OPPONENTS OF TEXAS
OIL COMPANY-FUNDED DIRTY ENERGY PROPOSITION REACT TO QUALIFICATION OF MEASURE
FOR NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT
Coalition of More
than 300 Organizations Oppose Initiative that Will Increase Air Pollution and
Public Health Risks While Harming California’s Economy
SACRAMENTO
– California’s
leading business, public health, senior, and environmental groups, along
with 300 other business groups today promised to fight a deceptive ballot
measure being bankrolled by two Texas oil companies that today qualified for
the November general election ballot.
Opponents
of the ballot proposition say it will kill the state’s growing clean tech
economy, increase air pollution, and drive up energy costs for businesses and
homeowners. They also criticized the special interests behind the initiative
for spending millions of dollars on a measure that will benefit the oil
industry while the Gulf oil crisis threatens the nation’s economy and
environment. The oil company coalition is already being widely criticized by
newspaper editorials, independent economists, and third parties for the
deceptive nature of their campaign and false claims.
“This
misguided proposition will seriously harm our effort to encourage the growing
entrepreneurial ventures that hold the promise of important change toward
cleaner energy,” said former U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz,
co-chairman of Californians for Clean Energy and Jobs, the group opposing the
proposition. “Jobs in California generated by clean-tech ventures are growing
and, since these products have global potential use, the prospect for important
growth in clean-tech jobs is promising. As a former Secretary of State, I see
our dependence on foreign oil as one of the greatest threats to national
security, and the proposition would undermine efforts to break that dependence.
I oppose the proposition designed to derail AB 32.”
According to the Secretary of State, more
than $3 million has spent on the ballot measure so far by energy-related
interests; 80 percent of that has come from special interests outside of
California. Oil companies alone have spent $2,390,000 on the campaign -- 78
percent of the total. Texas-based Valero alone spent $1,050,000 for the effort,
representing 34 percent of the total. Another Texas-based oil refiner, Tesoro,
has contributed $525,000, which amounts to 17 percent of the total.
Valero and Tesoro were recently named the #12
and #32 polluters in the nation in the “Toxic 100 Air Polluters” report (http://www.peri.umass.edu/toxic100).
Also today, Calpine, California’s largest
independent power company, which generates power from clean-burning natural gas
and renewable geothermal facilities, joined the growing coalition of public
health, environmental, and business groups also are opposing the measure.
“Calpine is proud to have invested over $5
billion to enable California to retire polluting, aging and inefficient power
plants and this measure undermines the continuing efforts by us and others who
are providing clean, cost-effective and reliable power to California
customers,” said Jack A. Fusco, President and Chief Executive Officer, Calpine.
Dozens of other public health,
environmental, and business groups also are opposing the measure.
"We
call on Californians to reject the Texas oil companies' attempt to undo
California's clean air and clean energy laws," said Jane Warner, president
and chief executive of the American Lung Association
in California. "Thousands of people are
being rushed to emergency rooms and thousands of people are dying early as a
result of air pollution. Air
pollution is a major public health crisis and the oil companies’ efforts
to repeal AB 32 will make matters much worse."
“Every
year, thousands of California seniors are hospitalized and tens of thousands
more suffer from respiratory illnesses like asthma
and bronchitis because of air pollution in our
state,” said AARP California State President Jeannine English. “That’s
why AARP is strongly opposed to the ballot initiative that would roll back
California’s most important clean air and clean energy law.”
“The
notion of repealing AB 32 presents a false choice to the people of California,”
said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “We don’t have to
choose between a strong economy and combating climate
change.”
“In
November, Californians will have a clear choice: side with the out-of-state oil
interests who are trying to kill our clean air laws and clean energy economy,
or stand up for California jobs, clean air, and environment, said Bill
Magavern, Director, Sierra Club California.
“We’re confident voters will vote against the oil companies’ scheme.”
“This
deceptive initiative would kill competition and jobs from solar and other clean
energy industries at the worst possible time,” said Sue Kateley,
Executive Director of the California Solar Energy
Industries Association. “Solar businesses and other renewable energy companies are thriving in California
because of our state’s clean energy and clean air laws. Clean energy and
technology businesses range from small businesses with just a few employees, to
large corporations that employ hundreds. Rather than save jobs, the Texas oil
companies’ initiative could very well put many of these businesses out of
work.”
“Voters
have been reminded lately of the dangers of fossil fuels, the oil spill in the Gulf Coast and the recent coal mine disaster, graphically demonstrating why we
need to move away from fossil fuels and shift to cleaner, home-grown, modern
technologies such as wind energy,” said Nancy Rader, Executive Director, California
Wind Energy Association (CalWEA).
“California
is leading the clean technology revolution. This
sector grew 10 times faster than the rest of the California economy over the
past few years,” said Dan Adler, President, California Clean Energy Fund
(CalCEF). “If the Dirty Energy
Proposition is successful, California will instantly go from leader to laggard,
and it will have a devastating impact on clean tech jobs and billions of
dollars in investments.”
Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s Anne Smart:
“The public should not be fooled by any misleading ballot initiatives. Far from
saving employment, these will undermine future job growth. AB32 is what we need
to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and continue
to be the innovation capital of the world.”
Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt: “AB 32 is an incubator of innovation. In Silicon Valley, it was the limitations of one
technology or system that served as the drivers of change and led to the
success of our industries here. AB 32 provides a similar opportunity for new job
creation in many sectors as business responds to the need for energy-efficient
buildings, transportation and a growing portfolio of renewable
energy resources.”
"There
is no bigger threat to economic growth, clean air, and job creation than this
effort by Texas oil companies to kill AB 32, our roadmap to a clean energy
future," said Ann Notthoff, California Advocacy
Director at NRDC. "Californians know they can have both a strong
economy and a healthy environment. Let's not allow Valero
to fuel up the hype machine about California's AB 32.”
"The
out-of-state oil companies want to keep us addicted to their dirty oil, and
they’re apparently willing to spend millions to kill competition from clean
energy providers so they can maintain their multi-billion dollar monopoly. But
the environmental community is joined with clean energy businesses, community
groups, organized labor and others to do whatever it takes to defeat this
deceptive measure,” said Warner Chabot, CEO, California
League of Conservation Voters.
"The millions
of dollars being spent by Texas oil companies and other out-of-state interests
to rewrite California law is being met by a
strong grassroots effort and a well funded campaign backed by businesses,
health organizations, and environmental allies from around the state,” said
Wade Crowfoot, West Coast Political Director, Environmental
Defense Fund.
For the latest
campaign news and developments, please visit www.StopDirtyEnergyProp.com
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