California League of Conservation Voters Questionnaire

By David Campos

David Campos' responses to CLCV Questionnaire.

2014 STATE ASSEMBLY/SENATE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

CANDIDATE: __David Campos__________________________

ADDRESS: __3134 Mission St.________________________

SEAT: _AD 17__________

COMMITTEE NAME: __David Campos for Assembly 2014________

COMMITTEE ID#: __1359298_______________________________

CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT ___Phil Giarizzo___________________

CAMPAIGN MANAGER: __Julie Wedge_______

GENERAL

Please explain and rank the three most urgent environmental issues in your district. Where do you stand on these issues?

#1: Transportation, land use & housing #2: Climate change #3: Water Infrastructure

These three issues are pressing in my district as they are all over California. I view transportation and land use as issues that must be addressed simultaneously, and have worked to support transit-oriented development that takes equity into account. San Francisco is doing more to provide housing so that we can reduce urban sprawl. One of my priorities is to ensure that infill housing is not just high-end condos for the affluent but also includes affordable housing. In order to meet the challenges of climate change, we need adaptation and resiliency plans to address rising sea levels and greenhouse gas emissions. I have been a leader in the effort to implement Community Choice Aggregation as a step towards greater use of alternative energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. My priority for infrastructure is to replace aging wastewater and water infrastructure.

LAND USE

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA has been the target of numerous legislative attacks, budget debates and special exemptions. Business groups and some developers argue that the CEQA process poses unnecessary delays to worthy projects and subjects projects to frivolous litigation. Others argue that CEQA protects communities and individuals from environmental harm. What is your view?

This year, the Board of Supervisors debated CEQA amendments at the local level. I was a strong advocate for maintaining the integrity of the CEQA process as it currently exists. I fought to preserve critical tools for community members to weigh in on development projects while establishing clear deadlines and noticing requirements for the City. While there are some examples of CEQA abuse, such as the San Franciscan who held up bike lane construction for years through CEQA lawsuits, I am skeptical about the motivations for most proposals regarding CEQA "reform." The priority for CEQA is to protect transparency, provide proper noticing and allow public input in the development process. Areas that could benefit from streamlining may include zoning and development approvals for affordable housing near transit and jobs. We also need stronger requirements to study and mitigate health disparities and environmental justice impacts.

AIR QUALITY/CLIMATE CHANGE:

AB 32 auction revenues are expected to generate millions of dollars in fees. In last year's budget Governor Brown borrowed $500 million from the cap and trade (Greenhouse Gas Reduction) fund to the general fund. Do you agree with the Governor's action? How should cap and trade revenues be expended? Please site potential uses.

When California voters approved AB 32, they intended the $500 million in cap-and-trade funds be used on programs that reduce greenhouse gases, not to be another band-aid to cover the losses in the General Fund. The Governor's actions are not consistent with the stated policy intent of AB 32, which is to reduce green house gas emissions. I am concerned that the diversion of funds will delay clean air programs in low-income and minority communities near sources of pollution. We are also delaying the overall positive environment effects of pollution-reducing efforts that could be underway today.

As a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I was a leader in ensuring that Plan Bay Area included policy language that committed the region to an inclusive public process to set priorities for $3.1 billion in anticipated AB 32 cap-and-trade revenue, with an explicit commitment that 25% of all funds flowing to the region will benefit disadvantaged communities. This is significant not only because the 25% set aside would not otherwise apply to the Bay Area portion of funds (under SB 535, it applies to the aggregate funds statewide), but also because it takes the decision over these funds out of the CMA's hands. It is also a significant opportunity to influence state policy on Cap and Trade, since this kind of process is not happening elsewhere, to our knowledge.

A pair of bills that Governor Jerry Brown signed in September 2012 governs the allocation of cap-and-trade revenues. The first bill, AB 1532 (Perez) requires the Department of Finance, in consultation with ARB, to prepare a three-year investment plan that ensures that cap-and-trade proceeds reduce green house gas emissions while maximizing job creation, public health, and other so-called "co-benefits" and "direct[ing] investment toward the most disadvantaged communities and households in the state." The companion bill, SB 535 (de León), quantified the minimum benefits that cap-and-trade revenues must deliver to disadvantaged communities "based on geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard criteria," the bill requires that the investment plan ensure that at least 25% of auction revenues are set aside for "projects that provide benefits to [these disadvantaged] communities," with at least 10% in projects "located within" these communities. The Governor should act to properly reallocate the borrowed funds in a manner consistent with AB 1532 and SB 535.

In 2012, voters approved Proposition 39 which closed out-of-state tax loopholes that will generate significant additional revenue for the State of California. Proposition 39 sets aside a special fund of $550 million per year for five years (2013-2018) to be spent on Energy efficiency and clean energy jobs in California. The legislature passed and the Governor signed an implementation law that limits energy projects to K-14 schools. Do you have a view on expenditure of Prop 39 funds? What, if any, other projects would you like to see funded?

As San Francisco Unified School District's General Counsel, I saw the direct impact of energy inefficient buildings both on the students and on the bottom line. I believe Prop 39 funding for energy efficiency programs in schools, particularly in schools with a high low-income population, is critical to the overall health of the students, the faculty and the families the district serves. It makes good sense to upgrade schools, not just to generate additional income for programs and activities, but to foster a better learning environment and to teach our youth about the importance of efficiency in their own homes and communities.

ENERGY

SB 4 is now law and will require that fracking be regulated by the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources for the first time. But many argue that there should be a moratorium on expanded fracking until the risk assessment called for in SB4 has been completed and environmental regulations are in place. Would you support a moratorium on fracking until the regulations are finalized? Do you favor limited moratoria for areas such as offshore, or so-called "frontier" areas? Would you support a stronger base-line of regulations for fracking and other well stimulation methods?

I am extremely concerned about the impacts of fracking and believe there should be a moratorium on fracking until the risk assessment called for in SB 4 is completed. I strongly support stronger base-line regulations for fracking and other new technologies that pose safety risks.

California law now requires that 33% of the state's electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2020, and Governor Brown says he supports bringing another 12,000 MW of clean distributed generation on line by 2020. Most of the utilities are confident that they will meet that goal, and many are advocating for increasing the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Would you support increasing the RPS, if so, by how much?

I am a long time supporter of renewable energy. I led efforts to approve CleanPowerSF, San Francisco's community aggregation program, at the Board of Supervisors. I believe RPS is an effective way to reach our AB 32 greenhouse gas reduction goals. California is currently leading the nation by having the highest RPS requirement, and I would support increasing the RPS and determining the best level of increase based on assessment of what is working well and what is not working as efficiently as it could.

With the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station now offline, southern CA officials are examining electricity reliability in the region. CA's "loading order" requires efficiency and clean energy first before additional conventional generation. What is your view of how to deal with reliability issues in CA?

As we have seen time and time again, nuclear is not a sustainable or reliable source for environmental protection or energy resource. California needs to look to renewables to strengthen reliability in our energy system. When antiquated facilities like San Onofre are closing, in this case due to structural non-compliance, we must consistently put the safety of the immediate community and outlying areas at the center of the discussion.

WATER

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is at the center of California's water delivery system, as well as the political debate over water. A 2009 law requires that any plans for the Delta meet the coequal goals of ecosystem restoration and water supply reliability. Currently the Brown and Obama Administrations are working on a comprehensive effort known as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). Gov. Brown is promoting construction of two huge underground pipes to divert water from the Sacramento River south to Central Valley agriculture and Southern California urban users. What are your views on Delta protection and water supply reliability?

I support co-equal goals of protecting the ecosystem and water supply reliability. I also support the principle that those who will benefit from the infrastructure improvements should be willing to pay for those improvements. Regarding BDCP, it is important to me that the water supply amounts to the Central Valley and Southern California remain the same as they are today, with increased reliability. It is also important that the water rights and water supply for Hetch Hetchy are preserved, to protect the 2.6 million people in 7 Bay Area counties that rely on water from the Hetch Hetchy system. I would encourage diversification of water resources across the state by supporting efforts such as recycled water, groundwater programs, and conservation.

Delta plumbing is estimated to cost $16 billion. Many local water districts around the state and particularly in southern California have plans to improve local water supplies to allow them to rely less on imported water. Projects include groundwater replenishment, recycling, efficiency and more. Would you support making some of the funds in a water bond or Delta planning effort available for local supply development? Also what role can and should the state play in protecting and restoring the health of our groundwater aquifers?

I support funding to increase diverse water supplies. Local supply development is a critical piece of overall sustainability. State agencies can help the water districts by sharing best practices, regulating health and safety efforts, and by finding creative funding sources for all aspects of our water supply development including local, regional and state solutions.

TOXICS The new Safer Consumer Products Program at the Dept. of Toxic Substances Control, as known as the Green Chemistry program is about to get going, but if significantly underfunded. Would you support a small fee being placed on consumer products that are placed into the queue for evaluation in order to fund the program?

While I am a strong supporter of consumer safety and support the Safer Consumer Products program, I am reluctant to fund it through a fee on consumers. Although this seems to be a fee placed on industry, it will have a negative impact on low and middle-income consumers. I am committed to working with the environmental community to find solutions to the funding issue that will not have significant financial impact on consumers.

TRANSPORTATION

Continued growth in vehicle miles traveled threatens to overwhelm California's climate, air quality and energy conservation goals. SB 375, the landmark law that created an integrated transportation and land use planning process, needs to be effectively implemented. What are your ideas for encouraging land use development and transportation systems that will significantly reduce vehicle miles traveled?

As earlier discussed, I believe it is smart we are finally integrating land use planning with long-term transportation investments. We want to work toward a future where all Californians can afford to live in places with great transportation and access to jobs, schools and services. Plan Bay Area anticipates that San Francisco's population will grow 35% by 2040. This presents a unique opportunity for AD 17 to lead in sustainable transportation. I have worked on all these issues as a Metropolitan Transportation Commissioner and have pushed to ensure an equity framework in growth and planning scenarios. Prior to the adoption of Plan Bay Area, I introduced a motion to strengthen the emphasis on local transit operations and service. It passed unanimously, and the amendment specifies that MTC make a serious commitment to funding local transit service by adopting a comprehensive strategy to do so. I believe it is important to reward jurisdictions that are willing to accept growth and that have anti-displacement measures currently in place.

PARKS

Many of California's urban areas are lack adequate and accessible parks and recreation facilities to serve working class and poor communities. What role if any should state government have in insuring that urban populations have access to park and recreation facilities near where they live?

State parks play an important role in San Francisco. One example is Candlestick State Park. I fought to ensure that this park receive funding and renovation as part of the Hunters Point Shipyard development project, to reduce the burden to the State and ensure that this vital open space is protected. State government, where it is feasible, should encourage urban infill development to include open space. I also support a policy of no net loss of state park lands, so that whenever state parks lands are lost, new lands are obtained.

SOLID WASTE/RECYCLING

In compliance with AB 939 of 1989, California local governments divert just over 50% of their solid waste (municipal solid waste) from the landfills. However, with the increased population, the total number of tons of solid waste generated has barely dropped in 20 years. Would you support increasing the diversion mandate to 75 % over the next 5-10 years?

San Francisco has one of the best recycling programs in the state and I believe we must bring this success to other local jurisdictions throughout California. Local jurisdictions have done a lot to divert waste under AB 939, but they do not seem to have taken the CalRecycle waste characterization study of 2008 into full consideration. With increasing population and consumption we need to assure the upcoming 2014 waste characterization is reflective of all waste. As we have seen in Monterey County's assessment recently, yard and textile waste lead the way in items discarded that could be creatively reused. I believe increasing the goal is one way to divert more waste, but it must be used in conjunction with the upcoming findings to create real solutions for waste diversion.

Certain single-use products plastic bags cause pollution, threaten marine wildlife and end up littering communities, coasts and oceans. While local municipalities across the state have banned plastic bags on their own, legislative attempts for a statewide ban have stalled. Opponents of a ban often argue that the cost would be felt by lower-income consumers and banning plastic bags would cost jobs. Supporters argue that the cost of plastic bags are already felt by lower-income consumers because they are factored into the price of goods and that California would have new and increased job growth because we already manufacture better alternatives. What is your view?

I co-sponsored legislation to ban the use of plastic bags and incentivize the use of non-disposable checkout bags in San Francisco. During that process, I heard similar concerns about potential impact on low-income consumers. We phased in the ban and worked to ensure sufficient and culturally competent outreach efforts to low-income communities. We have not found this to be a problem in San Francisco and I would support similar efforts on a statewide basis.

FORESTRY & FISHERIES

California's recreational and saltwater fisheries once pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the state's economy, but in the last 30 years our fisheries have crashed. Commercial fishing boat landings are down by two-thirds and average fishing wages have declined. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife currently spends more money to regulate some fisheries than the fisheries produce each year in sales. Commercial fishing advocates argue that the regulations are too strict and are contributing to real-life job losses; however, scientific opinion suggests that fisheries can be restored through protected areas and better management practices. In general, do you believe increased management and regulation of California's fisheries will help restore the fisheries and the fishing industry or result in further decline of the industry? Please explain.

I believe the commercial fishing industry would be significantly helped through the restoration of protected areas and better management practices. Too often, the commercial interests have a more powerful voice in Sacramento than those advocating for restoration, yet the restorative approach, in the long run, could help revive commercial fishing.

Since California became a state in 1850, over 95% of our old growth forests have been cut. Are you concerned about the logging of the remaining old growth trees in the state that are on private lands, and if so, what do you believe is an appropriate state response?

