AgdaPkt 2008-11-10 Clsd and Reg - Laserfiche WebLink

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8A Page 4 firefightlng and children's healthcare off the budget roller coaster. The Commission has a tall order: we need maximum performance in a minimum period of time. We're not looking to punt the problem-we're looking for a playbook filled with potential options. I applaud Governor Schwarzenegger for helping make this Commission a reality, and I appreciate the other legislative leaders' commitment to bringing about modernization and stability to Californrs's economy." - Assembly Speaker Karen Bass "Keeping California competitive in s global economy is the key to a strong and healthy state budget. I applaud the Governor for working with legislative leaders to address Califomia's broken budget system and I look forward to reviewing revenue-neutral recommendations from the commission, not just on fixing our revenue system. but also on how the state can adjust its spending levels to come into alignment with revenues." - Senate Republfcan Leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto "The Commission has a unique opportunity to update California's tax laws and improve our lagging economy while ensuring that taxpayers are protected. I believe the Commission can also play an important role in improving our business climate and putting California jobs first by helping to restore our state as a place where businesses can grow and prosper: - Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines of Fresno 'AS 32' COntinued from Page 1... The lead state agency for implementation of AB 32 is the Califomia Air Resources Board (ARB). ARB met the first milestone required by AS 32 in 2007 when it deveioped a list of nine discrete early action measures. In 2007, ARB also developed an inventory of historic emissions, established greenhouse gas emission reporting requirements for major emitters, and set the numeric limit for the 2020 emission reduction mandate under AB 32. The focus for ARB in 2008 was a document referred to as the "Scoping Plan." The Scoping Plan (Plan), which under AS 32 must be approved by ARB by January 1, 2009, proposes a comprehensive set of actions designed to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions in California. It is essentially the plan on how the state will achieve the necessary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The Plan includes actions in areas such as energy efficiency, transportation, green building, recycling and waste, housing, high speed rail, industrial emissions, water, agriculture and land use planning. Under the Plan, actions may be implemented through direct regulations, alternative compliance mechanisms, monetary and non-monetary incentives, voluntary actions, and market-based mechanisms such as a proposed cap-and-trade system. The Plan was released on Oct. 15, 2008 and will be considered for approval at the ARB Board hearing on Dec. 11, 2008. Key Issue Areas for Local Governments in ARB's Plan: . Voluntary 15 percent reduction in local government GHG emissions. The Plan encourages local governments in California to track emissions using their recently adopted Local Government Operations Protocol as well as encourages local governments to adopt a reduction goal for municipal operations emissions and move toward similar goals for community emissions that parallel the State commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 15 percent from current levels by 2020. . Maximize Energy Efficiency Building and Appliance Standards. and Pursue Additional Efficiency Efforts Including New Technologies, and New Policy and Implementation Mechanisms. The Plan sets targets for annual energy demand reductions statewide. The reductions include actions like: .zero net energy" buildings, green building codes, appliance efficiency standards, improved compliance and enforcement of existing buiiding standards and voluntary efficiency and green building targets beyond mandatory codes. For municipal utilities it also includes more aggressive utility programs to achieve long term energy savings, including Renewable Portfolio Standards for municipal utilities mandating all utilities, achieving a 33 percent renewable energy mix by 2020. 4