With help from Phelim Cain
A day in court: jamie coat It’s on the rise.
The president of the long-ignored advocacy group Consumer Watchdog in Sacramento chalked up some important policy victories as the costs of climate change begin to hit people’s wallets. .
Cote has been an attorney with Consumer Watchdog since 1994 and has long been a vocal critic of high consumer costs for things like health care, auto insurance and packaging recycling. As a result, he has developed a reputation as a claimer-for-hire, willing to do anything that will earn him group intervention fees.
But he has recently had success with climate policy, from oil drilling to gas prices to wildfire insurance. He calls himself an “accidental climate activist.”
“This is the biggest thing and it affects everything,” Cote said of climate change. “Unfortunately, it intersects with everything, so we have to work on it.”
He employs the same heavy-handed tactics he always does. secret recording A story about a lobbyist on a plane. Jump from hot button problem to hot button problem. And he is willing to issue scathing statements to the media.
Lobbyists on the other side of his issues scoff at his tactics.
“Most people look at him like a papier-mâché tiger,” he said. Steve Maviglio, a longtime Democratic strategist whose clients include insurance industry groups. “They’re being laughed at on Capitol Hill because one day they’re recycling experts, the next day they’re medical malpractice experts, the next day they’re insurance experts. is.”
Another key to Cote’s current success is his relationship with Gov. Gavin Newsom. Cote said the two had exchanged late-night emails about priorities and felt the governor granted his request.
The court asked Newsom to call a special session on raising gas prices (which he did). He urged the governor not to invoke a state of emergency because of the real estate insurance crisis. (Mr. Newsom did not do so, but he did issue an executive order supporting Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, one of his opponents in court.) issued). And the court also asked Newsom last month to veto a late-session bill that would have watered down last year’s gas price law (which he did).
It’s a change from his rivalry with former Gov. Jerry Brown, whom Coats attacked over his use of energy company donations and alleged conflicts of interest among his aides.
He credits his closeness with Newsom to longtime CW board member and long-term care worker organizer Rose Ann DeMoro, who was one of the first people to support Newsom in the governor’s race when he first ran. Ta.
“The channels are limited, but it’s helpful to have them available when you need them,” Cote said.
The formula is mostly working, and Cote plans to continue his efforts to combat climate change. Next year, he wants to advance legislation that would require oil companies to pay for health problems near drilling sites and require insurance companies to stay in the state.
He also focused on Mr. Lara, who is developing rules that would expand coverage to fire-prone areas by allowing insurance companies to raise premiums.
“We slowed him down,” Cote said of Lara. He said he would anger Newsom if he went “too far.” “I’m hopeful that he might be able to pull Lara back from the abyss.”
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Chinese complexity: Okay, that’s not it all climate.Newsom is pit stop in israel Tomorrow I am preparing for a trip to China next week.
Then, on his first tightrope walk, he facing pressure Lobbying for the release of fellow Californians imprisoned in China since 2006.
“We need to bring forward my father’s case as well as the names of other Americans who have been wrongly detained,” Newsom said. Alice Linsaid the daughter of Orange County pastor David Linn in an exclusive interview. “I support Governor Newsom in doing everything he can to bring David home to her family,” said Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), whose district includes Lin’s home. Ta.
Newsom maintains a laser-like focus on climate. “This trip is primarily focused on climate,” a spokesperson said. Erin Mellon he told reporters Tuesday in response to a question about whether human rights were on the agenda. Newsom officials did not respond to questions about Lin and referred POLITICO to the State Department.
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Get out your binoculars: Birds living in agricultural areas are less likely to successfully leave their nests during periods of extreme heat, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. was announced on science today.
This bodes badly for California’s Central Valley. Although the Central Valley supports millions of birds, much of its natural shady habitat has been lost to farms.
But there is also a glimmer of hope. The researchers also found that forest-nesting birds were more likely to successfully fledge, especially when it was hot.
And Central Valley orchards, especially those with nearby irrigation canals, may provide important respite for birds, according to preliminary findings from a follow-up study in Solano County.
“Much of the water that was historically available has been routed, removed from the ground and placed on agricultural land,” he said. Katherine Lauck, co-director of the study and a PhD candidate. “This means that agricultural land, especially in the Central Valley, could play a critical role in maintaining the resilience of biodiversity-rich communities as climate change intensifies heat waves. ”
Abundant bus: The LA Unified School District this week approved the purchase of 180 electric school buses, enough to replace 15% of its aging combustion fleet. To power these new buses, the company also has a new agreement with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to pay for up to $4.5 million worth of charging stations.
Exhaust fumes from school buses enter the interior of the vehicle and affect the health of students riding on board. 2005 research Graduated from University of California, Berkeley.
“A major purchase of electric school buses built by union members in Georgia will help us understand how the transition to electric school buses can support good jobs and protect students’ lung health. It shows LAUSD is once again leading by example and leading the nation.” Hector HuezoJobs to Move America’s California director said in a statement.
Patton’s promotion: Newsom was sworn in on Wednesday. Jared “JP” Patton The program was started in 1976 by former Gov. Jerry Brown to train young people to work on environmental projects. Patton has served as CCC’s deputy regional director since 2020.
— 8th Annual “P-22 Day” Sunday comes with new stuff graphic novel About the California Mountain Lion.
— California’s new orphan well prevention law helps cap abandoned wells but does nothing about tens of thousands of wells. idol well Excavators can keep it open for a small fee.
— internal Demolition in progress A view of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant.
