CDC Platform

ENVIRONMENT

1. Earth belongs to future generations and the economy depends on the environment. Wilderness preservation must be enhanced for individual health and future generations.
2. We support the elimination of MTBE additives to gasoline. Leakage of storage tanks contaminate groundwater.
3. We support a California program to reduce greenhouse gases. In light of the Federal EPA report, and the Bush response, California must act on its own.
4. We support reduction of unnecessary toxics. The effects on individual health via air and water contamination is great.
5. We support elimination of certain toxic organophosphates and other hazardous pesticides and herbicides, particularly those currently creating toxic exposure to farm workers and food processing workers, such as methylbromide used in strawberry production. Integrated pest management can achieve the same ends.
6. We support CEQA to boost air quality with no exemption for agriculture.
7. We support a long-range comprehensive state policy of growth control. Elimination of agricultural land and wilderness areas leads to loss of greenbelts, more traffic, more pollution and a degradation of the quality of life.
8. We support family planning programs to reduce population growth. Water and land are finite. The quality of air, water and living conditions are negatively impacted by overpopulation.
9. We support expanding recycling programs including computers. Landfill is finite.
10. We support programs to expand conservation of water, water storage and desalinization. The overall supply of water must be maintained and enhanced.
11. We support the inclusion of water conservation in statewide school curriculum.
12. We support California emission standards stricter than that of the Federal standards and we support application to all vehicles.
13. We support an equitable science-based statewide water policy plan that emphasizes water conservation and which allocates and prices water equitably among environmental, agricultural, residential and industrial uses. This plan shall affect proposed large-scale developments.
14. We support a comprehensive, long-range State policy of growth management, adapted and implemented by regional and local agencies.
15. We support limiting urban sprawl, establishing urban-rural boundaries, greenbelts, infill development, protect ecologically-sensitive areas and agricultural lands. We support the Coastal Protection Act, the protection of wildland habitats and corridors, preserves and parklands.