ecovote.org > scorecard > 2004 California Environmental Scorecard
2004 California Environmental Scorecard
Bill Descriptions
AB 204: Reducing Water Pollution from Roads and Cars
Runoff pollution from motor vehicles and roadways poses one of the greatest threats to the San Francisco Bay’s water quality. Just as current law allows local air districts to assess a surcharge on vehicle registration fees to fight air pollution from vehicles, AB 204 (Nation) would have allowed any of the nine Bay Area counties to assess a fee of up to $6 per vehicle to reduce water pollution from vehicles and roadways. Died in Senate Transportation Committee
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 736: Making Schools Greener and Healthier
The California Collaborative for High Performing Schools (CHPS) has adopted a set of criteria for school buildings, including energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, and lighting, that not only saves energy but also improves student learning and performance. AB 736 (Hancock) would have required school districts meet CHPS standards to qualify for post-2006 bond funding for new or modernized schools. Vetoed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 848: Reversing the Bush SUV Tax Giveaway
One of the many Bush Administration tax goodies to polluters was to increase the first-year deductibility of business-owned SUVs and other large vehicles from $25,000 to $100,000. In many cases, this provision actually made it less expensive to buy a gas guzzling, high polluting vehicle than a smaller cleaner one. AB 848 (Nation) would undo this giveaway in California and redirect the tax savings to incentives to purchase low emission, fuel efficient vehicles. Died on the Assembly Floor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 923: Long-Term Funding to Reduce Vehicle Air Pollution
Diesel exhaust contributes disproportionately to California’s air pollution, and environmentalists have worked for three years to secure adequate long-term funding for programs to reduce diesel emissions. AB 923 (Firebaugh), supported by industry as well as environmentalists, increases existing vehicle and tire fees to provide ongoing support for diesel emission reductions, clean school buses, and scrappage of high-polluting vehicles. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 1468: Reduce Petroleum Dependence
Sky-high gas prices are only one reason California needs to reduce its dependence on petroleum. Fuel efficiency and alternative fuels would reduce gasoline price spikes, air pollution and our dependence on politically volatile suppliers. AB 1468 (Kehoe) would require the Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission to adopt the goals they recommended to the Legislature, including reducing petroleum dependence by 15 percent in 2020 compared to 2003. Died on the Senate Floor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 1876: Tracking Coastal Contamination
San Francisco Bay includes more than 50 public beaches and coastal recreation areas, which have been subjected to dozens of public health advisories in recent years. Yet its waters have been excluded from the state’s current program for water quality monitoring. To close this public health gap, AB 1876 (Chan) brings San Francisco Bay into the statewide monitoring program for microbiological contamination. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2012: Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Cosmetics
Nail polish, hair dyes and other common cosmetic products can contain chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects. In 2004 the European Union acted to prohibit such chemicals in cosmetic products. AB 2012 (Chu) would require manufacturers of cosmetics sold in California to notify the state if their products contain chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. Died in Assembly Health Committee
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2042: Cutting Air Pollution at the Ports
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach emit significantly more smog-forming pollutants than all power plants in Southern California combined and more than the top 300 industrial facilities in the region combined. According to the South Coast AQMD, port-adjacent communities like San Pedro and Wilmington suffer from some of the highest cancer risks in the region. AB 2042 (Lowenthal) would require the ports to adopt cost-effective measures to achieve no net increase in air pollution, even in the event of planned port expansions. Vetoed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2121: Protecting North Coast Fisheries
After almost a decade, state and federal fisheries experts have completed guidelines to determine how much water must remain in North Coast streams to protect salmon and other fisheries. AB 2121 (Assembly Budget Committee) requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt the guidelines and follow them when considering more than 200 pending applications to appropriate water from North Coast streams. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2166: Manufacturer Responsibility for Junk Mail
Tired of receiving unsolicited compact discs from your favorite internet provider? Wish you could just send them back? AB 2166 (Hancock) would have required any person who distributed mass mailings of unsolicited compact discs through the mail to include a postage paid return envelope or similar means for the recipient to return to disc. Died in Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media Committee
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2631: Getting Organized to Fight Invasive Species
The problem of non-native invasive species is especially acute in a state as biologically and geographically diverse as California. AB 2631 (Wolk) would have established the Invasive Species Council, made up of numerous state agencies and non-governmental stakeholders, to coordinate the state’s efforts to eradicate invasive species. Vetoed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2673: Protecting California’s Natural Beauty
California is home to some of the nation’s most treasured national parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, and other federally protected lands. However, an outdated federal mining law known as RS 2477 creates a loophole that threatens to strip away federal environmental protection in many of these areas, opening them up to road building, off-highway vehicle use, and other environmentally destructive activities. AB 2673 (Simitian) would help protect these areas by ensuring that state environmental laws are properly triggered anytime the RS 2477 loophole is used. Vetoed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
