Victoria Rome's Blog: Health and the Environment tag:switchboard.nrdc.org,2009:/blogs/vrome//155 2009-01-18T03:11:15Z Movable Type Enterprise 1.52 A Green Infrastructure Package for California tag:switchboard.nrdc.org,2009:/blogs/vrome//155.2496 2009-01-16T06:36:35Z 2009-01-18T03:11:15Z Victoria Rome Governor Schwarzenegger delivered his "State of the State" address yesterday and his speech was focused, appropriately so, on California's budget crisis.  He offered few details about where he and the legislative leaders are with their negotiations, but we know from the 2009-10 budget proposal, also released this week, that the governor and Republican legislative leaders continue to push for environmental rollbacks as part of the budget deal.  As reported recently in the LA Times and discussed by me and my colleagues on Switchboard, Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative Republicans want to push through a few infrastructure projects while ignoring their health and environmental impacts.  But NRDC and our allies know that there is a better way to create jobs.  This week (it's been a busy week) state Democrats released their own plan that doubles the level economic stimulus of the governor's plan and doesn't jeopardize our health or California's environment.

NRDC and our partners are identifying more and more projects every day ranging from public transportation and parks improvements to clean water and energy.  These projects would create thousands of jobs and would help ensure a well-trained workforce for California's growing green economy.  The governor should stick to his principle that a clean environment and a strong economy go hand in hand.  There's no shortage of environmentally beneficial infrastructure projects out there.  Let's move forward with a budget solution that helps the economy, creates jobs, protects the health of our children, and enhances California's treasured natural resources.  We can do it and now is the time.    

]]> Bad Policy Does Not Make an Environmental Champion in California tag:switchboard.nrdc.org,2008:/blogs/vrome//155.2383 2008-12-23T18:23:54Z 2008-12-23T23:17:22Z Victoria Rome UPDATE:  Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference along a stretch of freeway that he claims is affected by the budget crisis and lack of resolution between the Governor and Legislature.  He failed to mention, however, that he just vetoed a package of bills that would have helped get the state back on track financially in part because, according to him, they were too protective of the environment.  The Governor continues to draw accolades for his environmental accomplishments and his signature issue:  combating global warming.  But as I wrote last week, his latest budget antics would undermine his leadership by taking away the state's ability to examine the pollution and health impacts of large transportation projects. 

As the California League of Conservation Voters points out, Governor Schwarzenegger has earned a reputation as an environmental champion by arguing that a strong environment and strong economy are compatible.  There is no logical reason to back peddle on this fundamental principle.  Californians should reject the Governor's calls for environmental rollbacks and demand smart leadership to forge a pathway out of the budget mess.   

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