Environmentalists breathed a sigh of relief on November 2 after California’s Proposition 23 failed to pass by a 61 to 39 majority.
The bill called for the temporary nullification of the 2007 Clean Air Act until California’s unemployment rate fell below 5.5% (it is currently at over 12%, which is the highest state unemployment rate in the nation). The goal of California’s 2006 environmental regulation laws was to reduce the state’s carbon emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020.
“The U.S. accounts for five percent of the world’s population but consumes 25 percent of the world’s energy,” environmental expert and documentarist (“Shades of Green”)Susan Spinnato said. “We are indeed energy hogs.”
Proposition 23 received strong support from the Republican Party as well as from large energy corporations. Some of the main funds used to support the campaign were received from the Texas-based Valero Energy Corporation and Tesoro Corporation, both some of the largest energy suppliers in the nation. Republicans made the argument that passing the bill would lower oil prices as well as benefit the economy in these times of recession, the results of which have been especially difficult in California.
On the other hand, Democrats argued that passing the bill would just be a step backward from all they have accomplished, and they generally opposed the bill.
“It will result in the relocation of jobs and businesses from California to other states and other countries, along with the relocation of carbon emissions produced by those businesses,” Charles Drevna, President of National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, said. “Moving carbon from one location to another will not bring about any reduction in greenhouse gases.”
Some students also agreed that the bill should not have passed.
“I’m happy that the bill didn’t pass,” sophomore Erika Schumacher said. “It would have done only more damage to the environment.”
Other students had a more negative opinion on the failed passing of the bill.
“I’m upset that it did not pass,” junior Luke Young said. “The bill would have helped California’s struggling economy.”
Though opinions are split, one thing is for certain: California will soon be seeing clearer skies.