Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Aguiar-Curry supports cap-and-trade extension – from the Davis Enterprise

Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, voted in favor of landmark legislation Monday to extend California’s cap-and-trade program. The package includes AB 398 by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella; AB 617 by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens; and ACA 1 by Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes, R-Yucca Valley.

“Together, these bills will ensure that California continues to meet its ambitious climate change goals through extending and enhancing the cap-and-trade program, monitoring and reducing air pollution in our most vulnerable communities, and holding the Legislature accountable for its management and spending of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund revenue,” Aguiar-Curry said.

“When I came to the Capitol, I knew the most important vote I would take this year would be on cap-and-trade,” she said. “This program is a global model that shows how we can strike a balance between aggressive climate change goals and protecting and strengthening our economy.

“I’m proud to say that we negotiated a cap-and-trade deal that strikes this balance. It holds all regulated industries accountable to reduce emissions, while also ensuring our agricultural industries get the support they need to make those reductions.”

Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters

“For months I fought to bring the agricultural community and food processing industry to the table as participants in the discussion,” Aguiar-Curry added. “I’m proud to say that we negotiated a cap-and-trade deal that strikes this balance. It holds all regulated industries accountable to reduce emissions, while also ensuring our agricultural industries get the support they need to make those reductions.”

California law requires the state to meet aggressive climate change goals that slash greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. The cap-and-trade program allows businesses to buy and sell greenhouse-gas emissions credits to meet a declining “cap” on the total amount allowed.

“Cap-and-trade done right can successfully reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and keep industries in California,” Aguiar-Curry said. “Done wrong, we push businesses, jobs and emissions out of state.

“Food processors in my district are especially vulnerable to these economic pressures. The package passed today represents a compromise between environmental leaders, industry stakeholders and policymakers to keep agricultural businesses in California, so they can continue being part of the solution to climate change.”

Although farming is not subject to cap-and-trade, environmentally friendly agricultural practices play a critical role in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions statewide, the Assemblywoman said.

“However, without state assistance from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, it is doubtful whether these cutting-edge agricultural leaders can continue to cover the costs of their efforts,” she added.

See the original article in the Davis Enterprise here.

This entry was posted in Climate Change, Climate Smart Agriculture, Environment. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *