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SACRAMENTO, CA - September 21 - Sacramento – A group of leading California environmental organizations – Sierra Club
California, the California League of Conservation Voters and Vote the Coast -- responded
today to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pending environmental statement scheduled for
Sunday in Santa Barbara, warning voters that the lack of a record to measure him by pits
his statements against his personal choices.
“Schwarzenegger is not the environmental candidate in this race. He has no record, no
experience making tough choices,” said Rico Mastrodonato, executive director of the
California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV). “When it comes to candidates who
don’t have a record, voters need to look at the company they keep. The majority of
Schwarzenegger’s closest advisors are the same people who worked for former Governor
Wilson, who spent 8 years attacking our air, water and coast.”
The grassroots groups noted that Schwarzenegger did not respond to their invitation to
participate in an environmental endorsement process. The groups make voting
recommendations to voters after evaluating candidates through a process that includes
research on candidates’ environmental records, a standard questionnaire that seeks
candidates’ answers on current environmental issues, and an in-person interview.
Schwarzenegger is expected to announce this weekend a proposal to set up a hydrogen“super-highway.”“The hydrogen economy claim is an attempt to dodge the real issues. It is at least 20
years away. We need real pollution reduction now, and we can get them from a variety of
fuel efficiency, and clean vehicle technologies that exist today,” added Mastrodonato.
The groups said Schwartzenegger’s late day conversion raises questions about his past
behavior. Schwarzennegger is the most well known public face associated with the gas
guzzling Hummer. They noted that his ties to the “urban tank” and the owner of the
company that manufactures it are cause for concern.
AM General, the manufacturer of
the Hummer is owned by Ira Rennert of the privately held Renco Group. Rennert who
has been labeled “the biggest polluter in America,” owns a host of companies currently
being sued by the federal EPA for gross pollution violations.
Schwarzenegger claims that
he receives no monetary compensation based on his promotion of the Hummer, though
acknowledges Hummer has donated to his favorite charities; one charity received $13.5
million dollars in 2001. However, the financial disclosure forms Schwarzenegger filed for
Classic Productions in 2002 list Hummer as a source of income over $10,000
.“Schwarzenegger is responsible for glorifying the gas-guzzling Hummer to the American
public. While environmental groups were working to make cars get better gas mileage in
order to combat global warming, Schwarzenegger was essentially sending the automobile
industry in the opposite direction,” said Susan Jordan, legislative liaison of Vote the
Coast. “The reality is that he may be able to spend the money to retrofit his own
Hummer, but it is questionable whether an affordable technology is there to change the
entire fleet in the near future.”
The groups are united in their opposition to the recall of Governor Davis, and warn
voters that a recall could point to oil drilling off the coast, smog in the air and toxins in
drinking water. Last week the groups announced they are supporting Cruz Bustamante
for the second part of the ballot.“If you care about your health, if you care about the environment you will vote “No” on
the recall of Governor Davis and “Yes” for Cruz Bustamante,” said Bill Magavern,
legislative representative for Sierra Club California. “In the event the recall is successful,
we support Cruz Bustamante because he is the only candidate with a real record and
experience to safeguard California’s air, water and coast.”
For more information about the recall and environmental endorsements, visit
www.ecovote.org, www.Votethecoast.org and www.sierraclub.org.
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