The San Jose Mercury News reports:
California lawmakers on Tuesday planned to unveil a package of bills to significantly expand renewable energy use in California, cut gasoline use by 50 percent and require the state's major government pension funds to sell off investments in coal companies.
The four measures, proposed by Democratic leaders in the state Senate, mirror many of the goals set out by Gov. Jerry Brown in his State of the State speech last month. Expected to be opposed by oil companies and praised by environmental groups, the bills would extend California -- which already had the nation's toughest climate and renewable energy laws -- to a new level in setting environmental policy for other states.
Given that Democrats have large majorities in both the Senate and the Assembly, their prospects for passage are considered high.
Guess who's behind it all?
Although many industry leaders were waiting for the formal rollout of the bills to comment, billionaire Tom Steyer, a former San Francisco hedge fund manager who has helped fund efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollution, praised the measures.
"These are achievable policy proposals that will create good-paying green jobs here in California, mitigate the impact of climate change, and leave a cleaner, safer, more stable world for the next generation," Steyer said.
Tom Steyer declares war on the middle class getting cheap energy.
