By Associated Press - Monday, September 10, 2018

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on California climate policy (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown says he hopes a law he’s signed moving California toward eliminating fossil fuels for electricity will serve as a model for other state and national governments.

Brown is hosting a summit in San Francisco starting Wednesday that he hopes will “wake up the national leaders” on the need to confront climate change.

Brown’s remarks came Monday during an interview with The Associated Press after he signed the bill setting a goal of generating all California electricity from clean sources by 2045.

He says California is doing the opposite of the federal government when it comes to climate policy.

Brown also says moving toward a regional electric grid is critical to California meeting its goals. A proposal to do so failed in the Legislature this year.

__

12:35 p.m.

Not everyone is satisfied with Gov. Jerry Brown for setting a goal of phasing out fossil fuels from the state’s electricity grid by 2045.

The bill would not affect in-state oil and gas drilling.

Some environmentalists are pushing Brown to end new drilling permits. They are pledging to disrupt an international climate summit Brown is hosting in San Francisco later this week.

Consumer Watchdog and Food & Water Watch say they’ll air a television ad in which a young girl calls on Brown to shut down oil rigs.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows California is ranked sixth among states in crude oil production and 15th in natural gas, though production of both has declined since the mid-1980s.

Some business groups are also critical of the legislation, saying it sets impossible targets and could increase electric bills.

___

11:10 a.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown wants the state to remove as much carbon dioxide from the air as it emits.

An executive order signed by Brown on Monday directs the state to achieve “carbon neutrality” by no later than 2045. After that, he says the state should emit net negative greenhouse gas emissions.

Brown’s order is part of a package aimed at reducing California’s reliance on fossil fuels. A bill Brown signed Monday sets a goal of phasing out fossil fuels from the state’s electricity sector by 2045.

Brown is preparing to host a global climate summit in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The order directs several state agencies to set targets for artificially removing carbon dioxide from the air through a process known as “sequestration.”

__

10:15 a.m.

California would set a goal of phasing out all fossil fuels from the state’s electricity sector by 2045 under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Brown signed the measure Monday as he prepares to host a summit in San Francisco of climate change leaders from around the world later this week.

He has positioned California as a global leader in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The renewable energy measure also would require California’s utilities to generate 60 percent of their energy from wind, solar and other specific renewable sources by 2030. That’s 10 percent higher than the current mandate.

The state would then aim to use only carbon-free sources to generate electricity by 2045. It’s merely a goal, with no mandate or penalty for falling short.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide