Comment Log Display

RE: Funding Guidelines for California Climate Investments – Cap &
Trade (C & T)

I understand your June 22, 2015 workshop concerning C & T funding
guidelines was informative.  I was unable to adjust my schedule on
short notice (6 days) in order to attend.  It is a five hour one
way trip from Bakersfield to Sacramento.  I was told the meeting
was sparsely attended.  

My first comment is that the remaining schedule needs to be
extended.   Written comments from the public are due today with
consideration by the Board on July 23, 2015 in Sacramento.  The
public comment period needs to be extended to allow time for
hosting at least one workshop in the Central Valley.  Especially in
the Bakersfield area where some of the worst air quality in the
state has been recorded.  Sometimes air quality is so bad children
are not allowed outdoors for recess.  Yet, you have failed to
provide a single southern Central Valley workshop.  

 There are a disproportionately large number of disadvantaged
communities in the greater Bakersfield area.  Affected communities
must be allowed to fairly participate to meet the requirements of
environmental justice.  Funded programs should be based on
community identified needs, not a need identified for them by an
agency.  

Community participation is essential because according to studies
by consultants (The Boston Consulting Group), residents will be
impacted by higher gasoline prices (an extra $0.49 to $1.83 per
gallon by 2020).  Others cite higher electricity costs resulting
from C & T.  

Projects need to be selected based on an objective evaluation
criteria to remove politically-driven approvals.  In this regard,
funding high-speed rail with C & T revenue needs to be
re-evaluated.  During the long construction schedule air quality
will be significantly worsened.  Borrowing C & T revenue for the
state’s general fund should be prohibited.  

Require qualifying projects to obtain a minimum level of GHG
reductions before 2020.

Require project descriptions show benefits to disadvantaged
communities.

Require all C& T allocated/appropriated revenue be used directly
for material or direct labor and not for administration or salaries
such as could be the case with money donated to a non-profit.