AB 32: Oil Companies Fight To Suspend California's Climate Change Law

latimes.com:

California headed for a high-stakes battle over global warming Tuesday, as an oil industry-backed measure to suspend the state's aggressive climate-change law qualified for the November ballot.

Read the whole story: latimes.com

Comments

[Richard2]

05:20 PM on 06/25/2010

The vote on whether or not to repeal AB32 is a landmark event. The only rationale for supporting the green measures within AB32 is if it is accepted that catastrophic man-made global warming is a real thing, not an alarmist fantasy.

There has been talk of a consensus on this issue, with only crazy people, such as persons who think the earth is flat, disagreeing with the consensus. If this is true, then the vote will be 99% "no" and 1% "yes."

However, in the real world, it may be that the climate skeptics are in the majority, not the minority. It remains for any polling companies to release public opinion polls on the repeal of AB32, but just looking at the situation today, it would not be surprising if the public was split 50%/50%.

There is a real possibility that the initiative to repeal AB32 will actually pass and become law.
Can't wait to see some opinion polls.

[Neil O]

12:52 AM on 06/30/2010

I just participated in a telephone opinion poll about AB32 about 2 hours ago...

[Richard2]

04:41 PM on 06/25/2010

Valero is not just an oil refiner, it is also the third largest ethanol producer in the U.S. Without any publicity, domestically produced ethanol now makes up approximately 10% of the "gasoline" purchased at American gas stations. The ethanol industry has already displaced 10% of the petroleum that otherwise would have been consumed.

Valero, by itself, probably produces more ethanol fuel than all the existing ethanol facilities in the state of California. We should be so lucky if our public officials in California were encouraging feasible bio-fuel production within the state, rather than expensive alternatives which claim to save our state from CO2.

The hypothesis that CO2 is the primary driver of global warming is only that, a hypothesis.
During the past decade, which has experienced elevated CO2 levels, temperatures have not increased to any significant extent, as has even been noted by Dr. Jones of CRU.

[OneVoiceInACrowd]

05:02 PM on 06/25/2010

I guess you still do not understand what Phil Jones was saying, and I know you have been told, but yet you still misrepresent it and even here and now how he said it.

You have had ample time to educate yourself on what statistically-significant means.

[Michael Valentine]

02:31 PM on 06/25/2010

Sure who needs a health climate? Burn off the Gulf oil leaks and the marshes they infect that wouldn't hurt either would it?

Fudge off oil corporations. Your killing us all.

[CrzyRussell]

09:02 PM on 06/24/2010

There is nothing wrong with delaying implementation until the economy improves. What the article doesn't tell you is that the proposition has broad support among the people. It even go twice the number of signatures needed to place it on the ballot.

We can't afford to loose the estimated 1 million jobs...at this point in time.

[Michael Valentine]

02:33 PM on 06/25/2010

I don't think it does have broad support with the people of California. We like having air that isn't as filthy as it would be if corporations had their way.

Think about the deep concern and commitment BP has for the environment.

[Richard2]

04:30 PM on 06/25/2010

Older residents of California can remember when the air in LA County was heavily polluted with smog. Thanks to pollution control measures, the pollution has been reduced.

However, older residents also know the difference between chemicals that react to create smog, and CO2, which is what farmers need for their crops to grow. Less air pollution and more CO2 would seem the best trends to help California's agricultural economy.

[rougebaisers]

06:28 PM on 06/24/2010

There was a time when California would have led this country into change. Do they have it in them now?

[graffitijoe]

08:56 PM on 06/24/2010

The voters of CA are leading the country into change - by rolling back this money and power grab by the state.

Speaking of Al Gore - no wonder Tipper is dumping him:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0624101gore1.html

Why isn't this anywhere in HufPo? Maybe I should check the comedy page.

[jane bond]

02:56 PM on 06/24/2010

tea-party candidate favorite from Oklahoma says that bp should not have to pay so much, and tax payers should pick up the clean-up tab...how much more absurd is the right going to get? with the new sexual inappropriate allegations about Al gore this is fueling the global warming deniers...we can debate global warming,but there is no denying fossil fuels have contaminated our fish and air quality with mercury, 650,000 babies are born with dangerous levels of mercury in their blood, see evangelical environmental network click on "resources" for your life, then mercury, then mercury in unborn facts...

