Our Response: Brown’s State of the State Address

Environment California Applauds Governor’s Focus on Clean Energy and Fighting Global Warming

Environment California

 “We know we can, Governor”

Environment California applauds Governor’s focus on clean energy solutions and solving global warming

Statement by Bernadette Del Chiaro, Director Clean Energy and Global Warming Programs

 Sacramento – In Governor Jerry Brown’s State of the State Address delivered today, energy solutions, like solar and wind power, and transportation alternatives, like high-speed rail, were featured prominently as ways to keep California moving toward a brighter future.

“Clean energy solutions like wind and solar power, green buildings, and clean cars, have been the foundation of California’s success in fighting global warming and tackling air pollution,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, director of clean energy and global warming programs at Environment California. “California is showing the country that prioritizing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies is vital to healthy living and a strong economy.”

Toward the end of the speech, the governor referenced the popular children’s story, The Little Engine That Could, by Watty Piper, as a metaphor for the state’s task of building the clean energy infrastructure of the future.

“We don’t just think we can, Governor, we know we can,” said Del Chiaro. “California has a decades-long track record of embracing big, bold clean energy initiatives thanks to our collective positive can-do attitude and a categorical rejection of the naysayers who preach status quo as the only option. We are on the right track.”

Environment California is encouraging the governor to continue to expand the state’s renewable energy goals by building a million solar roofs, or 12 GW of clean, distributed generation by 2020; expand the state’s renewable portfolio standard beyond 33%; continue to prioritize energy efficient buildings; and continue down the road of bringing a million green cars to California by 2025.