California Serving as a Clean Power Beacon - Podcast
This 90-minute conversation recorded on April 12, 2012 includes four senior officials discussing how California is forging ahead with its clean energy programs as many other states are easing off their own efforts. The state is advancing on renewable electricity and will soon fire up its carbon cap and trade regime. All four said California wants to be a leader in making sure that hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas is done in a way that protects fresh water resources.
Mike Peevey and Karen Ross agreed that California lags other states in converting farm and landfill waste to energy although John Laird says the state has been very successful in diverting trash from landfills to more productive uses. Matt Rodriquez acknowledged several legal challenges to the state's landmark climate law (AB 32) and said it enjoys broad public support, noting voters overwhelmingly validated it at the ballot box in 2010. Other topics include groundwater management, electric cars, competition in electricity markets, carbon offsets, and other sustainability issues in the age of climate disruption.
Panelists and guests at the Carbon Conference, left to right:
Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities
Commission; Linda Adams, former secretary of California
Environmental Protection Agency; Matt Rodriguez, secretary of
Calif. EPA; Karen Ross, secretary of California Department of Food
and Agriculture; John Laird, secretary of California Natural
Resources Agency; Greg Dalton, Climate One; and Gary Gero, head of
Climate Action Reserve.
California Serving as a Clean Power Beacon
Greg Dalton, Host, Climate One
John Laird, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Michael Peevey, President, California Public Utilities Commission
Matt Rodriquez, Secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency
Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Funding support from:
