Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a climate-spending bill worth more than $15 billion Thursday, Sept. 23, directing money to everything from zero-emission school buses to smarter agricultural practices to projects aimed at helping people in urban areas survive life in “heat islands.”
Explaining his rationale at the edge of a fire zone in the Sequoia National Forest, Newsom said the spending is essential as California adjusts to the “sobering challenges of extreme weather patterns.” In California, climate change now shapes everything from the size and impact of wildfires to the seemingly relentless drought that threatens to cripple the state’s agricultural production.
“We have a responsibility in California to get things done because we are the tip of the spear,” Newsom said.
The bills will support previously agreed upon (and financed) proposals that have been fleshed out since July, when Newsom signed the $262.5 billion state budget.
While the bills don’t represent new spending, some Republicans have criticized the package for not including money for water storage projects, such as new reservoirs. In 2014, California voters approved about $2.7 billion for water storage projects but, to date, no reservoirs have been built.
But the bill signed Thursday – which Newsom described as the biggest environmental package in state history – touches a range of other water- and climate-related projects that figure to play out over the next several years. These include:
• About $1.5 billion in wildfire prevention, spending that reflects a shift in strategy for a state that traditionally has focused on fighting fires after they start.
In recent years, that strategy has been unable to keep pace with rising fire risks brought about by climate-related heat and drought. Six of the 10 biggest fires in state history have happened over the past two years.
Newsom and other state officials said the money will help clear dead trees and brush that start fires and make them more intense. It also will be used to hire inspectors who’ll make sure homes and other buildings near fire zones monitor the fire resistance of homes and other buildings in and near fire zones.
The spending comes on top of agreements signed earlier this year to hire nearly 1,400 new firefighters and buy a dozen aircraft for use in fighting fires.
“Expanding our up-front proactive actions is essential to address the wildfire risks we now face,” said Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency.
• About $5.2 billion over three years to support short-term drought response and long-term water conservation and resilience.
Among other things, the money could finance new and existing water recycling projects. Recycling is gaining popularity as water agencies look to match the success of a long-running program at the Orange County Water District that uses a three-step process to turn sewage water into drinking water.
It’s unclear if the money approved Thursday could be used by water districts that might sign on as customers of a proposed desalination project off of Huntington Beach that would turn ocean water into drinking water.
Some of the drought-related spending approved Thursday also could be used to help preserve wildlife and restore habitat.
• About $3.7 billion to be spent over three years to address the effects of extreme heat in California.
Projects in this category include tree planting and other projects to boost green space in urban areas, as well as projects that can mitigate so-called “heat islands” that now plague much of the Inland Empire and eastern Los Angeles County.
Though the state has only started to study heat islands, federal studies have found that urban centers with lots of cars, people and poor air quality – as well as fewer trees and greenbelts – can be up to 6 degrees hotter than surrounding communities experiencing similar weather conditions. According to the National Weather Service, heat killed more people over the last 30 years than any other weather condition.
Heat-related spending approved Thursday also would fund the state’s Climate Action Corps, which supports projects in disadvantaged communities.
• About $1.1 billion for what the governor’s office described as “climate smart” agriculture, which includes changes to farming practices that promote healthy soil management and reduce methane pollution from livestock. Money also could help farms switch out old equipment for newer, cleaner replacements.
The agricultural spending also could expand programs that help lower-income residents, seniors and others get better access to healthy food.
• About $3.9 billion to boost zero-emission vehicle use. Money in this category would finance at least 1,000 zero-emission “drayage” trucks – the vehicles that haul goods out of ports in places like Los Angeles and Long Beach to rail and warehousing operations in places like Inland Empire – as well as 2,000 new zero-emission school buses and commuter buses.
The zero-emission spending push comes almost a year to the day after Newsom signed an executive order to phase out gas- and diesel-powered vehicles with zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
Spending announced Thursday also could help people replace older, gas-powered cars and trucks with zero-emission vehicles.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Source: Orange County Register
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