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T he C oast News - I nland E dition
AUG. 24, 2018
Opinion & Editorial
Views expressed in Opinion & Editorial do not reflect the views of The Coast News
Trump poses threat to California’s pollution standards, clean air efforts
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Legislature must act on wildfires By Marie Waldron
This past year some of the worst wildfires in California history have killed 52 people, destroyed thousands of homes and scorched an area larger than greater Los Angeles. Surviving the Cedar (273,246 acres/ 2,820 structures), Witch (197,990 acres/ 1,650 structures), Cocos, Paradise and Lilac fires in San Diego has taught us a lot. Helping victims is our immediate priority, but we must develop policies that will prevent future mega-fires. Utilities, insurance companies, attorneys are all actively involved in the Capitol. They all have proposals that, not surprisingly, pass the costs on to others — you. The public needs to be heard as well. California has the
toughest environmental standards, but our successes in reducing greenhouse gas emissions have been wiped out by the tons of carbon dioxide spewed by these wildfires! Our fuel load is off the charts. The threat of wildfires is growing by the day as millions of dead trees are filling our forests with fuel, vegetation management is lacking, and the high cost of water and storage in Southern California has allowed previously irrigated farmlands and groves to become dry tinder. I recall during the Guejito Fire (1993), the healthy avocado grove across the street from my home helped reduce spreading. We must also encourage cooperation between federal, state and local governments, tribes and individual landowners.
A large percentage of our state is government land. Of the $4.1 billion spent through California’s capand-trade program, as of 2016-17 only 2 percent has been used for fire prevention and response activities. Compare that with billions of dollars spent fighting fires and rebuilding. The Legislature adjourns for the year at the end of August. Interest groups can continue to put their stakes in the ground, but every minute delaying a real comprehensive plan puts us all at risk. Minority Floor Leader Marie Waldron, R-Escondido, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes Escondido, San Marcos and Vista.
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Back to school: Safety tips for families
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By Madeleine Baudoin
t’s that time of year again. As another summer comes to a close in San Diego, parents and kids alike are getting their “back to school” plans together — but preparing your kids for a new school year means more than just shopping for supplies. As the Government and Public Affairs Manager for American Medical Response (AMR), I want to remind everyone to keep safety in mind as children and families get back into the school routine. Here are some “back to school” safety tips that will help your children have a safe and healthy school year. First, if your child bikes to school, talk to them about the importance of always wearing a helmet and help them plan a safe route to school. You can even practice it with them so they develop strong traffic safety skills. Children who walk to school should be familiar with what traffic signals, signs and pavement markings they will encounter, and what they mean. They should only use sidewalks, never enter streets from between obstacles like parked cars, and look both ways before crossing. For those driving around school zones, be alert — children are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks. In fact, more children are injured by cars during September than any other month. When driving through a school zone, remember to obey the speed limit and stop completely at stop signs and crosswalks.
If you are a daily commuter and not a parent picking up or dropping off, try to avoid school zones altogether by choosing a different route. There’s safety in numbers, too: Children who walk to school should travel in groups if possible. All should know to avoid talking to strangers, get distance between themselves and a stranger who approaches them, and tell you or a teacher about any incident that makes them feel uncomfortable. Since more and more children are using mobile devices, it’s also important to make sure your kids practice basic safety and common sense when using theirs. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings and keep their eyes off their phones while walking, especially when crossing the street. For teens driving to school, make sure they know: no texting, games, social media, or talking on the phone while driving — by California law, drivers under 18 are prohibited from using a cellphone while they drive, even when equipped with a hands-free device. By following these simple tips, you can help your family have a much safer and healthier school year ahead. For more information on back to school safety, visit the National Safety Council at nsc.org. Madeleine Baudoin is the Government and Public Affairs Manager for American Medical Response, the largest paramedic company in San Diego, which has been in operation here for more than 60 years.
alifornians interested in keeping this state’s toughest-in-the-world standards for automotive smog pollution heaved a sigh of relief just over one year ago, when the federal Environmental Protection Agency reversed an earlier decision to impose new national ozone standards on all cars sold in America. That relief turns out to have been premature. For on the same day this summer that the petulant and thin-skinned President Trump began revoking security clearances from former government officials who have criticized him, his EPA also announced plans to end California’s authority for setting its own smog standards. That will take some doing, of course, because the federal Clean Air Act signed by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1970 specifically gives California that power. Yes, the state must get EPA waivers to take particular actions, but the landmark law makes that virtually automatic. And 13 other states now regularly adopt California’s anti-smog regulations soon after they become effective here, with Colorado poised to make it 14. All those states are joining California in resisting the EPA’s latest threat. Many foreign countries with smog problems — Greece, France and Germany, for three examples — have also adopted most California regulations. Of course, every time California proposes a new regulation, carmakers like General Motors, Toyota and Daimler-Benz claim their sales will drop due to costs of the change. But more than 2 million cars and trucks were sold in California last year, a record. And sales in the other states using California rules are also solid.
and more serious than any other state’s. For sure, if the new Trump plan goes forward, it will slow the pace of automotive cleanups long set by California’s Air Resources Board. thomas d. elias One serious question, Still, Trump aides argue since automaker warnings they would be even better of diminished profits and if prices were cut via less sales due to smog regularegulation. tion have never panned When President out, is whether Trump is George W. Bush tried to merely being vengeful deny a waiver for greenin going after California house gas regulation in despite his Republican early 2008, he lost in court. Party’s longstanding supBut today’s U.S. Supreme port for state’s rights. Court has a different — After all, this state largely anti-regulation voted against him by about — majority, so there’s a 3 million votes in 2016 possibility Trump could and he remains abysmalultimately win on this ly unpopular here. The issue, despite what the law suspicion that he’s merely says. The best hope for seeking revenge by trying California and its cohort to reduce the quality of of cooperating states is to life here is fueled by his keep their lawsuit going for consistent targeting of at least two years, betting any person or country that Trump will lose in 2020. dares criticize or oppose Over the decades, him. California’s unique auNo, say supporters of thority produced the first his proposed change. “The primitive smog control administration is fulfilling devices, catalytic conits commitment to reinverters, hybrids like the state midterm evaluation strong-selling Toyota Prius, of future fuel economy and plug-in hybrids, electric greenhouse gas standards,” cars and the current first said Mitch Bainwol, head generation of super-clean of the Alliance of Autohydrogen-powered vehimobile Makers, which incles. Just as important has cludes GM, Fiat-Chrysler, been a steady reduction in Ford, Mitsubishi and Daimautomotive smog, allowing ler-Benz, among others. residents of many urban The bottom line: areas once covered with Scaling back today’s rules murky brown air to see would put America far nearby mountain ranges behind other countries in and breathe significantly seeking reduced depencleaner air. dence on oil and gasoline. Now the EPA threatGermany and France, for ens to revoke California’s example, will ban sales of authority to limit carbon all gas-powered cars with emissions from tailpipes in the next two to three and force carmakers to decades. sell specific percentages The proposed Trump of zero-emission vehicles move would not only run here, thus reversing major counter to the Clean Air advances. Act, but also would move America backward enviTrump, with support ronmentally while making from a few automakers, it a less healthy country to wants uniform national live in than it is today. smog standards, despite the Clean Air Act’s recEmail Thomas Elias ognition that California at tdelias@aol.com. smog problems are unique
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