Legislation aimed at gas leak and renewable energy storage

My SB 886 would encourage energy providers and consumers to increase the use of energy storage systems that would store power generated by renewable resources such as solar.

June was a long and busy month in the Legislature. After completing our work on the budget, just two weeks remained before the deadline for policy committees to review and act on bills to be considered this year – and Senate committees had to deal with nearly 1,000 bills that had come over from the Assembly.

But it was a productive month.

We continued to move forward with our work to implement the lessons learned from the Aliso Canyon disaster. It is clear we need a more proactive approach to ensuring safety at natural gas storage facilities, and that we also need to take action to reduce our risky over-reliance on natural gas as a fuel source.

My two bills to act on those lessons advanced out of Assembly committees and I am hopeful we will be able to secure passage by summer’s end.

SB 887 sets new minimum standards for gas storage wells statewide and improves deficiencies in how operators respond to leaks. It changes the safety paradigm from one of looking for existing leaks to proactively evaluating wells to prevent leaks. In addition, it contains requirements for automatic shutoff systems and enhanced training of workers at storage facilities. And, for the first time, it would task the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment with developing a science-based method to calculate safe setback distances of gas storage wells from homes, schools and other sensitive facilities.

That last point underscores another lesson learned from a disaster that forced 8,000 people to be relocated from their homes and the closure of two neighborhood schools: We need smarter land-use planning that does not allow for urban development in close proximity to inherently dangerous natural gas storage fields.

As for reducing our reliance on natural gas, my SB 886 would encourage energy providers and consumers to increase the use of energy storage systems, such as batteries, that would store power generated by renewable resources so that it would be available at all times.

Because renewable resources generate intermittent power – wind turbines can’t generate power when the air is still and solar panels don’t produce electricity at night – better storage systems are necessary to ensure the consistent reliability of California’s electrical grid.

By enabling renewable energy to be used 24/7, we can make it so no one will be held hostage if we run short of one fuel source.

SB 886 requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to determine appropriate storage targets for all investor-owned utilities and energy service providers to be achieved by 2030. It also requires utilities to propose new incentive programs to encourage customers to install energy storage systems.

In another development related to Aliso Canyon, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders announced agreement on a package of bills to reform the CPUC. Among the reforms will be provisions to make the agency’s actions more transparent and responsive to community concerns.

The CPUC had been criticized for what critics said was lax oversight and having a too-cozy relationship with energy companies it regulates. Much of that criticism focused on three high-profile events: the Aliso Canyon gas leak, the 2010 pipeline explosion in San Bruno, and the handling of the decommissioning of the San Onofre nuclear power plant.

SB 32 will update the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals

There’s a good reason the California Legislature has two-year sessions: sometimes it takes a full two years for a policy proposal to be refined so that it can provide the maximum benefit to the state.

Such has been the case with SB 32, my bill to establish in law a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the year 2030.

After months of discussion and refinement, it was approved by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on June 27 and now appears to be headed for consideration by the full Assembly in August, the final month of the two-year session.

On its own, putting the emissions reduction target into law would accomplish a lot.

It would unambiguously reaffirm California’s commitment to maintaining its leadership in the global challenge to prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change. It would send an unmistakable message to investors, innovators and entrepreneurs that California will remain the most desirable place in the world to develop and put people to work deploying the clean-energy power sources, vehicles and fuels that markets all around the world are hungering for in the 21st century. And by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2030, it would result in cleaner, healthier air.

But there is a growing realization that our climate policies must do even more. They must recognize that people who live in disadvantaged communities – neighborhoods in which sources of pollution have historically been concentrated – should in the future benefit the most from our policies to roll back and mitigate climate pollution.

That realization is now incorporated in SB 32, which has been joined with a measure by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, AB 197. Together, they create what a representative of the California Environmental Justice Alliance described in committee testimony as “a two-part policy package” that will both reduce climate pollution and also ensure that those who have been most harmed will benefit from both a healthier environment and the creation of job opportunities in the clean energy sector.

