SACRAMENTO – Backed by leaders in California’s environmental community, Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) today touted the benefits of four pieces of legislation written to combat greenhouse gas emissions in California – Assembly Bill 2021 (Levine), and Senate Bills 107 (Simitian/Perata/Levine), 1250 (Perata/Levine), and 1368 (Perata/Levine).

All four measures are now on the Governor’s desk, awaiting his consideration.

“There is broad scientific agreement that global climate change – primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels – represents a real and growing threat to future generations,” Assemblymember Levine said. “If left unchecked, global climate change threatens California’s air quality, water supply, public health, power grid reliability, and some of our largest industries: agriculture, forestry, skiing, as well as tourism – not to mention our very survival as a species.

“To take the threat of global warming seriously, we must make changes to the way we’ve been living and doing business, because maintaining the status quo cannot be tolerated any longer – the time to take action is now,” Levine added. “These landmark pieces of legislation would limit greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy efficiency, and invest in renewable resources.”

Assembly Bill 2021

AB 2021 will ensure that all utilities aggressively invest in all achievable cost effective energy efficiency programs. This effort alone will reduce forecasted electricity demand by 10 percent over the next 10 years, offsetting the need to build 11 major power plants.

AB 2021 accelerates all utilities’ electricity and natural gas efficiency programs and will help California achieve enormous environmental, economic, and job benefits. As written the bill calls for a 174 million metric tons CO2 reduction by 2020, which is the equivalent of taking one million cars off the road.

Senate Bill 107

SB 107 would require retail sellers of electricity to procure at least 20 percent of their retail sales from renewable power by 2010 instead of 2017. The end result being more environmentally-friendly power coming to the state’s power grid sooner, rather than later.

Senate Bill 1250

SB 1250 would allow the CEC to continue to administer the Public Interest Energy Research program and the Renewable Research Development and Demonstration program beyond the current sunset date of January 1, 2007.

The bill also authorizes the continuing development of technologies that will improve environmental quality, enhance system reliability, increase efficiency of energy-using technologies, lower system costs, and provide other tangible benefits.

Senate Bill 1368

SB 1368 would prohibit large utilities and corporations from entering into long-term power contracts with suppliers whose electricity sources do not meet certain emission standards. The bottom line is that dirty coal plants could not sell power on long-term contracts to California.

“By adopting these pieces of legislation, California will spur innovation and once again be a national leader on energy efficiency and environmental issues,” Levine added. “This innovative and pioneering legislation will help make our state a world leader in protecting our planet. I urge the Governor to continue his commitment to protecting our environment and sign this legislation.”