Remember how we said Big Oil was up to its old tricks?
Well, not much has changed. Polluters are still trying to slither out of complying with California’s clean air and clean energy laws, and they’ve got their hopes set on passing AB 69, a bill that was radically altered in a process known as gut-and-amend to include language that gives a free pass to oil companies. (Read all about it in our statement on AB 69 and on our blog on the oil industry’s efforts to stop our landmark climate law, AB 32).
Now that the state legislature is back in session, environmental, social justice, business, labor and other groups are publicizing their strong opposition to this bill, authored by Assemblymember Henry Perea (yes, the same author of the letter asking the CA Air Resources Board to give Big Oil a free pass). CLCV, Natural Resources Defense Council, California Labor Federation, and State Building & Construction Trade Council collaborated on one such joint letter of opposition, and dozens of environmental and public health groups signed on to another. AB 69 “hate mail” is flooding in from groups throughout the state who see this bill for what it is: a give-away to the most profitable, polluting industry in California.
AB 69 isn’t getting too many love letters, except from Big Oil: a blog post authored by the President of the Western States Petroleum Association (oil industry’s lobbyist) Catherine Reheis-Boyd says “It is good to hear a public dialogue is occurring” about our climate law (a “dialogue” settled many years ago but re-invented by Big Oil). She praises the bill and claims to care about low-income Californians. (Pssst… they don’t; they care about their profits, period). It’s no wonder they love AB 69; oil companies have been behind virtually every effort to stop, suspend, and/or undermine California’s landmark policies to reduce pollution.
(Take action here to stand up to Big Oil!)
Stay tuned… August is going to be a very hot month in Sacramento (and not just because of climate change).
