{"id":12180,"date":"2010-07-23T15:39:51","date_gmt":"2010-07-23T15:39:51","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2010-07-23T15:39:51","modified_gmt":"2010-07-23T15:39:51","slug":"high-stakes-for-climate-and-clean-energy-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calitics.com\/index.php\/2010\/07\/23\/high-stakes-for-climate-and-clean-energy-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"High Stakes for Climate and Clean Energy in California"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the full scope of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico continues to unfold, there's another energy-related drama in California. This one threatens the Golden State's landmark law (AB 32)<\/a>  to limit the greenhouse gas pollution that is already harming California and to promote a host of related clean energy policies that would benefit the state. A proposition that is now certified for the November ballot, Proposition 23<\/a> —  known as the “Dirty Energy Proposition”<\/a> — would kill investments and job creation in the new energy economy already spurred by AB 32 since it was enacted in 2006. This is one of the most important environmental campaigns of 2010, with implications far beyond California.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Two of the worst polluters in California, Texas-based oil companies Valero<\/a> and Tesoro<\/a>, are also funding this backwards ballot measure (Proposition 23) that would effectively repeal AB 32 and the clean energy policies such as clean fuel standards, pollution controls, and energy efficiency associated with the law's implementation.<\/p>\n

The Texas-based oil companies supporting this ballot measure also have an insidious national strategy. They hope that by rolling back climate and energy policies in California, they can block progress in other states and derail federal climate legislation in Congress. Windfall oil profits allow these oil companies to pour millions of dollars into their campaign of disinformation, distraction, and deception.  It is also worth noting that Valero and Tesoro were recently named the #12 and #32 polluters in the nation<\/strong> in the “Toxic 100 Air Polluters” report<\/a> issued by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Political Economy Research Institute (PERI).<\/p>\n

The bottom line is that we must stop Prop 23, which threatens to stunt and obliterate job growth in California's emerging clean energy sector (e.g., energy efficiency, solar, advanced building materials, and others).  In contrast, California's economy would benefit greatly from a properly implemented AB 32. As the Stop Dirty Energy Proposition website<\/a> reports:<\/p>\n