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Edward, Your (this) letter to Sen. Boxer is right on. I hope she is
sincere about taking your and other such incontrovertible advice from
knowledgeable constituents.<br>
<br>
I'm going to write her and include a copy of your letter. I'll praise
its authenticity while urging her to use her powerful chair to advance
such critical change.<br>
<br>
Thanks for taking action!<br>
<br>
Fred Duperrault<br>
<br>
The following is from Senator Barbara Boxer. Let her know what you
think. After her message is what I wrote to her.<br>
<br>
<div>
<p>Dear Friend:<br>
<br>
Traffic and air quality are issues that impact all Californians. We
all hope to quickly and safely travel to work or school and then home
to our families. We also all depend on clean air that is too often
degraded by cars, trucks and trains.<br>
<br>
As the Chairman of the Senate¢s Committee on Environment and Public
Works, one of my most important priorities for the coming year is to
authorize a new federal highway, transit and highway safety bill. The
aim of the bill is to improve surface transportation nationwide, which
can help improve our air quality as well. My committee has begun the
process to write the next bill. I am writing to you both to offer some
information about the process and to ask for your thoughts about the
focus and priorities of the bill.<br>
<br>
Recently, I held briefings in California to hear from transportation
officials in California about their priorities. With the following
links, you can watch video of the two briefings in Sacramento and Los
Angeles and read the testimony of the witnesses:</p>
<p><a
href="http://boxer.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=1999878088.196899.427&gen=1&mailing_linkid=11500"
target="_blank" title="This external link will open in a new window">Field
Briefing in Los Angeles</a><br>
<a
href="http://boxer.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=1999878088.196899.427&gen=1&mailing_linkid=11501"
target="_blank" title="This external link will open in a new window">Field
Briefing in Sacramento</a><br>
<br>
I also want to hear from you. I want to know your priorities for the
next federal transportation bill. I hope you will use the instructions
at the bottom of this page to send me your thoughts about what the
transportation priorities for the nation should be for the coming
years. What can be done to best reduce congestion? Do you want more
public transit? What should be done to more quickly move freight
across the nation? While these are not easy questions, I would like to
hear from you. By considering the thoughts of Californians, I think we
can craft a better bill for the nation.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
</div>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
Barbara Boxer<br>
United States Senator
<p> </p>
<hr>
<p>To respond to this message, please click <a
href="http://boxer.enews.senate.gov/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=1999878088.196899.427&gen=1&mailing_linkid=11503"
target="_blank" title="This external link will open in a new window">here</a>.
This link will take you to a webpage where you can reply to messages
that you receive from Senator Boxer¢s office.</p>
<br>
<br>
Dear Senator Boxer:<br>
<br>
As one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions,
California is poised to take a leadership role in stopping global
warming even if the United States does not. However, real change will
need to happen in Washington DC to tackle this issue, so I am thankful
that this is an issue that we both care about.<br>
<br>
First, we need to seriously fund public transit and high speed rail in
California and in major metropolitan areas instead of spending billions
in the coming years expanding our highways and airports.<br>
<br>
Second, we need to put serious pressure on the auto industry to produce
green vehicles. Plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle technologies were
available a decade ago, but GM decided to scrap the EV1. Learning from
past mistakes, we need to increase our CAFE standards for cars to 60mpg
and 45mpg for light trucks by 2012 if we are to reach the target of an
80% reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. The current plan
for 80% by 2050 is not enough if we are to stop global warming, even
though vague and distant goals may be more politically convenient.<br>
<br>
Lastly, we need to show the world that we mean business when we talk
about getting rid of our addiction to dirty fuels such as oil. There is
too much talk about biofuels such as ethanol and other unclean,
non-sustainable energy sources for our nation's vehicles. We need to
seriously invest in converting to a solar economy with 100% electric
cars. Gasoline, ethanol, and hydrogen are not the ways of the future,
despite what big auto and oil companies are telling Congress and
ordinary Americans. We also need to adopt a nuclear-free energy policy,
a policy that the Republicans are going to do a major push for in the
near future. The Democratic Party CANNOT give in to nuclear lobbyists
and the conservative agenda!<br>
<br>
Thank you for prioritizing the future of transportation in our country
and I hope to hear your thoughts about these matters soon.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Edward Chow<br>
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