2002 California State Assembly Elections
Please answer questions 1, 17, and 19 and any other 7 of the following 19 questions:
1. Water. How we manage our water is critical, and encompasses water quality, habitat and species protection, and growth issues. I believe that we need to look at watersheds as systems, and implement public policies based on the fact that protecting our watersheds equals protecting our future.
c. Public Lands. There are many environmentally special areas in the First Assembly District that should be preserved for future generations. I support conversion of private lands to public lands, by purchase with public funds if necessary in these cases.
d. Conservation is credited for avoiding an energy crisis in California last summer. Public funding of conservation programs improves reliability and lowers rates by lowering demand. However, the additional funding allocated by the Legislature to date is temporary. Would you support continuing higher levels of public investment in energy conservation and energy efficiency measures? Yes Much of this funding is controlled by the utilities even though they have obvious conflicts of interest, and their performance has been spotty. Would you support independent (non-utility) administration of these funds? Yes Why or why not? To promote long-term policies and programs for conservation and conversion to renewable energy sources, funding should be controlled by those with a vested interest in the success of those policies and programs.
3. PG&E has proposed to transfer numerous hydropower facilities to an unregulated corporation. This proposal raises significant issues about energy policy as well as numerous environmental issues involving stream flows, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. Do you support or oppose the PG&E privatization plan? Oppose. Do you support state acquisition of PG&E watershed lands and temporary state ownership of PG&E’s hydropower facilities until an evaluation is finished that recommends how to balance the hydropower power generation with environmental and other values? Past experience indicates we need to be very cautious when deregulating or privatizing public utilities. I have some questions. Why would the state need to acquire lands or facilities while an evaluation is finished? Why can’t the proposal be put on hold until the evaluation is done? Are there pressing environmental or other concerns that must be addressed? I need more information.
e. California has experienced an electricity shortage in the last year. What environmental protections and opportunities are you most concerned about as the state responds to the electricity problem? This entire "electricity shortage" has made me very suspicious. Lately we have had so much surplus electricity they couldn’t sell it all. I think that if we are going to seek "energy independence" that we should be building generation facilities that are the most environmentally safe and emphasize green power as much as possible. We need to have the long term goal of renewable energy, not just a quickie fix. Please address the following issues in your response.
b. Over 95% of California’s planned additions to electricity capacity will use natural gas as fuel. Solar, wind and geothermal technologies can supply energy with far lesser impacts on the environment while providing consumers with some insulation from the price volatility of natural gas. Do you support a requirement (known as a "renewables portfolio standard") that all electricity sellers in California acquire at least 20% of their supply from renewable sources? YES
5. Enactment of strong environmental laws will not result in improved environmental quality unless state agencies ensure compliance through rigorous enforcement programs. However, some agencies do not demonstrate a strong emphasis on enforcement and have inadequate or insufficiently funded monitoring and compliance programs. How should California improve its enforcement of existing environmental laws? Provide adequate resources and target the worst offenders first. Add new penalties for offenses that are solely profit motivated. Increase penalties for repeat offenders. Remember that the goal is early remedy and design compliance programs accordingly. Provide incentives to agencies with success in compliance and monitoring programs.
6. California’s need for open space in the future is great, including habitat, parks and wilderness areas for recreational and wildlife needs, and productive agricultural lands. How should future land acquisitions be funded? How much would a small, say one tenth of one percent, property transfer tax generate in revenue each year? 100.00 for each 100,000.00 of land value? Dedicate this revenue for acquisitions.
8. The Sierra Club supports strict regulation of logging in areas that adversely affect streams used by the coho salmon and steelhead, both listed as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. How would you respond to proposed laws to limit or prohibit logging in riparian areas to avoid adverse impacts to salmon and their habitat? I would support such laws. For many years I have supported measures to reduce erosion and destructive logging practices. My approach is always to take the long view for sustainable resource management, not the short-term quick profit approach.
9. California Department of Fish and Game has never had an adequate funding base for the work that it is charged with doing under the California Endangered Species Act. As a result, CDFG lacks adequate personnel and resources to carry out its species protection mandates. How would you prioritize state spending on endangered species protection? What revenue source would you rely on to fully fund the endangered species program at CDFG.
10. What is your position on the California Coastal Commission’s role in protecting our state’s coastal resources? Essential &emdash; and it looks like the Coastal Commission needs some protection of its own against the efforts of those who think that individual property rights should prevail over the public trust.
11. Do you think that certain marine areas should be off limits to fishing and other human activities in order to allow these areas to recover from past human impacts? Yes, and I support the Marine Life Protection Act.
12. Water pollution makes our beaches unsafe for swimming, makes fish unsafe to eat, and ruins habitat in California rivers, streams, bays, and ocean coast. More than 500 California water bodies have been designated as "impaired". A good deal of this pollution could be prevented if state and federal water quality laws were vigorously implemented. What recommendations do you have for improving compliance with state and federal water quality permit programs for pollution dischargers? Increase the penalties and use the revenue to pay for increased enforcement.
