The Environmental Priorities Coalition launched its 2016 Priority, Safeguard Our Environment, a campaign focusing on holding the line on the past decade of progress on protecting public and environmental health.
The Priorities Coalition customarily selects up to four Priorities, this year it has opted to focus on one campaign to safeguard essential environmental laws and investments in four areas: clean energy, clean air, clean and abundant water, and healthy lands.
The 2016 legislative session is scheduled to last 8 weeks and, unlike 2015’s marathon year, is expected to stay relatively close to that timeline.
“Political division and the compressed timeline of the 2016 session mean it’s more important than ever to make sure we have good tools to protect the environment and communities,” said Clifford Traisman, Environmental Priorities Coalition lead lobbyist. “Too much is at stake and our elected leaders must keep their eye on the ball.”
Issues expected to be key components of Safeguard Our Environment include maintaining the successful, voter-approved I-937, the Clean Energy Initiative; funding pollution-prevention and toxic-site cleanup efforts; and preserving authority and resources for core programs that reduce health-damaging air pollution.