Tesla’s global engineering and AI headquarters opens in Palo Alto

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - Governor

Gavin Newsom joined Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk in opening Tesla’s Global engineering and AI headquarters in Palo Alto. The headquarters sits on a location formerly used by Hewlett-Packard.

Gov. Newsom revealed that he invested approximately $100,000 in Tesla back in 2007. Now Tesla’s engineering and artificial intelligence operations will be headquartered in the 4th largest economy in the world and home to America’s leading zero emissions market accounting for 40% of all ZEVs sold.

Gov. Newsom stated that policy, direction, and the regulatory framework in the state has pushed the envelope on electric car manufacturing. There are 55 smaller electronic vehicle manufacturers based in the Golden State, but Tesla’s corporate headquarters are in Austin, Texas.

“The future happens in California first. We’re changing the world through our historic investments, our conveyor belt for talent, and partnerships with companies like Tesla. The state continues to be the world’s innovation hub, charging the electric vehicle revolution, and dominating the industry in every category – all while keeping the same goal in mind: ensuring a cleaner, greener and healthier place to live for future generations,” Gov. Newsom said.

Tesla has had the support of

California since 2009 to help create the zero emissions Vehicle (ZEV) market. Now Tesla’s new global engineering and AI headquarters developing the technology of the future will be based in California.

California has a ready market for electric vehicles with almost 1.4 million ZEVs sold as of Dec. 2022.

The state has the climate for success in ZEV manufacturing.

It has a large diverse workforce and more scientists, engineers, researchers and Nobel Prize winners than anywhere else in the country. More than half of all new private billion-dollar companies are based in California, and the state has attracted more than 51% of all venture capital investments in the US since 2000.

“It’s not surprising to me, but I don’t take it for granted, that the world’s headquarters for Engineering, for AI, for pushing out the boundaries is here,” Gov. Newsom stated.

Tesla began 20 years ago in San Carlos, the future success of the company at that time was seen as a long-shot and highly risky.

Cruz: Thousands of jobs on hold as Biden administration delays deepwater port applications

By BETHANY BLANKLEY THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is demanding answers from the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) about extensive delays in approving applications for deepwater ports for exporting oil and natural gas. MARAD has failed to meet its statutory deadlines to make decisions, which impacts Texas the most, Sen. Cruz said. Four of the seven applications for licenses are for projects off the Texas coast. MARAD has until Monday, Feb. 27, to provide Sen. Cruz with a planned timeline for issuing all pending deepwater port licenses, according to a letter he sent to Rear Admiral Ann Phillips Administrator, Maritime Administration U.S. Department of Transportation. He also requested quarterly updates be provided to his staff about the progress of any pending license or license application.

According to the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, applicants are required to obtain licenses from MARAD to own, construct, operate and decommission deepwater port structures for the import and export of oil and natural gas. Congress established mandatory timelines of 240 days to conclude public hearings and 356 days to reach a decision on deepwater port applications.

However, on average, the agency’s taken three years without issuing a deepwater port licensing decision. According to MARAD, delayed applications go as far back as May 2019.

To “skirt the 356-day timeline” created by Congress, Sen. Cruz argues, “MARAD has asked applicants for additional information, often paused the clock, and has not resumed it in many situations. The result has been that the average project approval time has ballooned to approximately 1,000 days, which is close to triple the mandatory time limit.”

“While these projects are complex and require the review and input of the public and other state and federal agencies, applicants have complained of prolonged delays associated with the Maritime Administration’s slow processing time and general lack of communication during the process,” he wrote. He also expressed concerns that deepwater port projects “are being delayed unnecessarily.”

The delayed projects in Texas “will create or support thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars in economic benefits,” he added. “Once operational, these deepwater ports will increase our energy export capabilities, helping to establish greater energy security for our allies who are suffering from Russia’s weaponization of its energy reserves. These ports will also support the environment by displacing less efficient export modes and foreign-produced sources of energy with higher levels of emissions and pollution.”

Part of the delays relate to MARAD requiring applicants to complete an “Environmental Justice engagement plan.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and multiple attorneys general, state associations and organizations are fighting a similar agenda promulgated by an EPA “environmental justice” rule they argue jeopardizes American energy and national security.

“The uncertainty over whether and when MARAD will approve these plans (or move the goalposts) makes planning and investment difficult for applicants, thus reducing job growth, and hurting allies seeking to import U.S. energy,” Cruz said.

Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), told The Center Square, “Impeding the development of oil and natural gas infrastructure projects creates uncertainty in the market and hesitation from investors. These projects are necessary to address growing energy demand here and abroad, and this red tape only further constrains a tight oil and gas market, driving higher energy prices and ultimately hurting everyday Americans.”

He also pointed out that “advancing new energy infrastructure projects, including pipelines, deepwater ports and LNG export facilities, is critical” at a time when “exports are also expected to reach records highs. As this trend continues, the United States will need more deepwater ports.” farmland to village. This has kept the valley from urban sprawl that you may have seen in the Los Angeles region. Each town has a commercial core, surrounded by denser residential zoning then expanding to 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-acre minimum sized parcels. This keeps the valley from growing too much with very few vacant parcels left, creating a premium for vacant lot values and existing houses. This provides some assurance that future growth will be limited. The country style valley plan is attractive to many in today´s market.

In its most recent Short Term Energy Outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Agency forecast that U.S. natural gas pipeline exports will reach record highs between 9.0 Bcf/d and 10.0 Bcf/d in the 2022-2023 winter season, largely driven by record production in the Permian Basin in west Texas and southeast New Mexico.

6. Weather. The climate is one of the most unique in the world. A local vintner said he chose his winery location to be in the Santa Ynez Valley because after researching locations worldwide he discovered that in the valley, one could grow nearly every variety of grape in the world within about a 15-mile radius of your winery.

The climate pivots from the Mediterranean to a north coastal zone at this point in California as one of the few east-west mountain ranges opening to the ocean in the U.S. This results in a cooler climate toward the ocean and warmer inland, creating dry warm days with cool nights nearly all year long.

7. Anonymity. Status and titles become unimportant here.

Multi-generational locals live and work along-side celebrities and billionaire all raising their children.

Longtime locals either know you as friends, don´t recognize you, or really don´t care about your status. Old trucks are OK to drive, jeans and boots are OK to wear, and smiling and waving to others is common practice. Hopefully these secrets have helped you understand why people live in the Santa Ynez Valley a little more. Feel free to tell your friends — but not too many.

Since 1992, Allan S. Jones has been president and principal broker of the Santa Ynez Valley Real Estate Co., the valley’s oldest real-estate company and one that has served clients since 1960. With nine local agents, the business has consistently one of the highest volume offices per agent and is part of the worldwide network of Who´s Who in Luxury Real Estate.