June 2009 Archives

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday (June 26) praised Congress's American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, authored by Democratic Representatives. Henry Waxman of Beverly Hills and Edward Markey of Massachusetts, calling it an ambitious effort to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020:

"Fighting climate change is the number-one environmental challenge facing this generation, and the only way to realize real reductions in our nation's greenhouse gas emissions is through a firm cap. California has led the nation and the world in developing market-oriented programs to achieve our environmental goals while boosting jobs and protecting consumers, and our efforts have laid the groundwork for a national climate change program like the one voted on today.

"Although this bill is not perfect, it is a significant step in the national fight against climate change and it puts the United States in a position of leadership in international climate negotiations that must produce a global solution to this global problem. My Administration will work with the Senate and President Obama to improve and strengthen this legislation so that it achieves its goals while boosting economic growth and I commend the House of Representatives for taking this historic step today."

Schwarzenegger has been proactive in leading the state in establishing laws and policies to protect the environment and the economy, according to his web site:

·         In October 2007, California and a coalition of European Union countries, U.S. states, Canadian provinces, Norway and New Zealand formed the world's first International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) to develop solutions to global climate change.

·         In August 2007, the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) -- with the state as a founding participant -- announced a common goal to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

·         In January 2007, the governor announced the world's first Low Carbon Fuel Standard for transportation fuels that requires fuel providers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in California.

·         In September 2006, the governor signed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, California's landmark bill that established a first-in-the-world comprehensive program of regulatory and market mechanisms to achieve real, quantifiable, cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. 

A large number of Southland cities are slapping on high permit fees for solar electric permits, ignoring a state mandate designed to promote the energy system, according to a survey by the Sierra Club.

The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club said it has launched a compaign to reverse the trend, asking several dozen agencies with reported permit fees of $750 or more to review their solar-permit fee methodologies that are higher than cost recovery levels.

San Gabriel, Carson and Hawaiian Gardens had the third, fourth and fifth highest fees among 250 communities to install photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on residential roofs, according to the survey, which was conducted between January and April.

San Gabriel and Hawaiian Gardens officials said their fees were based on valuation of the project and on staff-time costs, but they added that reviews of possible moderation of fee structures are planned.

For instance, a report was being prepared for the San Gabriel City Council, according to city planner Mark Gallatin; and Hawaiian Gardens was considering possible grant programs to assist in funding projects, according to Assistant City Manager Gary Chicots.

A study on an area considered by many as a key habitat buffer of the Los Cerritos Wetlands has sparked a whirlwind of debate in environmentalist circles this week, because it declares that the site is not wetlands .

The controversial report was conducted for property owner Sean Hitchcock, who was sharply criticized for grading the buffer area near Loynes Drive and Studebaker Road in late March.

The study could be reviewed by the Long Beach Planning Commission in mid-August or early September, according to Development Services Director Craig Beck.

There will be fireworks.

Environmentalists will be disputing a report that studied an area uprooted and buried under half a foot of dirt, destroying a site they consider to be ecologically sensitive.

Tom Marchese, a community activist and board member of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust, said that such delineation studies generally require one or two years of review, following a wet winter.

The review was conducted shortly after Hitchcock graded the area, and then capped the site with several feet of dirt - the latter at the direction of state agencies concerned about leaking methane gas.

Ty Garrison, senior biologist for the Pasadena-based SWCA Environmental Consultants, ruled in his 13-page report that site has been mainly a landfill.

"At present, the ground elevation of the site is approximately 16 to 20 feet above the natural marsh that was present at the location until the 1940s," he noted in the study.

Click here to download the report: study.pdf

The summer weather has been mostly drab -- with overcast skies and cool conditions.

However, that's all being shrugged off in Huntington Beach on Saturday, when surfers will celebrate International Surfing Day with the Quiksilver Foundation and the Bolsa Chica Conservancy at Bolsa Chica State Beach.

The event is free and open to the public.

The morning is set to kick-off at the south end of the park with a beach clean-up and an open surf session to follow.

 Surftech will be demonstrating its latest surfboards and SUP boards.

Taco Bell will have a new taco truck, delivering a free lunch for the first 300 volunteers.
Sambazon will also give away free smoothies.

And as a special token of appreciation, Quiksilver will give away event tee-shirts.

Check-in at the Quiksilver tent to get a wristband for lunch, smoothies and tee-shirt.

The schedule: 7 a.m. for the beach clean-up at the south parking lot at Bolsa Chica State Beach; 9 a.m. for the open surf session; 11 a.m. is Lunch with Taco Bell and Sambazon.

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy is a private non-profit organization, established in 1990 to advocate the protection of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands through education, public outreach, scientific research and habitat restoration. For more details, visit www.bolsachica.org.