Posted on 04/03/2006 8:28:27 PM PDT by calcowgirl
SACRAMENTO--Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez introduced legislation Monday to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, oil refineries and other industrial sources, a step he said would lead the nation in combating global warming while spurring the state's economy.
"(The bill) sends a loud and clear message to ... innovators and entrepreneurs here and abroad to develop and bring clean technologies into the California marketplace," the Los Angeles Democrat said.
Nunez announced the legislation on the same day Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration released a report calling for development of economic incentives that could include emission caps to cut greenhouse gases, chiefly carbon dioxide.
The two developments triggered praise from environmental groups but warnings from business leaders that limits could drive businesses out of the state.
"The governor gets it and the legislative leadership gets it," said Karen Douglas, director of the California climate initiative at Environmental Defense, a national nonprofit group. "Today's announcements set the stage for California to take global warming by the horns and implement meaningful policies to curb this serious issue."
But Alan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders should embrace a voluntary system that provides incentives to industry. An emissions cap would drive California power plants, refineries and other companies out of state, he said.
"This is a global problem and it requires a global solution," Zaremberg said. "If you shut down a facility here in California and that facility migrates somewhere else in the world, you haven't done anything to solve the problem."
Nunez introduced the bill with Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, the author of 2002 legislation that requires the state Air Resources Board to draft regulations curbing greenhouse gas emissions from autos.
The Nunez-Pavley bill is intended to cut emissions from commercial sources to 1990 levels by 2020. It would require the air board to determine which industries would be covered by the limit, but Richard Stapler, a spokesman for Nunez, said power plants and oil refineries would be included.
"It directs the ARB to implement these policies and collect research and data on which industries actually produce the most amounts," he said.
The bill also would allow the air board to grant exemptions to industries that had already lowered their carbon emissions, Stapler added.
A spokesman for Schwarzenegger, Bill Maile, said the administration had not yet reviewed the bill but said the governor looked forward to working with the Democrats. He said the governor's office and the Democratic leadership have enjoyed "a spirit of cooperation" on climate change.
The report from the administration's Climate Action Team calls for development of a "market-based system (that) uses economic incentives" such as pollution credits and offsets to curb emissions.
It said the incentives could include an emissions cap, a limit on carbon in oil and gas or a combination of the two.
The report warned that a cap could drive polluting businesses to other states, resulting in no net cut in overall emissions, and suggested that the best way to deal with the problem would be a national or regional emissions control plan.
The team set a target of Jan. 1, 2008, to recommend a program for cutting emissions. It also said the administration should work with other western states to minimize businesses moving from one state to another to avoid emission limits.
Other recommendations in the report include:
_ Consideration of a "public goods charge" on gasoline and diesel or a fee on major greenhouse gas polluters to help pay for emission-reduction efforts.
_ Mandatory emissions reporting from oil refineries, power plants, cement manufacturers, garbage dumps and other major sources of greenhouse gases.
--A public education campaign to make the public aware of the environmental problems created by global warming.
--A requirement that publicly owned utilities meet the same energy efficiency goals of investor-owned utilities.
Schwarzenegger formed the climate team after a speech last June during a United Nations environmental conference in which he vowed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California.
On the Net: http://www.assembly.ca.gov and http://www.climatechange.ca.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press contact: Craig Noble, NRDC: 415.601.8235 (mobile) or 415.875.6100 (office); Jennifer Witherspoon, Environmental Defense: 415.216.9598 (mobile)
If you are not a member of the press, please write to us at nrdcinfo@nrdc.org or see our contact page.
CALIFORNIA GLOBAL WARMING FIGHT GAINS STEAM, SETS NATIONAL PRECEDENT
First of-its-kind bill would set statewide limits on heat-trapping pollution, stimulate new jobs and growth in California's clean energy economy
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (April 3, 2006) -- Signaling strong political support for California action to solve the world's most pressing environmental problem, Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) today jointly introduced an historic bill to set concrete new limits on global warming pollution. Assembly Bill 32 -- The Global Warming Solutions Act -- would set the nation's first statewide limit on emissions of the heat-trapping gases that cause global warming, and spur a clean energy boom in the state, supporters say.
"California's legislative leaders get it, and so does the governor," said Karen Douglas, director of the California Climate Initiative at Environmental Defense. "Today's announcement will put teeth into Governor's Schwarzenegger's Executive Order, dramatically curbing California's global warming emissions across all energy sectors and jump-starting a new energy economy."
In addition to limiting pollution, the Global Warming Solutions Act would send a market signal that spurs investments in California's fast-growing clean technology sector, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Environmental Defense. It would require state agencies to coordinate investments and programs to reduce global warming pollution, and to promote economic growth by encouraging the deployment of emissions reduction technologies.
"These new standards build on California's world leadership in clean air and clean energy solutions. We will create a clean technology boom in California that breaks our addiction to fossil fuels and protects our health and economy from the effects of global warming," said Devra Wang, director of NRDC's California energy program. "Innovation will stimulate business investments in advanced energy alternatives and generate new 'clean-tech' jobs."
