Thinking about the environment is a good thing, and the rush of bills this year should include some that address one of the major environmental issues facing the Sacramento region, flood protection, and reaching the 500 year level of protection that experts agree is the minimum major cities should attain.
But building the new dams that allow us to reach that level of protection have, as yet, not been passed by this legislature, but hopefully leadership will arise that will agree on the 500 year protection as a minimum standard, and future legislation will reflect that.
An excerpt.
Some legislators thinking green
Democrats pushing bills, opposed by business, on water and air quality.
By Judy Lin -- Bee Capitol Bureau Published 12:01 am PDT Sunday, July 2, 2006
Maybe it's the summer heat, or maybe it's Al Gore's documentary.
Whatever the cause, California environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers have embarked on an ambitious campaign to catapult the state ahead of the nation on a number of green initiatives.
From greenhouse-gas caps to alternative energy, they say it's time to make significant changes after watching a number of clean water and air quality bills vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in recent years. They say the looming election should also help motivate politicians to think green.
"There's no question the leadership California can provide on this issue on the sustainability of our planet," Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, recently testified before an environmental committee. "The world really is watching today what we do in California."
It won't be easy. Business and trade groups have already targeted dozens of environmental bills as job killers. A coalition led by the California Chamber of Commerce has taken out print and radio ads against one of Núñez's pet bills.
At the center of the debate is Assembly Bill 32, which would require industries to report how much greenhouse gas they emit -- and place caps on emissions starting in 2012.
"We don't think heavy-handed regulation and bureaucracy is necessary," said Thomas Tietz, who heads the California Nevada Cement Promotion Council.
