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Comment 184 for General Comments for the GHG Scoping Plan (sp-general-ws) - 1st Workshop.


First Name: Jenny
Last Name: Huston
Email Address: jhuston@bayareacs.org
Affiliation: BACS

Subject: AB 32 Scoping Plan: Sustainable and local food systems reduce carbon emissions
Comment:
RE: AB 32 Scoping Plan: Sustainable and local food systems reduce
carbon emissions 

Dear Chairperson Nichols and Members of the California Air
Resources Board,
 
I am writing on behalf of BACS to urge you to take a more
comprehensive and effective approach to addressing the role of
sustainable agriculture and local food systems in the state’s
strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

We call on the Air Resources Board, the California Department of
Food and Agriculture, and city and county governments to adopt a
wide range of policy, regulatory, research and funding measures
that support: 
 
• Organic, water-and-energy-efficient sustainable farming 
  practices; 

• Local food production, distribution and consumption, 
  especially to meet the needs of under served low-income 
  communities; and

• On farm production of wind and solar energy. 
 
These practices will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide
many additional benefits, including increased tax revenue for
cities and counties, better air and water quality, improved farm
worker and public health, reduced medical costs, and the creation
of local green collar jobs.  Further, one recent paper concluded
that “Organic, sustainable agriculture that localizes food systems
has the potential to mitigate nearly thirty percent of global
greenhouse gas emissions and save one-sixth of global energy use.”
 
 
We understand that there are a range of regulatory and market
based options available to the State Government to curb greenhouse
gas emissions.  Given their lack of effectiveness in other regions,
we do not support Cap and Trade and Cap and Auction-based
approaches. We are supportive of approaches that: 
 
• Effectively, rapidly and efficiently reduces carbon emissions 
  in the timeframe outlined by law;

• Do not increase the emissions of other health harming 
  pollutants;

• Have strong enforcement mechanisms, including criminal and 
  civil consequences for entities that violate regulations, as
  well as large emitters of carbon pollution

• Ensure we transition completely away from a fossil-fuel based 
  economy that disproportionately harms low-income communities 
  and communities of color to one that is efficient and run on 
  sustainable energy technologies;

• Are democratic, meaning that Californians have a say in all 
  major efforts to reduce carbon emissions;

• Support early and current adopters of low-carbon practices, 
  such as today’s organic farmer and cities and counties e
  nacting carbon action plans, and 

• Do not give away free or drastically cost-reduced polluting 
  rights to big polluters.

We look forward to an implementation of the California Global
Warming Solutions Act that supports a low-carbon, sustainable and
just food system with meaningful, effective and democratic
regulatory approaches.

Yours Sincerely,

J. Huston, MA, CEC, CDM, CFPP

Attachment:

Original File Name:

Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2008-08-01 13:08:56



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