Press Release
December 22, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2020
CONTACT: Suzanne Spencer, 510-550-8172
[email protected]
ENVIROVOTERS STATEMENT ON ALEX PADILLA’S APPOINTMENT TO THE SENATE
“We urge Secretary Padilla to take a strong role in protecting the health of our democracy and take bold and immediate action on climate justice.”
Sacramento, CA – Today, the California Environmental Voters released the following statement regarding the Governor’s appointment of current Secretary of State Alex Padilla to California’s open Senate seat.
Statement from Mary Creasman, CEO, California Environmental Voters:
“Secretary Padilla’s appointment is historic in a number of ways. He will be the first Latino to represent California in the United States Senate. In a state that is almost 40% Latinx, this is long overdue. He will also be stepping into this role at a unique time of crisis for our state and nation.
A theme in Secretary Padilla’s career of public service has been his commitments to building an equitable and democratic society. We collaborated with Secretary Padilla to successfully make voting safer and more accessible during the pandemic, ensuring every registered Californian received a ballot in the mail, and securing enough in-person polling places for safe, socially distanced voting. We urge Secretary Padilla to take a strong role in protecting the health of our democracy in the Senate.
We also urge Secretary Padilla to take bold and immediate action on climate justice. The Secretary comes from a working class family in Pacoima, in the San Fernando Valley. This area has been hit badly by climate-related flooding, so he knows firsthand how devastating the effects of climate change can be. His actions can help protect many California communities facing similar environmental threats.
In his new role, we hope to see Secretary Padilla prioritize halting oil and gas drilling on federal public lands in our state, address wildfires and our need for better forest management, especially on federal lands, and help make California’s plan to protect 30% of our land and water by 2030 a reality. In particular, we hope to see Secretary Padilla champion a community driven effort to protect public lands in Northwest California, the Central Coast, and in the Los Angeles region.
We only have until 2030 to prevent the most catastrophic effects of climate change. We need a bold leader with a strong environmental record in the Senate now. If Secretary Padilla steps up as a climate champion in the Senate, it would make a big difference in our climate future.
We’re hopeful for Secretary Padilla’s new role, and look forward to working with him.”
ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
