For a Healthy Sonoma County

Issues - Environment

If elected to the Board of Supervisors, my environmental priorities will be to:

• Establish bold policies and management imperatives that establish the County as a leader in environmental policy.

• Completely review and reorganize the Sonoma County Transportation System so that it offers “clean, green, accessible and reliable” public transit.  I will initiate policies that provide financial incentives for county employees who use public transit, carpool and bike or walk to work.

• Create and maintain policies which protect our water supply and water for future generations.

• Implement an Energy Plan that includes energy efficiency and solar photovoltaic power wherever possible on County buildings.

• Evaluate and pursue County policymaking that supports the “triple bottom line” – the environment, our local economy, and social equity – toward creating a more sustainable future for Sonoma County.

• Build new alliances and strengthen existing ones between business, environmental, and social interests to forge sustainable policies, while protecting our natural capital. This includes supporting green industries and green job growth, in order to benefit as many County residents as possible.

• Encourage sufficient “green”, affordable housing within the urban growth boundaries to meet the needs of our working class and labor and our regional “fair share”.

If elected, I will become actively involved in climate change solutions through aggressive promotion of green building and economic policies that promote green industries and reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions.  I will support the County of Sonoma’s and local municipalities’ efforts to meet and surpass their commitments to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions to 25% below 1990 efforts by 2015.