Legislation aims to reduce air and carbon pollution in Imperial Valley

Governor Jerry Brown testified on behalf of Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s legislative proposal yesterday.

Brown had some strong words on climate change and the possible consequences that can affect areas like the Imperial Valley.

“This bill will keep industry jobs in California where they are cleaner than any other state in the nation while making significant improvements that will insure we stay on track to meet our ambition climate change goals,” said Eduardo Garcia, Assemblymember of the 56th District.

Garcia is referring to AB 398, and together with AB 617, both measures will address vital issues of air quality and public health in disadvantaged communities.

“We are democratizing our climate change policies in California to be inclusive of the most vulnerable populations of our state,” added Garcia

Garcia and Brown also touched on the benefits of renewable energy and the threat of climate change.

“Renewable energy investments, climate change policies have helped us reduce that unemployment rate out in that area. The environmental circumstances of our region, the proximity to the border, exacerbate some of the air quality problems that have caused 7 out of 10 children to suffer from respiratory diseases,” explained Garcia.

“Climate change is real, it is a threat to organized human existence, maybe not in my life. But, most of you people, when i look out here, a lot of you people are going to be alive, and you’re going to be alive in a horrible situation, that you’re going to see mass migration, vector diseases, forest fires, southern California burning up, that’s real guys, that’s what the scientist of the world are saying,” said Jerry Brown, Governor of California.

Both measures successfully passed the senate environmental quality committee and will be voted on before the full senate come Monday.