Take the Live Earth Pledge

To follow up on yesterday’s post with Live Earth stats and video of Assemblyman Mark Leno discussing Carbon Footprints, here is how you can join the billions worldwide working together to combat Global Warming.

Live Earth is asking people make a commitment today and sign the pledge:

1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;"
3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

Looking Back at Live Earth

There is a remarkable convergence of forces all coming together and working together to stop global warming. There are now solid numbers out on the Live Earth 7.7.07 worldwide events that were so far beyond huge that your humble editor lacks the words to describe the magnitude of the event. So let me just give you some numbers:

• 2,000,000,000 – Number of participants worldwide
• 30,000,000 – Number of Live Earth videos streamed online
• 10,000,000 – Number of people who watched Live Earth on MSN
• 1,000,000 – Number of participants in 10,000 Friends of Live Earth Events in 131 Countries
• 100,000 – Number of participants at over 1,300 MoveOn house parties across America

So go calculate your Carbon Footprint today and then take steps to lower it.

Measure to Allow Farmers to Grow Industrial Hemp Wins Approval from Key Senate Committee

From a press release:

SACRAMENTO, CA — Assembly Bill 684, authored by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine), which would give California farmers the opportunity to grow industrial hemp and take part in this multimillion dollar industry, passed the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday on a vote of 3 to 1. Amendments were taken necessary to move the bill forward that would pilot hemp farming to four counties— (Kings, Mendocino, Imperial and Yolo—for a five year period.)

“California farmers are currently shut-out of a multimillion dollar industry because we don’t allow our farmers to grow industrial hemp, and we force California manufacturers to buy hemp seed, oil and fiber from other countries,” said Assemblyman Mark Leno. “Our enterprising and innovative farmers should not be hindered by senseless regulation. It’s my hope that by giving farmers in these counties the opportunity to supply a $270 million industry that’s growing by $26 million each year, that other counties won’t be far behind.”

Sponsored by Vote Hemp, AB 684 would regulate commercial industrial hemp farming in California, a variety of cannabis that grows up to 16 feet tall, resembles bamboo, and has no psychoactive properties. Under the bill, industrial hemp is defined as cannabis varieties having 0.3% THC or less and its cultivation is only permitted as an agricultural field crop or in a research setting. Cultivation in groves, yards, or other locations is prohibited.

“We can import hemp, we can process it into shampoo, plastics, and food, but we won’t let American farmers grow it,” said Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who is authoring the measure along with Leno. “This bill will free our farmers to compete with foreign farmers in growing hemp, a non-drug, legal and safe crop.”

Industrial hemp is one of nature’s strongest fibers and is processed throughout the world for body care products, food, paper, clothing, automotive parts, building materials, and numerous other uses. The seed has many nutritional benefits because it contains essential fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 commonly found in fish, and is an alternative source of protein. Hemp also has strong environmental benefits. It’s a source for paper that could enable us to save our trees for higher end uses such as lumber. Hemp requires little or no agricultural chemicals, smothers weeds, and improves soil conditions, making it an excellent rotational crop in both organic and conventional farming.

Today, more than 30 industrialized nations grow industrial hemp and many export it to the U.S. AB 684 has tight controls on industrial hemp production that relieve law enforcement of the burden of having to discern legal hemp from illegal marijuana in common drug busts. Additionally, the amendments are meant to allay law enforcement concerns by giving the State the opportunity to evaluate the program before extending it.

The U.S. Congress has never expressly prohibited the cultivation of industrial hemp, but federal regulators have inferred that prohibition from a long-standing definition of marijuana in U.S. law. However, when that definition was debated in Congress in 1937, Senators and Representatives were told that domestic production of industrial hemp would not be prohibited.

The bill will be heard next in the Senate Public Safety Committee on July 10th.

It makes no sense that this doesn’t have 100% support — this is the definition of common sense legislation.

Mark Leno on Industrial Hemp Farming

Assemblymember Leno was the Vote Hemp ‘Legislator of the Year’ in 2006 and if you take a few minutes to watch this video I think you’ll agree we need to make this happen in 2007.

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View more Mark Leno Videos

Calculate YOUR Carbon Footprint today

It is easy.

Step 1: go visit Al Gore’s carbon footprint calculator.

Step 2: Work to lower it.

Here’s some more video from Sunday’s Online Town, Leno talks about this and a lot more.

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Check out all youtube Mark Leno videos.

Mark Leno on the Environment

The Environment

Here is a sample of some of the environmental bills I am currently working on in the state Assembly. I’ve also listed past legislation from previous years. For a complete review of my state legislative record, please visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.

