Updated 08.21.14
Members of CIPL staff and Steering Committee re-visited Sacramento legislators to underscore support for several key bills, aimed at pollution reduction and public health protection.
The faith advocates that attended represented many areas of the state, including Los Angeles County, The Bay Area, the Central Valley and Sacramento regions. 25 legislative offices were visited, which included newer legislators such as Assembly Members Reginald Jones-Sawyer, Sr (D-59) and Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-54.)
CIPL priority issues remained the same from the first lobby day in June. SB 1204 (Lara) will allocate funding from auction revenues for cleaner tracks and buses, especially along the busy transportation corridor from the Ports of L.A. east. SB 1275 (Leno) will put one million new cars on the road by 2023. SB 1371 (Leno) aims to decrease natural gas leakage, preventing further climate change emissions and seeking to avoid future accidents, like the San Bruno explosion in September, 2010.
AB 2145, which would require Community Choice Aggragates, an often-cleaner energy alternative to major utilities, be restricted to a three-county, contiguous region and would bypass the CCA in processing complaints. CIPL remains opposed to this bill.
On-going support from the faith community for AB 32 was a topic of discussion in both Assembly Senate office. The recent attempt by oil companies to gain a three-year delay for falling under the emissions cap, in the form of AB 69, has received pushback from a multitude of sectors, including policy, environmental justice, faith and public health. A letter signed by almost 400 faith leaders in California, urging the full implementation of AB 32, was delivered to the offices of Senate President Pro Tem Darell Steinberg and Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins. Currently, the bill is not moving forward. (Letter and some clergy signatories below.)
CIPL will continue to follow and advocate around these bills until the end of the legislative session, which will be August 31. Stay tuned for further updates.
August 20, 2014
Hon. Darrell Steinberg, Senate President pro Tempore
Hon. Toni G. Atkins, Assembly Speaker
State of California
State Capitol, Second Floor
Sacramento, CA 94814
Dear pro Tem Steinberg and Speaker Atkins,
When California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, AB 32, became law in 2006, our state became a global leader in protecting the climate and safeguarding public health. We showed our collective will to transition to a sustainable, clean energy economy and inspired actions in other states and regions. As people of faith profoundly concerned about the climate crisis, we want to express our support for the full implementation of California’s landmark climate law, AB 32.
We are very concerned that the oil industry is seeking to undermine this critical state law by seeking an exemption from compliance under the emissions cap. This is occurring even as scientists tell us we must do more, not less, to protect the climate from the catastrophic effects of global warming. Transportation accounts for 40 percent of carbon pollution in California and we believe that oil companies must comply, invest in lower emissions technology, and be a partner in improving public health and protecting our climate.
Residents will save $8.3 billion in pollution related health costs, such as avoided health visits and lost work days, when the state includes fuels under the cap and trade program along with the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The American Lung Association in California warns us that each year more than 9,000 Californians die from the effects of unhealthy air. Still more suffer from asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and reproductive harm.
AB 32 is helping to clean up our air and save the state money. Southern California has seen more than a 60% reduction in particle pollution and more than a 30% reduction in smoggy days. The Bay Area and Fresno have seen over a 50% reduction in smoggy days. Even greater benefits lay ahead as AB 32 is more fully implemented, including funds that will be generated for low-income communities heavily impacted by fossil fuel pollution.
As people of faith we are grateful for the important steps California has taken to protect Creation, reduce carbon emissions, air pollution and safeguard public health. We urge you to oppose any attempt to weaken or delay AB 32 and California’s climate protection goals.
Thank you for your leadership on this defining moral issue of our time.
In Faith,
More than 350 clergy and lay leaders have signed this letter in support of full implementation of
AB 32. Signers listed represent the breadth, diversity, and size of
California Interfaith Power & Light’s statewide network.
The Reverend Canon Sally Bingham
President & Founder, California IPL
Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire
Roman Catholic Bishop of Stockton
The Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of California
The Rt. Rev. Barry Beisner, Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
Bishop R. Guy Erwin, Southwest California Synod,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Glendale
Bishop Murray D. Finck, Pacifica Synod,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Santa Ana
The Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves Bishop,
El Camino Real, Monterey, CA
Bishop Mark W. Holmerud Sierra Pacific Synod,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Sacramento
The Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes, Bishop
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
The Rt. Rev. David Rice, Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
Rabbi Allen Bennett, Retired
Temple Israel, Alameda
The Rev. Dr. Karen Bloomquist, Dean
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Mark Carlson
Lutheran Office of Public Policy, Sacramento
Fr. John Coleman, S.J.
St. Ignatius Parish, USF
Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts, Central Abbess
Green Gulch Zen Center, Marin
Rabbi Marvin Goodman, Executive Director
Northern California Board of Rabbis
Margaret Henke, President
Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment
The Reverend Christine Higueria-Street
College Lutheran Church, San Diego
Sr. Marion Irvine
Dominican Sisters of San Rafael
The Reverend Earl Koteen
Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry
The Reverend Franco Kwan, Rector
True Sunshine Church, SF
The Reverend Phil Lawson, Pastor Emeritus,
Easter Hill Methodist Church, Richmond
Jo Ann Lawson. President
CA-NV Conference United Methodist Women
Rabbi Michael Lerner
Beyt Tikkun Synagogue
The Rev. Will McGarvey, Executive Director
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County
Monsignor John Moretta, Pastor
Resurrection Catholic Church, East Los Angeles
The Rev. Dr. Timothy Murphy, Executive Director
Progressive Christians Uniting
The Reverend Ando Mueller
Shasta Abbey Buddhist Monastery
The Reverend Dr. Karen Oliveto
Glide Memorial United Methodist, SF
Michael Pappas, Executive Director
San Francisco Interfaith Council
Elvira Ramirez, Executive Director
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Stockton
The Rev. Scott Richardson
St. Mary the Virgin Church, SF
Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller
Congregation Sherith Israel
The Rev. Dr. David Stabenfeldt
First Congregational UCC, Bakersfield
Shakeel Syed, Executive Director
Islamic Shura Council of SoCal
Monsignor John Talesfore,
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, SF