State’s “Green Chemistry” Rules Could Have Californians Seeing Red
The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal-EPA) is barely 20 years old, but it regulates with a grandiosity of an agency that’s been around since the Golden State was admitted to the Union in 1850. And yet state bureaucrats give every indication they haven’t gone nearly far enough. Example: On July 27th, California’s Department of Toxic […]
State Water Resources Control Board Needs to Exert Some Self-Control
Earlier this year, many of my colleagues from the
Legislature from both parties joined me in signing a letter protesting the
State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) draft Industrial Storm Water
permit.
The SWRCB has proposed a revised storm water permit that
would require that businesses and public agencies comply with several new
requirements that are over and above what the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) mandates and will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in
additional costs with no proven environmental benefits.
Many California industries and many public agencies have
warned the costs of these proposed storm water requirements would be huge, with
no proven benefits. In addition, the SWRCB has not been willing to conduct any
cost/benefit analysis or to look at less costly alternative methods for
controlling storm water runoff.
We have urged the SWRCB to go back to the drawing board. We
requested they conduct a cost-benefit analysis of this action and substantively
engage with stakeholders.
Ain’t It ‘Cool’ News? CARB’S Latest Embarrassing Scheme.
"There’s
no trick to being a humorist" – Will
Rogers once said – "when you have the whole government working for you."
Even
though he observed this decades ago, Rogers’ quote sure says a lot about the
comedy club of contemporary California. And it would be downright funny
if it wasn’t so seriously troubling.
Everyone
in Sacramento is aware of our disastrous deficits, unprecedented unemployment,
enduring government gridlock and continuing water shortages. If the
record low approval ratings of the Governor and Legislature are any indication,
the public understands as well.
Given
the need for serious action, perhaps we can expect California’s powerful
regulatory regimes to take a break from operating their red tape factories and
reduce costs on business and consumers?
Helping Homeowners Prepare for the Next Fire
Any student of history will tell you that there’s a recurring theme dating back hundreds, if not thousands of years: The temptations of preparing to win the last battle, instead of succeeding in the next battle.
This is a challenge California faces today, but not in a traditional war. Rather, we must prepare to battle the devastating brushfires and wildfires that can seemingly strike anywhere in our state, and attack regions in Southern California especially hard like Orange and Riverside Counties.
And when it comes to preparing for future fire hazard conditions, I fear California is very much looking backwards. Given the widespread damage caused by wildfires in California every year, the cost of inaction will be devastating.
Threat of Gas Station Closures Is No Joke
April 1st is best known for April Fools jokes…and while I wish the topic of this editorial was also a joke, unfortunately it is not.
At the beginning of next month, The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is set to impose regulations that threaten to close more than 6,000 gas stations statewide – which will result in increased gas prices, higher unemployment, dirtier air, and will seriously jeopardize $3 billion in gas tax revenues that our State needs for vital services.
Several years ago CARB adopted regulations requiring gas stations to install new equipment to reduce air pollution levels – something many of us strongly support and agree needs to be done.
However, due to bureaucratic delays, high fees, and onerous regulations, only 1 in 5 gas stations statewide have so far been able to comply.