California

Includes $3.8 million Requested by Boxer

November 5, 2009 -- Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate today passed the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill, which includes $3.8 million requested by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) for key investments throughout California.

Senator Boxer said, “I am so pleased the Senate passed this bill, which will help make Californians safer. It includes crucial investments to fight drugs, combat gang violence and support our first responders.”
These investments include:

Coachella Valley Anti-Gang Task Force Project

Location: Cathedral City, California
Amount Received: $500,000    » read more »

November 4, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) praised the Senate’s passage of legislation to extend unemployment insurance for nearly 2 million Americans who would have otherwise lost their benefits by the end of the year. The bill will extend benefits by 14 weeks for jobless workers across the entire country and by 20 weeks in states with unemployment rates higher than 8.5 percent, including California.    » read more »

Move will Help California Achieve Nation-Leading Environmental Goals, Create Green Jobs

11/04/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today joined officials from Electric Vehicles International (EVI) to announce the opening of their new worldwide headquarters and primary U.S. manufacturing facility in Stockton, a move that will further California’s nation-leading environmental goals and create 150 direct green jobs estimated by the company. EVI will design and assemble zero-emissions, all-electric, medium-duty delivery vehicles and light-duty vehicles using EVI electric motors and controllers manufactured at the facility in Stockton.    » read more »

Legislation seeks to expose true causes for declines of fish, return flow of water to Valley

November 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Dennis Cardoza introduced bipartisan legislation today that calls for a review of the federal biological opinions that have significantly reduced the amount of water flowing to San Joaquin Valley farmers. Congressmen Costa (D-Fresno) and Radanovich (R-Mariposa) joined as original cosponsors.    » read more »

11/02/2009 -- SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking action against the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency following federal violations of the Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

On behalf of the U.S. EPA, the Department of Justice has lodged a proposed consent decree with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against the city and county of San Francisco for releasing at least 940 barrels of diesel fuel -- some of which entered into Islais Creek, a tributary of the San Francisco Bay.    » read more »

With Hundreds of Millions of Race to the Top Education Dollars at Stake, Governor Urges Senate Appropriations Committee to Pass Measure

11/02/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the statement below after the state Senate Education Committee voted 5-0 to approve SBX5 1, a bi-partisan measure proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger and authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) to ensure California is highly competitive in the Obama Administration’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top national funding competition – which has been federally designed to support education reform and innovation across the nation.    » read more »

11/02/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today celebrated the opening of the world’s largest landfill gas to liquefied natural gas (LFG-to-LNG) facility in California, the Waste Management Altamont Landfill and Resource Recovery Facility in Livermore. The plant, put together by partners Waste Management, Linde-BOC and Gas Technology Institute, is designed to produce up to 13,000 gallons of LNG a day and is expected to reduce 30,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.    » read more »

Federal Funds Are Helping To Put Sacramento On The Path To Recovery

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) applauded the Obama Administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability, and the release of the jobs created so far under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through September 30, 2009.    » read more »

Interior Appropriations Bill Includes More Than $18 Million for California Sought By Boxer

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Interior Appropriations bill, which included more than $18 million in funding for key projects throughout California secured by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature.

Senator Boxer said, “I am so pleased the Senate passed this bill that includes critical funding to improve air and water quality in California and help communities fight wildfires. I look forward to seeing President Obama sign it into law.”    » read more »

Data will help protect public health from harmful emissions

10/26/2009 -- TIJUANA, MEXICO – Today in Tijuana B. C., Mexico, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the Environmental Protection Agency of Baja California, the California Air Resources Board and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission will initiate the Baja California Air Monitoring Network coverage assessment study and the Tijuana-Rosarito Emissions Inventory.    » read more »

New Policies Miss Opportunity to Reward Low Mileage Drivers and Reduce Pollution

SACRAMENTO, CA (October 19, 2009) –The Natural Resources Defense Council today said that new California “Pay As You Drive” insurance regulations will not likely save Californians money nor significantly reduce global warming pollution. The final regulations, which merely permit insurance companies to verify the miles their customers drive, can be found here.

“Our auto insurance policies are sorely behind the times,” said Justin Horner, NRDC transportation policy analyst. “No one should be fooled. The new regulations proposed today cannot be characterized as green. They are nowhere close to what is needed to help the environment or reduce global warming pollution.”    » read more »

Erin Brockovich, public health and environmental advocates urge State EPA to set safe standard to protect Californians

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Oct 18, 2009 – Hexavalent chromium (hex chrome), the notorious cancer-causing chemical made famous in the film Erin Brockovich, contaminates drinking water in over 500 California communities, according to environmental and public health experts. The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) held a hearing today to take public comment on a proposed level for hex chrome in drinking water.    » read more »

October 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, leadership from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will join the State of California along with numerous national and local emergency preparedness organizations at events across the impacted region in solemn acknowledgement of the 20th anniversary of the San Francisco Bay Area 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.    » read more »

10/16/2009 -- Governor Schwarzenegger: Hello, this is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger with another California Report.

This week, I signed a number of bills that are so important to the future of California, bills that will keep our streets safer, that will make our schools better and that will protect California homeowners during these difficult economic times.

Let me tell you about just a few of the changes that are ahead.

This week we took a big step toward making California’s roads safer with two new laws that will prevent drunk drivers from ever even starting their cars.    » read more »

House Passes Miller’s Bay Area Water Recycling Bill; Legislation will bring new water sources to drought-stricken California

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed his legislation to expand water recycling in six San Francisco Bay Area communities:

“Today’s bill responds to the request for assistance from the state of California and local water managers to expand the supply of water in our drought-stricken state. This bill is good for our economy - it will create thousands of jobs and it will help reduce stress on our oversubscribed fresh water systems.    » read more »