NBC Bay Area via the Associated Press
By Kathleen Ronayne and Adam Beam
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to speed up the state’s transition to non-carbon electricity sources and accelerate its timeline for lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Those are among the proposals the Democratic governor has delivered to lawmakers as they work to hash out how to spend $19.3 billion set aside for climate in the state budget. He also wants to establish a permitting policy for projects that would remove carbon dioxide from the air and put into law the state’s 2045 carbon neutrality goal as well as a ban on new oil wells within 3,200 feet (975 meters) of homes and schools.
“The ambition of California’s climate goals must match the urgency and scale of the climate crisis,” the Newsom administration wrote in a document distributed to state lawmakers that was obtained by The Associated Press. “Increasing ambition in the near-term supports the unprecedented rate of transformation needed in this decade to build the clean energy systems of tomorrow.”
The proposal would be part of the state’s $300 billion state budget. Lawmakers passed the budget earlier this year without figuring out how to spend the climate money. Newsom and state legislative leaders have until the end of August to reach a deal.
“Meeting our goals of 100% clean electricity by 2045 is still the key cmponent in fighting climate change and in preventing these weather conditions in the first place,” said State Sen. Josh Becker, a Democrat and chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Subcommittee on Clean Energy Future…
Also carried by:
ABC 10 Sacramento: Here
US News and World Report: Here
Associated Press: Here