| Activists At Work! Results Of Your Efforts: |
LANDMARK GLOBAL WARMING BILL PASSES CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY
Environmentalists scored a major victory over automobile and oil interests as Assembly Bill 1058 (Pavley) narrowly won approval in the state Assembly on January 31, 2002. The bill, which will enact the first-in-the-nation regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles, inspired a frenzy of last minute lobbying from business interests led by the auto and oil industries intent on killing the bill.
AB 1058 is sponsored by Bluewater Network and the Coalition for Clean Air and supported by a broad coalition which includes the Union of Concerned Scientists, NRDC, the California State Firefighters, the American Lung Association, the California League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense and the California Council of Churches. Coalition member Bob Epstein, a member of a Silicon Valley business group Environmental Entrepreneurs, said the bill "is a precedent setting proposal that puts California in the lead on reducing the economic and environmental threats posed by global climate change."
For most of the nearly eight-hour session yesterday lobbyists for automakers and oil companies sent business cards in to legislators, trying to convince enough Democrats that the measure is bad for business and should be killed. Assesemblymember Fran Pavley, author of the bill, finally rallied 42 votes to pass the measure just one over the 41 vote minimum, but only after three tries.
The one-page bill simply orders the Air Resources Board to create standards to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Republican Assemblymember Dave Cox claimed the bill is a scheme by "environmental extremists" to get California to go around federal law and enact its own gas mileage standards.
But in fact, increased fuel efficiency is only one way albeit a good one to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles. The air board could, for example, provide more incentives for gasoline-electric hybrids, offer perks for consumers to buy low-drag tires and increase the number of natural gas vehicles.
THANK YOU to all those who contacted your legislators to help generate support. Stay tuned for more updates as the bill moves through the state Senate.
