As the Governor convenes a Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles this week, a bill awaiting signature on his desk will help achieve many of the objectives being discussed at the Summit. Indeed, when signed, SB 546 will help save millions of gallons of oil, encourage the re-refining of used oil, and help create green jobs in California – all with no cost to taxpayers or the general fund. And, the bill enjoys an interesting and refreshing pedigree as it is supported by both the business and environmental community.
Under SB 546 (Lowenthal) oil manufacturers have agreed to support, and voluntarily add to, an increase in the oil manufacturer’s fund, with the new resources dedicated to increased funding for municipal oil recycling programs, increased incentives for Do It Yourself (DIY) oil changers to recycle their oil, a science based Life Cycle Analysis of the disposition of used oil, direct incentives for re-refining used oil, and ensuring that California is not exporting used oil pollution to neighboring states. Because this program will be self-funded, not one penny will come out of the state general fund.
In addition, SB 546 will create incentives for re-refiners to expand and locate in California, creating a wide range of jobs for Californians from every walk of life including plant operators and mangers, lab chemists, truck drivers, construction workers, administrative staff, and construction workers.
A fairly unusual group of organizations have come together to back SB 546 because of the shared economic and environmental benefits of the bill. Supporters include the California Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Club California, Californians Against Waste, Orange County Coastkeeper, Evergreen Oil, the City of Santa Monica, World Oil, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, DeMenno/Kerdoon, Coast Oil, California Independent Oil Marketers Association, Independent Waste Oil Collectors and Transporters, and the City and County of San Francisco, to name a few.
Oil is a costly, foreign-based resource which can be conserved through re-refining. The production of re-refined oil takes one-third the energy of producing virgin crude and burning re-refined oil produces 42% less greenhouse gas emissions than the equivalent burning of “virgin” base oil. And re-refining the nation’s used oil, instead of burning it, would save between 1.3 and 2.5 million gallons of oil per day – the equivalent of half the daily output of the Alaskan pipeline.
SB 546 demonstrates that good economic and environmental policy can be achieved when stakeholders work together. We hope Governor Schwarzenegger will recognize the economic, environmental and collaborative benefits of SB 546 and sign the bill into law.