SAN FRANCISCO - In a move backers hope will inspire other states to follow
suit, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a pioneering law on Wednesday
aimed at reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
speaks before signing the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 on Treasure
Island off the San Francisco coast Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006.
Schwarzenegger signed into law a sweeping global warming initiative that
imposes the nation's first cap on greenhouse gas emissions, saying the
effort kicks off 'a bold new era of environmental protection.'
[AP] |
"We have begun a bold new era of environmental protection here in California
that will change the course of history," Schwarzenegger said.
The measure passed by the Democrat-dominated legislature last month caps the
state's man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The most populous U.S. state seeks to
reduce its emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, a cut of around 25 percent.
The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 is also a direct challenge to the
Bush administration, which has opposed mandatory caps to fight climate change,
from a state that has often led the way nationally in new environmental
standards.
President George W. Bush pulled the United States out of the 160-nation Kyoto
Protocol in 2001, saying forced reductions in greenhouse gases would damage the
economy and unfairly excluded developing nations.
"Other countries like India and China, Brazil and Mexico will join us when
they see all the great work that we are doing," Schwarzenegger said. "Also our
federal government will follow us -- trust me."
Details on how the state will achieve the emission cuts have not been worked
out.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed the audience at the bill-signing
ceremony by video link-up.
"This will echo right around the rest of the world," Blair said. "You are
showing brilliant leadership that will inspire a lot of people worldwide.
Opponents of the California measure say it will drive firms to states without
such regulations in place and will fail to lead to a meaningful reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions if other states do not follow California's lead.
By embracing measures such as the global warming bill, Schwarzenegger has
also benefited politically in a state dominated by Democrats.
WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS
After a politically disastrous 2005 in which he badly lost a special
initiative election he called, Schwarzenegger has worked closely with Democrats
in recent months. Two polls out on Wednesday show him with a comfortable lead
over his Democratic rival, State Treasurer Phil Angelides.
Schwarzenegger spoke at Treasure Island, an aging former U.S. Navy base that
awaits major reconstruction and has stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and
San Francisco Bay.
Joining the event was New York Gov. George Pataki, a Republican, who came a
week after New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged with Schwarzenegger to
work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, saying they could not wait for
the Bush Administration to take action on climate change.
Schwarzenegger also on Wednesday signed a bill that will prohibit California
utilities from signing long-term contracts to buy electricity from out-of-state,
coal-fired power plants. About a fifth of the electricity used in California
comes from coal-fired plants out of state. The law will not impact power
contracts already in place.
The law requires new out-of-state coal-fired power plants to meet
California's stringent emissions rules for new natural gas-fired power plants.
This requirement in effect prohibits new coal-fired plants from selling power to
California.
