[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Traci Sheehan
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By John Geesman
Green Energy War

Wading into one of the most self-regarding political cultures on the planet, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, last week injected a small bit of perspective into California’s celebration of the release of the “Draft Scoping Plan” for implementation of its heralded “Global Climate Solutions Act.”

“It would be nice if California, one of the largest economies in the world, cut greenhouse gas emissions to 5% below 1990 levels,” he told a Sacramento gathering, “it would send a strong message to the rest of the US.” The Kyoto Protocol calls for industrialized countries to reduce their emissions by an average 5.2% below 1990 levels in the 2008 - 2012 period. The assembled Californians remain focused on the political battles still to be fought to achieve the Global Warming Solutions Act’s target of bringing emissions down to 1990 levels by 2020.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

In this week’s Democratic weekly radio address, Assembly Speaker Emeritus Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) points to growing enthusiasm for AB 32, the bill he authored to combat global warming. But as the California Air Resources Board releases the law’s draft implementation plan, the Speaker Emeritus expresses concern over Republican obstructionism.

You may listen in English or Spanish or read the transcript.

This is Fabian Núñez, Assembly Speaker Emeritus and the author of AB 32, California’s landmark law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the effects of global warming.

This has been a big week for AB 32.

First, a leading environmental entrepreneur and the head of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce reported that AB 32 has been a key factor in bringing major clean technology investment into California. More than 50% than the year before.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• Next President Will Have to Decide Issue—And Only Obama is Clear on Waiver
• California Taking Other Action

By David Dayen
d-day

Just to update on the EPA's denial of a waiver to California to regulate its own greenhouse gas emissions - the White House is now refusing thousands of documents on the matter to Henry Waxman's Oversight and Government Reform Committee, citing executive privilege:

“"I don't think we've had a situation like this since Richard Nixon was president," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is conducting the investigation.

“An EPA official, Jason Burnett, has told committee investigators that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson had favored granting the waiver but denied it after meeting with White House officials. In testimony last month, Johnson refused to say whether he'd discussed the waiver request with Bush.”

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Robert Cruickshank

That's what California Republicans are planning this summer, according the LA Times:

“GOP lawmakers hope to use their leverage over the state budget, which cannot pass without some of their votes, to roll back landmark policies implemented by Democrats and the governor. Among them are curbs on greenhouse gas emissions, regulations banning the dirtiest diesel engines and rules dictating when employers must provide lunch breaks for workers.”

They tried the same stuff last summer and it went nowhere. But with a larger deficit Republicans clearly believe now is the time to hold a gun to students' and patients' heads and demand right-wing policy implementation or else:

“"We think the budget is an appropriate place to talk about these issues," said Sen. George Runner (R-Lancaster). "We are setting them on the table for discussion."

““Runner acknowledges that the proposals won't help balance the books in the coming fiscal year, but he argues that they would stimulate the economy and thus generate cash for the state over time.

“"They are reasonable issues to bring up" now, he said.”

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]