Issue Position: Gil's Plan to Defend Our Environment
Issue Position
DEFENDING OUR ENVIRONMENT
Gil Cisneros believes climate change is real, human-made and a threat to our health, national security, and economic future. According to the National Institutes of Health, air pollution exposure causes a wide array of health effects, including cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and even death. Children and the elderly are particularly at risk when temperatures reach extremes of heat or cold. The Department of Defense cited climate change as a risk to national security by aggravating problems such as poverty, social tensions, environmental degradation, ineffectual leadership and weak political institutions that threaten stability in many countries. The Washington Post called the economic impact of air pollution "staggering," with $131 billion in damages in the year 2011. Some of these losses are directly tied to healthcare expenditures, lost productivity from sick workers, and lower crop yields.
As the Congressman for California's 39th District, Gil will be the leader our country needs to protect our environment. The Trump administration continues to undermine enforcement of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and other regulations that protect our environment. The Trump Administration is actively attempting to dismantle the Clean Power Plan.
In Congress, Gil will stand up to the Trump administration and fight to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency stands by their directive to ensure all Americans have access to clean air and clean water. He'll support legislation to codify The Clean Power Plan that limited pollution from power plants and encouraged a shift towards renewable fuel.
Gil views our nation's reliance on fossil fuels as the pinpoint of climate change. The problem is that our current Congressional leaders are beholden to corporate oil money instead of the people they represent. Gil has taken a pledge not to accept any oil money and will stand up to big oil and energy companies who put profits above our nation's health and access to clean air and water. He opposes President Trump's plan to open up California's coast for drilling -- including Orange County.
California has demonstrated that you don't need to sacrifice environmental regulations in order to maintain a robust economy. Gil supports infrastructure investment that would bring quality jobs to expand our public transportation services and build bicycle and pedestrian paths. He supports funding for clean energy research and development and incentives to grow renewable energy businesses for solar and wind power.
Growing up in Southern California, Gil remembers looking toward a horizon shrouded in smog. As a U.S. Navy officer, Gil thoroughly enjoyed working out on the blue seas, and believes that we need to do more to protect our oceans. Today, more than ever, our nation needs strong leaders to take action to protect our environment.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Gil is committed to addressing climate change head-on. He believes the science is irrefutable and we must take action before it is too late. Gil views President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as a terrible mistake and that our nation should be demonstrating leadership on the global stage to combat climate change. In Congress, Gil will support efforts to reaffirm the commitment President Obama made to the international community to limit global temperatures.
THE EPA
Under the Trump administration, the Environmental Protection Agency is purposefully ignoring its duty of protecting our environment and is actively working to dismantle the institution. In Congress, Gil will fight to ensure the EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler adheres to his directive to enforce protections of the water we drink and the air we breathe. The Administrator must act to ensure our children and our neighbors can enjoy a healthy and productive life through a clean environment.
CLEAN ENERGY
In Congress, Gil will support legislation that will codify the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan was designed to limit pollution from power plants and encourage a shift towards renewable fuel. Oil consumption and its devastating environmental impact can be reduced through the production of cleaner fuels, expanding the use and affordability of electric vehicles, and by improving the fuel efficiency of cars, boilers, ships, and trucks. In Congress, Gil will vigorously oppose Trump administration efforts to roll back fuel efficiency standards that help reduce reliance on foreign oil and lower carbon emissions.
THE CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY
Gil adheres to the belief that clean energy is not only good for our quality of life but also serves as an economic engine to create good paying jobs. As the Congressman for CA-39, Gil will support legislation to increase investment in clean energy infrastructure and incentivize the purchase of products from wind, solar, and other renewable energy businesses. Gil believes these efforts will create millions of new jobs and save families and businesses money on their monthly energy bills. Infrastructure spending would create quality jobs building public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian paths across urban and suburban areas.
Our nation's electric grid requires modernization and our schools, hospitals, and offices need energy efficient improvements. With a commitment to installing half a billion solar panels, built by US manufacturers, Gil believes clean energy could power every American home in four years. With a commitment by the federal government to use 100 percent clean energy, our economy would be booming. Gil supports high labor standards in clean energy infrastructure and the right to form or join a union, whether in renewable power or advanced vehicle manufacturing. He will fight to prevent corporations from shipping these quality American jobs overseas. During the clean energy transition, Gil will ensure members of low-income households, communities of color, and tribal nations have equal access to quality clean energy jobs and rapid access to the savings of clean energy.
FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY
Gil supports President Obama's decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline. In Congress, Gil will support legislation to ensure federal actions do not "significantly exacerbate" global warming and contribute to solving climate change. Gil is committed to closing the Halliburton loophole that stripped the EPA of its ability to regulate hydraulic fracturing, thereby weakening local water safeguards such as the Safe Drinking Water Act. Hydraulic fracturing should not take place where states and local communities oppose it. The tax code must reflect our country's commitment to a clean energy future by eliminating special tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuel companies as well as defending and extending tax incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy. To accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy, carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases should be priced to reflect their negative impact.
