PCL Insider: News from the Capitol

WATER SOAKS THE SPECIAL SESSION 

When Governor Schwarzenegger declared a special legislative session last week to tackle health care and water, we knew it was going to get heated in Sacramento. So we've been burning the midnight oil, talking with legislators at the state Capitol and meeting with newspaper editorial boards to make sure that Californians are getting the best value for their dollar while protecting the environment and public health.

The special session is now in high gear with two dueling proposals for new water bonds – SBXX 2 from Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata and SBXX 3 from the Governor (introduced in the Legislature by Senators Cogdill and Ackerman). There are also two proposals for how to direct existing bond monies to Delta restoration - Perata's SBXX 1 and the Governor's (introduced by Senator Cogdill and Assembly Member Villines) SBXX 4. Legislators plan to place a water bond on the February ballot for statewide voter approval.

Perata's Bond Package
Senator Perata's SBXX 1 and SBXX 2 provide a comprehensive package to address the crisis in the Delta.  SBXX 1 maximizes existing funds and ensures they are used to stabilize the Delta.  SBXX 2, his bond proposal, provides $5.8 billion to develop new regional water supplies, including water recycling, water conservation, groundwater protection, groundwater cleanup and stormwater capture.

Implementing these strategies ensures that we invest in the projects that State and federal studies, including the California Water Plan, have determined have the greatest water supply potential and are the most cost-effective. These options also have the advantage of increasing water supplies within each region of California, thus reducing reliance on unsustainable water exports from the fragile Delta.

PCL applauds the leadership of Senator Perata (and SBXX's two co-authors: Senators Machado and Steinberg) in addressing the critical water supply reliability, water quality and ecosystem needs in California. We support this bond package and will work to garner broad support in moving cost-effective solutions such as these forward.

The Governor's Bond Package
The Governor's proposed $9.085 billion water bond measure directs billions of taxpayer dollars to projects that will take decades to implement and will produce relatively little water.

This proposal would inappropriately allocate $5.1 billion for construction of three costly and damaging dams. While state and federal agencies have studied these dams for years, not one of these dams has been proven to be cost-effective or environmentally acceptable. In fact, state and federal agencies have not been able to find even one willing local partner to contract for the resulting water at the anticipated cost. Taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize projects that so obviously fail the cost-effectiveness test.

PCL strongly opposes any bond proposal that provides funding for construction of unneeded, harmful dams when other more cost-effective and environmentally beneficial sources of water are available.

California must fund effective solutions to solve its pressing water problems. PCL is working to ensure that investments made today are targeted to resolve these specific problems in a cost-effective, timely, and proven way.  The crisis in the Delta and the resulting legal decisions demonstrate that an over-reliance on water supply from the fragile Delta puts at risk not only the largest estuary on the West Coast, but also California's economy.

PCL is asking the Legislature to take a responsible course of action and only ask voters to pay for projects that are proven and cost-effective. We'll keep you updated as the special session continues!

A DAM DECEPTION: GOVERNOR'S GREENWASHING ATTEMPT ALL WET  

The Governor wants the Legislature to authorize a new bond issue for dam construction. In fact, he wants the people of the state to borrow more than $9 billion dollars, and to spend at least $5.6 billion dollars of that to build more dams. The measure would also provide funding for a Peripheral Canal or Peripheral Pipe.

While the Governor wants to spend big money on new, economically inefficient and environmentally destructive dam projects, he doesn't want the voters to know. Hidden in the text of the Governor's proposal is an unusual provision that would essentially repeal the normal procedures that ensure that voters receive an impartial ballot title and summary. Instead, the summary would emphasize "environmental restoration projects," even though the vast majority of the funding would be to construct dams!

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law...all ballots...shall have printed thereon and in a square thereof, exclusively, the words: 'Water Supply Reliability Bond Act of 2008' and in the same square under those words, the following in 8-point type: 'This act will provide financing for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Sustainability, water supply reliability, and environmental restoration projects by authorizing a $9.085 billion dollar bond act.'"

Even the Governor seems to recognize that the voters would likely reject his plan to spend big money for more dams, if they knew what he was actually proposing. His attempt to employ disingenuous and deceptive advertising in connection with the proposed $9 billion dam-driven bond act reinforces the fact that this is NOT a good way to provide for the future water supply and water quality needs of the people of California.

GLOBAL WARMING COMES A COURTIN' (VERMONT STYLE)

Advocates in the fight against global warming won a huge victory last Wednesday when U.S. District Judge William Sessions rejected a lawsuit from the auto industry challenging a Vermont law that would reduce global warming emissions from new cars and trucks.

The Green Mountain State's measure resembles California's groundbreaking clean car legislation authored by former Assemblymember Fran Pavley in 2002. The "Pavley standard" has since been adopted by at least eleven other states. It's also become a central component of pending federal global warming legislation and is a prerequisite for states wishing to participate in the Western Climate Initiative, an emerging regional partnership.

In their suit, the auto industry challenged global warming science and argued that the new law would financially devastate the industry.

In his rejection of that claim, Sessions wrote, "History suggests that the ingenuity of the industry, once put in gear, responds admirably to most technological challenges. In light of the public statements of industry representatives, history of compliance with previous technological challenges, and the state of the record, the Court remains unconvinced automakers cannot meet the challenges of Vermont and California's [greenhouse gas] regulations."

The decision is particularly good news for those currently fighting the auto industry's suit against California's law. We'll keep you updated as the California case moves forward.

GLOBAL WARMING COMES A COURTIN' II

Here are two upcoming events that will help win support for global warming action in the court of public opinion:

National Conversation on Climate Action

On October 4, 2007 mayors and other local government leaders across the U.S. will convene meetings in their communities to discuss the science and what is needed to solve global warming as part of the first annual National Conversation on Climate Action. Learn how to host a conversation in your community.

Focus the Nation

A similar event will take place on January 31, 2008, this time focused on involving young adults and students at campuses across the nation.  A new initiative called "Focus the Nation" will provide an opportunity to create, for one day, a true national community of scholarship bridging traditional disciplinary boundaries, between religious studies, psychology, law, economics, communications, public health, engineering, sociology, political science, philosophy, business, art, and more. To help plan an event near you, sign up today.

SHOW US THE MONEY: GROWING GREEN WITH THE FARM BILL

As you will undoubtedly recall from the last edition of the PCL Insider, PCL and the National Wildlife Federation hosted a successful Regional Farm Bill Summit last week. Our next step is to urge Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to support strong conservation investments and we need your help!

In essence, here's the message: "Show Us The Money!" The conservation title of the Farm Bill provides much-needed conservation funding, but most farmers who are willing to participate, and would like to manage their farmlands to achieve conservation purposes, just can't get access to the funding that should be there. A larger appropriation for the conservation title is the best solution. Our Senators can make a real difference, if they know we care.

You can either submit your own individual letter to the Senators by downloading a model letter OR your organization can sign on to the group letter being submitted by PCL. If you'd like your organization to sign on to the group letter, please contact Melanie Schlotterbeck by Tuesday, September 25th.