Category Archives: Climate change

Letter from PDB Chair Ralph Dennis – Support Assembly Bill 40 on fossil fuel phase out

Dear PDB members and friends –

Ralph Dennis, PDB Chair

I received the notice below from 350 BayArea regarding this proposed legislation.  PDB is working with 350 BayArea Action to track climate-change-related bills in the current CA Legislative Session.  AB 40 is one of the bills we support and here we are asking for your letters of support to our Assemblymember, Tim Grayson.  See more and take action below.

Ralph Dennis, Chair, PDB


From 350 Bay Area Action:

We are all in a key position to make a big difference in fighting climate chaos, because we live in the Assembly district of Tim Grayson – who sits on the Assembly Transportation Committee. The Transportation Committee will be hearing testimony on AB40 very soon.

Please send him this letter urging him to vote yes on AB40 asap!

AB40 would require the State of California Air Resources Board (CARB) to draw up a plan to phase out fossil fuel vehicles by 2040.

AB40 is the successor to AB1745, which came before the Assembly Transportation Committee in 2018, but did not have the votes to move on. AB1745 called for phasing out fossil fuel vehicles by 2040. AB40 takes a two-step approach—first have the CARB develop a feasible plan, and then vote on that plan in 2021.

Show your support for the transition to clean energy here.

As climate activists we understand that climate science is telling us that we have to move even faster than the dates that these bills dictate. However, AB40 would give us a foot in the door, and set a clear market signal that we have to eliminate fossil fuel vehicles. Hopefully, this will stimulate automakers to move quickly into making zero emission vehicles (electric or fuel cell).

We hope you send this letter! Assemblymembers really pay attention to letters from their constituents!

You can read the full text of AB40 here. Please let us know if you have any questions about AB40 or other ways we can cut greenhouse gases from transportation.

Thanks for your support,

Jack Fleck and Elena Engel

350 Bay Area Transportation Campaign

[email protected]

DNC execs reverse course on banning donations from fossil fuel companies

From an email, ClimateTruth.org Action
[Progressive Dems and independents need to hear about this – and sign the petition!  We sure hope Senators Harris and Feinstein, and Rep. Mike Thompson will join us in saying no to oil and gas campaign contributions.]

From: Brant Olson, ClimateTruth.org Action
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2018 5:29 PM
Subject: DNC execs just undid its fossil fuel money ban

Dear [name],

The DNC just reversed course on banning donations from fossil fuel companies, turning its back on those living with the impacts of climate change and fossil fuel extraction every day — as well as the more than 950 candidates nationwide that our community recruited to sign the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge.

DNC executives are keeping quiet about the Friday night vote — they know taking polluter money isn’t a good look for the Party — but resistance from DNC membership is growing and the press is beginning to take notice.

By ringing the alarm now, we can hold the DNC accountable to its values, and force a new vote during the DNC’s Summer Meeting in Chicago in two weeks.

Sign the petition to demand that the DNC reject contributions from fossil fuel companies!

The DNC’s Executive Committee voted on a resolution sponsored by Chairman Tom Perez. The resolution is framed in terms of supporting workers, but welcomes “the longstanding and generous contributions of… [energy industry] political action committees” and declares support for an “all of the above” energy policy.

Supporting workers as we transition to clean energy is absolutely essential — but taking money from fossil fuel industry PACs is the wrong way to do it. The ban on fossil fuel company money adopted by the DNC just two months ago didn’t limit unions and employees from donating to the Party — so the only effect of Friday’s resolution was to re-open DNC coffers to fossil fuel company PACs.

Elizabeth Warren and others are already standing up to oppose the DNC’s vote — a testament to the months of work by thousands in our community to push this issue to the top of the national conversation.

Sign the petition to DNC Chairman Tom Perez to demand that the DNC keep fossil fuel money out!

Together, we’ve built the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge from a good idea into a juggernaut that’s changing the 2018 elections for the better. Let’s be sure the DNC leads, follows, or gets out of our way.

Truthfully,

Brant, Amanda, Matt and the rest of the ClimateTruth.org team.

MORE INFORMATION:

“Democratic National Committee Proposes Reversing Its Ban On Fossil Fuel Donations,” Huffington Post, 8-10-2018
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dnc-fossil-fuel-donations_us_5b6dddd4e4b0530743c9ca67

“Resolution Reaffirming the DNC’s Unwavering Commitment to Workers and Unions in Industries that Power the American Economy, and Expressing the Democratic Party’s Appreciation of their Profound Contributions to Our Party, Our Nation’s Economy, and Our Way of Life,” Tom Perez, 8-10-2018
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/b575b9e5364b5673b6f9df3f1/files/222d3906-d801-4d69-8ed6-5e34991ced18/Exec_Labor_Resolution_8.10.18.pdf

PAID FOR BY OCUSA, WWW.OILCHANGEUSA.ORG, NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE, CANDIDATE’S AUTHORIZED POLITICAL COMMITTEE, OR CANDIDATE’S AGENTS.

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