Administration officials acknowledge that they were displeased by some of Sawyer's actions. But they said they were troubled most by his board's vote to seek a delay on certain federal air quality standards in the San Joaquin Valley.
Lawmakers lobbied
But meanwhile, the administration was lobbying the Legislature against limiting construction equipment emissions. Caltrans Director Will Kempton cautioned lawmakers against requiring contractors to use cleaner equipment in projects funded with state bond money.
"I'm concerned that by putting these kinds of requirements in place, we will be impacting the level of competition" in the bidding process for state projects, he said. "The governor made clear he wants all people to share in the benefits" of the public works funded by the bonds.
Lawmakers moved the requirement for cleaner machines along anyway, and it is now part of state budget negotiations. But it would not take effect unless the governor signed off on it.
Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), who drafted the legislative proposal, said he still hoped the governor would do so. He called Kempton's testimony "inconsistent with the governor's positions on global warming and climate change."
"The governor has done a great job of laying out a positive agenda on the environment," Simitian said. "Now it is time to roll up the shirt sleeves and make it real."
evan.halper@latimes.com
Times staff writers Alicia Lozano in London and Janet Wilson in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
--
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Deconstructing pollution
In a recent report, the Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed the public health effects of heavy diesel construction equipment in California.
Estimated annual health effects (2005)
*--* South Coast Statewide Air Basin* Premature deaths 1,132 731 Respiratory hospitalizations 669 383 Cardiovascular hospitalizations 417 274 Asthma and other lower respiratory symptoms 30,118 20,941 Lost work days 182,940 123,439 School absences 331,040 175,339
*--*
--
* Includes most of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties
--
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
