Recall Ruminations
Climate Justice Voters Should Be Communicating Their Demands to Governor Gavin Newsom Now and brought into California climate conversations explicitly. On September 14, California voters Walters thinks that now is the chose not to recall Governor Gavin perfect time to put pressure on Newsom Newsom in a special gubernatorial to “move forward with environmental election that has occurred only twice issues, while also encouraging him to in California history. Despite initial expand and be bold so that we actually concerns, Newsom overwhelmingly see the changes that are so desperately beat his opponents to win an estimated needed for California and our earth.” Due 64 percent of the vote. As attention to the recall and the re-election Newsom turns away from the recall and towards faces next year, she added, “We’re in a the many other pressing issues facing time where we really need to be asking California, now is the perfect time for exactly what we want...with beating climate justice voters to communicate the recall, Gavin Newsom does have their demands to a Governor they helped momentum to do what he wants to do.” stay in office. In order to encourage this Although California has historically momentum, local voters need to be active led the charge on environmental issues, and engaged. One actionable step would setting national standards, some climate be proposing climate justice ideas to activists believe that Newsom has not the local Board of Supervisors. Wheeler fulfilled many of the environmental stressed that voters have a lot of power promises he made on the campaign trail. here on the north coast, and Humboldt’s Protesters outside the Capitol Building on February 19, 2020 demanding Gov. Newsom stand As Governor, Newsom has the power to Board of Supervisors could take many up to big oil. Source: Peg Hunter, Flikr propose legislation to the state lawmakers more tangible steps toward climate as well as issue executive orders, something he has action. For example, the Board has the power serving as a local street. done on occasion for certain climate issues. Tom to adjust local zoning codes to allow for denser He could also do more to foster sustainable Wheeler, Executive Director at EPIC, noted that development and could develop infrastructure that land use while tackling the housing crisis. Newsom has largely tracked with the mainstream prioritizes alternative modes of transportation. He Wheeler believes that he could potentially do of the democratic party on environmental issues — also encourages those who are interested in climate this by removing local control of housing issues, meaning that he has taken some action — but not at justice to support organizations that strive to hold which has been used to thwart affordable housing the pace that climate justice activists demand. politicians accountable, in addition to supporting development in the past. Housing is a race and “One of the risks is that the democratic party their local environmental organizations that are class issue as well as an environmental one, and continues to try to gain vote share in what purple limited in their political action due to their 501(c) Colin Fiske, Executive Director for the Coalition of areas of the state still remain,” Wheeler said. (3) non-profit status. Responsible Transportation Priorities, explained “We weaken our climate actions, we weaken our Beyond engaging at a local level, climate that providing more housing in existing cities and efforts to improve housing, we weaken our efforts justice voters need to be educated and aware of towns as opposed to creating more sprawl in the to address historic environmental justice issues the impact of Newsom’s choices, so they can nudge suburbs helps avoid paving over natural lands, and racial justice issues to try to pander to these him in the right direction. “The decisions that the encourages active transportation and transit, and communities.” Governor makes and that his agencies make have creates livable communities. Right after the recall, on September 23, a huge impact on what our towns, and cities, and While Newsom has specifically focused on Newsom’s administration passed a $15 billion countrysides look like,” Fiske said. “I just think increasing renewable energy as a strategy to climate package to help tackle the climate crisis and that people should be aware of that and should be combat climate change, Nicola Walters, a lecturer deal with drought and wildfire related challenges. pressing them to do the right thing for the climate, at Humboldt State University, believes it is vital While this is a step in the right direction, the for highway safety, for transportation equity and to consider the communities that are impacted by multiple crises Newsom faces are large and complex all these things when they are thinking about their renewable energy technology. She argues there are and there is a lot more he could be doing to improve vote.” always implications from any kind of development the situation. As transportation is the biggest Ultimately though, Walters stressed the project, even if the result is something desirable. source of emissions in the state, Newsom could importance of creating a sustainable and powerful A good example of this locally was the Terracontinue to follow through on his climate promises climate justice movement regardless of who the Gen wind farm project, which was denied by the by massively investing in infrastructure, creating governor is: “...if [Newsom] is not going to be the Humboldt Board of Supervisors at the last minute more charging stations at a pace that surpasses person that signs that magic piece of legislation due to appeals from the Wiyot Tribe. In order to what is currently being done, utilizing incentives to that saves the world, at least we have built the mitigate these issues, there should be an inclusion reduce miles travelled, and retiring Legacy highway power of the people, we’re recognizing the issues and centering of more diverse voices, experiences, expansion projects. All of these choices have local and the people that are actually affected by these and community involvement when thinking about ramifications as well, for instance changes in the kinds of problems, and we’re able to generate the environmental choices. This is also necessary when CALTRANS design standards would directly affect kind of momentum that we need to actually make dealing with wildfire, and Walters mentioned the state highway that cuts through Eureka while a difference.” that Indigenous knowledge should be elevated Elena Bilheimer, EcoNews Intern
7
www.yournec.org
NOVEMBER 2021 ECONEWS
