Steve Westly Discusses California's Clean Tech Economy and the Governor's Race in Democrats' Weekly Radio Address

In the weekly radio address, State Controller Steve Westly discusses how California can lead the fight against global warming by building a clean tech economy. He questions the Governor's recent veto of AB 1012, which would have required that half of all new cars and light trucks sold in California by 2020 run on alternative fuels.

To listen, click here.

The transcript is as follows:

This is California State Controller Steve Westly.

Thirty years ago, California led the world in the fight against global warming. We were the first state to mandate catalytic converters and lead-free gasoline to clean up auto emissions. People asked, “How can one state unilaterally change the standards for the world’s automobiles?” Yet, just two years later, Congress followed California’s lead. And, within a decade, so did the rest of the world. Now more than ever, where Washington has failed, California must lead.

Today we can lead the nation by building a clean tech economy right here in California. We have the entrepreneurial and scientific talent. Our thriving technology sector is well positioned to develop clean technologies to fight global warming…all it needs is a jump start.

Environmental laws can be a powerful incentive for industry to respond with new, clean technologies and create thousands of jobs. According to a UC Berkeley study, reducing greenhouse gas emissions can increase the gross state product by as much as $60 billion and create 17-thousand new jobs. That’s why I was glad to see the Governor sign the Democratic plan to cap industrial greenhouse gas emissions. The cap will be a powerful incentive for industry to seek out new technologies that will help curb emissions.

But now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back. Auto emissions are just as bad as industrial emissions, but the Governor’s leadership on autos has been a disappointment. At the end of the last sessions the Governor vetoed a bill that would have dramatically reduced auto emissions. Assemblymember Joe Nation’s AB 1012 would have required that half of all new cars and light trucks sold in California by 2020 run on alternative fuels. It would have been a powerful incentive to jumpstart the clean tech economy, most of which is here in California.

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