Capitol Voice October 2019

When fall arrives it’s that special time of year to prepare halloween costumes, drink pumpkin spice beverages and publish the Sierra Club California Report Card.

The Report Card scores legislators and the governor on key environmental bills that were considered during 2019.

The legislation our policy advocates selected to be scored reflects just a fraction of the bills that our staff, guided by our volunteer leaders, took positions on and lobbied this year.

The 2019 report card includes bills related to a broad range of topics such as natural resources, land use, transportation, worker rights and more. The selection is based on factors that include a bill’s overall importance to the state’s environmental quality, the precedent it sets for good or bad impacts, and the bill’s importance to fulfilling Sierra Club’s mission. We also consider what a bill’s score reveals about environmental commitment in the legislature.

This year’s Report Card is special because it will provide a first glimpse of the new governor's approach to environmental legislation. It will also include scores from new legislators elected in 2018. Plus, it will serve as a useful guide in preparation for the upcoming 2020 Election.

This Report Card is one valuable way of informing Sierra Club members about how their legislators are performing.

Keep an eye out for the 2019 Report Card. It will be released digitally later this month and we’ll have printed copies at the Summit in Pasadena on October 26.

Local governments across the state are declaring their support for low-carbon infrastructure purchasing. Richmond, Berkeley, Cupertino, and Santa Cruz County have unanimously adopted resolutions encouraging full and effective implementation of the Buy Clean California Act (2017).

Buy Clean California only requires compliance from state agencies, but city and county governments across the state have the opportunity to adopt similar policies at the local level.

In September, the Los Angeles City Council approved two motions that aim to adopt Buy Clean policies into the City’s pre-existing Environmentally Preferable Products Purchasing Program (EPPPP). The motions direct the LA Bureau of Sanitation, along with help from other City departments, to deliver a report to the council on ways to incorporate the Buy Clean California Act into the City’s procurement process.

Signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017, the Buy Clean California Act directs state agencies to purchase construction materials such as steel, carbon steel rebar, glass, and mineral wool insulation from manufacturers that have taken steps to reduce their greenhouse gas pollution.

Buy Clean policies address the issue of embodied carbon in building materials. Embodied carbon is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are created during the manufacturing process of materials purchased for public infrastructure projects.

The pollution is disclosed in an Environmental Product Declaration, or EPD. Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, contractors will be required to submit EPDs for each of the eligible materials to be used in State projects.

If you are interested in starting or joining a local campaign in your area to expand Buy Clean awareness and action, please sign up for one of our Buy Clean webinar trainings below or contact Molly Culton by email Molly.Culton@sierraclub.org or phone (916) 557-1100.

Tuesday, Oct. 22 @ 12:00 PM (Register)
Wednesday, Oct. 23 @ 12:00 PM (Register)
Thursday, Oct. 24 @ 12:00 PM (Register)