Business developments over the last few months have underscored the economic opportunities made possible when innovators respond to clear market signals. One shining example is AltAir Paramount, which employs 65 workers at a previously idled petroleum refinery. It began delivery on a contract with United Airlines to provide up to 15 million gallons of biofuel over the next three years. The fuel is now being used by United at LAX, marking the first time non-petroleum fuels have been integrated into commercial aviation. The jets powered by it are emitting 60 percent fewer GHG emissions.

Passage of SB 32 and AB 197 will ensure that investment will continue to flow to companies poised to prosper in the 21st century economy.

There is much work to be done between now and the end of August, but I am hopeful we can put SB 32 and AB 197 on the governor’s desk – and in the process send a strong market signal that will propel continuing investment in California’s thriving clean-energy economy.

Old Fire rips through Calabasas and Topanga Canyon

Residents of Topanga Canyon and their animals were evacuated during the height of the Old Fire.

Local firefighters performed heroically against the fast-moving Old Fire over the weekend of June 4-6, preventing destruction of all threatened structures except one, the headquarters of the Mountains Restoration Trust at Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Canyon Road. Calabasas City Manager Tony Coroalles has said that the city will rebuild it. Roughly 3,000 residents of Calabasas and Topanga Canyon were evacuated and spent a nervous 24 hours hoping their homes would be saved. They were, thanks to the excellent work of some 400 firefighters and inmate crews from throughout Southern California. Pets and horses were moved to the Agoura Animal Shelter and Pierce College, and residents were allowed to return home the evening of Sunday, June 4.

Los Angeles County Firefighter Gustavo Mendez was quoted as crediting residents for doing a good job of clearing brush around their homes, giving firefighters adequate defensible space around buildings and helping them save homes.

Because the public’s efforts are so critical to saving homes, we’re taking this opportunity to re-print safety tips from CAL FIRE and local fire departments, to help remind residents how to prepare for the next wildfire. The web links below provide more in-depth information.

1. Create and maintain an adequate defensible space. Establish a minimum 200-foot buffer area around your home. Routinely remove dead plant debris, grass, and weeds. Clear roofs and rain gutters. Ensure trees are a safe distance away from your home and chimneys. Keep trees and shrubs horizontally and vertically spaced apart within the buffer zone.
2. Harden your home. Build or remodel your home with materials that can help your home withstand flying embers that can find weak spots in your home’s structure.
3. Create a wildfire action plan. Prepare household members to act when a wildfire strikes. Identify evacuation routes, a safe meeting location, and an out-of-area contact for all communication. Shut off gas, electric, and water mains. Have and know how to use a fire extinguisher.
4. Assemble an emergency supply kit. Include essential items for all household members such as food/water, first-aid kit, prescriptions; clothes; flashlight and batteries; important documents; and portable radio.
5. Pre-evacuation steps. If time allows, these actions can help your home survive an approaching fire.
   • Indoor: Shut all windows and doors, leaving them unlocked; remove flammable window shades, curtains and close metal shutters; move furniture away from windows and doors; shut off gas, pilot lights, and air conditioning; and leave lights on so firefighters can see your house under smoky conditions or at night.
   • Outdoor: Move flammable items either indoors or place them in a pool; turn off propane tanks and move BBQs away from structures; turn off sprinklers to reserve water pressure for firefighters; leave a ladder out for firefighters to quickly access your roof; and patrol your property and monitor the fire situation.

Please see the links below for additional information.

• CAL FIRE: Wildlife is Coming. Are You Ready?http://www.readyforwildfire.org/being_ready
• City of Los Angeles Fire Department: Brush fire safety.http://lafd.org/fire_prevention/brush/introduction
• Los Angeles County Fire Department: Ready! Set! Go! Booklet.https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RSG-Booklet.pdf
• Ventura County Fire Department: Wildfire Preparedness Webpage.http://fire.countyofventura.org/Prevention/WildfirePreparedness/tabid/231/Default.aspx

Thank you to all the local residents and firefighters who worked together so effectively to prepare for wildfires, and thus were able to protect lives and property in our community.

