"The state's population is currently at 35 million and increasing by more than five million a decade. The impact of increased growth on our communities and our environment has not yet been fully addressed. What can we do to preserve our natural surroundings and prepare for growth of this magnitude? That should be the basic question underlying our public policymaking." - Patty Berg
MAJOR ISSUES:
Coastal/Marine:
Proposition 20 and the California Coastal Act are landmark public policy in the state of California. The Coastal Act has been an important tool in protecting coastal resources, particularly public access. However, coastal development pressures are enormous, particularly in the more populous regions of the state. Population pressures remain the single biggest challenge to coastal protection. Our marine life must also be protected; I'll fight for fair implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act.
Sustainable Forest Management:
Forests are the lifeblood of our region's economy, not only as a source of timber and the provision of jobs, but also as a principal reason why tourists love to visit this part of California. Our success in protecting jobs and growing our economy requires a selective approach to timber harvesting and a sustainable rate of cut, which considers and mitigates potential harm to watersheds and ecosystems. I support a statewide ban on the practice of clear cutting. The long-term health of our forests and timber industries require proper management and good stewardship of our precious natural resources.
Watershed Management/Wetlands:
Degradation of our forests has intensified the stresses we have placed on our watersheds. Our watersheds have been damaged by erosion from years of timber over-harvesting, which adversely affects our water supply and destroys sensitive habitat. I'll work to ensure adequate buffer zones to protect sensitive watersheds and ecosystems and I will work to protect and preserve wetlands.
Offshore Oil Drilling/Energy:
I am strongly opposed to offshore oil drilling. The Bush Administration has chosen to focus on domestic oil production instead of alternative energy solutions to solve our energy problems. We must remain vigilant in the fight to protect our coast and continue to explore promising solutions involving solar, wind and other renewable energy technologies and meaningful energy conservation measures in all types of development.
Clean Water:
It is imperative that we have a clean water supply in order to ensure the health of our environment as well as those of us who live here. A recent assessment of water sources found that 40% of lakes, streams, rivers and coastlines that were assessed were deemed unsafe for fishing, swimming or supporting aquatic life. In the North Coast region, ground water contamination is a problem. I'll fight for stricter enforcement of existing clean water laws and be sure that these laws keep pace with the ability to maintain a healthy environment.
Public Lands/Open Space:
Counties and municipalities need resources in order to protect waterways, maintain parks and ensure clean air. This is why I support Prop 40, which will provide $2.6 billion for the protection of coastal resources, clean water, clean air and more parklands. The measure provides far more for rural communities with small populations than previous bond acts, guaranteeing a minimum of $1.2 million each to rural counties and $220,000 each to small municipalities for the development of community parks and to acquire new parkland. I'll fight to ensure that North Coast communities get our fair share of grants available statewide
Toxics:
Toxic pollution is a serious threat to our public safety. In 1996 alone, polluters dumped more than 175 million pounds of chemicals into our air and water supply. We need to invest significant additional resources in non-point source pollution prevention and education, as well as increased prosecution of polluters.
Air Quality:
The Clean Air Act of the 1970's has significantly reduced air pollution in the U.S. According to a recent study by the EPA, however, 160 million tons of pollutants are released into the air every year and 121 million people live in an area where the air quality is unhealthy. Older power plants and automobiles (through greenhouse gas emissions) play a major role in air pollution. Older power plants emit ten times more pollution than new power plants, contributing to environmental problems such as smog, acid rain, global warming and mercury contamination. These older power plants need to be retrofitted or replaced to reduce pollution. And we need to move more in the direction of renewable energy sources, which are not only more efficient but cleaner and healthier. Automobiles are the least addressed source of global warming. That is why I supported Fran Pavley's bill which will require the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations by 1/1/05 that achieve maximum reductions of greenhouse gas pollution from automobiles, making California a leader in efforts to reduce global warming.
Urban Sprawl:
Population in California continues to grow. At 35 million, the population is increasing by more than five million a decade. Sprawl is one of California's most important challenges because it interconnects a bevy of societal ills: transportation, air pollution, infrastructure, lack of parks/open space, long commutes, loss of agriculture - it threatens our quality of life. Yet, a recent survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 2/3 of the state's residents would not choose to live in multi-story housing, even if they could walk to shops, schools and mass transit. Only 34% of Californians are familiar with the term smart growth. Only 38% know the term sprawl and 84% consider a house and backyard in the suburbs their preference and ideal. Some say, "that is a recipe for sprawl." Our first step must be to get the message out that sprawl threatens all of us and our quality of life is truly at stake. This is not to take away from the American dream to own a single-family home, however we need to be aware of the impact and respond accordingly.
PATTY BERG'S ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA
- Provide permanent funding to District Attorneys to set up environmental crime units to prosecute environmental crime.
- Ensure that sound science guides our timber industry.
- Protect sensitive watersheds and ecosystems.
- Require enforcement of mandatory minimum fines for polluters.
- Support and prioritize watershed restoration projects.
- Strongly oppose offshore oil drilling.
- Support investing in renewable energy sources to retrofit buildings for conservation.
- Support passage of a clean water bond initiative to help modernize our water systems.
- Ensure our fair share of Prop 40 funding for the North Coast.
- Support mitigation funding to counties who experience property tax loss as a result of government acquisitions of county land.
- Support strict enforcement of ground water contamination laws.
- Support increased investment in sustainable alternatives to pesticides.
- Require replacement of outdated technology in old power plants to protect our air and water.
- Support a state law that requires each local general plan to contain an urban growth boundary for 20 years of growth.
- Support and highlight other smart growth policies and projects to be implemented at the local level.
- Support a state partnership program to assist local jurisdictions in developing housing projects near transit and job centers, avoiding even more sprawl.
- Support participatory approaches to planning, including planning for sustainability, involving community members in setting the vision for and developing plans and actions for their communities and regions.
- Support increased state funding to assist local jurisdictions purchase land or easements to permanently protect open space.
- Support the principles of smart growth and land use policies that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
PATTY BERG'S ENVIRONMENTAL ENDORSEMENTS
- California League of Conservation Voters
- Vote The Coast
- Environmental Caucus of the California Democratic Party
- Sonoma County Conservation Action
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