I am extremely concerned about the loss of old-growth forests. Clearly, the most effective preservation approach with private lands is for the state to acquire these lands and protect them. This means that when state parks and open space bonds are crafted, old-growth acquisition needs to receive an adequate share of the funding. The state can also ensure that fire-control practices in old-growth areas are modified, if necessary, to prevent the invasion and loss of old growth habitats.

COASTAL/MARINE

The legislature established the Coastal Commission as a permanent land use regulation agency governing the coastal zone in coordination with local governments along the coast. Development pressure on the limited resources of the coast continues to increase, requiring tough decisions on controversial development proposals. Would you support improving the Commission's ability to enforce coastal law? What do you believe have been the strengths and weaknesses of the Coastal Commission with particular regard to its mandate to protect coastal resources and ensure public access?

Yes, I'd support the Commission's enhanced ability to enforce coastal law + and to uphold the integrity of its decision making process from undue influence by developers and special interests who seek to weaken Commission authority. Commission strengths emanate from original intent + to be a quasi-regulatory judicial body that protects open access against privatization or diminished public access. It's essential that the Commission retain its superseding authority over municipal planning decisions that conflict with coastal protection. Recent controversial development proposals in Half Moon Bay and San Diego and north of San Francisco, underline the Commission's vast need to assert its mandate, however, it's under-staffed and under-resourced to be as effective as it needs to be. The volume and complexity of cases, appeals and violations requiring staff attention and analysis forces the Commission to limit its intake of cases and invariably, it's reach overall. Despite their incredible work, how can we expect them to keep up if they're not properly supported.

COALITIONS

The environmental community often works with other interests, such as organized labor or clean technology businesses, in a coalition to achieve shared policy objectives and build/enhance relationships with others involved in policy-making. Please share your experience working in coalitions--especially coalitions that including the environmental or environmental justice community.

In coalition with Sierra Club, Local Clean Energy Alliance, Our City and other environmental groups we secured Board of Supervisors support for CleanPowerSF. In coalition with local community-based environmental and transit organizations from across San Francisco including POWER, Chinatown Community Development Center, Jamestown Community Center, Sierra Club, and SF Bicycle Coalition we secured funding from multiple sources and were able to start the Free Muni for Youth program that now, Muni intends to fund moving forward. Finally, advocating for equity framework, Plan Bay Area was in coalition with local and regional housing and transit advocates like Public Advocates, Habitat for Humanity, Community Council of Housing Organizations, and Chinatown Community Development Center among others.

GENERAL

How do prioritize the above issues? Please outline a plan for funding your recommendations?

My top environmental goal is to ensure that transportation and land use policies prioritize development in urban, infill areas. This will prevent sprawl, make mass transit more effective, and reduce carbon emissions. It must be done, however, by taking equity into account and ensuring that new housing has appropriate amounts of different affordability levels. A new housing bond could be an avenue for funding this approach and create a strong coalition between environmentalists and affordable housing advocates.

CAMPAIGN

What issues do you intend to emphasize in this election in order of their importance to your campaign?

My first commitment is to always stand up for the little guy.

For me, that starts with quality public schools -- the key to opportunity for California youth. I know, because I immigrated to California as a 14 year-old who didn't speak English, graduated from public high school and earned scholarships to Stanford University and Harvard Law.

In San Francisco, I've fought to prevent teacher layoffs, helped win a $30 million Promise Neighborhoods grant for district schools, and battled to secure that free MUNI pass for low-income kids. In Sacramento, I will scrape together every penny we can for public schools -- to restore the cuts students and teachers have endured, and to prevent tuition hikes that put public universities out of reach and students deep into debt.

Another priority will be fiscal and economic equity. I stood with neighbors to prevent foreclosures. Fought wage theft. And opposed the controversial Twitter Tax Break as economic favoritism for a billionaires' industry. Instead, I pushed for equal tax breaks for the small businesses that also create jobs. I will approach the California budget the same way + making sure our fiscal policies help the little guy instead of the large corporate interests.

Health care has been and will remain one of my biggest concerns. In San Francisco, I helped negotiate the CPMC agreement that kept St Luke's open, treated nurses fairly, and won real community benefits. I worked with Planned Parenthood to protect women from being harassed at an abortion clinic. And, I stood up against restaurant owners who were pocketing customer health care surcharges instead of providing employee health care. In Sacramento, implementing the Affordable Care Act in a way that realizes its full potential and minimizes its failings will be one of my top priorities.

Please provide a list of endorsements.

A full list of endorsements can be found at http://www.davidcampossf.com