Voter Information Guide (VIG)







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Title and Summary Analysis Arguments and Rebuttals Text of Proposed Law

PROP
7

RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION.
INITIATIVE STATUTE.

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF
PROPOSITION 7
ARGUMENT AGAINST
PROPOSITION 7

Vote Yes on Proposition 7.

We can do better than dirty coal, nuclear power, and offshore drilling.

Proposition 7, The Solar and Clean Energy Act, requires all utilities to provide more solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, tidal, and small hydroelectric energy. Renewable energy standards are increased 2% per year, over seventeen years, so that half of our electricity will come from cleaner and cheaper sources by 2025.

Proposition 7 is a balanced solution that will reduce the rising costs of energy, and limit the dangers of global warming, including increased wildfires, water shortages, threats to endangered species, and illnesses from heat induced pollution.

Proposition 7 was carefully written and reviewed by legal, energy, and environmental experts.

Proposition 7 requires the California Energy Commission to designate solar and clean energy production zones, primarily in our vast deserts.

Vote Yes on Proposition 7 to:

  • Make California the world leader in clean power technology.
  • Help create over 370,000 new high wage jobs.
    Proposition 7 meets all environmental protections, including:
  • The California Environmental Quality Act.
  • The Desert Protection Act.
  • Local Government Reviews.

Vote Yes on Proposition 7 to help grow a strong market for large, and small, solar and renewable energy businesses. California firms have developed this proven technology that will meet our present and future electricity needs.

The independent, nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst found that administration of Proposition 7's renewable energy standards would only cost three and a half million dollars. Also, if the utilities fail to meet renewable energy standards, utilities are prohibited from passing on penalty costs to consumers.

Proposition 7's shift to solar and clean energy is guaranteed to never add more than 3% per year to our electricity bills.

So, why are the utilities spending tens of millions of dollars on “greenwashing” propaganda; sponsoring political parties; and partnering with select environmental groups to mislead us?

Because California’s electric utilities have a dirty little secret:

Most of California’s electricity comes from burning coal and fossil fuels.

Experts agree that 40% of global warming pollution comes from this type of electricity generation.

Electricity from dirty power plants, owned, operated, or transmitted by California utilities, releases 107 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution each year. That makes California the world’s 16th largest global warming polluter. (Half of Los Angeles’ electricity is generated with out-of-state coal.)

Remember, the utilities botched the 2001 energy crisis; then paid their top executives million dollar bonuses.

Vote Yes on Proposition 7.

  • Energy from the sun, wind, tides, and heat from the earth will always be clean, free, safe, and unlimited.
  • Expensive fossil fuels, oil and gas drilling, and dangerous nuclear power, will cost Californians more.

We need to do something major and environmentally smart, to stop global warming pollution.

Let's stop relying on foreign oil, and imported energy, so that future generations can live in peace.

California is especially blessed with renewable energy resources.

We can lead the world in clean energy!

Vote Yes on Proposition 7. www.solarandcleanenergy.org

DR. DONALD W. AITKEN, Ph.D., Renewable Energy Scientist
Los Angeles County

JOHN L. BURTON, California State Senate
  President Pro Tem (Ret.)

JIM GONZALEZ, Chair
Californians for Solar and Clean Energy


REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 7

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?

The statement above is signed by only a few individuals. But Prop. 7 is OPPOSED by dozens of organizations, representing millions of Californians, leading the fight for more renewable power and against global warming, including:

  • California Solar Energy Industries Association
  • California League of Conservation Voters
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Union of Concerned Scientists

These organizations carefully reviewed Proposition 7 and concluded it’s fatally flawed, ridden with loopholes, and will slam the brakes on renewable power development. To effectively fight global warming, we must get the solutions right. Prop. 7 gets it all wrong.

That’s why 7 is also OPPOSED by:

  • California Taxpayers' Association
  • California Democratic Party
  • California Republican Party
  • Consumers Coalition of California
  • Dozens of environmental, taxpayer, labor, senior, utilities, and business organizations.

READ THE FINE PRINT

It doesn’t matter what proponents claim their measure will do. What matters is what’s in the actual proposition.

  • Prop. 7 forces small renewable energy companies out of California’s market, eliminating competition and thousands of jobs.
  • There is NO LANGUAGE in the text of 7 that limits increases in our electricity bills.
  • Prop. 7 allows power providers to always charge 10% above market price of power, stifling competition for renewable energy.
  • Prop. 7 will cost us hundreds of millions of dollars in higher electricity and taxpayer costs, will not achieve its goals, and will stall efforts to substitute renewables for more expensive power.

VOTE NO on 7! www.NoProp7.com

TOM ADAMS, Board President
California League of Conservation Voters

GARY T. GERBER, President
Sun Light & Power

BETTY JO TOCCOLI, President
California Small Business Association

Wind, solar, and other renewable power providers; environmental, consumer, and taxpayer groups; business and labor; and global warming scientists all OPPOSE Proposition 7.