Community celebrates grand opening of the Backbone Trail

On June 4 we celebrated the official opening of the 67-mile Backbone Trail which goes from Pacific Palisades to Malibu in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Participating were Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, David Szymanski of the National Park Service, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Assemblymembers Richard Bloom and Ben Allen, Joe Edmiston of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and fitness entrepreneur Betty Weider.

On June 4 I joined community members, civic leaders and elected representatives at the grand opening of the Backbone Trail at Will Rogers State Park. The celebration was the culmination of years of hard work and I was honored to participate.

Many people and government agencies made important contributions toward the trail’s completion. Key project partners included the National Park Service, California State Parks, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund and the Santa Monica Mountains Trail Council. The California Conservation Corps, L.A. Conservation Corps and Camp #13 in Malibu assisted in building and trail maintenance.

Finally, private donors and financial grants from local governments such as the City of Los Angeles completed the acquisitions necessary to finish the trail. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and fitness pioneer Betty Weider both contributed parcels of land.

The project is an amazing achievement and establishes protected open space in the middle of a very urban county. I have the honor of having more of the Backbone Trail in my district than any other elected official, so I have followed the gradual completion of the trail for many years. Witnessing the grand opening was thrilling and a proud moment for our community.

Sen. Ben Allen and I passed a joint resolution, SR 80, which declares the Backbone Trail an official interagency and state trail, and urges all affected public agencies to work collaboratively on the successful management of the trail in the years ahead.

Valley Advisory Council hears about energy reliability, homelessness

Guest speakers at my Valley Advisory Council were Tommy Newman, Director of Public Affairs for Los Angeles Family Housing; Kenneth Silver, Director, Power Supply Operations, for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; and Bill Powers of Powers Engineering.

Several weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown signed my SB 380 that ensured that no new injections of gas into the Aliso Canyon storage facility can take place until all wells have undergone safety testing, my Valley Advisory Council heard from local experts about the significance of the facility to energy reliability in Southern California. Bill Powers of Powers Engineering, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (LADWP) Power Supply Operations Director Kenneth Silver addressed the concerns regarding energy reliability in Los Angeles this summer.

The natural gas from Aliso Canyon is used by the LADWP to supply their gas-fired generating plants within the greater Los Angeles region. Aliso Canyon demonstrates the need to prioritize energy efficiency, local solar power, and other alternatives to better compensate for the loss of traditional energy sources. With or without Aliso Canyon, the demand on the power grid in the summer months is always of great concern.

LADWP continues to aggressively increase the amount of renewable energy (solar, wind and geothermal power) provided to area residents and businesses. They are on track to provide 33 percent renewable energy to customers by 2020, and are mandated to supply 50 percent renewables by 2030. In the short term, I am urging LADWP to continue working to connect homes to solar power.

The second half of the program addressed the growing homelessness crisis in the San Fernando Valley. Los Angeles Family Housing is taking the lead in coordinating with community, business, and government partners to address the issue. Their Director of Public Affairs, Tommy Newman, spoke about the group’s mission in providing permanent, affordable housing to individuals and families.

Homelessness is expensive. Los Angeles County spends close to $1 billion a year caring for and managing homeless people, according to a recent study. But the average annual cost to provide supportive housing for an individual is just $21,000, half the cost of managing that same individual on the street. This year’s state budget leveraged funds from Prop. 63 to construct permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless with mental illnesses.

Los Angeles Family Housing provides services to homeless individuals and families through transitional and permanent housing. They are currently upgrading their transitional shelter in North Hollywood to better support this population. To learn more, please visit www.lafh.org.

