More

Should voters decide California’s energy future?

This is an email I received last night from a friend who has a PhD in nanomaterials from Stanford.

In less than a month you will have the opportunity to vote on Prop 23, a bill that will have huge repercussions on the future of the energy industry in California.  We strongly urge you to educate yourself about this bill, get out to the polls on November 2 to vote, and tell all your friends and family about this bill, how you are voting on it, and why.  Prop 23 is the most important policy facing the clean energy business community, with repercussions beyond California. Washington Senator Jay Inslee recently said that the whole nation is watching California’s action on Prop 23 to determine the future of the clean energy movement.   

To register to vote go here: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

Synopsis of AB 32:

Prop 23 would suspend implementation of AB 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act) and California’s framework of clean energy and climate laws, including the RPS, Low Carbon Fuels Standard, Energy Efficiency Standards, and Carbon CAP & Trade,until the California unemployment rate drops to 5.5% or below for four consecutive quarters.  California’s unemployment rate, which currently hovers around 12%, has been at 5.5% or below for four consecutive quarters just three times since 1980.   Current polling on the proposition is tied at 42% for and against. For an unbiased overview of the bill and major arguments for and against we recommend the following resource: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_23_%282010%29

Supporters of Prop 23 (http://suspendab32.org/):

  1. Valero Oil Company
  2. Tesoro Oil Company
  3. World Oil Corp
  4. California Trucking Association
  5. Frontier Oil

Opponents of Prop 23 (http://www.stopdirtyenergyprop.com/joinbox.php):

  1. Vote Solar http://votesolar.org/2010/08/prop-23-oil-companies-fight-dirty-in-california/
  2. California Wind Energy Association; California Solar Energy Industries Association
  3. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
  4. Clean Economy Network
  5. Both Governor Candidates Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown, as well as incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger

Other resources:

  1. KQED Forum did a 1-hour piece on Prop 23, which included a balanced debate from representatives on both sides of the issue.  To listen to or download the broadcast follow this link:http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201009130900
  2. For more details on job impacts of Prop 23, please see this report by the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at UC Berkeley Law titled “California at the Crossroads: Proposition 23, AB 32, and Climate Change.”http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/CLEE-California_at_the_Crossroads.pdf