California is taking the national lead in the fight against climate change. This week, Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order that, among other things:

• Establishes the goal for 100% of new cars and passenger trucks sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035;
• Establishes the goal of having 100% of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission vehicles by 2045, where feasible;
• Directs relevant state agencies to develop strategies, recommendations and actions to manage and speed up the responsible closure and remediation of former oil extraction sites as California transitions to a carbon-neutral economy, and:
• Directs relevant state agencies to provide a stringent, science-based health and safety draft rule to protect communities and workers from the impacts of oil extraction activities by the end of the year.

The goal of shifting away from diesel and gas-powered cars and our reliance on oil is a challenging one but undoubtedly necessary. Our entire district stands to benefit greatly from these ambitious new measures as most of our cities and neighborhoods are deeply impacted by vehicular emissions that come from the transportation corridor that we all either work-in or live near to. The transportation sector is responsible for more than half of all of California’s carbon pollution, 80 percent of smog-forming pollution and 95 percent of toxic diesel emissions - all while communities in the Los Angeles Basin and Central Valley see some of the dirtiest and most toxic air in the country. These type of emissions are largely responsible for climate change, wildfires, for respiratory diseases and other negative health impacts on our community. As we have witnessed over the past few weeks, climate change is real and must be taken seriously and addressed with urgency.

The time is now to make the changes we need in order to have cleaner air and healthy communities. I am proud of our state’s initiative to help protect our environment and I stand committed to fight against climate change and to protect the air we breathe. As your state Senator, I will be working on your behalf and with all interested parties to help implement these measures in a comprehensive manner that protects our communities and promotes our economic vitality.

If you have any suggestions, questions or comments regarding these new state measures, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (562) 256-7921 or email me at Senator.Gonzalez@senate.ca.gov. 

All my best,
Lena Gonzalez
33rd State Senate District