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.
Joe Segura, a mild-mannered reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper, has covered Gotham City, er Long Beach, for 34 years. During his very, very long -- endless -- tenure, he's covered almost every beat, and he was the main writer for BeachWeek, which focused on life and lifestyles of the shoreline communities from downtown Long Beach to the Huntington Beach pier.
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