Updated 07.05.12
One of the aims of California Interfaith Power and Light is to educate its member congregations and individuals on pressing legislation and initiatives before our federal, state, and citizen voters. Contrary to what many believe, faith traditions hold action in the social sphere as an important tenet. Bringing the religious beliefs of respect and dignity of Creation, work for the common good, and community empowerment into society is yet another form of religious expression, one which, when done well, strengthens society as a whole and builds relationships among diverse groups.
Interfaith Power & Light’s Policy on Clean Energy Issues: California Interfaith Power & Light, as part of the IPL national network, holds certain positions on specific issues, such as nuclear energy, coal and energy efficiency. Click here to read about IPL’s Clean Energy Agenda and more.
California Interfaith Power & Light’s 2012 “Flagship” Bills: Every June, CIPL faith advocates travel to Sacramento to visit with legislative offices on particular energy and climate bills before the California legislature. In 2011, On June 12 of this year, seventeen faith advocates attended 35 meetings. (Click here to read more.) Priority legislation included:
AB 1990 (Fong): A strong bill that has bi-partisan support, AB 1990 would aim to build 375 MW of local, clean renewable energy in highly-impacted communities, reducing the need for polluting power plants in these neighborhoods. Second, it would provide the opportunity for building owners to be energy producers through a Feed-in-Tariff, which requires utilities to offer long-term, standard-price contracts to renewable energy producers. Lastly, AB 1990 would create local employment opportunities to high-unemployment areas facing economic challenges. Click here for a current action alert on this issue.
SB 1455 (Kehoe): This bill directs the California Air Resources Board and California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (CEC) to implement the state alternative transportation fuels goal of 26 percent by 2022. In addition, SB 1455 instructs both agencies to seek to create in-state jobs, decrease economic vulnerability of Californians due to petroleum price spikes, maximize alternative fuels use in areas with the worst air quality, and increase access to alternative fuels for all residents, in the course of the bill’s implementation.
AB 1532 (Perez): AB 32, California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, authorizes the California Air Resources Board to adopt a schedule of fees paid by the sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and requires that these revenues be deposited into the Air Pollution Control Fund. AB 1532 would move the process of AB 32 implementation forward, by creating the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Account within the Air Pollution Control Fund. These monies are to be used for specific measures and projects that assist in California meeting its goal of 1990 carbon emission levels by 2020.
Interfaith Power & Light’s 2012 Federal “flagship” bills: On May 3, seventy-five IPL leaders from 35 states attended meetings with their legislators. (Click here to read more.) Priority legislation included: HR 4017, the Smart Energy Act, which would direct each fedral agency to implement requirements for the use of energy and water efficiency measures in federal buildings; SB 1000, which would support the development and updating of national model building energy codes for residential and commercial buildings; and the EPA’s proposed Industrial Carbon Pollution Standards, which would limit the amount of carbon pollution from new power plants.
