http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/33329-california-s-investment-in-global-warming-reduction-programs-score-well
California's Investment in Global Warming Reduction Programs Score Well
Saturday, 24 October 2015 00:00
By Viji Sundaram, New America Media | Report
The revenue generated from California's 2006 global warming law (AB 32)
is making the air cleaner, saving families money and bringing green jobs
to some of the state's most disadvantaged communities.
The Greenlining Institute evaluated 10 of the projects that were funded
in fiscal year 2015 through polluter fees generated by the cap-and-trade
law. It requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to
1990 levels by the year 2020.
To achieve this target, the California Air Resources Board put a cap on
the amount of air pollution that an industrial plant can produce, and
requires it to pay a penalty when it exceeds its limits by purchasing
"credits."
Two other bills followed in 2012, which establish how proceeds from the
sale of carbon permits will be spent under the cap-and-trade
regulations. SB 535, sponsored by a broad coalition of environmentalists
and civil rights groups, including The Greenlining Institute, ensures
that at least 25 percent of the money goes to projects that benefit
disadvantaged areas. Also, at least 10 percent of funds going to
projects must be located within disadvantaged communities.
The second bill that was passed, AB 1532, created a framework and
process for investing cap-and-trade auction revenues.
In Central California's San Joaquin Valley, a region believed to have
more old cars than any other part of the state, the 14-year-old
nonprofit Valley CAN has moved into high gear to pursue the Charge Ahead
California Initiative enshrined in SB 535. The bill was sponsored by
Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles. This law aims to place 1 million zero
emission or near-zero emission vehicles on the road by 2023.
Valley CAN's executive director Tom Knox said that Valley residents
spend way too much money on their old clunkers, which pollute the
atmosphere, making the largely agricultural area "the most
environmentally impacted in the state." In the San Joaquin Valley, he
said, "Old cars never die, they just keep accumulating."
Up until June, Valley CAN focused primarily on smog repairs. But now,
with money from the cap-and-trade program becoming available, "We are
able to get people out of older cars that use a lot of gas and are hard
to maintain, and send them back in a newer car," Knox said. Although the
replacement could be a gas-run vehicle, most will be plug-in hybrids or
electric cars, Knox said.
Individuals who choose to scrap their vehicles without replacing it
would be eligible for public transit passes valued at between $2,500 and
$4,500, depending on their income.
The Enhanced Fleet Modernization program not only reduces emissions,
Knox said, but "it's one of the most direct ways to empower the
household." All the cash families save from having a cleaner car can be
spent on programs to empower themselves like going back to school. And
lower emissions of course translate into better health outcomes for
Valley residents.
In the mostly rural Central Valley, Salinas Valley and Imperial County,
Cal VAN's 15-passenger van pools have been allowing farm workers to get
to work safely and reliably, eliminating millions of vehicle miles and
increasing worker mobility, according to the Greenlining Institute's
evaluation report. Farm workers tend to own vehicles that are older,
unreliable and highly polluting. These factors limit their ability to
get to work, or take higher paying jobs that may be a greater distance
from home.
Cal VAN's executive director Ron Hughes said a 1999 road accident in
Fresno County that killed 13 farmworkers was the catalyst inspiring him
to start the van-pool project.
Hughes said money from the green-house gas reduction program would help
his public transit agency to add another 15 vans to its 500-strong fleet.
Other projects that have scored well in The Greenlining Institutes
performance evaluation are:
Fresno County, Food to Share program: Nutritious food that would
otherwise end up in landfills is collected from such places as
supermarkets and restaurants and shared with food kitchens, pantries and
distribution centers. Aside from feeding hungry families, the program
also helps to reduce methane gas emissions that are generated from
rotting food. An estimated 110,000 tons of food will be diverted toward
the Food to Share program.
Sacramento, Weatherization Program: Provides solar power to more
than 1,600 low-income families through 2016.
Fresno, Weatherization Program: An estimated 1,212 low-income
families are receiving solar power systems, reducing carbon dioxide by
more than 113,000 metric tons over 25 years. The program has created 30
new jobs.
Los Angeles, Green Street Through Community Engagement: Two
low-income neighborhoods will receive 1,120 trees, removing 1,986 tons
of greenhouse gases from the air, improving air quality, enhancing
neighborhoods and reducing heat island-effects.
Oakland, Green Innovations: Low-income "flatlands" neighborhoods
along a major transit corridor will receive 1,100 trees, improving air
quality, while reducing greenhouse gases.
San Bernardino County, Montclair Community Fruit Park: The city and
local residents have turned a one-third acre piece of underutilized
public land into a park with fruit trees, providing shade, enhanced
public space and the air-cleaning action of trees.
San Diego County's National City, Paradise Creek Homes: One of the
state's most disadvantaged communities will receive 201 apartments
affordable to low-income households, and accessible to transit. The
program is also designed to promote walking and cycling, as well as a
new park.
Los Angeles, Boyle Heights: If funded, 31 apartments affordable to
lower-income households will be built in the low-income Boyle Heights
neighborhood served by light rail, bus lines and new bike lines. This
project narrowly missed first-round funding because fund distribution
for the region had maxed out.
Greenlining's Environmental Equity Director Alvaro Sanchez, who
authored the evaluation report, said that the programs his report
focused on were already up and running even before AB 32 funds were
awarded to them.
"Getting additional money just means they can do more," Sanchez said.
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