What to make of the California Senate’s move to get in on the global warming act?
Led by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, state Senate Democrats yesterday introduced a package of new bills to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the Golden State. Which is curious in a number of respects, because California just adopted a landmark bill last summer, AB 32 by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and LA Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, to do the very same. And now it is up to the state’s famed Air Resources Board to develop the specifics.
One of the bills in the Senate package would require California to have 33% of its electric power come from renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and tides by 2020. That’s a good idea. But California is, as has been reported on NWN several times over the last two years, falling behind on its current requirement of having 20% renewables by 2010.
Maybe it would be a good idea to fully implement the current renewable energy law first.
That 2010 requirement, incidentally, came at the behest of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was frustrated by the level of the previous landmark law on renewable energy passed by the Democratic Legislature and signed into law by then Governor Gray Davis in 2002. Which required 20% renewable electric power not by 2010, but by 2017.
In 2002, well before the recall in which Schwarzenegger became governor of California was a glimmer in anyone’s eye, the former action superstar told me he wanted to go beyond what Davis and the Democratic legislators had come up with on renewable power. And he has, at least as a matter of policy.
If Perata and Senate Democrats — including the powerful career environmental staffer Kip Lipper — want to make a real difference on renewable energy, rather than simply pass another law, perhaps they should invite the state’s Public Utilities Commission to hearings on why California is falling short on the 20% renewables requirement by 2010.
Passing another law requiring renewable energy for electric power generation when the current, Arnold-accelerated law, is falling short does not seem particularly useful. Unless it is intended to be a spur. But a better spur would be legislative oversight hearings.
The rest of the package focuses on regulatory rather than market-oriented solutions to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Schwarzenegger, being a moderate Republican, is mainly focused on market-oriented solutions. As are the Western Europeans, such as British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who are the only global leaders actually doing something about the emerging climate change crisis.
There are two key elements to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Power generation and vehicles. The law passed in 2002, also authored by Fran Pavley, to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, is under attack in court from major automakers. And from the Bush Administration. While the president now fully acknowledges and accepts the findings of the recent report from global climate experts that climate change is happening and is due to manmade effects, his administration still seeks to halt governmental action to deal with the problem. Which, given its tilt to the oil industry, is hardly surprising.
And so we see — despite even the statements from the top two Republican presidential candidates, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain, the only ones who are likely electable next year — an ongoing effort by some conservatives to continue to deny the problem. For example, our friend Jon Fleischman, at his Flash Report site, castigated McCain for the “environmental extremism” of touring a Southern California port by helicopter with Arnold Schwarzenegger and talking about the need to combat the greenhouse effect.
Into this mini-maelstrom steps Perata, who has been getting short shrift in the post-partisan lovefest between Schwarzenegger and Nunez. It’s Nunez who was in Davos, accepting the accolades of global celebrities for California’s leadership on climate change.
It’s ironic, because it was actually Perata who wanted to work with Schwarzenegger, in bipartisan, if not post-partisan, fashion, well before Nunez did. The speaker was still trying to figure out Schwarzenegger and still, under the influence of his labor union backers, pursuing a slash and burn approach to the governor, going so far as to kill his big solar energy bill in 2005.
Perata, actually, in many respects was the key to the great infrastructure bonds package of 2006. He introduced the original package, which Schwarzenegger then greatly expanded upon following his predictable trouncing in the 2005 special election.
But it is Schwarzenegger and Nunez who star in the buddy picture, not Arnold and Don. Which brings us back to global warming.
AB 32 passed last summer. It’s up to the Air Resources Board to develop the implementation strategy. Perata’s old ally, former Governor and now Attorney General Jerry Brown, who actually pioneered this issue decades ago, long before any of these other folks now crowding the stage ever thought about this, will be heavily involved with the process. Let’s let the ARB do its work.
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| Comments (28) |
Getting laws to work, what a concept!@
Schwarzeneger signed AB 32 last fall, right? When will the Air Resources Board have the specifics?
In rough terms, California can meet the 20% renewables goal by maximizing wind, solar and geothermal resources and expanding the electricity transmission grid to accept these location specific sources. Of course, given generation source contracting and transmission project delays, even the 20% goal will not be met in 2010.
A 33% by 2020 plan is absurd. There is no time for “Hail Mary’s” like tide power or widespread biomass (remember, biomass burning releases C02). Nuclear energy is the only proven technology that can be deployed in the volume needed to meet the goal and it is unlikely a single nuclear plant would be ready by 2020 if California’s ban on new nuclear plants was rescinded and a utility had the money and fortitude to proceed today.
NWN readers will be “shocked, shocked” to learn this stunt is all about politics. Perata feels left out of the limelight, the 41st Senator Kip Lipper is pissed that his command and control strategy was trumped by the Governor’s market based Executive Order and environmentalists need to keep the popular greenhouse issue controversy alive for organizing and fundraising purposes.
California has some very advanced laws.
Why not make them work?
Make the laws we have work. What a concept! lol
I agree that making existing laws work is a rationale first step. In the case of both the RPS and AB 32, however, the laws are fatally flawed in numerous ways. Most importantly, this new proposal by Perata ilustrates that those pushing tighter laws are aiming for increased state control (i.e. statism) per se, and not environmental improvements. Along with making existing laws work, why not get rid of the truly bad laws that CANNOT achieve their underlying goal. Increasing government intervention is NOT the answer.
Making laws work does not generate news coverage.
The laws aren’t fatally flawed, you’re just against them.
