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September 12, 2009
For More Information, Contact:
Melissa Figueroa (916) 651-4011
SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 14, which requires all energy providers to buy 33 percent of their energy from clean renewable energy sources by 2020 has been approved by the legislature. The bill, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) now heads to the Governor who has until October 11th to either sign the legislation or veto it.
“California can and should act sooner rather than later to increase the use of renewable energy,” said Simitian. “Renewable energy provides an immediate response to the threat of global warming, cuts air pollution, reduces our dependence on foreign energy and helps to limit the threat of another energy crisis.”
Moreover, said Simitian, “Increased use of renewable energy here in California has tremendous potential as an economic development tool. These are clean, green jobs that belong in California”, said Simitian.
“In passing SB 14, Sen. Simitian gives the Governor a golden opportunity to give Californians clean, reliable energy, create good working-class new jobs and implement AB 32 at the same time,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg. “The coalition that Sen. Simitian has built is unprecedented: Two out of the state’s three largest investor-owned utilities, California’s largest municipal utility, labor, environmentalists, ratepayer advocates and others. The Governor should listen to them all and sign SB 14.”
“Senator Simitian’s bill puts California on record as endorsing Los Angeles’ effort to become the greenest big city in America,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “With a state mandate for renewable energy, L.A. will lead the way as we achieve our promise of a coal-free power supply by 2020, saving our environment, cleaning our air, and creating the green jobs of tomorrow.”
“Since clean and green energy is essential for the environment and for the future of the Silicon Valley economy, we support Sen. Joe Simitian’s SB 14, requiring 33 percent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020,” said Carl Guardino, President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
Current law requires that investor owned utilities procure 20 percent of their renewable resources by December 31, 2010. Existing law “caps” the amount of renewable energy that the Public Utilities Commission may order utilities to buy or build at 20 percent. This bill would remove this cap and require utilities to acquire at least 33 percent of their energy from renewable resources by 2020.
Electricity generation now accounts for 32% of California’s gross carbon dioxide emissions. According to our state energy agencies, California’s electricity sector produced about 108 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2004, an increase of 35% over 1990 levels. Furthermore, emissions from the electricity sector are increasing twice as fast as emissions from any other sector, including transportation.
Senator Simitian serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, and authored SB 107 which requires the state to get 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2010. In signing SB 107 two years ago, Governor Schwarzenegger noted “the science is clear. The global warming debate is over. We have a responsibility to act now. SB 107…will help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continue our leadership on protecting the environment.”
To learn more about SB 14, please visit http://www.senatorsimitian.com