The letter expresses opposition to SB 350, which mandates a 50% reduction in petroleum use by 2030. It argues that such an arbitrary mandate will detract from more important discussions on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will impose unacceptable costs on families and businesses. The letter urges abandoning the legislation in favor of examining programs that can achieve emission goals without increasing energy costs.

1. DRAFT
February 25, 2015
The Hon. Kevin de Leon
President pro Tem
California Senate
Capitol Building
Sacramento, California
Dear Senator de Leon:
We are writing today to express our disappointment with, and strong opposition to, your SB 350
which mandates a 50 percent reduction petroleum use by 2030. We understand that this goal
was identified in the Governor’s inaugural address earlier this year. However, there is a major
difference between articulating a goal as part of a forward-looking speech and enacting
enforceable mandates on fuel providers, motorists and others with the intent of reducing
consumption of a necessary source of energy.
We are particularly concerned that your pursuit of this legislation will detract from a far more
pressing discussion on strategies to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions. Many of
your colleagues have indicated their intention to introduce legislation to continue the
greenhouse gas reduction progress started by AB 32 after 2020. Your proposed legislation to
mandate petroleum reductions is inconsistent with a rational climate change policy discussion.
This arbitrary and infeasible mandate will inevitably and unnecessarily create a distraction from
constructive discussions on long-term climate emissions policies.
Legislative mandates to cut petroleum consumption are not the same as programs designed to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. California has developed numerous programs and
strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, previous consideration of
petroleum reduction policies concluded that mandating arbitrary cuts in petroleum use would
impose unacceptable levels of costs and/or hardship on families and businesses.
We are confident an overwhelming number of California businesses and consumers would find
the policies and programs necessary to achieve a 50 percent reduction in petroleum
consumption wholly unacceptable
We urge you to abandon this reckless legislative initiative and instead join your colleagues in a
thoughtful, responsible examination of programs and policies that can help us achieve our
greenhouse gas emission goals without unnecessarily increasing energy costs for businesses
and consumers.
Sincerely,