Two related bills, AB 1550 and AB 2722, set out the wealth redistribution piece of the regulatory scheme, taking moneys collected in fines and through extorting businesses and forcing those funds to be spent in districts represented by many legislators voting for SB 32.
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The legislation also pledges to meet these goals “in a manner that benefits the state’s most disadvantaged communities”, noting that climate change disproportionately affects the urban poor, the elderly and rural populations.
Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said despite strong opposition from the oil industry, the legislature did its job, and now “California is showing our nation and world what can, and must, be done to reduce the unsafe pollution fueling climate change”.
The measures in the most populous US state would extend by 10 years California’s main greenhouse gas reduction program and beef up oversight of the state agency charged with implementing it.
“With its Clean Car Law in 2002 and the Global Warming Solutions Act in 2006, California took a global lead in adopting policies to clear the air, transition to clean energy and reduce climate pollution”, said Senator Pavley.
He says the ultimate goal is to cut climate-warming pollution by 80 percent under 1990 levels by 2050, though legislation that would have enacted that target was watered down.
Manufacturers in California already have higher energy costs compared to counterparts across the country and setting a new climate goal without providing cost-effective options “contributes to an already challenging business environment for manufacturers”, Dorothy Rothrock, president of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, said in a statement.
SB 32 extends Californias landmark greenhouse gas reduction goals. That bill created the burly and bureaucratic California Air Resources Board (CARB), which was given authority over seeing those levels achieved. The law sets a new goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Almost every legislative district in the state is feeling climate disruptions effects already.. “California is doing something that no other state has done”.
Last year, however, the governor issued an executive order to reduce GHG emissions in California 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 – a goal now codified by S.B.32.
“I’m a native Angeleno, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley”, said Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, a former teacher with a master’s in environmental planning from Cal State Northridge.
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Now under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Paramount, are congratulated after the governor signed legislation in Los Angeles on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016.