Workshop to focus on anticoagulant rodenticides

A free, half-day symposium on alternatives to anticoagulant rodenticides will be presented on Wednesday, July 20 from 9:30-12:30 p.m. at the Broome Library at CSU-Channel Islands. Both my office and the office of Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks will be sponsoring this look at the science behind effective alternatives for rodent control. Successful examples used at local farms and other facilities will be highlighted.

The event will feature experts and best practices from the UC Cooperative Extension, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Urban Ag Ecology, the National Park Service, County of Ventura, Oak Park Unified School District, Pepperdine University and Topa Mountain Ranch.

Scientific studies have shown that 95 percent of bobcats, 91 percent of mountain lions and 83 percent of coyotes have been exposed to rodenticides through feeding on other animals which have ingested the bait. This can lead to death and is known to cause mange, a skin disease in mammals. Children and pets are also at risk. Many other alternatives to these poisons are available.

If you would like to attend, RSVP to symposium@ventura.org or call (805) 214-2510.

Environmentally friendly dry cleaner in Thousand Oaks leads the way

Plaza Cleaners owner Cynthia Lee and employees Stephanie Osorio and Zahalledt Ordonez. The Thousand Oaks business won my June Sustainability Award.

Back in 2005, Plaza Cleaners in Thousand Oaks faced an ultimatum from their landlord: the toxic nature of their business was no longer suitable for the site and they would need to leave. Instead they looked into ways to keep their business intact and discontinue the use of perchloroethylene, a solvent used in the cleaning process. As it turns out, not only would their discovery process yield an environmentally friendly solution, it would encourage others to do the same.

Two years later, the business owned by the Lee family would be ahead of the curve as the California Air Resources Board adopted the Airborne Toxic Control Measure to phase out dry cleaners’ use of perchloroethylene by 2023. It is considered a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act and studies have also identified the chemical as a possible human carcinogen that can cause liver and kidney damage in rodents.

The Lees went to Germany and discovered a wet cleaning process that safely launders delicate and shrinkable fabrics. The German detergent is biodegradable and has no smell. The Miele washers use a minimal amount of water and sensors to detect load volume. Once the clothes are removed they are put on special stretching machines to pull them back into shape using hot air. They are then pressed and come out soft and without the smell usually associated with dry cleaning.

“For people who understand our process they stay loyal because they know their clothes are cleaner,” owner Cynthia Lee said.

Dry cleaning is actually a misnomer, Lee explained. The fabric in the traditional process is soaked in the chemical, which is removed and reused multiple times before it is safely disposed of through a waste management company.

Plaza Cleaners has been recognized by CoolCalifornia.org as an environmentally friendly business and also recently received recognition through the City of Thousand Oaks Green Business Program. I have selected them for my June Sustainability Award.

As a pioneer in this process in our area, they hosted a Professional Wet Cleaning Demonstration sponsored and videotaped by the UCLA Sustainable Technology & Policy Program. The demonstration videos are on the Plaza Cleaners website atwww.plazacleanersto.com.

Their green ways do not stop there, however. Plaza Cleaners also encourages customers to bring in reusable garment bags to cut down on the use of the plastic film cleaners normally send clothes home in. In fact, Lee said, they have reduced usage from six rolls to just one a month. They also recycle hangers.

Congratulations to Plaza Cleaners for their sustainable practices that not only take toxins out of the environment but also protect employees. “My employees have worked here a long time because they know they aren’t exposed to toxic chemicals,” Lee said.

Volunteer of the Month a role model for youth

Ishneet Singh is pictured with Boys & Girls Club Athletic Director Cecil Hammock and several of the children Ishneet has recently coached in basketball as a volunteer.

Ishneet Singh first came to the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley (Newhall Branch) three years ago as a senior at Valencia High School participating in the Hart Union High School District’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP). His responsibilities included tutoring young members, supervising activities and cleaning up around the facility.

Singh, or “Ish” as the kids affectionately call him, quickly built positive and effective relationships with the children and staff alike. After fulfilling his commitment under the ROP, he elected to continue volunteering for the organization, agreeing to serve as head coach of two basketball teams and assistant coach of a third team. He has since returned to coach for two more seasons, giving about 150 hours of his time each season to not only helping the young members craft their basketball skills, but working with them to develop broader life skills to use as they grow older.

