After Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders suffered major setbacks on climate bills earlier this week, lawmakers on Friday sent a less sweeping greenhouse gas reduction measure to the governor.
“Taking carbon out of the modern economy requires heroic efforts and tireless struggle,” Brown said in a statement. “We have the technological means and now we have the legal mandate to reduce carbon pollution.”
In votes whose broad margins belied the intense struggle that came before, lawmakers approved what remained of Senate Bill 350 after the bill was stripped of a proposal to require a 50 percent reduction in petroleum use in motor vehicles by 2030. The Senate approved the measure 26-12 and Assembly members advanced the narrowed measure on a 51-26 vote, with Republicans David Hadley and Catharine Baker voting aye.
If signed by Brown, as expected, the bill will require California to increase to 50 percent from one-third the proportion of electricity the state derives from renewable sources and would seek to double energy efficiency in natural gas and electricity use.
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