Comment Log Display

August 1, 2008
 
Mary Nichols
California Air Resources Board
1001 “I” Street
PO Box 2817
Sacramento, Ca 95812

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 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. 

I 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.”
 
 
I 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.
I am 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
enacting carbon action plans, and 
 Do not give away free or drastically cost-reduced
polluting rights to big polluters.

I 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,
Douglas C. Estes