Californians for Clean Energy Campaign

Californians are once again resorting to the initiative process to garner grass roots support for programs that its legislators fail to enact. For a state that has so many assets to apply to solving problems - its vast and highly varied raw materials, its university system, formidable infrastructure, strong industrial base, communications systems, marketing outlets, and seasoned venture capitalists - it is incredible that its legislature fails to recognize the positive impact on the environment and state economy from a statewide pursuit of alternative energy technology development.

THE CALIFORNIA ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INITIATIVE

In the face of a desire to circumvent the logjam in the Sacramento, a group calling itself "Californians for Clean Energy" has drafted an initiative that would levy a tax on every barrel of oil that oil producers pump out of the ground - a fee that is levied in other states but not yet in California.

The Initiative will fund a $4 billion dollar effort to reduce California's dependence on gasoline and diesel by 25% over 10 years, through incentives to make alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuels more widely available and affordable to consumers and by funding research to bring cleaner, cheaper, more reliable energy to the marketplace more quickly.

Its website includes a form for getting involved and another form for making donations. It provides links to major outlet news articles relevant to the issue and candidates' positions on the initiative. It features a long list of coalition members and links to more information on clean energy.


technorati California, initiative, bioenergy, ethanol, hybrids, investment, oil, tax