Whole Life Times: How Green Grows Our Governor?

November 2004

How Green Grows Our Governor?

by Maria Fotopoulos

During last year’s recall election, an aspiring Gov. Schwarzenegger laid out a bold 10-page “Action Plan for California’s Environment.” Then, in what was hailed by environmentalists as a mandate for change, he took the office from the Democratic governor and began a year that, according to the California League of Conservation Voters, recorded several environmental successes.

Now, a year into the governor’s much heralded administration—with California still facing massive economic and social problems, a burgeoning population and a government that’s balanced its budget only through massive borrowing and accounting sleight of hand—has California’s real-life action figure made good on his promise to deliver environmental justice?

Schwarzenegger’s Action Plan sounded promising. It recognized California’s “serious and unique environmental challenges” to public health and the economy, acknowledged the state’s leadership in “innovation and clean technologies,” and connected the dots between healthy environment, productive workers and a prospering economy. Green leaders were pleased.

“My colleagues and I could not think of the last time a governor put out an environmental platform in writing,” said Tim Carmichael, executive director of the Coalition for Clean Air.

In the Action Plan, the Schwarzenegger administration outlined its vision to promote environmental values using headings that hit all the environmental touchstones. Reducing foreign oil dependence by 2010 is a goal, as is reducing air pollution by 50 percent. Although the latter sounds ambitious, “It’s not enough to meet federal air pollution standards,” cautioned Carmichael, pointing out that California claims the country’s worst air pollution.

Energy conservation/efficiency and promotion of renewable energy make the list, as do broad protections for parks, coasts, lakes, rivers, wetlands and ocean habitats. Making California the leader in advanced environmental vehicle technologies and alternative fuels (hydrogen, for example), getting gross-polluting vehicles off roads, protecting and expanding air quality standards and addressing global warming are among Schwarzenegger’s other stated goals.

Environmentalists viewed the Action Plan’s broad-brush vision as a positive sign for the governor’s direction, and his choice of political appointments gave them further reason to be cautiously optimistic. While the appointee to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s top spot was criticized for coziness with big timber, one much-publicized green appointment was Schwarzenegger’s choice of Terry Tamminen, formerly of Environment Now, to fill the powerful environmental post of California’s EPA secretary.

Schwarzenegger’s early decisions continued to please the green contingent. Early in his tenure, he worked with Sen. Dianne Feinstein to lobby the state’s Republican members of Congress to support her amendment to an anti-environmental rider in a budget bill, a move that essentially preserved California’s right to regulate non-road diesel engines.

Commitment to Alternative Energy

At the beginning of the year, more good news came on the solar front. In January, Schwarzenegger announced support of solar power for housing. At the Border Governors’ Conference in New Mexico, he touted solar and wind power, calling for more energy conservation and encouraging border states to partner in energy policy development. In August, he announced his “Million Homes Solar Plan,” a policy—the first of its kind in this country—which would have combined incentives with mandates for builders to offset more than 50 million tons of CO2. Disappointingly, the plan died in committee.

Taking its place was a stopgap measure to continue funding an emerging renewables program that would provide rebates and grants to install solar and wind energy producing systems. The governor signed AB 135, a bill that included a message reiterating his support of renewable energy: “California’s warm and sunny climate makes it one of the best places on earth to use solar energy.”

According to the governor’s office, one setback will not prevent work from moving forward on a solar program, but industry and environmental groups will continue to diligently track the governor’s commitment to make good on his promise. “This would be a terrific policy for California,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, a clean energy advocate with Environment California, who wants to work with the administration to bring the policy to fruition. “Given the opposition of utility companies to solar power, we couldn’t achieve this goal ourselves.” But, as Del Chiaro cautioned, “The governor’s commitment is going to have to turn into actual on-the-ground action by the governor himself.”

Protection of Natural Resources

True to his vow in the Action Plan to protect the Sierra Nevada, at the end of September, Schwarzenegger signed bipartisan legislation to create the 25-million-acre Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the largest in the state and the site of both California’s main watershed and timber resource. California Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman billed the legislation “a perfect balance... between resource conservation and economic benefit” since it safeguards the environment while accommodating tourism.

In response, green officials are once again cautiously optimistic. “We are certainly happy that Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the legislation,” said Jim Metropulos of the Sierra Club. “Now it’s time to watch how the Conservancy becomes implemented, who is chosen to sit on the governing board and how it will be funded.”

Air Quality

In September, a much-publicized USC study showed that current air pollution levels have significantly reduced lung development among California children. The report named vehicle emissions particulates as the major culprit. On the heels of this report, two important pieces of air pollution legislation hit the governor’s desk: AB 923 sought to add $80 million annually to local air districts to mitigate the impacts of diesel emissions, bringing overall budget funds to more than $140 million for air quality issues, while a bill introduced by Assembly Member Lowenthal (DLong Beach) aimed to cap pollution levels at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, pegging them to 2004 levels (combined, these two ports are the single largest pollution source in four Southern California counties and, not surprisingly, some of the least regulated).