Reductions in global warming pollution can be achieved at a net benefit to state industry and consumers. The California Climate Change Center at the University of California at Berkeley found that California could achieve almost half of the governor's 2020 targets while increasing Gross State Product by about $60 billion and creating more than 20,000 new jobs. The full report is available here.
"The Global Warming Solutions Act will draw the investment capital, companies and jobs needed to establish California as a leader in the competitive clean technology market," said Bob Epstein, co-founder of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) and a trustee of NRDC.
The California Environmental Protection Agency estimates that worldwide demand for new technologies developed to reduce global warming emissions will create a global market potential of more than $180 billion annually.
Global warming threatens California's economy, environment and way of life. Scientists say rising temperatures will shrink the Sierra snow pack, the largest source of California's drinking and irrigation water, by 30 to 90 percent. In a warmer climate, sea levels are expected to rise and heat waves, smoggy days and wildfires will become more common, while demand for electricity soars during peak summer demand.
"Global warming is not only a scientific problem--but the most important moral issue of our time," said Reverend Sally Bingham, a trustee of Environmental Defense and Episcopal Diocese of California. "It directly affects the survival of future generations."
Background
In June 2005, Gov. Schwarzenegger set ambitious targets for reducing global warming pollution in California by executive order EO S-3-05. "I say, the debate is over," said the governor at an event announcing his plan. "We know the science. We see the threat, and we know the time for action is now."
The governor set targets to reduce global warming emissions to 2000 levels by 2010, to 1990 levels by 2020 and to reduce emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. He directed a high level task force of officials from state agencies to develop recommendations for how to meet his executive order. The Climate Action Team then released a draft set of recommendations in December 2005. A final report is expected this month. See the draft report. The Global Warming Solutions Act would put teeth in the governor's Executive Order by establishing a binding statewide limit on global warming emissions. It also would set reporting requirements for industry to ensure that the 2020 targets are achieved.
The emission reductions needed to meet the limit set by the Global Warming Solutions Act and the governor's goals can be achieved with strategies such as increasing California's renewable energy supply to 33 percent by 2020; creating new energy efficiency performance standards; cleaning up motor vehicle emissions; and using more 'biofuels' made from agricultural products. Other strategies include improving transit alternatives and bolstering water conservation measures in order to reduce the energy needed for water transport and treatment. (California's State Water Project is the state's largest single energy user, consuming an average of 5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year.)
AB 32 is part of a package of bills that will reduce global warming pollution and put California on the path to a new energy economy. Other bills introduced in the Legislature include: Senate Bill 1368 (Perata), which will require any new commitments to electric generation serving California to meet a minimum standard in terms of global warming emission levels; SB 1250 (Perata) to authorize continuing state investments in renewable energy and research and development; AB 2021 (Levine) to ensure that all electric utilities maximize cost-effective energy efficiency; and AB 2791 (Ruskin) to encourage purchases of new cars that emit less global warming and smog pollution.
More information about The Global Warming Solutions Act and global warming impacts on California is available on nrdc.org and environmentaldefense.org
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 400,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. www.environmentaldefense.org
No, you don't get it. Your cost of living is going to increase to fatten the wallets of the globalists playing the carbon "market" funded by cleverly hidden surcharges on your utility bills.
Well, don't feel bad. I hear our own dopey governor here in AZ was involved in some stupid backroom dealmaking to try bring similar things here.
I sure hope they are enjoying themselves with this latest apocalyptic threat they've conjured up, but I am tiring of it always being my money that gets wasted on this windmill tilting crap.
It reads like an RFK jr wet dream don't it.....
Exactly. The only people benefitting from this are the elitists in the envirowacko groups, while everyone else gets the shaft.
Extend the bill to Mars, since global warming there is melting those icecaps.
"the freeways are filthy, the hospitals are closing, the schools are a mess and the infrastructure is collapsing. Don't talk to me about greenhouse gases, global warming or spotted owls."
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Exactly. They sure don't have their priorities straight, do they?
The only sensible person quoted in the article is the President of the CCC, who is the only one who gets it:
"But Alan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders should embrace a voluntary system that provides incentives to industry. An emissions cap would drive California power plants, refineries and other companies out of state, he said.
"This is a global problem and it requires a global solution," Zaremberg said. "If you shut down a facility here in California and that facility migrates somewhere else in the world, you haven't done anything to solve the problem."
My understanding is that the most efficient greenhouse gas
is water vapor. Nobody seems to be controlling it.
And here I thought you were just an independent with GL
BT leanings, turns out your GReen the whole time ,, My my , FO.
Zaremberg gets it, lolol
Do you disagree with this?
"If you shut down a facility here in California and that facility migrates somewhere else in the world, you haven't done anything to solve the problem."
Do you swallow everything hook line and sinker that you are fed?
You must really do something about your "GLBT" obsession -- no matter what the topic of the discussion is, you keep bringing it up. Are you trying to come out of the closet, or something?
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
It just fits in with your New Majority and Gubby vision thing you share here ad nauseum. You really shouldn't take it personally. You seem to be willing to cast your lot with the highest bidder, no matter what it costs ya principle wise. That's your choice.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
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