California is a leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emmissions. Where California goes, some of the world, at least, follows.
Right now, Arnold is trying to backpedal his promise for a green California. He is trying to greenwash us.
But the California Assembly is trying to stop him. They aren't used to being contacted, few people pay attention to them that are not paid lobbyists. Because of this, if you call or e-mail Fabian Nunez about the following issue, you will have a profound effect.
The California Assembly need to know that we are behind them as they hold Arnold's feet to the fire. Consider the following:
Yesterday morning's SF Chronicle headline above the fold states:
Ex-official of air board says pressure was intense
Governor's office accused of 'interference' on emissions
Matthew Yi, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
(07-07) 04:00 PDT Sacramento -- A former executive officer of the California Air Resources Board told state lawmakers Friday that the governor's office has unleashed a "cascade of interference" to dissuade the air board from aggressively implementing plans to fight global warming.
Remind anyone of anything?
How about the events portrayed in the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?"?
1990
California passes its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which requires two percent of the state's vehicles to have no emissions by 1998 and 10 percent by 2003. The law is repeatedly weakened over the next decade to reduce the number of pure ZEVs it requires.
1997 - 2000
A few thousand all-electric cars (such as Honda's EV Plus, G.M.'s EV1, Ford's Ranger pickup EV, Nissan's Altra EV, Chevy's S-10 EV, and Toyota's RAV4 EV) are produced by big car manufacturers, but most of them are available for lease only. All of the major automakers' advanced all-electric production programs will be discontinued by the early 2000s.
2002
G.M. and DaimlerChrysler sue the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to repeal the ZEV mandate first passed in 1990. The Bush Administration joins that suit.
Wait a minute! G.M., the maker of the EV1, sued CARB to repeal the Zero Emmission Vehicle mandate? So they were able to make the EV1 and get props for being green, while fighting actual change that would make a difference.
SOUNDS LIKE WHAT ARNOLD IS TRYING TO DO NOW
And Arnold is using the California Air Resource Board, just as the Bush administration and GM did in 2002.
But will it work?
More
Catherine Witherspoon, who resigned Monday, testified at an emergency oversight hearing called by Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles. After the departure of the air board's top two officials, Núñez convened the hearing to question the officials as well as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top aides.
Witherspoon resigned after Schwarzenegger fired CARB Chair Robert Sawyer last week for refusing to answer administration phone calls and for trying to enact more pollution-reducing measures than the Governor wanted.
Apparently, the Governor was trying to tightly control just how green California became:
Witherspoon said that she routinely received calls from the governor's top aides -- including Kennedy and Dunmoyer.
"We'd even get calls during our regulatory hearings with specific instructions on what to do," she said.
The pressure from the administration seemed to intensify in the past year, Witherspoon said.
"It's been a cascade of interference," she said.
So the Assembly is fighting back, and that is good....but they could use some support.
This backpedaling must not be allowed. We have to hold Arnold's feet to the fire.
e-mail Schwarzenegger"
Fabian Nunez e-mail to send words of encouragement:
nunez@assembly.ca.gov
Or you can find your Legislator:
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/...
Hat tip to cademocrat for the poll idea.