Bush legacy...on Earth day 2002, Bush announced his clear skies initiative, it allowed 1,100 US coal fired power plants to continue emitting mercury at dangerous levels under cutting the 1970 clean air act emission goals, the intiative lessons mercury emission standards from the reduction of 90% by 2008 under clean air act to ONLY 69% by 2018 under clear skies initiative.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

02:52 PM on 06/24/2010

From the article:

Schwarzenegger lashed back Tuesday, saying, "This initiative sponsored by greedy Texas oil companies would cripple California's fastest-growing economic sector"


Actually, Conan, this is the most heavily subsidized industry and for every job the law creates it kills two traditional jobs. So yea, maybe it is growing, but it is shrinking your economy and the proof is in your dismal Unemployment Rate, the exodus of businesses, the almost bankrupt government you oversee and the shameful hubris that you can stop GLOBAL warming. There's a vacancy in Hyannis, Conan, you'd fit in well as a leftist there.

[chrisd3]

11:24 PM on 06/24/2010

"Actually, Conan, this is the most heavily subsidized industry and for every job the law creates it kills two traditional jobs."

Is that based on that one Spanish economist's sloppy paper that was challenged even by the Wall Street Journal, or do you have some other basis for this? Source?

[Richard2]

09:14 PM on 06/25/2010

Yes,

Our governor was wrong about sea levels rising to flood our coastal cities, including San Francisco.
The sea level data from the San Francisco tide station, which stretches back more than 100 years, shows now increases in sea level since the 1990s. Our governor was wrong about global warming.
And we are being asked to pay the huge economic price, through AB32.

[Fight The Right]

02:19 PM on 06/24/2010

A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.
Henry Ford

[Richard2]

02:10 PM on 06/24/2010

The California Jobs Initiative is a good thing. It will help keep our utility costs down. This will assist local manufacturers that must compete with companies around the world, which do not face the severe restrictions imposed by AB32. The initiative will also help the public, private businesses, and local governments, avoid severe increases in their utility bills, during a period of deep recession.

By saving jobs, the initiative will also increase the amount of taxes paid to our state and local governments, which also are under a severe financial squeeze during this recession.

AB32 has created an uneven playing field, with China completing one coal fired power plant per week, while cheap energy from traditional sources are treated as as evil things that must be taken away from the California public, even if it impoverishes everyone.

[gsmp]

12:03 PM on 06/24/2010

Farm folk don't have much time to follow all the online info, but the oldtimers know the seasonal cycles have altered especially in northern climates. Storms tend to be more drastic, winters start later and record snowfalls are happening in short periods of time. Previously infrequent hail storms have become more common and severe, producing swaths of damaged crops that can be followed just like the devastation from a tornado.
The earth's climate, geology, continental dispursal, life-species, etc. are all cyclical. usually over the course of thousands, even millions of years. The truth is, climate (not weather) change is a reality whether or not anyone personally believes in a man-mad influence.
The bottom line - humans can only survive in a limited temperature range. It only takes a few degrees centigrade increase in global temperature to make much of the planet inhospitable to our species.
California has done a remarkable job of working toward improved air quality, but it has taken years and this referendum could undo all that effort. Every state has major issues, but regression is not an option. At one time, I thought the referendum system would have merit for my state. Now - not so much.

[chonus]

10:05 AM on 06/24/2010

Noam Chomsky on global warming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O3cNc2JoMA

[friedfish2718]

06:18 AM on 06/25/2010

if you can find only Noam Chomsky, a linguistics specialist, to quote on global warming,
you need to take your medication.

[chonus]

09:24 AM on 06/25/2010

Since you must listen to Rush, I suggest you get me some medication from him.

[rougebaisers]

09:49 AM on 06/24/2010

The evil empire must be stopped. They ARE humanity's end.