2009 Legislative Agenda - Environment California

Promote Clean Energy

As California grows, the need to continue to aggressively pursue energy efficiency and renewable energy is paramount to protecting our environment and economy. We support measures that:

1. Triple Renewable Energy in California: Increase California’s minimum renewable energy goals to at least 33% by 2020 (Senate President Steinberg and Speaker Bass).

2. Repower America: Create a first-ever minimum renewable energy standard for the county, getting to 20% renewable energy nation-wide by 2020.

3. Encourage Solar Roofs: Provide solar system owners fair compensation for surplus power sent back to the grid (Assemblymember Jared Huffman).

4. Foster Clean Building Technology: Require all new California homes to be zero-energy by 2020 (Assemblymember Saldana).

5. Invest in Green Infrastructure: Ensure the Federal economic stimulus package has at least $6 Billion for clean energy projects and energy efficiency.

Reduce Global Warming

Global warming is one of California’s greatest and most urgent environmental problems, with depleted snow pack in the Sierra Nevada impacting our drinking water supplies, rising sea levels threatening our cities along the coast, and increased smog pollution harming our health. The threat of global warming is cause for immediate action and the pathway to solving global warming is straightforward: cut the amount of global warming pollution emitted by automobiles, power plants and the other major sources in half. We support measures that:

1. Make Polluters Pay: Ensure the state auctions 100% of carbon emissions allowances in any cap-and-trade program and invests at least $1 billion-a-year in efficiency and clean energy solutions.

2. Pass a Nationwide Pollution Cap: Build support for a science-based nationwide cap on global warming pollution to reduce emissions 80% by 2050 (Congressman Waxman).

3. Promote Clean Cars: Defend California’s vehicle tailpipe emission standards from attacks by automakers and the Bush administration.

Curb Toxics

There are currently over 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States. We lack even basic information on the potential adverse health effects regarding the vast majority of these chemicals. We do know that at least 1,400 chemicals have known or probable links to cancer, birth defects, reproductive impacts and other health problems, such as learning disabilities. We support:

1. Implementing the Green Chemistry initiative in Cal EPA and pass legislation to enhance this program and its work.

Protect Our Ocean Environment

California’s coastal and ocean environments are invaluable assets to our state. California has an impressive record of taking bold and innovative actions to protect our coastal natural resources, yet recent studies have shown that our ocean environments need more protection. We support measures that:

1. Defend Marine Life: Establish more Marine Protected Areas.

2. Protect California’s Coast: Stop all oil and gas development.

3. Reduce Ocean Pollution:

A. Ban cigarettes from state beaches and state parks. (Sen. Oropeza)
B. Establish a fee on plastic bags, to reduce the pollution that is caused by the bags. (Assemblymembers Brownley and Davis)
C. Ban single use Styrofoam take out containers (Assemblymember Hill)

Preservation

California is home to some of the country’s most beautiful places, with eight national parks, hundreds of state parks and over 4 million acres of wild forests. Unfortunately, too many of our beautiful places have been lost to logging, mining, oil drilling and overdevelopment. That’s why we are working to protect California’s parks and critical wildlife habitat, and the laws that protect them.

1. Preserve State Parks: Ensure that California state parks are not closed or neglected by fiscal cuts. Make sure state parkland is not developed.

2. Preserve National Forests: Protect our National Forests from dangerous development like oil drilling and mining. Reinstate the 2001 Roadless Rule.

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Issues Preservation Wild Forests Save Our National Parks Keep Our State Parks Open Energy Repower America Million Solar Roofs Solar Water Heating Triple It California! Global Warming Global Warming Solutions Clean Cars, Cool Fuels Stopping Global Warming Nationwide Environmental Health Stop Toxic Toys Green Chemistry Oceans Protect Our Coast Save Our Ocean Legacy Stop Offshore Drilling Reduce Ocean Pollution Protect Fish and Marine Mammals Clean Water Safe Drinking Water Clean Bays, Clean Beaches Clean Air Stopping Smog Pollution Stopping Soot Pollution Election 2008 2008 Ballot Measures State Legislature 2009 Legislative Agenda	Home » Issues » State Legislature » 2009 Legislative Agenda
	2009 Legislative Agenda Promote Clean Energy As California grows, the need to continue to aggressively pursue energy efficiency and renewable energy is paramount to protecting our environment and economy. We support measures that: 1. Triple Renewable Energy in California: Increase California’s minimum renewable energy goals to at least 33% by 2020 (Senate President Steinberg and Speaker Bass). 2. Repower America: Create a first-ever minimum renewable energy standard for the county, getting to 20% renewable energy nation-wide by 2020. 3. Encourage Solar Roofs: Provide solar system owners fair compensation for surplus power sent back to the grid (Assemblymember Jared Huffman). 4. Foster Clean Building Technology: Require all new California homes to be zero-energy by 2020 (Assemblymember Saldana). 5. Invest in Green Infrastructure: Ensure the Federal economic stimulus package has at least $6 Billion for clean energy projects and energy efficiency. Reduce Global Warming Global warming is one of California’s greatest and most urgent environmental problems, with depleted snow pack in the Sierra Nevada impacting our drinking water supplies, rising sea levels threatening our cities along the coast, and increased smog pollution harming our health. The threat of global warming is cause for immediate action and the pathway to solving global warming is straightforward: cut the amount of global warming pollution emitted by automobiles, power plants and the other major sources in half. We support measures that: 1. Make Polluters Pay: Ensure the state auctions 100% of carbon emissions allowances in any cap-and-trade program and invests at least $1 billion-a-year in efficiency and clean energy solutions. 2. Pass a Nationwide Pollution Cap: Build support for a science-based nationwide cap on global warming pollution to reduce emissions 80% by 2050 (Congressman Waxman). 3. Promote Clean Cars: Defend California’s vehicle tailpipe emission standards from attacks by automakers and the Bush administration. Curb Toxics There are currently over 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States. We lack even basic information on the potential adverse health effects regarding the vast majority of these chemicals. We do know that at least 1,400 chemicals have known or probable links to cancer, birth defects, reproductive impacts and other health problems, such as learning disabilities. We support: 1. Implementing the Green Chemistry initiative in Cal EPA and pass legislation to enhance this program and its work. Protect Our Ocean Environment California’s coastal and ocean environments are invaluable assets to our state. California has an impressive record of taking bold and innovative actions to protect our coastal natural resources, yet recent studies have shown that our ocean environments need more protection. We support measures that: 1. Defend Marine Life: Establish more Marine Protected Areas. 2. Protect California’s Coast: Stop all oil and gas development. 3. Reduce Ocean Pollution: A. Ban cigarettes from state beaches and state parks. (Sen. Oropeza) B. Establish a fee on plastic bags, to reduce the pollution that is caused by the bags. (Assemblymembers Brownley and Davis) C. Ban single use Styrofoam take out containers (Assemblymember Hill) Preservation California is home to some of the country’s most beautiful places, with eight national parks, hundreds of state parks and over 4 million acres of wild forests. Unfortunately, too many of our beautiful places have been lost to logging, mining, oil drilling and overdevelopment. That’s why we are working to protect California’s parks and critical wildlife habitat, and the laws that protect them. 1. Preserve State Parks: Ensure that California state parks are not closed or neglected by fiscal cuts. Make sure state parkland is not developed. 2. Preserve National Forests: Protect our National Forests from dangerous development like oil drilling and mining. Reinstate the 2001 Roadless Rule.