Democratic lawmakers in California Thursday unveiled a package of bills aimed at slashing greenhouse gas emissions, but Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office warned the bills could undermine last year’s landmark greenhouse gas legislation

SAN FRANCISCO, USA;February 26, 2007.- “Senate Democrats believe there is a simple, direct, cost-effective path we can take now to reduce greenhouse gases,” state Senate President pro Tem Don Perata said in a statement outlining the proposed bills.

Schwarzenegger’s office criticized the bills, which came just seven weeks after the landmark greenhouse gas legislation he signed last year went into effect.

That legislation “serves a model that other states are looking to replicate,” spokesman Aaron McLear said in a statement charging the bills could undermine the law.

The bill Schwarzenegger signed last year mandates a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse emissions in California by 2020 and embraces carbon trading so companies could buy and sell pollution credits.

Since the California move, the Democratic-led US Congress is vowing to take action to tackle climate change associated with greenhouse gases.

The latest bills by California Democrats underscore they favor regulation to reduce greenhouse emissions.

“There are concerns the cuts aren’t going to happen and they want to put in place legislation to make sure the cuts will be met,” said Dan Jacobson, legislative director for Environment California, an advocacy group. “Legislators are always thinking, ‘We should put something into law.”‘

One bill proposes state regulators mandate cuts in carbon content from transportation fuels refined and sold in California by 10 percent by 2020.

A second bill calls for half of new passenger vehicles sold in California to run on alternative fuels by 2020. A third bill would require utilities to use renewable sources for up to a third of the energy they buy.

Two of the bills would require reductions of diesel emissions and other pollutants from ports, trucks, heavy construction equipment and other sources. Funds from a $19.9 billion general obligation bond measure approved by voters in November would support the efforts.

(Reuters)

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