> I agree that making existing laws work is a rationale first step. In the case of both the RPS and AB 32, however, the laws are fatally flawed in numerous ways.
Yes, Ann I AM against them–because they are fatally flawed.
I hear from NPR that Tom Vilsack is out of the Presidential race.
Sullihan,
I’m stunned by the news. Stunned. Wonder what camp his supporter will end up in.
Of COURSE THE ISSUE NOW IS IMPLEMENTATION AND OVERSIGHT. This looks frivolous.
I do not know if there is any merit in or any justification for Perada’s legislation. But in any event, I have no intention of taking any time to look at it…There are too many far more important measures being addressed in much larger and important arenas than the California legislature at this point for all of us to consider, study up on and lobby for. Arnold’s timing to make this an issue work for him and California was perfect last year…That was then and now is now … Pelosi and Boxer have vowed to make climate change anti Global warming issues paramount during the next two years…The EU’s European Commission is crafting now very ambitious legislation on transportation/Global warming regulations, and from my perspective the most important proposal is the UN Sec-General’s plan to call an emergency summit of world leaders to discuss a “successor” to the Kyoto protocol as many provisions expire in 2012. Further, the Sec General wants to make clear the nexus of Climate change and INCREASED world conflict over competition of resources, border integrity etc.. which would result from mass migration due to climate change. If this gets called as I think it will…the big question is will Pres Bush particiapate? I think he will. Then what names are the Flash Report guys going to call the President?
The Republicans CANNOT claim any superior stance or understanding of National Security threats/issues if they do not embrace the real threat of the repercussions of climatechange/global warming.
Even before AB32, we here in CA were doing pretty well. Today’s Krugman:
Very much worth a read.
PK has been surprisingly friendly towards Arnold (praising his healthcare stance recently, and implicitly his stance on climate change here), for somebody who’s allegedly a shrill partisan.
So now the carbon emissions at the Democratic debates has been cut by 11%.
speaking of Arnold…when is he going o India?…That is a big important trip for California the US and him, personally as much as politically…he needs to really study up for this trip and make the most of it…
excellent
let’s not forget the other energy saver – conservation! drive less, use less, buy less, and shut down some dirty industries.
meanwhile, this is worth a look:
A sight as elusive as a Cheshire cat
Photographer spots rare heavenly arc
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/02/23/MNGD7O9UNL1.DTL
Perata’s desperation for attention was apparent at the press conference when he stated, “Everyone but those who believe the world is flat will agree” with this package of bills. Sorry Donny, it’s not that simple.
AB 32 – for better or for worse – was passed; now let CARB do it’s work.
Fewer carbon emissions … I love it!
That’s an interesting column by Paul Krugman.
Isn’t it very late to be against doing something about climate change?
> Tom Tanton :
Yes, Ann I AM against them–because they are fatally flawed.
Feb 23, 2007 08:02 AM
Chief, Sherry Mehl, DCA/BAR, has never found out if what is broken on a Smog Check failed car gets fixed, never
Vote NO on SB 23 (Cogdill) unless amended
Amendments to Section 44036 California Health and Safety Code
Consumer protection-oriented quality assurance portion of the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program
Preamble – Under these amendments, an in-field vehicle repair audit program is added to Section 44036 of the California Health and Safety Code. These amendments, in conjunction with existing BAR legal responsibilities will create a program with the goal and procedures intended to create maximum vehicle owner satisfaction. The in-field vehicle repair audit program will provide a mechanism for continuous improvements in how vehicles are repaired so that customers will be better satisfied with the time and investment that they are making in California’s Smog Check Program. By adopting a new philosophy of management we are acknowledging that motorists no longer need to live with vehicle repairs that might be characterized as insufficient or defective.
By identifying the actual quality of repairs through in-field audits of known, defects, and feeding this information back to smog check technicians and BAR staff, there would be continual improvement of quality and opportunity to reduce waste in repair actions.
Presently fear of loss of license or legal sanctions is a barrier to improving the quality of vehicle repairs. This program will encourage effective two-way communication and other mechanisms that will enable technicians and regulators and consumers to be part of the new quality audit program.
A program will help remove the barriers that rob service technicians and managers of their pride in workmanship. The in-field vehicle repair audit program will institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for all participants in the Smog Check program. In summary, these amendments provide a permanent legislative and Executive commitment, and the necessary audit procedures for ever-improving quality and productivity in the vehicle repairs (and emissions reductions), mandated under California’s vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program.
44036 (a) The consumer protection-oriented quality assurance portion of the motor vehicle inspection program shall ensure uniform and consistent tests and repairs by all qualified Smog Check technicians and licensed Smog Check stations throughout the state, and shall include a number of stations providing referee functions available to consumers.
(b) To achieve the goal of consumer protection and quality assurance, the department is directed to adopt in-field audits using known vehicle defects. The in-field audits will be used to determine if a technician does actually detect, diagnose and repair the designated audit vehicle defect.
(c) As there are no clear standards to see that emissions defects are being corrected, these audits are to be conducted without notification being provided to ensure accurate assessment. The improved methods generated by the audits will provide continuous improvements in the quality of vehicle repairs actually occurring.
CAPP contact: Charlie Peters (510) 537-1796 cappcharlie@earthlink.net
Hmm.
Hmm, indeed. lol
The Air Resources Board and Schwarzenegger Administration should come up with a good blend of a flexible market-based approach and firm core regulations to reduce carbon emissions.
That’s what the bill says.
There is a big effort underway now to develop the specifics around AB 32. I get the notices all the time.
What do they say?
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