Combating Climate Change and Protecting Open Space

By Wendy Greuel

Any discussion of environmental policy must start by acknowledging that our climate is changing and human activity is the cause. The science is conclusive: climate change is the most serious threat to our communities, as agriculture is strained and clean water sources increasingly scarce.

I'm going to pick up where Henry Waxman left off as a leader for protecting our environment, our coastline and our alternative energy future. As Representative Waxman has said, this is not just an economic issue but at its core, it is a moral issue by which our values as Californians and as Americans are measured.

We are already seeing the effects of climate change right here in Southern California:

According to UCLA, coastal Los Angeles will see three-to-four times the number of extreme heat days by mid-century. And in the valley, we may see temperatures in excess of 95 degrees for a quarter of the year.

• A recent USC study describes current threats to the coast. A ten-year storm -- today, not just in the future -- could damage property in Venice and other communities along the coast.
• Sand is eroding from our beaches. The beaches along Broad Beach in Malibu are already lined with sand bags in order to stop erosion. Broad Beach may be the future for the coast.
• The State of California predicts 80% of the Sierra Nevada snowpack will be gone by 2100, thereby putting our water supply at risk.

• Tougher regulations for power plants. I'll fight efforts to roll back EPA regulations and enforcement, and work toward technologies that help control emissions.
• Stronger federal fuel standards for vehicles. I co-chaired the statewide California Clean Cars Campaign to support the strongest possible standards for California's groundbreaking Clean Cars Program, and I will work to raise vehicle standards nationally.
• Transportation alternatives. I'll work for federal dollars for transportation for the district and region, to help get people out of their cars and onto public transport and bike paths.
• Legislation that reduces our carbon pollution by measurable goals. As Los Angeles City Controller, I performed an audit to ensure the city was meeting its bold energy conservation goals, discovering that the city reached its goal of 20% renewable energy by 2010 more by luck than effective planning. We need a national plan to reduce our carbon emissions.

We need to end subsidies for oil companies, and invest in new cleaner technologies + renewing wind and solar credits on a longer-term basis than we currently do, so that people are able to have time to make the investments necessary to create green jobs.

It starts with breaking our addiction to oil, regardless of where it comes from. I agree with the President when he said, "Let's stop giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel industries that don't need it" and use the money to invest in renewable energy. If we re-focus today on 21st century solutions like wind, solar and hydropower and stop the handouts to the entrenched energy powers, we will pave the way for reducing costs and limiting dramatic price swings.

Encourage Local Action and Innovation

I strongly support and wholeheartedly endorse the mission and goals of MB2025, which would move Manhattan Beach from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy in 10 years. I applaud the efforts of the many stakeholders + the citizens, activists, community and business leaders and elected officials who are coming together to make this goal a reality. Manhattan Beach and the South Bay are leading the way and serve as an example for other cities and states to follow. The MB2025 campaign recognizes that it will take all of us to take these bold necessary steps to tackle climate change head on.

Climate change is a real and present threat. In Congress, I will work to pass a national carbon reduction goal, fight to end subsidies for oil companies and fossil fuels, and invest in clean, renewable technologies. It's important for both our environmental and economic future: moving to renewable energy will reduce our carbon pollution and create new, green jobs.

Relief for the California Drought

California's communities, businesses and farmers are experiencing an unprecedented drought. As we work together to conserve, there is more that can be done + I call on the Bureau of Reclamation and other federal agencies to provide more immediate relief for California's drought. I will fight in Congress to make sure that we are utilizing all state, local and federal resources to endure the current crisis.

But as climate change continues to increase temperatures statewide and impact the Sierra Nevada snowpack and California's water supply will continue an uncertain future. I will work for federal tax dollars for longer-term solutions for California's water challenges including investments in new technologies for irrigation techniques and water recycling, and additional funds for conservation programs.

Protect Our Groundwater and Coast from Fracking

Representative Waxman led the battle to keep harmful contaminants out of our water system while protecting our rivers, lakes and California coastal treasures.

