California League of Conservation Voters E-newsletter

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Does California Need CPR?

Public input encouraged on plan with significant environmental implications

Breaking news! The AP reports that Chevron had a significant role in drafting CPR—read the article.

In an effort to fulfill his campaign promise to "blow up the boxes" of state government and eliminate inefficiency and waste, Governor Schwarzenegger commissioned the California Performance Review (CPR) earlier this year. The plan to overhaul California's government, released in preliminary form on August 3, will have a powerful effect on Californians' ability to protect our environment.

Among other proposals, CPR includes provisions to eliminate over 100 independent commissions and boards, including the Air Resources Board, the State Water Quality Control board, and all regional Water Quality boards.

"Though a review of state government and environmental agencies is long overdue, the commission has gone too far by recommending elimination of these boards. These boards provide transparent public hearings on important decisions, which are vital to a decision-making process that represents all Californians and their desire for a healthy environment," stated CLCV Executive Director Susan Smartt.

"Less than one-tenth of one percent of CPR's projected savings comes from the reform of all of the environmental agencies," noted CLCV Board President Tom Adams. "Retaining these boards would affect a trivial percentage of even that amount but would maximize public and scientific input into the state's environmental decisions."

CPR is scheduled for three more public hearings (out of seven total) through September 27. The more conservation voters show up at these hearings, the more likely our message will be heard. CLCV and other environmental organizations will testify at the main environmental hearing at Cal State Fresno on September 17.

We encourage you to attend, even if you do not plan to testify; your presence will add to our case. (See a map & driving directions to campus.) You can also participate by sending comments or coming to another hearing; the Commission will take public testimony at the end of every hearing on any issues contained in the report. For a schedule of CPR Commission hearings throughout the state, see http://cpr.ca.gov/updates/archives/update56.shtml.

For more information, see the CPR website at http://cpr.ca.gov/.