UPDATES ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS IN CALIFORNIA

legislation

 

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger just signed a Sierra Club California priority bill to reduce toxics in products. Click the picture to view the historic event.

 

 

 

 

SB 974 (Lowenthal) – Would have mitigated air pollution from the ports and increase port efficiency by assessing a fee for each container moving through the ports or Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland. Vetoed Sept. 30.

SB 1113 (Migden) – Would have restored a court’s authority to, upon motion, award attorney’s fees and costs to a successful party against one or more opposing parties in any action that has resulted in the enforcement of an important right affecting the public interest. Vetoed Sept. 30.

SB 1313 (Corbett) – Would have banned greaseproof coatings chemicals known as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluoroctanoic acid in food packaging, beginning in 2010. Vetoed Sept. 29.

AB 1879 (Feuer/Huffman) – Gives the Department of Toxic Substances Control landmark new authority to establish safeguards to protect people and the environment from consumer products containing known toxins like lead, mercury and arsenic. Signed Sept. 29.

AB 2347 (Ruskin) – Establishes a producer responsibility program for recycling of mercury thermostats. Signed Sept. 29.

AB 2447 (Jones) – Would have ensured that new homes have adequate structural fire protection, without leaving that responsibility to CalFire and the state’s general fund. Vetoed Sept. 30.

AB 2923 (Evans) – Would have asked the Secretary of Resources and State Lands Commission to make wilderness recommendations for state-owned roadless areas that have not been considered for wilderness protection.  Vetoed, Sept. 27.

AB 2945 (Laird) – Amends the California Wilderness Act to authorize temporary roads and motorized equipment within a wilderness area when necessary in an emergency or if it is the minimum tool necessary to meet minimum management requirements. Also would add Limekiln State Wilderness to the list of designated state wilderness areas. Signed Sept. 30.

AB 2275 (Fuentes) – Would have required businesses licensed to bottle water or sell water from a private water source (a primary supply of water for bottling) to report annually the total volume of water bottled or sold, the source of the water, and the county in which the source is located. Vetoed, Sept. 27.

Sierra Club California urged Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto one bill:

SB 1473 (Calderon) - Gives inappropriately broad authority to the Building Standards Commission (BSC) to develop and adopt the California Green Building Standards Code (CGBSC). This authority would allow the BSC to exclude expert state agencies such as the California Energy Commission, Cal-EPA, State Water Board, Air Resources Board, and Integrated Waste Management Board, which are already working on various aspects of green building. Signed Sept. 30.