CLCV's Recent Accomplishments

CLCV Election Victories

Defeat of Proposition 23 (2010)

CLCV helped bring together a broad coalition which included public health, business, and environmental justice groups to activate voters to defeat Prop 23, the Dirty Energy Proposition.  The result: Voters soundly defeated Big Oil’s attempt to meddle with CA’s landmark clean energy law, AB 32.  In fact, Prop 23 received more “no” votes than any other campaign or candidate received.

John A. Pérez, Assembly Speaker (2008)

John A. Pérez served on the CLCV Board of Directors for ten years before stepping down to run for the Assembly. As both a longtime labor leader and a longtime environmental leader, Pérez represents the good that can happen when the two movements seek out common ground and work together for the good of all Californians.

Defeat of U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo (2006)

CLCV’s investment and activist recruitment for clean energy businessman Jerry McNerney’s campaign played a large role in defeating Congressman Richard Pombo.  Pombo, a 7-term incumbent and chairman of the House Resources Committee, consistently attacked our nation’s coastline, parks, wildlife and air quality. As the icing on top of this victory, Pombo publicly blamed the environmental community for his defeat.

Hilda Solis, US Secretary of Labor

Hilda Solis, a longtime champion of environmental protection, authored the first environmental justice law in the nation as a California legislator. CLCV first backed Solis in her 1992 run for the Assembly; we gave her a full-time campaign organizer and dedicated staff time to field organizing. We backed her again in her successful run for the California Senate in 1994, and again when she unseated incumbent Congressman Marty Martinez in a major upset in 2000.

CLCV Legislative Victories

Raising the Renewable Energy Bar (2011)

After prior governors and legislatures dealt setbacks to similar bills, SB 2X (Simitian) increases the share of renewable energy supplied by the state’s electricity providers to 33 percent by 2020.

Reducing Copper Levels in Water (2010)

SB 346 (Kehoe) puts the brakes on urban water pollution by phasing out the use of vehicle brake pads containing toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury.  Worn off fragments of brake pads are the top contributors of these metals to our urban waterways.

Stopping Bad CEQA Bills (2010)

Efforts to weaken CEQA, California’s cornerstone environmental law, including AB 1805 and SB 1010, were thwarted once again, helping to preserve open space in rural and urban areas alike.

Planning for Sustainable Communities (2008)

SB 375 (Steinberg) is a comprehensive global warming law that focuses on housing and transportation planning decisions in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption and conserve farmlands and habitat.

Protecting Endangered Birds (2007)

AB 821 (Nava) bans the use of poisonous lead ammunition in the range of the endangered California condor, our state bird, to prevent its extinction.

Banning Phthalates in Products for Young Children (2007)

AB 1108 (Ma) provides the first major step toward protecting children from toxics in baby products.  It bans the use of phthalates—a type of toxic chemical used in plastics—in toddler and baby items such as toys, teethers, and sippy cups.

Capping Global Warming Emissions (2006)

AB 32 (Pavley/Núñez) sets a statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions; reduces these emissions from major stationary sources like power plants and factories; and develops a mandatory reporting system for these emissions.

Setting Tailpipe Carbon Standards (2002)

AB 1493 (Pavley) laid the groundwork for future climate change policy. “The Pavley bill,” as it became known, passed by a one-vote margin to become the first global warming law in the country.  It mandates the reduction of CO2 emissions from mobile sources such as cars and light-duty trucks.