March on CARB

Katy Grimes: Calling California’s global warming law “an energy rip off,” Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, led a rally today in support of Proposition 23, and then marched with supporters to the California Air Resources Board’s building… one block away.

So, it wasn’t a big march in the traditional sense, but the goal nonetheless, is big. And the crow was a decent size, considering that no food was served (a mandatory ingredient at every state employee union rally).

Coupal called for the CARB to put global warming regulations, restrictions and implementation of AB 32 on hold until California’s economy improves.

Betty Plowman, president of the California Dump Truck Owners Association, and co-sponsor of the march, asked CARB to postpone AB 32, the state’s greenhouse-gas reduction law. Plowman said that California is a leader, but only in unemployment, foreclosures and bad credit right now.

Plowman said, “CARB has not redone the Tran report,”  referring to the diesel emission report by Hien Tran, the CARB employee discovered to have a phony Ph.D.

Plower said that CARB Chairwoman Mary Nichols admitted last week that diesel emission standards were inflated by 340 percent.

Plowman and Coupal said that the No on Prop 23 campaign keeps releasing commercials about Prop 23 being bought and paid for by two big oil companies. But in fact, Plowman said that more than 200 California businesses have joined the effort to pass Proposition 23.

Supporters standing in the front of the CARB building were met with CARB employees filing out for lunch.

While Prop 23 supporters chanted “What do we want – Jobs Now,” I overheard several CARB employees talking as they walked away from the building. “What do they think will happen to us?” asked one man to his colleague. “Yeah, what about my job?” asked another.