Schwarzenegger, whose two young daughters both suffer from asthma, signed off on the $80 million in funding, but vetoed the ports bill. The governor’s veto message cited funds already committed to clean air programs, asking for the South Coast Air Quality Management District to ensure affected communities receive “a greater than proportional share of funds.” Lowenthal said that although the bill was strongly supported by the city councils of area cities and 20 gateway cities, the Chamber of Commerce, fearing the bill’s effect on business, swayed the governor’s vote. “What this bill said was new development had to be smart development,” stated Lowenthal, who added he’ll continue to work to educate the governor. “We’re at the beginning of where we were with tobacco and lead in gasoline.”

In an effort to further protect the air, the governor supported legislation to allow single-occupant hybrid vehicles with 45-mpg ratings to use carpool lanes. Assembly Member Fran Pavley (DAgoura Hills) proffered this legislation to add incentive for consumers considering fuel-efficient, low-emission cars. Supported by a diverse group of organizations, but opposed by classic car enthusiasts, the governor also approved a bill that eliminates the Smog Check Program exemption for vehicles 30 years and older.

While the promise of the governor’s “Hydrogen Highway” is still only in the theory stages, pressure on vehicle emissions did come from the California Air Resources Board which again put California out front nationally with new regulation that caps greenhouse gas emissions for new vehicles beginning in 2009. Schwarzenegger has said he will support the more stringent regulations.

California Performance Review

Environmentalists also await the implications of the California Performance Review (CPR), a massive document, six months in the making, that offers recommendations for reorganizing state government as part of Schwarzenegger’s vow to “blow up the boxes” on government organization charts. The CPR bore criticism when reports exposed corporate player ChevronTexaco’s significant contribution to the review. “Many corporations and interest groups participated in the governor’s reform plan,” reported the AP’s Tom Chorneau, “but state records and interviews with the participants show Chevron enjoyed immense success in influencing the report through its array of lobbyists, attorneys and trade organizations.”

The reports of undue corporate influence naturally put green officials on the alert, and many have subsequently voiced concern over the report’s recommendations. Tim Carmichael of the Coalition for Clean Air shares the concerns of many environmentalists about CPR’s suggestion to restructure environmental boards and commissions. Closer to the federal model, CPR proposes to collapse all groups to function exclusively under the California Environmental Protection Agency, making them more administrative and centralizing decision-making in Sacramento—a move which many fear would limit opportunities for public participation.

The CPR also recommends what appears to be a reconstitution of game wardens and park rangers into something closer to homeland security agents, a proposition that would affect 700 of the California Department of Parks and Recreation field staff. Although park rangers do serve as officers of the peace, they primarily function as caretakers and educators of land preserves.

Making the Grade

So, to use the color-coding of Joe Lyou of the California Environmental Rights Alliance, is California’s lean, mean, legislating machine “green, Astroturf green or dirty polluted brown,” when it comes to protecting the earth?

For it being a compressed year—packed with putting a new team in place, Indian gaming and workers’ compensation issues, and a budget crisis—Schwarzenegger gets an “A” for signing into law some 20 environment-related bills. And since the energy gods, apparently smiling on the new governor, refrained from sending down any major bolts to wreak havoc on the power grid this year, the governor gets a pass on energy, for the moment. But to make the honor roll, Arnold’s next task must be to generate a comprehensive energy plan.

For passing the buck on the ports bill, Arnie gets an “F.” Pegging pollution levels to 2004 may not be the perfect solution, but it’s a start at some limitation on what has become a complete health and environmental hazard. “Everyone knows the port is a toxic hotspot,” said Lyou, who rates the governor’s overall performance on the environment this year as a C/C+ (noting most other governors would have received a D or F). “It would be nice if the governor came down and met with residents to explain how he will deal with the tripling of port traffic over the next few years,” Lyou added. The governor has repeated on various occasions that a pro-environment stance does not have to be anti-business, but, in this case and overall, has failed to show how. He can get that grade up next year if the issue doesn’t go into a long-term planning black hole, and the CalEPA and CARB do indeed—as outlined in his veto—develop a workable program for ports statewide.

Schwarzenegger moves adeptly through the worlds of business, entertainment and politics and is in the top slot of a state staking claims to the world’s fifth-largest economy. He receives near presidential-level media coverage and attention. That’s an amazing amount of power that could be harnessed to advance an environmental agenda. If he developed a world-model for the environment, he could ensure his place in history.

If Schwarzenegger is truly committed to his environmental Action Plan, he needs to put the hydrogen-Hummer high beams on the effort, steer clear of aligning himself with the only president to have been given a letter grade of “F” by the League of Conservation Voters and deliver on his promise to “bring California back.”

For now Schwarzenegger gets a C+, but his next budget recommendation, along with how he advances a solar plan, steps up to a real solution at the ports, balances growth and addresses other areas of his Action Plan, leaves plenty of opportunity to improve his GPA.

Maria Fotopoulos is an L.A.-based writer.

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