Schwarzenegger Takes Action to Increase Renewable Energy in CA
Focus is on Removing Barriers and Working with Legislature to Increase California’s Renewable Energy to 33 Percent by 2020
SACRAMENTO (November 17, 2008) – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today presented draft legislation to increase California’s renewable energy portfolio standard from 20 percent by 2010 to 33 percent by 2020. He also signed an Executive Order directing key state agencies to remove barriers to renewable development and focus resources on California’s renewable energy project approval process in a way that facilitates renewables and protects the state’s sensitive and wild places. The Executive Order also re-affirms the Governor’s support for a number of existing initiatives, including the state’s energy efficiency goals and the renewable energy transmission initiative and western renewable energy zones processes.
Following is a statement by Felicia Marcus, western director for the Natural Resources Defense Council:
“Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Legislature have worked together to pass landmark global warming legislation, pioneering energy efficiency and renewables legislation and many other clean energy and global warming solutions. We have the tools today to deliver renewable energy to power our cars and cities without polluting our environment.”
“The 33 percent renewable energy goal is critical to reaching California’s global warming pollution reduction goals by 2020. Investing in clean energy will minimize local and regional air pollution, and jump-start California’s economy at a time we need it most."