CALIFORNIA'S WATER SUPPLY
Gil believes the stability of California's water supply requires an emphasis on conservation, recycling, and infrastructure. As a member of Congress, Gil will support legislation to assist California in updating its water infrastructure and make funding available to invest in the latest technology to both improve consumption efficiency and increase the efficacy of recycling water. In Congress, Gil will seek technological partnerships with global leaders like Israel whose freshwater recycling programs are a model to the world.
THE ORANGE COUNTY GROUNDWATER BASIN
The Orange County Groundwater Basin provides 2.4 million people with water. Nineteen cities and agencies draw approximately 75 percent of their water supply from this local basin. Unfortunately, due mainly to local manufacturing, both past, and present, a five-mile "plume" of contamination, composed mainly of industrial solvents, is growing in the shallow portion of the groundwater known as the "North Basin." The "North Basin" is located beneath the cities of Fullerton, Anaheim, and Placentia.
Gil supports the decision of the OC Water District and the city of Fullerton to seek the EPA's assistance. In Congress, Gil would advocate for the community and insist the EPA add the Orange County North Basin to its Superfund's National Priorities List. This support would ensure the necessary resources are available for effective and safe recovery of this critical water supply. Gil understands immediate action needs to be taken to ensure a clean drinking water source for his constituents in Orange County.
PROTECTING OUR PUBLIC LANDS
Gil first learned to appreciate the beauty of nature on camping trips with his uncle. In his lifetime, Gil has visited national parks across the nation, and his appreciation of our country's natural beauty has only grown. He vehemently believes our public lands should remain environmental treasures and should not be commercialized or pillaged of their natural resources. In Congress, Gil will fight to keep and preserve our national parks, not sell them off to the highest corporate bidder. He will work to fully fund our national park system so they can be maintained and enjoyed by generations to come. Currently, The National Park Service is underfunded and is dealing with staff shortages as well as an $11 billion repair backlog. Now, the Trump administration is proposing further cuts that would be devastating for the future of our national parks. In Congress, Gil would support the establishment of an American Parks Trust Fund to help expand local, state, and federal recreational opportunities, rehabilitate existing parks and enhance America's great outdoors for future generations.
Further, Gil opposes drilling off of our coastlines, or in the Arctic. In Congress, he will support reform of fossil fuel leasing on public lands and phase down the extraction of fossil fuels from our public lands.
Gil opposes efforts to undermine the Endangered Species Act and in Congress will work to protect threatened and endangered species.
TRES HERMANOS
The Tres Hermanos Ranch, covering Diamond Bar and Chino Hills, is the last of the remaining unprotected tracts of open space within the Puente-Chino Hills wildlife corridor. Gil wants to protect these biodiverse wetlands from development. Not only does it provide habitat for threatened and endangered species, but it also serves a natural solution to reduce carbon emissions in the region, and provides temperature regulation, water filtration, and emotional relief from endless urbanization. Gil supports securing Tres Hermanos as a lasting living legacy of beauty for future generations.
WEST COYOTE HILLS
Gil supports the West Coyote Hills Preservation Act. He is proud to be endorsed by Sharon Quirk-Silva, whose legislation would help save the largest remaining open space in a highly urbanized area of Orange County and Los Angeles County so that over 1 million people have a natural preserve. The National Recreation and Parks Association standard for parkland is 1 acre per 100 people can enjoy it. Within seven miles of West Coyote Hills, there is only 1 acre per 356 people. In Congress, Gil will fight to ensure North Orange County enjoys the quality of life shared by the rest of the country by having its fair share of parks.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Gil believes clean air and clean water are fundamental rights of all Americans. Unfortunately, low income communities and communities of color are disproportionately home to environmental injustice where air pollution, water pollution, and toxic hazards increase health risks and economic hardship. In Congress, Gil will fight for the rights of people like those in Flint, Michigan whose water is undrinkable and whose representatives remain apathetic to their plight.
As Congressman, Gil will make it a national priority to eradicate lead poisoning, which disproportionately impacts low-income children and children of color and can lead to lifelong health and education challenges.
Gil understands the fight against climate change must not leave any community out or behind. Low income and minority communities, and tribal nations are hit hardest because they suffer the worst losses and have the fewest resources to combat extremes in weather. As a Congressman, Gil will fight to counter this environmental racism and will support legislation to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable across our nation.
Coal communities also face a devastating future related to climate change. In Congress, Gil will fight to ensure these workers and their families receive their earned benefits and will support legislation to invest in clean energy jobs for the region.
Gil believes corporations owe it to the public and their shareholders to thoroughly analyze and disclose the impact their business practices have on climate change and the risks they impose on the American people.
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