When the name of the Energy, Water & Environment Committee was
changed to the Environmental Sustainability Council, the thought was to
broaden the Chamber’s vision of how to promote economic growth through
sustainable, pro-jobs energy and environmental policies. In 2011, in
addition to tackling the traditional topics of environmental
regulations, energy supplies and reliable water sources, the Council
partnered with Opportunity Green to design panels that creatively focus
on where green and clean innovation is headed.
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Last Friday, Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), joined the Chamber, Mayor Villariagosa, Metro CEO Art Leahy, Metro Boardmember Richard Katz and Metrolink CEO John Fenton for a conversation on transportation authorization and America Fast Forward. The Congressman, a senior member on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials emphasized to Chamber members that “if we don’t make our infrastructure a priority, we are going to get left behind globally.”
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Last Friday, the Chamber's Environmental Sustainability Policy Council, in conjunction with
Opportunity Green, hosted a panel to discuss the state of the clean tech industry in Los Angeles. A standing room-only crowd heard from experts in the industry on what venture capitalists are looking to invest in, what Los Anglees needs to do to cultivate a more clean tech friendly environment and what game-changing technologies are on the horizon.
Read MoreThis morning in Simi Valley, a little known, but very important board met to choose their leadership for the coming year. The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) protects ground and surface water quality in the Los Angeles Region, including the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Their decisions on permitting, compliance and enforcement affect 10 million California residents.
Read MoreThis morning's marathon Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee on Gambol Industries shipyard proposal clocked in at just over 3.5 hours. A couple weeks ago, at the request of Councilwoman Hahn, City Council had voted to take jurisdiction over the Harbor Committee's decision to sever ties with Gambol. The Commission had ruled that the Gambol proposal would necessitate a re-opening of the permitting process, thus causing a delay to the Main Channel Deepening Project (MCDP), costing thousands of jobs and the region's competitiveness.
Read MoreThree more of the Chamber's revamped Policy Councils held their first meetings of 2011 in the last week, emphasizing a renewed focus on industry participation, partnerships and engagement with regional thought-leaders.
Read MoreYesterday the LA City Council voted 11-0 to approve Ron Nichols' appointment as General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP).
Read MoreFor the first time in four years, the Planning Department went through the City's Managed Hiring process to request four new case processors. Proving successfully that their salaries are fully cost recoverable, the Planning Department received full City Council support. This is a victory for the Planning Department and newly appointed General Manager Michael LoGrande. Congratulations to Mr. LoGrande for fulfilling a promise to increase the case processing staff so that the City can start addressing the case backlog and move applications forward in a timely manner.
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President Obama wrote the magic words for many businesses in a
rare Wall Street Journal op-ed today - ordering "a
government-wide review of the rules already on the books to remove outdated regulations that stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive." The president also issued a companion executive order calling on government agencies to ensure that any regulations on the books "
protect
our safety, health and environment while promoting economic growth."
Read MoreThe revamped Land Use & Mobility Policy Council met for the first time today and featured three speakers highlighting the Council's priorities for the year.
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