The PCL Insider: News From The Capitol

ONLY FIVE WEEKS TO GO - PCL LEGISLATIVE SYMPOSIUM AND HOW-TO WORKSHOPS RETURN HOME FROM EMERALD CITY

Ever feel like your local and state government representatives are telling you to pay no attention to that man behind the curtain? Stop being a cowardly lion! Learn about your rights in our "How-to" workshop on California's "Government in the Sunshine" Laws at the 2007 PCL Legislative Symposium. We'll examine key legal requirements and address how environmental lawyers and activists can make the most effective use of these good-government laws in their work. (Attorneys can earn MCLE credits)

Registration for this all-day event on April 14th in Sacramento is filling up. Find out more about our speakers, panels, workshops, and opportunities to "network with the stars" at www.pcl.org. Bring your munchkins!

ALEVIATING YOUR TOXIC BODY BURDEN: THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE EXPERIMENTS WITH "GREEN CHEMISTRY"

During your last physical exam, did your doctor check your blood and urine? 

If so, you may be surprised by the high number of non-natural substances that were found passing through your body. Doctors recently reported eighty-four distinct hazardous chemicals and metals in the vital fluids of PBS host Bill Moyers. 

And highly articulate, well-informed, financially-secure, middle aged white males born in the United States to supportive, nurturing parents aren't the only ones suffering.

Despite numerous studies pointing to the potential health impacts of the toxic materials insinuating themselves into our bodies, we're still not allowed to know basic information about the severity of the threat this morbid mélange poses to our health.

Let's take three of the better-known nasties: dioxins, phthalates, and PCBs. These "aspirins of evil" are incorporated into products we use daily including baby toys and teething rings. Chronic exposure may cause birth defects, mental retardation, neurological damage, and chromosomal abnormalities, yet safe exposure levels that protect both consumers and workers have yet to be determined.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The Federal Toxic Substances Control Act of 1979 allows for synthetic chemicals to be produced and manipulated into products without any testing for potential human health problems.  Since 1979, over 70,000 chemicals have been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Only a small percentage has undergone testing; most of those produced in large quantities are rarely tested at all.

But fear not, dear reader. This year, the California Legislature is considering a package of bills that would prohibit or reduce the use of the most abundant and potentially harmful chemicals. They are also going to vote on legislation that would establish a State toxics inventory program to keep better track of the chemical industry.

We strongly support the Legislature in their efforts to create a regulatory structure that protects human health and nurtures the burgeoning Green Chemistry movement.

Here's a final point to ponder: Under the rubric of "healthy until proven dangerous," the chemical industry has been allowed to insert itself into our biological essence, dismantling the basic division between the synthetic and the natural world. As much as it sounds like Philip K. Dick's Blade Runner, the constructed world no longer stops where our skin begins.

Since these chemicals may not show their deleterious effects for decades to come, and may contribute incrementally to the likelihood of learning disabilities or asthma in our children, doesn't it make sense to adopt a precautionary principle instead? 

Promoting Green Chemistry and banning the most potentially dangerous products is a great first step. We'll be working with our help ensure that our children grow up in a healthier, less-toxic world.

If you'd like a list of the bills we're following, contact PCL Legislative Advocate Rene Guerrero at rguerrero@pcl.org or (916) 313-4508.

NEW U.S. CONGRESS PASSES MCNERNEY PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT - HOW REFRESHING!

In a wide-margined victory last week, the U.S. Congress handed California a strong win by passing Congressman Jerry McNerney's bill to authorize $125 million in competitive grant money for local water programs that prioritize water reuse, recycling and end-use efficiency.

McNerney's Healthy Communities Water Supply Act resurrects a 2000 federal grant program that promotes self-sufficiency in local and regional water systems to increase reliability, protect public health benefits, and benefit the environment.

McNerney upset Former Assemblyman Richard Pombo in last November's election and was recently appointed to Nancy Pelosi's House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. 

The Planning and Conservation League applauds Congressman McNerney's leadership and his commitment to preserving the long-term sustainability and cost-effectiveness of our public systems. As global climate change and population growth strain the state's water supply, we look to leaders in federal, state, and local government to sure our strategies to adapt to changing conditions reduce our environmental impact while increasing our quality of life. It's a tall bill, but our future depends on it.

The Planning and Conservation League applauds Congressman McNerney’s leadership and his commitment to preserving the long-term sustainability and cost-effectiveness of our public systems. As global climate change and population growth strain the state’s water supply, we look to leaders in federal, state, and local government to sure our strategies to adapt to changing conditions reduce our environmental impact while increasing our quality of life. It’s a tall bill, but our future depends on it.

Meet McNerney at PCL’s Legislative Symposium in Sacramento on April 14th. 

VANDER SLUIS TAPPED AS NWF / PCL GLOBLAL WARMING PROGRAM MANAGER

The Planning and Conservation League (PCL) and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) are proud to announce the appointment of PCL project manager Matt Vander Sluis to lead the new PCL/NWF Global Warming Program.

Vander Sluis (pronounced “van' der slice”) joined the PCL family in 2004 after graduating from Stanford University, where he specialized in equity and resource issues regarding the built environment and led the campus’ Amnesty International chapter. At PCL, he served as outreach coordinator and lead editor for the “Everyday Heroes” publication on the California Environmental Quality Act, helped develop a coalition effort to ensure that disadvantaged communities have access to clean drinking water, and advocated before state agencies for water management policy reforms to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions and minimize the threat our changing climate poses to wildlife and human populations. 

“It’s a tremendous honor to join this new partnership," explains Vander Sluis. "California’s actions on climate change inspire other Americans to adopt our innovative ethic and our commitment to justice and civic responsibility. With the help of the National Wildlife Federation, we can ensure that our successes are replicated across the country and shift the political realities that stymie national climate policy reform.”

Vander Sluis remains headquartered at PCL’s Sacramento office where he guides the program’s work on implementation of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006; promotes climate policies before the State Legislature and state agencies; ensures support for national global warming pollution reductions; and supports local and regional efforts of affiliated organizations.

For more information about the program, contact Matt at mvander@pcl.org or (916) 313-4515.