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Governor's Green Rhetoric Contrasts with His Anti-Environmental Actions

by Dan Bacher, editor of the Fish Sniffer

"It is more important than ever that we secure our state's long-term competitiveness and green technology is the future," Governor Schwarzenegger claimed. "We are all going through tough economic times, and this is exactly why I am talking about investing in clean, green technology. It's one of the best investments out there, and it's where the innovation and job growth will be, which is why California is leading the way with smart policies that unleash our ingenuity."

According to the Governor's Office, "Governor Schwarzenegger has led California in establishing laws and policies to protect the environment while growing the economy: The Governor has set a goal of increasing California�s renewable energy sources to 20 percent by 2010, and he supports reaching 33 percent by 2020."

While Schwarzenegger extolls "smart policies and "clean, green technology," he is presiding over the worst aquatic ecosystem collapse in history on the West Coast. Due to policies by his administration and the Bush regime that have exported record amounts of water to subsidized agribusiness in recent years, Central Valley fall chinook salmon and Delta smelt, longfin smelt, threadfin shad and juvenile striped bass populations have collapsed to record low levels.

But rather than fix this ecological catastrophe, Schwarzenegger and Senator Dianne Feinstein are campaigning for a $9.3 billion water bond that would seal the doom of the Delta, the West's Coast's largest and most significant estuary. The bond would fund "improved conveyance" - the peripheral canal - and two new costly and unneeded reservoirs. The peripheral canal would exacerabate the collapse of chinook salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon, delta smelt, longfin smelt, striped bass and other species, not restore them.

Schwarzenegger demonstrated how "green" he really is when he vetoed some of the top environmental bills on his desk last week, including AB 2270, a bill promoting recycled water, SB 974, the most important air quality bill for this sesson, and Lois Wolk's Fish Rescue Plans bill, AB 1806.

"In the long list of good environmental policies that died by Governor Schwarzenegger's pen this year, the veto of AB 2270 (Laird/Feuer) is especially disappointing - and surprising," said Tina Andolina, Legislative Director of the Planning and Conservation League (PCL). "AB 2270 would have helped Californians access the enormous potential of recycled water, broadly seen as a drought resistant, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable water source for California."

According to the Department of Water Resources, increased development of recycled water could produce an additional 1.4 million acre feet of water for California by 2030. AB 2270 called for more aggressive statewide targets for the development of recycled water and directed state agencies to take a more active role in promoting water recycling. In addition, the measure would have removed a barrier to the development of recycled water by empowering local agencies with the authority to reduce the use of water softeners where salinity has been identified as a significant problem. (Water softeners contribute to higher concentrations of salt in wastewater, which increases the cost of treating recycled water and in some regions contributes to water quality violations.)

The Governor's veto message acknowledges the importance of recycled water but states that potential limits on water softeners compelled him to reject the measure.

"Increasing the use of recycled water in the state is an absolutely necessary activity to increase water supply reliability for the future of our growing state," Schwarzenegger contended. "Unfortunately, this bill also includes provisions that go too far in limiting residential use of water softeners. I recognize that excess salinity in surface and ground water is a serious water quality problem in various regions throughout the state, including the Central Valley and southern California."

He claimed that current law already includes provisions that allow local agencies to regulate water softeners. "The provisions of this bill create a system that could unduly limit choices for consumers and small water systems, with potentially little positive impact given the relatively limited contribution of water softeners to our salinity problems," concluded Schwarzenegger.

"The veto of AB 2270 is perhaps most surprising given that the Governor has repeatedly asked for solutions to California's water problems," countered Andolina. "In fact, the Governor's concern over water supplies compelled him to declare a statewide drought earlier this year and he continues calling for the state to increase its debt by nearly $10 billion for another water bond. Given this concern and California's water outlook, it's unfortunate that the Governor saw use of water softeners as a higher priority than advancing the development of reliable and sustainable water resources around the state."

The Governor last week also vetoed the Clean Ports Investment Act, SB 974 (Lowenthal). This landmark legislation would have raised $300 million a year to fund critical air pollution mitigation efforts and improve freight transportation throughout California.

Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill under pressure from Alaskan Governor Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee. On the day before Senator John McCain named her as his running mate, Palin wrote a letter to Schwarzenegger urging him to veto the bill, claiming that SB 974 would lead to higher costs on goods shipped to Alaska. Schwarzenegger recently endorsed McCain for president.

The Governor also angered members of a broad coalition of fishing and environmental groups, led by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, when he vetoed AB 1806, the Fish Rescue Plans Bill, this week. Assemblywoman Lois Wolk's badly-needed legislation would require the Department of Fish and Game to develop a set of protocols to evaluate the need for fish rescue and relocation plans within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Schwarzenegger claimed, with no evidence whatsoever, that the bill �is unnecessary and duplicates authority already conferred to the Department by existing laws and regulations for mitigation for fish and wildlife impacts and coordination between federal, state and local agencies."

