BILL NUMBER:  AB 2547
  VETOED	DATE: 09/29/2008




To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 2547 without my signature.

In addition to many other activities which are already being
undertaken by the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR),
this bill seeks to establish a new grant program to evaluate new oil
spill response technologies.  This is unnecessary as OSPR already
maintains partnerships with the United States Coast Guard and the
Minerals Management Service to monitor and evaluate new response
technologies.

Additionally, the funding stream for this new program is problematic.
  The bill proposes to fund the new grant program using the Oil Spill
Response Trust Fund.  This is problematic because Trust Fund monies
are set aside to fund oil spill response activities.  Using this
money for an ongoing program depletes the fund and sets a bad
precedent that undermines its purpose: to ensure that there are
always funds available for expedient response to an oil spill in the
marine waters of the state.

For these reasons, I am unable to sign this bill.

Sincerely,



Arnold Schwarzenegger