of Irvine, there are benefits to surrounding communities that will participate in our strategies (job opportunities, business partnerships, supply chain participants, talent pool participants).
- Governor Newsom has been invited to visit Irvine and see progress taking place in these high-growth potential sectors, see how our focus aligns with the State’s goals, and share ideas to accelerate progress in creating an attractive environment for job creators and strengthening California’s innovation and entrepreneurial culture.
