The Sierra Club stated, "The choices that Californians make in this November’s election will have critical impacts on our ability to develop a clean energy economy, live free of toxic harm, and preserve our precious parks. No vote will be more important to our future than the choice of our next Governor, and the clear choice for anyone who cares about our environment is Jerry Brown."
"When one compares Brown to Meg Whitman on their records, commitment, and platforms, the Attorney General wins hands down in each category. While Whitman could rarely even be bothered to cast a vote until she decided she’d like to buy a term as Governor, Brown has a distinguished record of advancing clean technology, safeguarding our coastline, mountains, and deserts, and cracking down on pollution," the Sierra Club endorsement continued.
"In a meeting with Sierra Club California leaders, Brown demonstrated a commitment to environmental values, grasp of complex energy issues, and wisdom derived from actually have sat in the Governor’s chair. His environmental platform (read it yourself at http://www.jerrybrown.org/... details his plans to reduce air pollution, promote clean energy and jobs, protect our coast and ocean resources, reduce toxic chemicals, build livable communities, protect parks, open space and wildlife, and conserve California’s rich farmland.
In contrast, Whitman spent the primary campaign pandering to polluters by bashing environmentalists and key protections like AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act. Since the primary, she has tried to get out of the far-right corner she painted herself into, declaring herself an environmentalist and waffling on key issues like global warming and offshore oil drilling.
For all these reasons, Sierra Club California enthusiastically endorses Jerry Brown for Governor."
The California League of Conservation Voters on September 21 issued a press release endorsing Brown. Below is the release:
The California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV)—the non-partisan political arm of the environmental movement in California—today announced its endorsement of Jerry Brown for Governor of California.
“CLCV is proud to endorse Jerry Brown to become California’s next Governor,” said CLCV Chief Executive Officer Warner Chabot. “As Attorney General and as a former Governor of our great state, Jerry Brown has a stellar record of protecting the environment and public health through his leadership on and tough enforcement of our state’s environmental laws.”
“The November gubernatorial election offers clear choices for California voters,” said CLCV Board of Directors President Tom Adams. “Jerry Brown is the only candidate for governor with both an unwavering commitment to the environment, and a clear plan for California to lead the nation to a clean energy economy.”
“I am grateful to have the endorsement of the California League of Conservation Voters,” said Jerry Brown. “Our coastline, farmland, mountains, deserts and urban environments all make up the great and unique landscape of California. I have always believed that environmental protection and California’s long-term economic prosperity go hand-in-hand and I will continue to promote both as Governor of California.”
The key difference between Brown and his Republican opponent Meg Whitman is their position on Proposition 23, the oil industry-backed repeal of California’s landmark clean energy and climate law (AB 32) on the November ballot.
"Brown joins business and military leaders in opposing Prop 23," according to the release. " He recognizes that California’s policies resulted in venture capitalists investing billions of dollars in California’s clean tech sector, and vigorously defends the climate law from attacks by out-of-state oil companies."
In contrast, Whitman—relying on the same widely discredited studies as the oil industry—calls AB 32 a “job-killer.” While she hasn’t taken a position on Prop 23, Whitman says she would call for a year-long moratorium on the clean energy law, which would damage the one bright spot in California’s economy while bringing a halt to environmental progress.
“Jerry Brown shares the environmental and clean tech community’s vision of California becoming the national, if not the global, leader in developing clean energy, which complements his goals of improving California’s air quality, creating jobs, and fighting climate change,” said Chabot.
As Governor from 1975-1982, Brown established California as a leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation, adopted the toughest anti-smog laws in the country, expanded state parks, started the California Conservation Corps, banned the sale of dangerous chemicals, successfully fought offshore oil drilling plans, and signed into law the California Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy Acts, among numerous other accomplishments. Brown earned a lifetime score of 86% on CLCV’s California Environmental Scorecard for his votes on environmental legislation as Governor.
More recently as Attorney General, Brown defended California’s auto emission standards against the Bush Administration, leading to the historic agreement between the Obama Administration and the auto industry that requires cars nationwide to adopt California’s standards. Brown joined other Attorneys General in suing the Bush Administration for failure to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, resulting in a Supreme Court ruling that greenhouse gases are air pollutants subject to the Act.
Brown also worked with cities and counties to develop long-term growth plans to reduce pollution and traffic and halted the Bush Administration’s efforts to gut the federal Endangered Species Act, just to name a few key environmental actions as Attorney General.
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