SACRAMENTO—On
the day the Legislature is poised to pass the Global Warming Solutions Act – AB
32 – Environment California praised the bill’s sponsors, Asm. Speaker Fabian
Nunez and Asm. Fran Pavley, as well as Gov. Schwarzenegger for their leadership
on California’s
historic global warming legislation.
“For years the world has waited for the United States to take action on
global warming,” said Environment California’s Global Warming Advocate Jason
Barbose. “California is now poised to join with the
world in addressing this urgent problem."
As part of the event on the Capitol steps, Environment
California erected a 20-foot tall inflated earth that has been on a statewide
tour to build support for AB 32. The
tour made previous stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San
Diego.
At today’s event, Environment California also delivered
signed postcards to Gov. Schwarzenegger from 30,000 citizens around the
state voicing support for a statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions.
“The people of California
asked for serious action on global warming, and California’s leaders have delivered, setting
a precedent for other states and nations to follow,” added Barbose.
Environment California
supports the key provisions of AB 32 that will:
·
Cap global warming emissions at 1990 levels by
2020 (a 25 percent reduction);
·
Establish a mandatory reporting program to the
Air Resources Board (ARB) for significant greenhouse gas emissions;
·
Require ARB to adopt regulations for significant
greenhouse gas emission sources (allowing ARB to design a cap and trade
program) and give ARB the authority to enforce the regulations beginning in
2012.