We can't play a game of chance with California's groundwater supply. It's time to demand that companies utilizing natural gas drilling technologies known as "fracking" be held accountable for their practices. The truth is that fracking poses potentially significant health and environmental risks, particularly with regards to water quality in the surrounding areas. And as California faces the worst drought in decades, we need to question whether we want to put any more of our precious water supply at risk.

While California's fracking bill was a start, there is much more we need to do nationally to protect our groundwater and our communities, starting with disclosure. It's why:

• I support a moratorium on fracking in our state until a comprehensive review of its impact on our communities is complete.
• I will fight to close the "Halliburton loophole." I will work to defeat the efforts in Congress to put the oil and gas industry beyond the reach of federal regulations and gut the government's ability to protect our public lands -- our environmental laws should apply to oil and gas companies that utilize fracking.
• I support a ban on fracking off the California coast.

When it comes to allowing private energy companies to develop on public lands, we must be vigilant in our analysis to ensure the benefits truly outweigh the environmental consequences.

That's why I oppose approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline. It is a project that does nothing to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, and nothing to protect American families from the increasing cost of gas. However, we do know that it has the potential to cause lasting environmental damage.

Preserving Open Space

We are fortunate to live an area with an abundance of natural beauty + we are blessed by miles of pristine coastline and stunning mountain ranges. As a native Southern Californian, I know how important our parks and open spaces are for recreation + and how important recreation is for the local economy.

That's why as a member of the City Council, I preserved nearly 1,200 acres of open space, and I secured the passage of a Scenic Preservation Corridor Plan to protect prominent ridgelines from development. And it's why in Congress I will continue the fight to protect our public land, including fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act.

NO to the Hermosa Beach E&B Oil Drilling Project

I'm proud to stand with Stop Hermosa Beach Oil and Keep Hermosa Hermosa in their efforts to protect this beautiful community. In 1932, 1958, and most recently in 1995, the people of Hermosa Beach spoke out at the ballot box and banned oil drilling. It's clear what the residents of Hermosa Beach and the South Bay Beach Cities want - and oil drilling in their residential community is not on their wish list.

The E&B oil drilling project, which seeks to build up to 34 oil, gas and water wells on a site from which half of Hermosa Beach's residents live within just half a mile, would take a devastating toll on the community. The science linking oil drilling to human and environmental health risks is indisputable. Hermosa and the South Bay communities value clean air and a clean ocean and that's what they deserve.

I'm running for Congress to be a champion for our precious environment, to call for a statewide moratorium on fracking, to hold the oil and gas companies accountable, to protect our mountains and beaches, to combat climate change - and to be a fierce advocate for community groups like Stop Hermosa Beach Oil and Keep Hermosa Hermosa.

Local Coastal Program

I wholeheartedly support the Local Coastal Program, recently approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the California Coastal Commission. I urged folks to join me in calling upon the Coastal Commission to uphold this historic agreement.

I commend Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, State Senator Fran Pavley, State Assemblyman Richard Bloom, the Sierra Club, Heal the Bay, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation and the California Coastal Protection Network for reaching consensus, building public support and securing passage of this plan. We cannot allow the misinformation spewed by a few to unravel the thorough work done by this impressive coalition.

This plan preserves and protects the pristine Santa Monica Mountains, including streams, ridgelines and trees, and significantly increases recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. As a member of the Los Angeles City Council, I preserved hundreds of acres of open space, passed a Scenic Preservation Corridor Plan to protect prominent mountain ridgelines and strengthened the city's Oak Tree Ordinance. These are issues that I care about deeply and am thrilled to see included as the backbone of the LCP.

The threats of climate change are real and the benefits of protecting our natural resources are innumerable. The LCP makes enormous strides in addressing these challenges and protecting a national treasure. I am thrilled that the California Coastal Commission made the right decision and voted to uphold the LCP.