AB 2683: Cleaning Up Old Cars
Even though relatively few cars on the road are more than 30 years old, they tend to be very high polluting: a pre-1976 car emits, on average, 155 times more hydrocarbons than new vehicles. AB 2683 (Lieber) eliminates the state’s experiment with granting a “rolling exemption” from the Smog Check program to older vehicles more than 30 years old, and instead subjects all 1976 and newer vehicles to the clean air program. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 199: A Million Solar Homes
One of the most effective ways to bring down the cost of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is to incorporate them into new home construction. SB 199 (Murray) set a goal of installing one million PV systems by 2017 by requiring new home developers to offer models with PV systems and rebating part of the system’s cost through a surcharge on electric utility bills. Died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 217: Cutting Down on Clearcutting
The practice of clearcutting (benignly referred to as “even-age management”) continues to be defended by the timber industry, despite its destructive impacts on forest wildlife habitats. SB 217 (Sher) would prohibit clearcutting in ancient forests of more than 40 acres. Died on the Assembly Floor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 391: Covering Pesticide Drift Illness Costs
When a toxic cloud drifts from an industrial site and makes people sick, state law requires the facility to initiate a response plan to care for injured citizens. Similar measures are needed to respond to poisonings that occur when pesticides drift from farm fields. SB 391 (Florez & Escutia) will hold pesticide applicators legally liable for covering the emergency medical costs of persons injured by pesticide drift. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1155: Protecting Delta Water Quality
The federal government’s pumping stations that pull water from the San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta for delivery to Central Valley farms and southern California frequently violate state water quality standards. Meanwhile the Bureau of Reclamation wants to increase pumping from the huge Tracy Pumping Plant by almost one-third, which could degrade water quality for drinking water, farm uses, and fisheries. SB 1155 (Machado) requires state and federal agencies to meet existing water quality standards before allowing increased pumping from the Delta. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1168: Biomonitoring for Harmful Chemicals
More than 85,000 synthetic chemicals are in commercial use in the U.S. today, and thousands more enter the market yearly, but very little is known about their potential human health effects. The Centers for Disease Control have shown that biomonitoring of breast milk, blood or urine is a very valuable tool for identifying the presence of harmful chemicals in humans. SB 1168 (Ortiz) would establish a targeted breast milk biomonitoring program in the state. Died in Assembly Health Committee
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1327: Keeping State Parks Consistent with Their Approved Uses
California’s State Park System covers 1.3 million acres and is envied world-wide for its commitment to preservation, recreation, wildlife and habitat, and historic and cultural values. But state parks are coming under increasing development pressure for roads and other uses. Including a proposal by a private developer to build a toll road through San Onofre Beach State Park. SB 1327 (Kuehl) would prohibit the State Parks director from allowing an inconsistent use of a state park unless he or she finds it would not conflict with the park’s adopted mission and purpose and the change is approved by the Legislature. Died in Assembly Water Parks and Wildlife
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1397: Cracking Down on Diesel Locomotive Emissions
Despite California’s tough air quality laws, train locomotives remain among the dirtiest mobile sources of emissions, because they are exempt from state rules and are regulated only by the US EPA. SB 1397 (Escutia) would authorize the South Coast AQMD to seek a waiver from US EPA to allow it to require operators of locomotives to install emission reduction equipment and to impose a mitigation fee on railroad companies operating in the region to mitigate the impact of emissions from railroad activities. Died on the Assembly Floor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1459: Banning Bottom Trawling
Bottom trawling has been compared to clearcutting of the ocean floor. Huge nets are dragged across the ocean floor with heavy roller gear, scooping up everything in its path. Much of the catch is discarded by the trawlers as by-catch “trash.” SB 1459 (Alpert) limits existing bottom trawling and prohibits the Fish and Game Commission from approving new fishing areas for bottom trawling unless it finds the fisheries are sustainable and the trawling does not harm bottom habitat. Signed by the Governor
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1477: Protecting California Wetlands
When the Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that non-navigable isolated wetlands were not protected under the Clean Water Act as habitat for migratory birds, California’s isolated wetlands were potentially left unprotected from discharges and dredge fill. The Bush Administration subsequently abandoned efforts to clarify the scope of protections under the court’s ruling, leading to the introduction of SB 1477 (Sher) to fill the regulatory gap. The bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board to use its existing authority to protect wetlands previously protected by federal law. Died in the Assembly Water Parks and Wildlife Committee
Top of this page | Assembly and Senate Scores
SB 1648: Shifting to Sustainable Forestry Practices
Timber harvesting at Jackson State Demonstration Forest has been shut down for two years by court order, due to the Department of Forestry’s failure to follow harvest rules. SB 1648 (Chesbro) would allow renewed harvesting at the forest, provided forest management is shifted from maximum sustainable timber production to a broad range of research, maintenance, restoration, education, and recreation needs, clearcutting is limited to experimental and research purposes, and timber harvesting is prohibited in 11 old growth groves. Vetoed by the Governor
© 2008 California League of Conservation Voters. Contact us.
