First Name | Michael |
---|---|
Last Name | Chiacos |
Email Address | mchiacos@cecmail.org |
Affiliation | Community Environmental Council |
Subject | Community Environmental Council comments on Cap and Trade Auction Investment Plan |
Comment | Dear Ms. Nichols and California Air Pollution Control District Board Members: The Santa Barbara Community Environmental Council (SBCEC) is a member-supported environmental non-profit organization formed in Santa Barbara in 1970 and is a leading environmental organization in the Central Coast region of California. In 2004, SBCEC shifted its primary focus to energy and transportation issues and is spearheading a regional effort to move away from our dependence on fossil fuels over the next two decades. SBCEC is almost unique in combining on-the-ground work on a number of energy and climate change-related issues with concurrent work on state and federal policy issues. SBCEC’s state policy work is directly informed by experience with what has worked, or is likely to work, at the local level. More information on the SBCEC and its energy programs may be found at www.cecsb.org. SBCEC would like to thank the Staff and leadership of ARB in their efforts to draft the Cap and Trade Auction Proceeds Investment Plan. We are in full support of the goals of the Plan, as well as the eligible investment categories. We submitted a letter (attached) to Ms. Shelby Livingston, Chief of the Climate Change Program Planning and Management Branch regarding our support for various GHG reduction programs that have proven effective. We'd like to add support for the Vessel Speed Reduction Initiative. We are part of the working group on the Vessel Speed Reduction Initiative and strongly support inclusion of this initiative in the Cap and Trade Plan. Large cargo ships traveling off our coast produce significant GHG and toxic air emissions that impact our coastal communities. Ship strikes also pose a threat to whales. Slowing down cargo ships meets multiple objectives in your Draft Cap-and-Trade Investment Plan including: reducing GHG emissions and other air pollutants, improving public health, and better protecting whales. CECSB supports including vessel speed reduction in your Final Plan as a priority for funding and request Cap-and-Trade money be directed to the Vessel Speed Reduction Initiative. |
Attachment | www.arb.ca.gov/lists/com-attach/237-ghgreductfund13-AWJTNAd2BzUBaQhs.pdf |
Original File Name | CapAndTrade_AuctionProceedsInvestmentPlan_Comments_SBCEC.pdf |
Date and Time Comment Was Submitted | 2013-04-23 15:30:48 |
If you have any questions or comments please contact Clerk of the Board at (916) 322-5594.