FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alicia Isaacs, (916) 224-8488

August 26, 2014
Perea Responds to Steinberg Letter Rejecting Hearing on AB 69
SARAME!TO " Assemblymember Henry T. erea (!-"resn#) release$ t%e &#ll#'ing statement in res(#nse
t# )enat#r )teinberg*s letter $enying Assembly +ill (A+) 69 re&erral t# c#mmittee &#r %earing,
-It is $isa((#inting t%e .ali&#rnia )tate )enate c#ul$ n#t &in$ time t# $iscuss an issue t%at 'ill increase t%e c#st
#& gas t# c#nsumers. T%e legislati/e (r#cess s%#ul$ n#t be an e0cuse t# table a sub1ect t%at 'ill %it c#nsumers*
'allets. A+ 69 %as been in (rint since 2uly 2
n$
, alm#st t'# m#nt%s. 3ast year, )enat#r )teinberg gutte$ an$
amen$e$ )+ 445-%is 6ings .78A e0em(ti#n bill-an$ in t%e c#urse #& t'# $ays it 'as c#nsi$ere$ in t%ree
(#licy c#mmittees an$ b#t% &l##rs #& t%e 3egislature.9
-3##:ing &#r'ar$, it*s im(#rtant t%e .ali&#rnia Air ;es#urces +#ar$ (.A;+) $# '%at t%e 3egislature c#ul$n*t
< engage t%e (ublic an$ all sta:e%#l$ers, %#l$ %earings, an$ l##: at '%at can be $#ne t# minimi=e im(acts t#
%ar$'#r:ing .ali&#rnians.9
-e#(le in t%e .entral >alley an$ #t%er inlan$ c#mmunities $#n*t %a/e access t# alternati/e &#rms #&
trans(#rtati#n li:e +A;T. T%ey nee$ t# $ri/e t# get t# '#r:, t# g# t# t%e $#ct#r, an$ access essential city
ser/ices. In "resn# .#unty '%ere t%e annual a/erage salary is ?40,092 (e#(le &ace $i&&erent struggles t%an
t%#se in c#astal c#mmunities li:e )an @ate# .#unty '%ere t%e annual a/erage salary is ?141,648. 3#'-inc#me
.ali&#rnians cann#t abs#rb a$$iti#nal gas (rice increases as easily as bay area an$ c#astal c#nsumers. As 'e
raise t%e minimum 'age 'it% #ne %an$, 'e s%#ul$nAt ta:e t%e m#ney bac: 'it% t%e #t%er in t%e name #& t%e
en/ir#nment -- rat%er 'e s%#ul$ ma:e an a$1ustment in t%e name #& en/ir#nmental 1ustice.9
A+ 69 '#ul$ %a/e $elaye$ (utting &uels un$er t%e ca(-an$-tra$e (r#gram until 2anuary 1, 2018. .urrently,
beginning 2anuary 1, 201B, green%#use gas (CHC) emissi#ns &r#m trans(#rtati#n &uels are g#ing t# be sub1ect
t# t%e .ali&#rnia Air ;es#urces +#ar$ (.A;+) ca(-an$-tra$e (r#gram '%ic% many e0(erts belie/e 'ill cause
an increase in &uel (rices. T%e 3egislati/e Analyst*s D&&ice (r#1ecte$ &uel (rice increases bet'een 15 an$ B0
cents #r m#re.
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