Sacramento – The
statewide environmental organization, Environment California, released their
end-of-session watch list for top priority environmental bills and called on California’s
elected officials to make 2007 a good year for the environment.
“There
many important, and in some cases historic, bills still pending passage by the
legislature or awaiting a signature by the governor,” said Dan
Jacobson, legislative director for
Environment California, a non-profit, non-partisan environmental advocacy group
with nearly 75,000 members statewide. “With the clock winding down for 2007,
lawmakers can still act to protect California’s
one-of-a-kind environment with innovative and effective laws."
Environment California’s
priority watch list includes:
►
The Solar Water Heating
and Efficiency Act of 2007 (AB 1470 – Huffman): This bill
will create a first-in-the nation program to make solar water heating
technologies mainstream. Similar to the Million Solar Roofs bill from 2006 (SB
1-Murray), AB 1470 will create a 10-year rebate program to encourage consumers
to invest in solar water heating to reduce natural gas use, cut global warming
pollution and save ratepayers money.
►
The Toxic Use Reduction Act of 2007 (AB 558 – Feuer): This bill
will require users of toxic chemicals for the first time to report the
chemicals they use and the quantities in which they use them. Companies using
large amounts of toxic chemicals will also be required to develop a plan to
account for their use of those toxics.
►
Cool Fuels (SB
210 – Kehoe): This bill will require the California Air
Resources Board (ARB) to create a low carbon fuel standard to reduce the global
warming intensity of fuels by at least 10% by 2020. This bill is critical to ensuring that California
protects against climate change while improving air quality and preserving the
environment for future generations.
►
Toxic Toys (AB 1108 – Ma): This bill
will ban the use of phthalates from products intended for kids under the age of
three. This bill
mimics rules and regulations in the European Union and 14 countries on the use
of dangerous chemicals in children’s toys.
[AB 1108 has passed the legislature and is awaiting
the governor’s signature.]
►
Ban Plastic Resin Pellets
(AB 258 – Krekorian): This bill
will protect marine environments by reducing the amount of preproduction
plastic that enters the ocean.
Other bills of interest for Environment California
include: AB 514 (Lieber), AB 515 (Lieber), SB 456 (Simitian), AB 576 (Carter),
AB 118 (Núñez), SB 719 Machado.
