Vetoing CA AB 2270 would aid the environment: Salt Institute
The Salt Institute has urged California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger to veto AB 2270 which would authorize local governments to enact bans on water softeners. SI president Richard L. Hanneman argued that homeowners' use of softeners is more than a "whiter whites, brighter brights" quality of life issue; softener use significantly reduces detergent use, extends the usable life of apparel, preserves the energy efficiency of hot-water-using applicances and extends their useful lives, reducing the need for new landfill capacity.
He urged the Governor to "recognize that our citizens’ quality of life must be considered in the context of its long-term environmental consequences" and that the bill invites "unintended consequences, which are, ironically, environmental in their impact." A veto, he argued, would represent "an affirmation that the carefully-drawn process in current law will prevent any rush to judgment that could actually have a net-negative environmental impact."
The bill is expected to clear the Legislature in July or August.