2007

AB 706: California Furniture Safety and Fire Prevention Act

This bill bans the use of all brominated and chlorinated fire retardants in upholstered furniture as well as bedding products such as pillows, comforters, and mattresses. These chemicals have been linked to a wide variety of health problems including cancer, birth defects and reproductive difficulties. The bill creates a smarter and improved fire-safety standard for furniture, while protecting our kids, workers, fire fighters, and others from potentially dangerous exposure to toxic chemicals.

AB 1056: California Ocean Protection Council (Leno & Huffman)

This bill authorizes the California Ocean Protection Council to establish a science advisory team to improve the Council’s ability to wisely spend $90 million in bond funds approved by the voters in 2006. It ensures that the Council’s decisions on ocean protection projects are informed by thorough research and scientific review.

AB 1451: Solar Exclusion Renewal

This bill renews a successful exclusion from property tax assessments for solar energy systems. The bill also clarifies that the first buyers of newly constructed homes equipped with solar energy systems are eligible for the exclusion from assessment. This exclusion for solar power was initially approved by the voters in 1980 and has helped make California an international leader in solar technology and installation.

AB 1358: Complete Streets Act

This bill prompts cities and counties to plan for the accommodation of all users of the roadway including motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, seniors, children, and the disabled. Planning for these accommodations before construction begins is cheaper than retrofitting existing infrastructure and will give Californians real options for getting out of their cars. The resulting reduction in vehicle miles traveled will reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions and help us meet standards set by AB 32.

2006

AB 2573: San Francisco Solar Power Expansion

This bill authorizes a power exchange between municipal solar power facilities with excess solar generation capacity and new municipal development sites which can use the excess solar-generated electricity.

2005

AB 749: Local Dungeness Crab Industry Protection

This bill grants authority to the State Fish and Game Commission to regulate the crab fishing industry and establishes trap limits, in an effort to protect the long-term sustainability of the crab fishermen, local businesses and the Dungeness crab species.

AB 1099: Solar Tax Exemption

This bill removes the sunset clause on a tax exemption for the construction or addition of solar energy systems on public or private buildings.

AB 1147: Industrial Hemp Production

Current law allows hemp to be imported into California for manufacturing a wide array of consumer goods and products, but prohibits hemp from being grown in the state. This bill would remove that prohibition, providing California farmers with an environmentally friendly alternative that requires fewer pesticides and less water than many other crops.

2004

AB 594: Implementation of Proposition B, the Solar Revenue Bond

This measure closes a loophole in state law to allow the City of San Francisco to implement Proposition B, the solar revenue bond supported overwhelmingly by San Francisco voters. Currently, San Francisco can build solar power projects like Moscone Center that supply power directly to an on-site facility. AB 594 allows the City of San Francisco to build projects on remote government properties and supply power through net-metering, expanding the possibilities for building solar power facilities.

AB 1684: Clean up of AB 1685 relating to the Self Generation Incentive Program

This measure is a technical clean up of AB 1685, a bill passed last year which extended the Self-Generation Incentive Program to 2008. AB 1684 is a minor technical clean up and was voted unanimously out of the Assembly and will be heard in the Senate Energy Committee this June.

AB 2146: Dungeness Crab Industry Pilot Project

AB 2146 will ensure the livelihood of family-owned, small-to-medium crab boat owners and operators. These traditional, small businesses are in danger of losing their place in an industry of larger, more equipped boats and processors. AB 2146 would limit the number of crab traps used for the take of Dungeness crab to 250 traps per vessel beginning October 1, 2005 through October 1, 2007. Additionally this measure would authorize the Fish and Game Commission to adopt regulations as may be necessary to ensure the protection of the Dungeness Crab Industry.

2003

AB 1684: Elimination of Exit Fees

Last September, AB 58 (Keeley) expanded the State’s net metering law. Although the utilities were ultimately unsuccessful in their effort to thwart the bill, they succeeded in inserting some language that allows exit fees to be charged to net-metered customers. Correcting this flaw and protecting solar customers from exit fees will provide an important incentive for solar installations in a way that is revenue-neutral to the utilities and does not impact the general fund.

AB 1685: CPUC Reauthorization of Self-Generation Incentive Program

The California Public Utilities Self-Generation Incentive Program is a critically important subsidy for the growth of solar energy in California. Most of the large solar projects in California, including the $7.4 million solar rooftop at the Moscone Center, have received this subsidy. The program is mandated by the CPUC but administered by the utilities. AB 1685 would re-authorize the program.

-Mark