Modeling Responsible Environmental Stewardship

By Betty T. Yee

As the need to address climate disruption increases in urgency, it is imperative that strategies be developed that have both the public and private sectors bearing the responsibilities and costs. By not doing so, the public sector and taxpayers will bear more of the costs to address climate disruption, thereby putting at risk, funding for other critical public services.

The State Lands Commission, on which the Controller serves, is in a unique position to model responsible environmental stewardship in several ways for others, with respect to its jurisdiction over State lands, waterways, and natural resources.

First, the Commission can lead by fostering and coordinating interagency collaboration on issues relating to activities on State lands. For example, with respect to the issue of hydraulic facturing (known as fracking), the Commission can coordinate a multi-agency approach to implement a moratorium on fracking and to address the effects of fracking relating to, among other things, groundwater quality, seismic risks and hazards, and energy and water supply.

Second, the Commission can model responsible stewardship by employing the highest energy efficiency standards, the most aggressive waste reduction goals, and strict water conservation and reuse policies on our State lands --- focusing attention on the need to support the development of our green economic sector where new job creation will occur.

From crisis emerges opportunity, and the crisis of climate change if addressed with necessary urgency will bring opportunities for modeling strong environmental stewardship such that it becomes an ethic rather than a burden; and creating green sector jobs focused on developing the technologies, products, and services to facilitate such stewardship.