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5 Reasons to Vote for Phil Angelides for Governor

Here are 5 environmental reasons you should vote for Phil Angelides for Governor:

As State Treasurer, Phil Angelides has been a leader in investing billions of dollars into renewable energy, environmental technologies and environmentally responsible businesses.

Treasurer Angelides' Green Wave initiative has directed California's pension funds to invest in creating an environmentally sustainable economy and has directed state investments away from companies involved in environmental and human rights abuses. With the formidable sum of more than $3.6 billion in California's pension funds, California's money certainly talks. Phil is ensuring our public investments have an environmental voice.

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Phil is a strong advocate for alternative energy.

As a candidate for Governor, Phil has proposed a Clean California plan to reduce gasoline and diesel use by 25 percent in ten years by making California the world leader in developing clean and renewable fuels and alternative fuel vehicles. Phil has also sponsored legislation to make California's state vehicle fleet the most fuel efficient in the world and to open California's carpool lanes to hybrid cars.

He is the only candidate for governor who supports November's Proposition 87, the Clean Alternative Energy initiative, which would levy an assessment on oil pumped in California to fund investments in alternative energy. Prop 87 is supported by CLCV and opposed by Governor Schwarzenegger and the oil companies.

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For decades, Phil has been a leader in creating and advocating for environmentally sound growth.

In his private business career, Phil built smart before the term “smart growth” even existed. His Laguna West community was nationally recognized as an early model of the new urbanism and smart growth. It was built to be pedestrian and transit friendly, with front porches, thousands of trees, and other mechanisms to protect water quality.

As Treasurer, Phil established the Cal ReUSE program to help cities finance the cleanup of contaminated properties in neighborhoods across California.

He has created programs to provide incentives for smart regional growth policies.

Also, working with Sacramento flood control officials, Phil took the initiative to put together funding for levee improvements. These improvements protected tens of thousands of people at a higher level of flood protection than existed in downtown Sacramento and older portions of the city.

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Phil has always stood up to oil companies and other polluters.

Phil has fought to protect the ban on offshore oil drilling. He was the only statewide elected official to join with coastal and environmental groups on Senator Joe Simitian's 2005 bill for comprehensive planning prior to locating any liquid natural gas terminals on the coast.

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Environmental leaders agree that Phil is the choice for California.

Phil has been endorsed by groups that represent more than 1,000,000 members across California, including the California League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, Vote the Coast, and Clean Water Action. He's also won these awards: the Local Environmental Leadership Award presented by Mikhail Gorbachev on behalf of Global Green; the American Planning Association's 2000 Planning Vision California Award; the 25th Anniversary Tribute presented by Urban Ecology; and the Congress for the New Urbanism's Lifetime Achievement Award.

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The environmental consensus is this: Without question, Phil Angelides has been a champion for environmental protection for over 30 years. Phil has the vision, the track record, and the leadership ability to be California's most successful environmental governor ever.

Unsurprisingly, millions of dollars are being spent to exaggerate candidates' positives and negatives in the days leading up to the election. Don't let distorted campaign ads prevail over your best judgment.

The California League of Conservation Voters has been endorsing candidates for over 30 years. Our members rely on our recommendations because our analysis is complete and thorough: we meticulously research candidates' environmental records and we require candidates to complete an exhaustive written questionnaire. Thank you for supporting CLCV and relying on our analysis; we take seriously our responsibility to provide you with the best information possible.

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