Brian Dahle on Energy & Oil

Forest management not climate change is cause of wildfires

• The ISSUE: Forest fires emit more carbon emissions than all the cars on the road for an entire year. None of those emissions are counted by the state.
• The TRUTH: Climate change is not the primary cause of California's recent super fires.
• The PLAN: Scientists outside of political organizations say that poor forest management is a more significant factor [for climate change] in the onslaught of wildfires. We must manage our forests and end these carbon-producing disasters.

Energy goal: 100% reliable, affordable electricity

• The ISSUE: California consumers pay electricity rates 60 percent higher than the national average.
• The TRUTH: Sticking consumers with ever-higher bills for a power grid that regularly fails them is no way to save the planet.
• The PLAN: We need to pause the regulators' demands to reinvent the power supply based on an arbitrary schedule. How about these utility goals? 100% percent reliable electricity. 100% percent affordable electricity.

NO on Charge Ahead: 1,000,000 zero-emission vehicles by 2023

Existing law provide vouchers to help California fleets to purchase hybrid and zero-emission trucks and buses. This bill would establish the Charge Ahead California Initiative, to place in service at least 1,000,000 zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles by January 1, 2023, and to increase access for disadvantaged, low-income, and moderate-income communities to zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles.

Legislative Outcome: 8/27/14: Passed Assembly, 53-24-2, including NAY vote by Brian Dahle ; 8/28/14: Passed Senate, 26-11-3; 9/21/14: signed by Gov. Brown.

Against $48M for funding hybrid and zero-emission vehicles

• Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program for the purposes of funding projects related to improvement of air quality.
• The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project promotes the production and use of zero-emission vehicles and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project to help California fleets to purchase hybrid and zero-emission trucks and buses.
• This bill would loan $30,000,000 to the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project.
• This bill would loan $10,000,000 to be expended only for the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Air Quality Loan Program.
• This bill would appropriate $8,000,000 to be expended for the purposes of the enhanced fleet modernization program.

Status:Passed House, 53-20-5; passed Senate 27-10-2; signed by Governor, 9/28/2013. (Brian Dahle voted NAY).

Slow down fracking until scientific study is completed

• This bill would require, by 2015, an independent scientific study on well stimulation treatments, including acid well stimulation & hydraulic fracturing.
• Regulates disposition of well stimulation fluids.
• The bill requires a permit prior to performing a well stimulation treatment.
• Requires a supplier claiming trade secret protection for the chemical composition of additives used in a well stimulation treatment to disclose the composition to the division.

Status: Passed House, 54-20-4; passed Senate 29-8-2; Brian Dahle voted YES; signed by Gov.Brown, 9/20/2013

OnTheIssues Explanation:"Fracking" extracts more oil and gas from otherwise non-productive wells. Controversies includes that fracking causes earthquakes (hence the "scientific study"), and issues about disposal of the large volumes of potentially toxic liquids used. This bill slows the implementation of fracking.