The Governor also rejected SB 68 (Kuehl), a PCL sponsored measure "to help bring a bit of clarity," to counties, cities and the public bringing lawsuits under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Finally, Schwarzenegger tossed out SB 1056 (Migden), AB 2547 (Leno) and AB 2032 (Hancock). These three oil spill bills would have shortened the response time for oil spills; improved funding for the state's oil spill program; and established grants for improving oil spill cleanup technology.

The Governor signed 772 bills and vetoed 415 after signing the budget on September 22. This veto rate of 35 percent is the highest percentage of vetoes in 40 years.

Other bills Schwarzenegger vetoed include:

AB 2970 (Eng) - Requires the Department of Water Resources to develop a Delivery Reliability Report for the State Water Project.

SB 68 (Kuehl) - Provides increased clarity during CEQA litigation by specifying that the parties that must be named in a lawsuit are limited to those who received an approval for the project and are listed by the public agency in its notice of determination or notice of exemption.�

SB 775 (Ridley-Thomas) - Establishes a program that will increase screenings of California children for risk of lead poisoning through the use of the immunization program, improve reporting of information by laboratories to better track cases of lead poisoning, require the Department of Public Health to provide annual reports regarding screening and lead poisoning rates in California, and make information about lead available to pregnant women.

SB 1113 (Migden) - Allows a court, upon motion, to award attorney's fees and other costs, including expert witness fees, to a successful party in any action that has resulted in the enforcement of an important right affecting the public interest.

SB 1313 (Corbett) - Prohibits the manufacture, sale, or distribution of any food contact substance that contains perfluorinated compounds in any concentration exceeding ten parts per billion. Requires manufacturers to use the least toxic alternatives when replacing perfluorochemicals or their precursors.

Schwarzenegger may delude some people when he holds carefully orchestrated media events touting his "green policies," but a review of his actual record in office reveals that his administration has been an unprecedented disaster for fish and the environment!

Here's the press release from the Governor's Office:

Gov. Schwarzenegger Highlights California�s Green Policies, Encourages More Investment

"It is more important than ever that we secure our state's long-term competitiveness, and green technology is the future," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "We are all going through tough economic times, and this is exactly why I am talking about investing in clean, green technology. It�s one of the best investments out there, and it's where the innovation and job growth will be, which is why California is leading the way with smart policies that unleash our ingenuity."

Prior to the forum, Applied Materials officially launched its two-megawatt photovoltaic solar installation, which is one of the largest solar installations on an existing corporate facility in the United States and will produce enough electricity to power more than 1,500 homes.

In addition to helping us meet our renewable energy goals, these types of solar projects are creating numerous opportunities in the green technology industry. To address the emerging workforce needs associated with our budding green economy, the Governor recently signed AB 3018 (D-Nunez) creating a Green Collar Jobs Council that will develop a comprehensive approach to capitalize on these new opportunities. According to a recent report by Global Insight Inc., it's estimated that 4.2 million green jobs are expected to be added to the U.S. workforce over the next 30 years, accounting for 10 percent of new job growth.

Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released an economic analysis that compared the costs of doing nothing with the costs of implementing AB 32, California's first-in-the-nation law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It showed that California�s law will boost the state's economy $27 billion and create 100,000 new jobs. CARB also issued a report on the public health impacts which demonstrated that by 2020, with cleaner air, we will have 300 fewer premature deaths and 9,000 fewer incidences of asthma and lower respiratory symptoms and 53,000 fewer lost work days.

The Governor last week signed SB 375 (D-Steinberg), which builds on AB 32 by adding the nation�s first law to control greenhouse gas emissions by curbing sprawl. He was also in the Silicon Valley last week to announce California as the first official partner state for the CeBIT 2009 Conference in Germany next February. CeBIT is the world�s largest technology trade expo and California�s businesses will be showcased front and center helping to expand our markets, increase exports and boost our economy. At CeBIT 2009, California will spotlight the state's innovative ICT technologies in several key industries including green IT.

Governor Schwarzenegger has led California in establishing laws and policies to protect the environment while growing the economy: The Governor has set a goal of increasing California�s renewable energy sources to 20 percent by 2010, and he supports reaching 33 percent by 2020.

In June, the Governor announced a new program that waives the sales tax on investment in new manufacturing equipment for Zero Emission Vehicles. This program was developed in conjunction with the State Treasurer and the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority.

In January 2007, the Governor announced the world's first Low Carbon Fuel Standard for transportation fuels that requires fuel providers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in California. This first-of-its-kind standard firmly establishes sustainable demand for lower-carbon fuels without favoring one fuel over another. To start, the standard will reduce the carbon intensity of California's passenger vehicle fuels by at least 10 percent by 2020 and more thereafter.

In August 2006, the Governor signed his Million Solar Roofs Plan into law. Now known as the California Solar Initiative, it will provide 3,000 megawatts of additional clean energy and reduce the output of greenhouse gases by three million tons, equivalent to taking one million cars off the road. The $2.9 billion incentive plan for homeowners and building owners who install solar electric systems will lead to one million solar roofs in California by the year 2018.