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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

David Graham-Caso
(213) 387-6528 x214

23,000 Californians Join Conversation About Defeating Proposition 23

CREDO Action Joins the Sierra Club on Call to Educate, Activate Broad Community of Californians to Stand Against Proposition 23

LOS ANGELES

The Sierra Club and CREDO Action hosted a conference call Monday
evening to discuss the No on Proposition 23 campaign with Californians,
who will be voting on the measure on November 2. More than 23,000 people joined the call
to hear Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune and CREDO Action
president and co-founder Michael Kieschnick discuss the dirty energy
initiative and how the Sierra Club and CREDO Action will be working to
defeat Proposition 23 this fall.

"This November, voters will have a chance to decide if we will
continue to fight climate change, or if we are going to allow
out-of-state oil companies to undermine California law," Brune told
callers. "If California is going to lead our country towards a clean
energy future, we have to defeat Proposition 23."

Proposition 23 would effectively kill the bipartisan legislation
supported throughout California that will clean up air quality and
continue making California a global leader in combating climate change
by creating a market for clean, renewable energy. By trying to
undermine California's 2006 "Global Warming Solutions Act," Texas oil
companies and other dirty energy interests are jeopardizing the health
and safety of California families. To date, oil interests have donated
nearly $8,000,000, or roughly 97% of the money behind Proposition 23;
and three out-of-state companies (Valero, Tesoro and Koch Industries)
have donated 80% of the money behind the dirty energy initiative.

"Proposition 23 is backed by Big Texas Oil companies and billionaire
climate science-deniers who are seeking to undermine California law so
they can keep profiting from their pollution,"said Kieschnick. "It is
incredibly important that people know how they can help defeat this
deceptive ballot initiative."

Monday's conference call launched the Sierra Club effort against
Proposition 23, which will educate and engage California voters in the
upcoming election. The Sierra Club and CREDO have set up offices around
California to help coordinate the massive "get out the vote" effort in
support of the campaign against Proposition 23 and will contact hundreds
of thousands of voters between now and Election Day to ensure
Californians know what is at stake in this election.

"The sheer volume of people who gave up part of their evening to
participate on this call is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to
Californians who want to protect our state's progress fighting climate
change," Brune said. "I am confident that Californians are going to
stand up for clean energy development and against Texas oil companies on
Election Day. We are all going to work hard to make sure California
can continue leading the charge toward a clean energy future in
America."

The Sierra Club is America's oldest and largest grassroots
environmental organization, with more than 1.3 million members and
supporters nationwide. The Sierra Club got its start in California more
than a century ago and is still very active in this state with more
than 150,000 members, 13 chapters, and its national headquarters in
California.

For more information about the Sierra Club's effort against Proposition 23, please visit www.StandAgainstProp23.com.

The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone's right to a healthy world.

(415) 977-5500