Facing four years of drought, record heat waves, and major wildfires, Governor Gavin Newsom this week (10/6) signed an agreement with the leaders of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia to accelerate and expand efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and address the impacts of climate change.
The Statement of Cooperation unveiled at a news conference in San Francisco at the Presidio, was the latest effort by Newsom and other Democratic leaders to raise the profile of climate change and to take steps to continue to increase renewable energy, boost electric vehicles and widen efforts to thin fire-prone forests.
Newsom signed the agreement with Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier John Horgan.
Among the goals set out in Thursday’s agreement:
- Coordinate the installation of more electric vehicle charging stations on the West Coast
- Expand zero-emission rules to trucks
- Invest more money in ports to allow large ships to plug into electric power rather than running engines off high-polluting bunker fuel
- Accelerate forest treatments, such as thinning and prescribed fire, to reduce wildfire risk
- Help public and private institutions electrify their vehicle fleets
- Focus more attention on low-income communities with help on renewable energy projects, energy-efficient buildings, cooling centers during heat waves and other efforts.
The partnership was originally set up in 2008 and endorsed at the time by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then, it also included Alaska. Updates were signed in 2013 and 2016 by former Governor Jerry Brown.
All three of the governors who signed the agreement this week are Democrats.
NOTE: The general statement of principles is not a binding contract.