Washington, DC - Today, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger commended the efforts of Senator Barbara Boxer (D, Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, to pass climate change legislation through the Committee for consideration by the full Senate. The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191) is slated for consideration at a full committee mark-up starting Wednesday.

In the letter, the Governor cited key principles in the bill critical for effective climate change legislation and urged committee members to vote to send the bill to the Senate floor.

The text of the letter follows:

GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

December 3, 2007

The Honorable Barbara Boxer
Chairman
Committee on Environment and Public Works
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Boxer,

I write to commend you and your Senate colleagues for your commitment to bringing federal climate legislation before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee this week. While California has long been a leader in climate policy and climate-friendly energy legislation, we are well aware that our goals for climate stabilization cannot be achieved without similar efforts by the rest of the country.

I am encouraged that the legislation currently under consideration, the "Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007," includes many of the key principles that are critical for effective climate legislation, including:

· Effective and enforceable targets necessary to achieve climate stabilization, including a scientific review to determine if further reductions are necessary.
· Market mechanisms to maximize environmental benefits while minimizing the cost of the program to consumers.
· Incentives for technological innovation in low-emission technologies.
· Strategic use of allowances and auction revenue for public benefit.
· Promotion of end-use efficiency standards and practices.
· Preserve states' ability to innovate and implement new policies into the future.

We strongly encourage you and your colleagues to move this bill through committee and bring it to the floor, where we expect to continue working with you to further strengthen provisions dealing with allowance distribution, funding programs and supplementary policies and strategies for the transportation sector. As we approach the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change discussions in Bali, Indonesia, this week, it is critical that the U.S. provide a strong signal that we are serious about climate change and moving toward a policy solution.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

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