September 24, 2006

Residents of Santa Cruz County have a storied history of standing up to protect our local environment and improve our quality of life. Our greatest successes have come through goal-setting, collaboration and shared responsibility among a wide range of community interests. A good example of this ideal is the United Way's Community Assessment Project and its bi-annual report card on a number of critical issues in Santa Cruz County, including environmental protection.

Calling it a "report card" belies the fact that it is much more: it actually lays out achievable goals for the year 2010. Focused on the theme "Natural Environment," local nonprofit and CAP partner Ecology Action engaged more than 1,000 county residents and found clear agreement on the need to reduce air pollution, protect and grow open space, and improve the health of rivers and the ocean by reducing erosion and chemical pollution.

As a community, we're already strongly positioned to reach our goals. Environmentally, we have a lot to be proud of, especially with regard to local-state cooperation. This year, significant progress was made through the state budget process and legislative efforts. Specific budget achievements include:

• $250 million to begin funding the $1 billion backlog in state parks deferred maintenance;
  
• $70 million for the Department of Fish & Game;
  
• $37 million to reduce greenhouse gases to 2000 levels by 2010;
  
• $25 million for the development of alternative fuel technology;
  
• $25 million to replace pre-1977 school buses with new clean school buses that meet the latest federal safety standards; and
  
• $19 million to protect and manage ocean resources;
  
• $4 million for increased statewide enforcement of heavy-duty diesel regulations.
  

Key legislative achievements include a first-in-the-nation bill to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial polluters Nunez, Pavley, as well as bills to eradicate land-based and aquatic invasive plants Laird and Simitian, respectively; increase indoor and outdoor water conservation Laird; reduce Bay Area air pollution Klehs; encourage development of the Coastal Trail Laird; increased pay for Fish & Game wardens and State Parks rangers Laird; and increased protection for our ocean-health sentinels, California's sea otters Jones, Laird.

Locally, the CAP goals for 2010 provide an opportunity to continue to collaborate on initiatives to clean our rivers and streams, protect our open spaces, encourage the use of alternative transportation and the use of alternative fuels, and support K-12 and college-level education programs focused on stewardship.

In the weeks ahead, the Community Assessment Project will release more news on progress toward the shared goal of improving our quality of life in Santa Cruz County.

For more information and to get involved in achieving CAP's Natural Environment goals, contact Ecology Action at 426-5925 ext 123, or visit www.ecoact.org/cap.

Virginia Johnson serves as executive director/CEO of Ecology Action. Democratic Assemblyman John Laird represents the 27th District and serves as Assembly Budget Committee chairman.