Planning and Conservation League Insider: News from the Capitol – Special Edition
SURPRISE ATTACK ON CALIFORNIA’S ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS!
We’ve just gotten news that a group of California business leaders have petitioned Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders to break our best environmental laws. They’re demanding that the Legislature rip a hole in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to give their businesses a free ride on global warming pollution. http://www.pcl.org/newsroom/062707bizattackonceqa.html
The petition is an unofficial declaration of war against CEQA, and California’s new global warming program, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger just nine months ago.
Gary Patton, PCL’s Executive Director, has penned a response letter to the Governor, California Senate leader Don Perata, and California Assembly leader Fabian Núñez.
Here’s a short exerpt from his response:
AB 32 was not a “stand pat” direction to do nothing on global warming, and to defer all action on global warming emissions until future rulemaking procedures have run their course. But that’s what the business leaders who signed the June 21st letter apparently want people to believe …
The June 21st letter from California business leaders is essentially asking you to repeal AB 32’s goals and CEQA’s purpose. PCL trusts that you will repudiate this ill-advised and selfish call to repeal CEQA where global warming is concerned. We must not delay and defer our efforts to confront the global warming crisis.
Please contact Governor Schwarzenegger and the leaders of the California Senate and Assembly. Urge them to publicly repudiate this attack on California’s best environmental laws.
Here’s what they need to hear:
• Business advocates have demanded that California leaders weaken CEQA, our premier environmental protection law.
• They want a free pass on global warming pollution, endangering California’s ability to fulfill its new global warming program.
• Do not bow to this attack. Uphold your promise to the people of California. Let us know that you will protect the California Environmental Quality Act and the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.
Call today:
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
(916) 445-2841
Senator Don Perata, President pro Tem
California State Senate
(916) 651-4009
Speaker Fabian Núnez
California State Assembly
(916) 319-2046