California Legislative Leaders Exploiting Budget Crisis, According to Green Groups

 Contacts:
Lori Sinsley, EDF, 415/293-6097, lsinsley@edf.org 
Jessica Lass, NRDC, 310/434-2300, jlass@nrdc.org 
Jenesse Miller, CLCV, 510/844-0235, jmiller@ecovote.org

 

SACRAMENTO – As California lawmakers remain at an impasse in budget negotiations, with less than a week to go before the state can’t pay its bills or fund key programs, the state’s leading environment and health advocates say the Republican legislative leadership is exploiting the crisis to repeal laws that protect the health and safety of Californians, yet have nothing to do with the budget. They are also concerned that laws established through public process, in the light of day, are being traded away behind closed doors in a very closed process.

 

The demand to weaken the state’s most popular environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), has been widely publicized. However, according to the groups, some of the Schwarzenegger administration’s key accomplishments, such as new standards to reduce diesel pollution, are also on the chopping block in exchange for the Republican legislative leadership’s vote on the budget.

 

The groups, including Coalition for Clean Air, Planning and Conservation League, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club California, California League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund and Union of Concerned Scientists, held a telephone news briefing for state and national reporters outlining their analysis of why the demands have no place in a the budget negotiation.

 

“It is one thing to have an honest debate about taxes and spending,” said Paul Mason of Sierra Club California. “But to bargain away the lives of Californians and the legacy of the California landscape is a dishonest political game that threatens this administration’s international reputation and the lives of thousands of Californians.”

 

The Republican legislative leadership’s hit list includes:

1.         Delaying and weakening implementation of a measure to reduce toxic diesel emissions from off-road construction equipment, just adopted in July 2007 by the California Air Resources Board after a thorough open process of thousands of public comments, multiple hearings and opportunities for all sides to be heard.

2.         Tying up in knots all the air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions measures (including California’s landmark AB 32 program) proposed by the California Air Resources Board by requiring them to undergo an endless loop of economic analyses overseen by the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The proposal would lead to endless litigation and essentially gives veto power over air and green house gas regulations to BT&H.

3.         Exempting an unknown number of road projects from environmental and permit review.  The list of projects proposed for this special treatment appears to be a moving target.

4.         Establishing a “ad hoc committee” of three agency heads, including Secretary of Business Transportation and Housing, to have veto power over environmental requirements for selected projects.

5.         Undermining legal and regulatory commitment to reduce use of pesticides that contribute to air pollution in agricultural areas.