LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) released the following statement in response to the Governor’s decision to veto Senate Majority Leader Gonzalez’ SB 674, which would have set minimum standards for all our state’s refineries to provide the same level of transparency regarding emissions. The Governor cited financial concerns and deference to local air quality management districts in his veto message.
Statement from Mike Young, Senior Political and Organizing Director, California Environmental Voters:
“Communities have been waiting for hard-fought protections for years and the decision to veto SB 674 is unexplainable. This polluter pays bill would have held industry accountable for the price of their own pollution and prevented healthcare and safety costs that will now fall on the backs of taxpayers.
It would have eliminated a potential financial burden on the state, making refinery owners and operators responsible for the costs associated with implementing the policy. Not only that, but no local air quality management districts opposed it and the Bay Area and South Coast Air Quality Management Districts actively supported the bill.
The public should be on alert. The California Chamber of Commerce and the Western States Petroleum Association, who have led the opposition campaign on this bill, have spent a combined $4.25 million on lobbying in just the first quarter of 2024. Earlier this month, the Governor proposed a 4-year delay on the implementation of the oil setbacks law, SB 1137 (Gonzalez, 2022), and earlier this year he proposed a 2-year delay on the implementation of the two climate corporate accountability laws, SB 253 (Wiener, 2023) and SB 261 (Stern, 2023). We’re seeing an alarming trend with these bills where corporate polluters are being allowed to operate for far too long with little to no accountability.”
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CONTACT:
Erika Guzman Cornejo
310-755-1615
erika@envirovoters.org
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ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
