State can’t handle Assembly Bill 32
This week marks the third birthday of Assembly Bill 32, the controversial measure known as the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. Gov. Schwarzenegger, still resolute in his desire to remain an environmental leader, held a media event to celebrate it.
Many in California’s business community, however, see no reason to celebrate. They worry that implementing this law will be more than our fragile economy can handle.
Like every resident in California, I want clean air to breathe, fresh water to drink and gorgeous beaches to enjoy, but there must be a balance between our environmental and economic needs. In 2006, when the California economy was going strong, the Legislature passed AB 32. The bill promised to slash California’s level of greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020. At the time, skeptics worried about the feasibility and the impact on business. It seems the skeptics were right.