Photon Energy Services Blog

Today, the American public heads to the polls to cast their vote in the midterm elections. Clean energy and climate change are among the many important issues voters must consider. Taking into consideration the fact that decisions made on these key issues may drastically change the future of clean energy projects and climate change issues in California and nationwide, we as voters must be as informed as possible. In an effort to provide clarity on where both California gubernatorial candidates stand at present on environmental issues, we’ve outlined their stances below:

As Governor Jerry Brown Says He Will:

• Reduce dangerous emissions that contaminate the air we breathe
• Promote clean energy and jobs by opposing Proposition 23
• Work to create 500,000 new jobs in renewable energy
• Protect the California coastline and energy resources by opposing off-shore drilling in CA
• Support the Green Chemistry Initiative to reduce dangerous chemicals in consumer products
• Ensure the Strategic Growth Council provides resources for more sustainable local development
• Protect parks, open spaces and wildlife by insuring existing funding for parks and wildlife areas
• Conserve California’s farmland by directing growth away from the most productive farm land

As Governor Meg Whitman Says She Will:

• Support and promote clean sources of energy like solar, wind and biomass
• Remove regulatory barriers to new sources of renewable energy
• Impose tough financial penalties on polluters
• More rigorously enforce California’s environmental laws
• Promote clean air transportation polices
• Oppose offshore drilling until new technologies are proven to minimize environmental impact
• Update the California Environmental Quality Act, a statewide environmental protection policy that requires state and local agencies within California to follow a protocol of analysis and public disclosure of the potential environmental impacts of development projects
• Take a new look at nuclear as a carbon dioxide-free energy source

More information on the environmental plans for each candidate can be found on their official web sites: www.jerrybrown.org and www.megwhitman.com.

California Proposition 23

There has been a lot of recent debate around Proposition 23, which will suspend AB 32 California’s landmark global warming law until unemployment in the state drops to 5.5% or less for a full year – something that has occurred only three times since 1976. Proposition 23 supporters include large oil companies, which stand to lose financially from the state’s push toward less polluting sources of energy. Environmentalists and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger oppose the measure, which they say would set back efforts to curb greenhouse gases in California and elsewhere and undermine growth of the state’s green sector.

Jerry Brown says he opposes Proposition 23. Meg Whitman says she’ll vote against the initiative, but would none-the-less suspend the global warming law for one year if she is elected.  Below are the Proposition’s reported pros and cons:

Proponents say that voting yes on Proposition 23 will save:

• More than 1.1 Million Jobs
• Up to 60 percent in higher electricity rates
• $3.7 billion a year in higher gasoline and diesel prices
• Up to a 56 percent increase in natural gas rates
• Local governments from hundreds of millions of additional budget cuts

Opponents say that Prop 23 will:

• Create more air pollution in California and threaten public health.
• Jeopardize 500,000 clean technology jobs and $10 billion in private investment in California clean energy businesses
• Increase house hold electricity costs by 33%. As a result, these added costs would reduce economic output in California by more than $80 billion and cost over a half million jobs by 2020
• Increase consumer energy costs by $650 per year, keeping Californians addicted to costly oil
• Not only hurt competition from California clean energy businesses, it would also reduce consumer choices by making alternatives to fossil fuels much more expensive for consumers
• Slow the effort to reduce our state’s (and nation’s) dependence on overseas oil thereby reducing our security

Before heading to the polls, consider the following resources for additional details on Proposition 23:

• Voters for Proposition 23: www.Yeson23.com
• Voters against Proposition 23: www.stopdirtyenergyprop.com/get-the-facts.php
• Fresno Bee Editorial: State voters should reject Proposition 23
• North County Times: Yes on Prop. 23