13. Many persistent, bio-accumulative toxins &emdash; chemicals that can build up in the food chain, can be transported long distances in the atmosphere, and do not break down easily -- are associated with a range of adverse human health effects, including effects on the nervous system, reproductive and developmental problems, cancer, and genetic impacts. Particular hazards may be posed to the developing fetus or young children because critical organs, such as the central nervous system, are still under development. Would you support adoption of a state strategy for eliminating all releases of persistent, bio-accumulative toxins into California’s environment? Would you support expansion of the pesticide mill tax concept to increase fees proportional to the volume and potential harm of bio-accumulative toxins? Yes &emdash; this provides an economic incentive to reduce and eliminate the release of such bio-accumulative toxins.
Do you support linking increases in funding to any or all of the following?
a. preservation of agricultural lands outside of existing urbanized areas, and preservation of natural lands of environmental significance.
Yes, both. I fought (successfully) for the start-up funds from our Board of Supervisors to establish an agricultural conservation easement program in Lake County in 2001.
15. Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas, and most of California’s carbon dioxide emissions come from transportation. What do you think California's role should be in addressing global climate change? Do you support legislation requiring the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that achieve feasible, cost-effective, and technologically achievable reductions of carbon dioxide emitted by passenger vehicles? Yes.
16. How serious is the problem of urban sprawl in California? Serious If you do not think sprawl is a problem, where and how should anti-sprawl organizations be redirecting their efforts? If you do think sprawl is a problem, what value would you place (high, moderate, low) on the following approaches to reducing sprawl? Would you sponsor or support legislation that would adopt any of these approaches? Yes, any and all of them.
a. Preparation of a State Comprehensive Plan that sets forth "smart growth" guidelines that local general plan policies must be made consistent with; Moderate &emdash; Must include funding. b. A new state law that requires each local general plan to contain an "Urban Growth Boundary" - a boundary around each city and county and includes enough land for twenty years of growth, with urban growth prohibited beyond the line (unless it is amended by the voters); Moderate &emdash; must include funding and take in to account local conditions characteristics and distinctions. Avoid "one size fits all".
c. A general increase in state funding for other "smart growth" policies and projects to be implemented at the local level; High
d. Funding for a state partnership program to assist local jurisdictions in developing housing projects on infill development sites near transit and job centers; High and/or
e. Increased state funding to help local jurisdictions purchase land or easements to permanently protect open space at the urban fringe. High
Please describe in greater detail your public service record in environmental issues. In particular, we are interested in membership and leadership in environmental organizations, work on environmental campaigns, public positions you have taken, and environmental activities you have initiated or actively supported. After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1968 I came back to Lake County where I had been raised. I began my I career as an activist in the 70’s as part of a group called the Lake County Energy Council which was working to control the environmental impacts of the Geothermal Energy industry. I participated as a panel member at numerous public forums, and presented a detailed critique of an EIR for an exploratory steam well to the county planning commission. We were successful in getting many of our suggestions implemented, ultimately resulting in a good working relationship between the industry and regulatory agencies.
I was elected to the Clearlake City Council in 1980, served three terms, was Mayor twice, and then was appointed to two terms on the Lake County Planning Commission. I always maintained my environmental values and voted accordingly.
In 1996 I was elected to the Board of Supervisors and re-elected in 2000. In 1997 I got a friend to fly me around the county while I videotaped the hillside vineyard development. I played the tape at the Board of Supervisors meeting, to educate the Board about the magnitude of the activity and alert them to the impacts, particularly the need for erosion control.
This resulted in the creation of the Erosion Prevention and Education Committee, which has established standards and practices for erosion control, and was accepted and supported by the winegrape industry. We are always seeking to improve our process, and are currently looking at new ordinances which will clarify standards and practices for vineyard and other agricultural development.
I have voted and supported many environmentally related issues over the years. As a county supervisor, I voted to oppose dredging of Clear Lake, which would have been an environmental disaster in the opinion of many experts as it would have stirred up the toxic layers in the sediment on the lake bottom.
I supported with my own contribution and voted to spend county general funds as part of the purchase price for the Rodman Slough acquisition by the Lake County Land Trust.
I was actively involved in the successful movement to Save the Black Forest from logging.
In 1989, I led a task force which succeeded in getting special rules adopted by the Board of Forestry which bans clear cutting in the scenic corridors of Lake County. These rules went into effect January 1, 2001. I would support legislation banning clear cutting everywhere in the state, as noted in question 7.
I am currently involved in supporting the Wilderness Coalition and Senator Boxer in the creation of new wilderness areas and wild and scenic river designations in Lake County and other areas of the First Assembly District.
I also am very interested in development of hydrogen as an energy source, and the development and deployment of zero emission vehicles. You didn’t ask any questions about these issues, but its clear that the sooner we get moving away from dependence on non-renewable energy sources, the longer we will have to perfect renewable sources and the associated technology. The bottom line is: we must be looking at the long haul when making public policy for a sustainable future.
I have a long and verifiable track record as an effective environmental activist. I have proven my leadership skills and ability to make positive change. Actions speak louder than words. The Sierra Club should support my candidacy because you can be confidant that I will be a strong advocate on environmental issues and not let you down.
Note: We plan to include excerpts from candidate responses in our next member newsletter, The Needles.