PCL Insider: News from the Capitol

CRITICAL MOMENT FOR CALIFORNIA’S CLEAN CAR DISCOUNT BILL

Last June we reported that one of our top environmental priorities, AB 493 (Ruskin), the Clean Car Discount Program, did not receive enough votes to pass off the Assembly floor. This critical measure encourages both the purchase of cleaner cars in California and the production of cleaner cars in Detroit.

In order for this bill to continue to move through the legislative process, AB 493 must now get out of the Assembly by the end of January.  Thanks to the hard work of Assembly Member Ira Ruskin, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and many others, the measure has gained even broader support since June.  Now, supporters are counting every last vote and pulling out every stop to overcome the strong pushback from the auto industry.

AB 493 is the last remaining top environmental priority which needs to move next week.  Stay tuned for information about how you can help California get serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles by helping to pass AB 493!

PCL FOUNDATION CEQA WORKSHOPS HEAD TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – SIGN UP TODAY!

The PCL Foundation is partnering with local environmental groups throughout the state to present our popular day-long workshop on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California's premier environmental law.

We'll review the fundamentals of CEQA, identify the key legal obligations of public agencies, and provide helpful tips on how to make sure those obligations are met. We'll also highlight how CEQA can aid local residents in helping to fight global warming and to improve local resiliency to those global warming impacts that are emerging or unavoidable.

Our next three workshops are scheduled for Southern California:

Saturday, January 26, 2008 -- Merced -- Register Now! 
Saturday, February 9, 2008 -- San Luis Obispo -- Register Now! 
Saturday, March 1, 2008 – Los Angeles/Orange County -- Register Now! 

For more information, to request a workshop in your community, or to learn about our updated Community Guide to CEQA, please contact Justin Saydell at 916-313-4506, or jsaydell@pcl.org.

FISH TALES: PCL'S MCINTYRE HONORED WITH DELTA CONSERVATION AWARD

Fish Sniffer Editor and activist Dan Bacher just announced this year's "Leaping Steelhead" fishery conservation awards, "for those who have gone out of their way to restore and enhance our fish populations in the face of decades of state and federal government mismanagement of California and West Coast fisheries."

We're pleased to announce that PCL's Water Program Manager, Mindy McIntyre, received the first annual "Eyes on the Legislature" award "for consistently alerting the environmental and fishing communities with good analysis and information regarding legislation impacting our fisheries."

Congratulations to Mindy and all of the award winners. Keep up the good fight!

SIERRA CLUB ASKS CANDIDATES TO SUPPORT CALIFORNIA'S CLEAN CAR WAIVER REQUEST

The Sierra Club is asking all presidential candidates to publicly support California's right to implement its landmark greenhouse gas standards for vehicles in advance of the February 5th primary. In December, U.S. EPA administrator Stephen Johnson overruled the advice of his staff and denied California's request to enforce its law.

Want to add your voice to the chorus? Contact Carl Zichella at carl.zichella@sierraclub.org to add your organization to their letter to the candidates.

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