Comment Log Display

November 18, 2008

Honorable Mary Nichols
Chair, California Air Resource Board
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: AB32 Scoping Plan comments

Dear Chair Nichols and Honorable members of the Board,

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Proposed AB32
Scoping Plan.

On behalf of company Mendocino Wine Company, I am writing in
support of the Scoping Plan.  I believe that California must
continue its leadership on climate action and support the adoption
of robust climate policy that takes into account our input below. 

As a family owned and operated company, we are especially
interested in how California will address the challenges climate
change poses. Our actions are altering the balance of nature, and
we are watching the world change before our very eyes. Fish
populations are in serious decline, our rainforests are
disappearing and the planet’s topsoil is being eroded and lost. The
impact of global warming and its effects on our climate are being
felt worldwide, from the hottest summers on record to melting polar
ice caps.  

As a key California agricultural industry we are uniquely
vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Winemakers are
experiencing impacts that are changing the face of wine style,
structure and composition. I can remember as a young winemaker,
thirty years ago, struggling to reach maturity in my grapes of 23.5
to 24º Brix. Now I have a similar challenge to keep the sugars
below 28-29º Brix each year while waiting for the tannins to ripen.
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has reported
that rising temperatures and volatile weather patterns associated
with global warming could result in an 81% reduction of viable
grape production acreage for high to premium quality wine. The
future of California’s multi-billion dollar wine industry is now in
question.

It is my belief that AB 32 will help California steer clear of the
devastation global warming could bring to our state. Legislation
encouraging efficiency helps conserve resources and create
opportunities for new industry. As a small business, I believe AB
32 will help us compete in a low carbon economy, by reducing our
energy costs, ensuring our water supply, reward us for the
voluntary early actions we have already taken, as well as providing
the tools, incentives and support we need to implement further
efficiency improvements at our facility. 

Here at Mendocino Wine Co, we have taken a stand.  We are doing
the right things to create quality wines and a healthier planet. By
making wine from locally farmed grapes, using sustainable farming
practices, utilizing 100% green power and employing earth-friendly
packaging, our family-owned and operated company is creating a
model of quality and environmental sustainability for other
wineries to follow. In recognition of our status as the nation’s
first carbon neutral winery and our continuing dedication to social
responsibility and environmentally sound practices, we received
California’s highest environmental award, the Governor’s
Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in 2007. By
establishing a strong regulatory framework for emissions
reductions, the State also has the opportunity to lead the nation
and set an example for other regions around the world.

Thank you for your consideration of our remarks and for your work
on this comprehensive plan.  We look forward to continuing to be
involved in the AB32 process.  

Sincerely,



Paul Dolan					
Owner							
Mendocino Wine Company