News Release

For Immediate Release: March 5, 2010
Source: Californians for Clean Energy and Jobs (www.NoOnValero.com)
Contact: Steve Maviglio, steven_maviglio@yahoo.com, 916-607-8340

ENVIRONMENTAL, CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATES PROTEST VALERO INITIATIVE

SACRAMENTO -- A coalition of environmental and clean energy advocates today protested outside a Sacramento Valero gas station to attack the Texas-based company for bankrolling an initiative that would weaken California's clean air laws.

Valero is funding a proposed initiative for the November ballot that would effectively kill the state's landmark anti-pollution law, AB 32. The environmental and clean energy leaders say that the oil company, which has a refinery in Benicia, is behind the initiative, which will also destroy the state's fast-growing green economy -- more than 3,000 businesses and $5 billion in investments in a clean energy future for the state.

“We don't need Texas oilmen coming into California, peddling their pollution and preventing our progress on clean energy,” said Charlotte Glennie, Global Warming Associate, Environment California.

“These Texas oil companies should invest their windfall profits in cleaning up their fuels and refineries instead of perverting our initiative process to buy themselves a bailout,” said Bill Magavern, Director, Sierra Club California.

“This proposal would take a wrecking ball to our state's clean air laws," said Nidia Bautista, Policy Director, Coalition for Clean Air.  “It would undo much of the progress we are making protecting public health and moving towards a clean energy economy.”

The protesters said they would step up pressure against the Texas-based oil company at its retail outlets throughout northern California.

According to a recent University of California study, AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, would generate 112,000 jobs and increase the state's economy by $20 billion.

Valero was named one of the worst polluters in the U.S. (Source: The Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts, http://www.peri.umass.edu/Toxic-100-Table.265.0.html).  The company was hit with $711 million in fines by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2005.

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