Bay Area Regional Energy Network Privacy Policy

The effective date of this Privacy Policy is June 10, 2026.

Overview

The Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), managed by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), and its programs are committed to protecting the privacy and security of individuals who interact with our services. This Privacy Policy (the Policy) applies to all users of BayREN websites, including both those who browse our websites and those who participate in BayREN programs and services.

This Policy is intended to help users understand how we collect, use, and safeguard personally identifiable information (PII). It outlines:

The types of information we collect from users
How we use and share that information with third parties
The steps we take to protect user data
How users can stay informed about material changes to this Policy

By using BayREN.org or registration.BayREN.org, collectively referred to as “the Websites”, users agree to the practices described in this Policy.

BayREN engages other government agencies and contractors to operate and maintain some programs on behalf of BayREN. These agencies and contractors are collectively referred to as Program Implementers. When submitting program enrollment and interest forms, website users consent to BayREN and Program Implementers processing personal information according to this Privacy Policy.

BayREN will not provide PII obtained from BayREN programs to any third-party without user consent, except as described in the Privacy Policy; BayREN will not provide PII to advertisers for their use; BayREN will not sell PII and; BayREN will maintain a secure environment for PII.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand our practices. By using our websites, you agree to the terms of this Policy.

Definitions

Personally Identifiable Information

PII identifies or describes a person or can be directly linked to a specific individual. Examples of PII include but are not limited to, a person’s name, mailing address, email address, utility usage date, income range and telephone number.

Aggregate Data

Aggregate Data is statistical information that is derived from collective data and relates to a group or category of persons from which PII has been removed. Aggregate Data is generally used by BayREN for statistical analysis, reporting, improving the content of the BayREN.org Website, and helping BayREN understand how people are using Website services. Aggregate Data may be shared with third parties and published in any publicly-available media.

Anonymous Data

Anonymous Data is disaggregated data from which all PII has been removed, that does not identify or describe a person, and that cannot be directly linked to a specific individual. BayREN may use Anonymous Data for any agency purpose and make it available to third parties.

Collection of Personally Identifiable Information

The information BayREN collects depends upon what a user does when visiting the Websites. BayREN collects PII from the user if they submit a program interest form or sign up for a service and the collection of the information is necessary to deliver the service. Users submitting enrollment or interest forms provide personal information to verify program eligibility, receive program services or promotional materials, or other identified services. In general, this information may include but is not limited to, name, address, phone number, email address, and utility account number.

BayREN uses Constant Contact, a third-party newsletter platform, to enable individuals to subscribe to regular communication. When subscribing, users may provide their name, email address, job title, and place of work. This mailing list may be stored on cloud-based systems and services. Individuals can revoke consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every Constant Contact email newsletter. Also see Constant Contact’s Data Notice. Please see Third-Parties with Whom BayREN May Share Personally Identifiable Information below for more information.

How BayREN Uses Personally Identifiable Information

BayREN uses PII to provide the user with the services they request. For example, a user may sign up to receive newsletter from BayREN or may wish to enroll in one of BayREN’s many programs. Accordingly, BayREN uses PII to send newsletters to users and in conjunction with its Program Implementers, to determine program eligibility, enroll the user in a BayREN program, provide services, and to manage and operate the programs.

Third Parties with Whom BayREN May Share Personally Identifiable Information

BayREN may share PII with Program Implementers as necessary to deliver the services for which they were contracted. BayREN requires Program Implementers to maintain the confidentiality of the PII and to use it only as necessary to carry out their BayREN duties.

Besides these entities, PII will not be disclosed to any other third party without express user consent, except as otherwise provided in this Privacy Policy or as required to comply with laws or legal processes. Program Implementers do not share PII with other Program Implementers, unless the user explicitly provides consent to do so.

Retention of Personally Identifiable Information

BayREN programs store the PII of program participants for a retention period of up to five years, except for the Bay Area Multifamily Enhancements (BAMBE) program, which retains PII for up 10 years. After the program retention period expires, BayREN programs permanently discard PII and retain only aggregate or anonymous non-identifiable program data for reporting and analysis purposes.

Security of Personally Identifiable Information

BayREN is committed to the security of user PII. PII provided to BayREN by website users is stored in computing systems and services that are designed with software, hardware and administrative security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access. Program Implementers, with whom BayREN shares or stores PII are also required to implement adequate security measures to maintain the confidentiality of such information and prevent unauthorized access.

This should not, however, be deemed in any way as warranting or guaranteeing the security of the PII provided on the Websites. There is a risk that unauthorized third parties may engage in illegal activity by such things as hacking into on-line web services or by intercepting transmissions of personal information over the internet. BayREN is not responsible for any data obtained in any unauthorized manner.

Updating Personally Identifiable Information

Users whose PII is stored by BayREN update their information at any time by contacting the Program Implementer that provided their services or by emailing [email protected].

IP Addresses

When the user accesses the Websites, BayREN’s cloud platform provider may collect the user’s device IP address, the time and date of the visit, and the pages they visit. An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique string of numbers that is assigned to a user’s computer, router or mobile device by the user’s internet service provider. This information is used to help diagnose and resolve system errors and to otherwise administer the Websites. This information may be shared with third party service providers for these purposes.

Website Usage Metrics

The Websites uses a third-party traffic measurement service called Google Analytics to gather and compute website usage metrics. Google Analytics collects users’ IP addresses and the pages the users are visiting. BayREN and its Program Implementers use this information for such things as analyzing results of a BayREN marketing campaign and making recommendations for website improvements. Google Analytics may set a cookie that will enable it to function properly. To find out more about Google Analytics’ privacy principles, visit the Google Analytics Privacy and Security Page.

Third-Party Websites

The Websites may contain links to third-party websites operated by entities that may or may not be affiliated with BayREN. These external links are marked with a third-party link icon: an arrow pointing to the upper right within a box. Some BayREN programs may use third-party services to gather program interest forms. In these cases, the user is directed to an external site.

WARNING: Once a user enters external websites (whether through a service or content link), BayREN is not responsible for the privacy practices of those other websites. Please review all privacy policies of external websites you may visit from links on the Websites before using or providing any information to such other websites. Users are subject to the privacy policy of these respective websites if they choose to interact with the external links.

Emails Sent to BayREN

This Privacy Policy does not apply to the content of emails transmitted directly to BayREN. Please do not send PII in an email directly to BayREN to keep content or data private.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Material Changes

BayREN will inform users if material changes are made to this Privacy Policy, in particular, changes that expand the permissible uses or disclosures of PII allowed by the prior version of the Privacy Policy. If BayREN makes material changes to the Privacy Policy, BayREN will notify users by means of posting a conspicuous notice on the Website that material changes have been made.

Immaterial Changes

BayREN may also make non-substantive changes to the Privacy Policy, such as those that do not affect the permissible uses or disclosures of PII. In these instances, BayREN may not post a special notice on the Website.

If BayREN decides to make any change to the Privacy Policy, material or immaterial, BayREN will post the revised policy on the Website, along with the date of any amendment.

BayREN reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so the Privacy Policy needs to be reviewed frequently by users.

When BayREN revises the Privacy Policy, the "last updated" date at the top of the Privacy Policy will reflect the date of the last change. We encourage users to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

Contact Information

BayREN welcomes comments and questions on this Privacy Policy. To get in touch with us, contact our Privacy Officer at:

Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Attn: Privacy Officer

375 Beale Street, Suite 800

San Francisco, CA 94105

Or email: [email protected]

Or call: (415) 778-6700