PCL Insider: News from the Capitol

BURNING FOR A BUDGET: HOLDING PATTERN AT THE CAPITOL ON FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA'S PREMIER ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

We alerted you earlier this week to an attempt by a handful of Republican senators to block the California budget unless the Legislature agrees to gut California's premier environmental and public participation law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Specifically, they're demanding an "ostrich exemption" to allow them to stick their heads in the sand and ignore the global warming pollution that projects like freeways and factories emit.

So far the democrats have held firm while the Governor has pulled an ostrich of his own, claiming in a news conference yesterday afternoon that he hadn't read the proposed changes to CEQA.

The democratic senators deliberated on Thursday in a closed caucus meeting, and they're meeting again this morning.  We're waiting for some fresh news and will let you know as soon as we hear more...

Thanks to those of you who have called your legislators to urge them to protect CEQA – please keep those calls coming!

HARRY POTTER ON CALIFORNIA FLOOD POLICY

Okay, we confess...that was just a cheap attempt to get your attention. 

While we're on the subject, though, it's not too much of a stretch to say that PCL is as anxious for the release of the Legislature's flood package as Harry Potter fans were last week for the release of the final book in the series.

Note, however, that we draw the line at sleeping on the steps of the Capitol dressed up as, say, Assemblymember Lois Wolk or Senator Mike Machado (two important "characters" involved in the flood policy negotiations)!

Last week the PCL Insider summarized the key policy components needed for a strong flood protection plan for California.  This week's installment of the Insider flood series provides a brief update on the negotiations surrounding the flood package.

Part IV:  Let's get this Quidditch game started already

We expected that this first week of recess would signal the start of substantive discussions regarding the flood package to be brought to both houses in September.

However, the breakdown in budget discussions in the Legislature has thrown a wrench into many people's expectations, ours included. 

In the meantime, PCL is working with other environmental groups (Friends of the River, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Nature Conservancy) to ensure that we all (a) have a clear understanding of our shared principles for flood management and (b) promote a consistent set of policy priorities.  We look forward to the Legislature's passing of the budget – a release of the Quaffle, if you will – so that the flood negotiations may begin in earnest.

Next Week:  Unless things heat up negotiation-wise, we will present a musical interlude for your enjoyment (think "Weird Al" Yankovic meets the Sound of Music).

WHAT'S ON OUR MIND? A STATEWIDE SURVEY QUIZ

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is "a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research" that provides valuable insight into the policy preferences of the California citizenry through its statewide surveys.  The PCL Insider is pleased to announce that the PPIC just released a report on its Statewide Survey on the Environment which summarizes the responses of 2,500 California adults to questions regarding:

-- global warming and energy
-- air quality and health
-- environmental politics and policy preferences

Think you know how your fellow Californians think?  Take this quiz based on the PPIC Statewide Survey on the Environment results and see how you do. 

1. Percent of Californians who think global warming poses a very serious threat to the state's economy and quality of life (vs. "somewhat serious," "not too serious," or "not at all serious")
a. 32%
b. 45%
c. 50%
d. 54%

If you guessed (d) you're right! Over half of all Californians think global warming poses a very serious threat...all while a few senate republicans are trying to pretend it isn't happening.

2. Percent of Californians who favor the state law that requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels by the year 2020 (vs."oppose" or "don't know")
a. 28%
b. 42%
c. 60%
d. 78%

(d) -- nearly 80% of the state's residents support the state's effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels. How can we reach that goal if we give developers a free pass for increased emissions from new projects?

3. Percent of Californians who think it is necessary to take steps to counter the effects of global warming right away (vs. "not necessary yet" or "don't know").
a. 62%
b. 68%
c. 74%
d. 81%

Note: Two individuals in the survey responded "neither, never necessary" to this question.  Looks like they haven't been reading their PCL Insider!

Again the answer is (d)!  Sounds to us like a strong call for action, not for the inaction that's being bargained for in the budget process. 

4. Percent of Californians who favor the state making its own policies (separate from the federal government) to address global warming (vs."oppose" or "don't know")
a. 39%
b. 55%
c. 62%
d. 67%

Just over two-thirds of Californians favor the state taking action -- answer (d). Could this be because the federal government does things like, oh, pushing for exemptions to key environmental laws, thus making our problems worse?

5. Percent of Californians who approve of Governor Schwarzenegger's handling of state environmental issues/overall job performance (vs. "disapprove of" or "don't know")
a. 38%/49%
b. 47%/52%
c. 52%/47%
d. 55%/45%

See, this one is hard...a few months ago, you might have said, (d) and you'd have been right.  Not now...the Governor currently has just a 47% approval rating on environmental issues. Wonder how much lower it would go if he backed the republicans' sneak attack on CEQA?

See the full survey report for complete details.