Prop. 7—paid for by an Arizona billionaire with no energy expertise—is a deeply flawed measure that will:

  • NOT achieve its stated goals and will actually disrupt renewable power development.
  • Shut small renewable energy companies out of California’s market.
  • Unnecessarily increase electric bills and taxpayer costs by hundreds of millions of dollars, without achieving its stated goals.
  • Create market conditions that could lead to another energy crisis.

PROP. 7 FORCES SMALL WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY COMPANIES OUT OF THE MARKET.

Prop. 7 contains a competition elimination provision shutting smaller renewable energy companies out of California's market. Renewable power from plants under 30 megawatts won't count toward meeting the law. Today, nearly 60 percent of contracts under California's renewable requirements are with these small providers.

“Proposition 7 would devastate California’s small solar businesses by forcing us out of the market—eliminating a major source of clean power and thousands of jobs.”— Sue Kateley, Executive Director, California Solar Energy Industries Association

PROP. 7 ALLOWS ENERGY PRICES TO BE CONTINUALLY LOCKED IN AT 10% ABOVE MARKET RATES AND LIMITS COMPETITION.

Proposition 7 allows power providers to always charge 10% above the market price of power, stifling competition for renewable power.

And nothing in Prop. 7 limits increases in our electric bills.

PROP. 7 DISRUPTS THE RENEWABLES MARKET AND COSTS CONSUMERS AND TAXPAYERS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

“Prop. 7 has many troubling provisions that will significantly increase costs for electricity consumers and harm the California economy.” — Philip Romero, Ph.D., Former Chief Economist, California Office of Planning and Research

“Prop. 7’s flawed provisions will disrupt renewable power development, unnecessarily drive up costs, and stall efforts to substitute clean power for more expensive energy sources.” — Sheryl Carter, Energy Program Co-Director, Natural Resources Defense Council

“Proposition 7 would lead to more bureaucracy and red tape and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.” — Teresa Casazza, President, California Taxpayers’ Association

WE’RE STILL PAYING FOR THE LAST ENERGY CRISIS.

Prop. 7 will create market conditions ripe for manipulation, much like ENRON took advantage of consumers during the energy crisis.

“California consumers are still paying almost $1 billion each year—nearly $100 for every electricity customer—for the last energy crisis. We don’t need a poorly-written measure that will lead to another energy crisis and higher electric bills.” — Betty Jo Toccoli, President, California Small Business Association

OPPOSED BY LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND RENEWABLE POWER PROVIDERS.

California leads the nation with clean energy standards requiring utilities to significantly increase renewable power, and we’re expanding those efforts. Prop. 7 jeopardizes this progress.

Organizations leading the fight against global warming all OPPOSE Prop. 7:

  • California League of Conservation Voters
  • California Solar Energy Industries Association
  • Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Union of Concerned Scientists

Vote NO on Prop. 7. www.NoProp7.com

SUE KATELEY, Executive Director
California Solar Energy Industries Association

TOM ADAMS, Board President
California League of Conservation Voters

TERESA CASAZZA, President
California Taxpayers’ Association


REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 7


THE FOR-PROFIT UTILITY COMPANIES OPPOSE PROPOSITION 7

BIG MONEY IS BEING USED AGAINST A PROPOSITION THAT GUARANTEES CALIFORNIANS CLEAN ELECTRICITY FOR DECADES TO COME.

Three powerful utilities (Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric) are funding the campaign against Proposition 7.

Did you notice that nowhere in their argument against Proposition 7 did they say how they would help reduce global warming? Or create the 370,000 jobs?

Instead, they make inaccurate charges to scare small renewable companies and consumers. The independent Legislative Analyst’s report doesn’t back their false claims.

JUDGE FOR YOURSELF:

  • Why are both state political parties opposing Proposition 7? Could it be that the utility companies gave $1.5 million to the state Democratic Party and $1.1 million to the state Republican Party in the last four years? And more is coming!
  • Why are some renewable energy providers opposing Proposition 7? Could it be that under Proposition 7 they'll be required to pay their workers the prevailing wage?
  • Why do hand-picked environmental organizations oppose Proposition 7? Could it be they sit on many of the same boards and committees as the utilities do?

California is the 16th largest global warming polluter.

We need to change how we make electricity.

California can help solve the moral challenge of our time: global warming and climate change.

We can do it with the renewable energy resources and technology we have now. That’s the choice.

Vote YES on Proposition 7. www.Yeson7.net

DELORES HUERTA, Co-Founder
United Farmworkers Union

CONGRESSMAN PAUL "PETE" McCLOSKEY JR. (Ret.)

JIM GONZALEZ, Chair
Californians for Solar and Clean Energy



Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.


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