PCL Insider: News from the Capitol

2007 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP

This past Sunday was the deadline for Governor Schwarzenegger to act on the hundreds of bills sent to him this year, including nearly 30 prominent environmental measures representing about half of the most important environmental bills that we've been reporting on this year. The Governor burnished his green credentials by signing many important measures.  However, there were some key disappointments.

SIGNATURES (HE SHOOTS! HE SCORES!)

As dedicated Insider readers well know, reforming California's flood policy was a top legislative priority this year for PCL, so we were extremely proud to stand with the Governor and the leading flood policy legislators as Schwarzenegger signed all the components of the flood package. This victory will ensure that the planning agencies rethink putting lives and property at risk while damaging watersheds and vital habit in California's flood plains through sprawling development patterns. It's a true win for public safety and the environment!

Four other critically important measures on PCL's list of top bills are now the law of the land: AB 609 (Eng) removes cumbersome obstacles that impede the state from purchasing green building technologies. SB 719 (Machado) expands the San Joaquin Valley Air Board membership to include additional representation from urban areas, rural areas, and public health experts. SB 220 (Corbett) improves oversight and regulation of bottled and vended water and increases inspections, labeling, and consumer right-to-know requirements.  AB 1108 (Ma) prohibits the use of phthalates, a known carcinogen, in children's toys. Congratulations to Governor Schwarzenegger for his great follow through!

VETOES (BACK TO THE BENCH, GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER)

Unfortunately, after talking at length about California's water crisis, the Governor then vetoed two measures which would have gone a long way to help address the situation.

Schwarzenegger rejected SB 862 (Kuehl), a straightforward bill that sought to fill some of the critical information gaps in management of California's water. SB 862 would have directed the State to provide information to local agencies on the availability of water from the State Water Project. It would also have ensured that energy usage was addressed in state and local water plans, and that the State Water Resources Control Board has accurate information on water rights and water diversions. Apparently, while the Governor is asking taxpayers to foot the bill for over $5 billion to build new dams, he sees no reason to invest in the basic information necessary to determine whether there's water available to fill his proposed reservoirs.

The Governor also vetoed SB 1002 (Perata), which would have directed existing voter approved funds for drinking water improvements and "no regrets" actions to stabilize the fragile ecosystems of the Delta. SB 1002 had broad support from environmental organizations as well as water agencies, which recognized that without immediate action in the Delta, water supplies and the Delta ecosystem would continue to be at significant risk. The bill was also consistent with the recommendations of the Governor's own Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force.

According to his veto message, the Governor agreed that SB 1002 was a good bill that would implement important projects to stabilize the Delta and improve drinking water. However, he noted that since SB 1002 did not include billions for new dams he would not sign it. Of course, by rejecting SB 1002, the Governor is further endangering existing water supplies, forcing communities to go without much needed drinking water improvements, and limiting the use of existing water storage.

The Governor also vetoed two significant green building measures, AB 888 (Lieu), which would have set commercial green building standards and AB 1058 (Laird), which would have set green building standards for residential developments. He also axed SB 210 (Kehoe), which established an environmental framework for the Low Carbon Fuels Standard being formulated by the California Air Resources Board to cut greenhouse gases.

Needless to say, there is much work to be done next year. We'll keep you posted!

OCEANWATER DESALINATION PROPOSAL ALL WET

Attention water, habitat, and climate lovers alike! The State Lands Commission and the California Coastal Commission will be hearing a proposal for an environmentally-damaging ocean water desalination plant in the next month and we need you to speak out.

Poseidon Resources wants to build the massive plant in Carlsbad, California and sell their desalted product to local water agencies in the region. This project would be the largest and most damaging ocean desalination facility in the western hemisphere.  Though there's never a good reason to destroy public coastal property, this project is especially threatening because it would cause the destruction of marine life and ecosystems of one of Southern California's last remaining coastal lagoons. Because of its intense energy demand, the proposed plant would also spew greenhouse gases and exacerbate global warming. In short, this proposal would produce very expensive water, at a very high environmental cost.
 
Tell your representatives at the State Lands Commission and California Coastal Commission that you're opposed to this privately owned company exploiting our natural resources, and that you oppose building  a wasteful and environmentally damaging ocean desalination facility in Carlsbad, California.
 
Feel like delivering your comments in person?  Here's the skinny:

State Lands Commission: October 30, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. Port of San Diego, Board Room - 1st Floor, 3165 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California 92101.

California Coastal Commission: November 14-16, 2007 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel, 1433 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108

PS: STAND BY FOR FARM BILL NEWS

The Federal Farm Bill is the "biggest conservation funding bill you've never heard about." (But if you're reading the PCL Insider regularly you HAVE heard about it!)

Here's the latest update:

The Senate committee handling the Federal Farm Bill is "marking it up" today. That means we'll have news next week about the message we'll need to provide to Senators Boxer and Feinstein. Stay tuned to learn how you can have an impact on the Farm Bill debate in Congress!