These days, Singh balances his passion for volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club with his responsibilities as a college student enrolled at Pasadena City College studying Journalism, and now also as an intern at ESPN.

It is clear that Singh has become more than just a basketball coach to the young members at the Newhall Boys & Girls Club. He has become a role model.

I commend Singh for his service to the community and wish him success in his future endeavors.

Connecting with Constituents

Congratulations to Thousand Oaks Senior of the Year nominees Ed Craven, Margo King, Sue Linderman, Sydelle Lopez, Nancy Keller Nelson and Jim Seerden (Senior of the Year). Councilmember Al Adam, left, presented the awards on June 3 to honorees and their family members at the Goebel Adult Community Center.

As a Masters Degree graduate from CSU-Northridge, I was proud to help celebrate CSU Day in the Capitol on June 3. I have valued working with both President Richard Rush of CSU-Channel Islands and CSUN President Diane Harrison. Both our CSU and UC systems received modest increases in the budget just signed by the governor.

On June 7, the College Bound program hosted its fourth annual graduation ceremony at CSU-Northridge in honor of the Class of 2016. It was the largest number of College Bound graduates to date. College Bound recognized the achievements of 150 seniors who will graduate from high school and move on to attend colleges and universities in the fall.

Ken and Pamela Metz of Guide Dog Users of California stopped by my district office June 10 with their wonderful companions Gatsby and Cari to express their support for my SB 1331. The bill seeks to make a series of changes to the way the State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind operates, an effort to improve services for people who are blind or visually impaired and partner with guide dogs to help them move about safely, effectively and independently.

I always enjoy attending Heal the Bay’s annual fundraiser. This Santa Monica-based environmental organization focuses on policies and educational programs that help to clean up the bay. Nearly 1,000 people attended this year’s event on June 11 at the Jonathan Beach Club. Felicia Marcus received the Dorothy Green Award for her amazing work during last year’s drought and for protecting water quality as chair of the State Water Resources Control Board.

Students from Santa Rosa Magnet Technology School sang at a Flag Day ceremony held at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks June 14 in honor of Flag Day. Citizens were asked to drop off their worn flags all year and they were placed in a special chest and properly disposed of after the ceremony.

The Child & Family Center in Santa Clarita noted its 40th anniversary on June 17, and recognized L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich for his many years of support for the organization. From left are Lois Bauccio, president and executive director of the Child & Family Center Foundation; Supervisor Antonovich; and Joan Aschoff, president/CEO of the Child & Family Center.

The RUTH YouthBuild Class of 2016 celebrated their successes in building and strengthening their community on June 20 in Woodland Hills.

Local elected officials and their staff representatives turned out in force on June 22 to congratulate the City of Calabasas on the 25th anniversary of its incorporation – kicking off a weekend’s worth of festivities including the opening of the Calabasas Senior Center. In the front row, from left, are Calabasas City Councilmembers David Shapiro and Alicia Weintraub, Mayor James Bozajian, Mayor Pro Tem Mary Sue Maurer, Councilmember Fred Gaines and my staff member Sarah Tamor. In the back row, from left, are Jeff Reinhardt of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District; Dr. Dan Stepenosky, Superintendent of the Las Virgenes Unified School District; Calabasas City Manager Tony Coroalles; Hidden Hills Mayor Pro Tem Stuart Siegel; LVUSD Board Vice President Angela Cutbill; LVMWD Secretary Charles Caspary; Timothy Lippman, staff member for L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl; Malibu Mayor Laura Rosenthal; and staff members for Assemblymember Matt Dababneh and Congressman Ted Lieu.

Natural Beauty of the 27th District

Beauty is reflected everywhere. Photographer Jens Hompland captured this dramatic shot of the L.A. River in Canoga Park at sunset.