Berkeley Considers Gas Pump Climate Labels
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco Bay Area city of Berkeley will decide whether to slap stickers on gas pumps warning that burning fuel contributes to global warming in a plan that’s a first of its kind in the country.
City Council Set for Vote on Proposal
The Berkeley City Council is expected to vote Tuesday night on whether to move forward with the proposal to put climate-change warning labels on gas pumps citywide. San Francisco is drafting a similar ordinance that officials could vote on by next spring.
Oil Industry Responds to Warning Labels
A spokeswoman for the Western States Petroleum Association, an oil-industry lobbying group, has said the labels reflect the state’s and Berkeley’s opinions and would force “unwanted speech in violation of the First Amendment.”
Effort Tied to Emissions Reduction Goals
The labels are part of a voter-approved city plan to reduce emissions by 33 percent between 2000 and 2020.
