ASSEMBLYMAN VAN TRAN APPOINTED TO TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND THE ECONOMY
"A healthy environment and a healthy economy are both essential to California's prosperity."

GARDEN GROVE - Assemblyman Van Tran, R-Garden Grove, today announced that he has been appointed by Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines to serve on a newly-created Assembly Republican Task Force on the Environment, Energy and the Economy. Members of the task force will help develop and propose innovative ideas using free-market principles to safeguard our state's environment, without imposing burdensome mandates, increasing the deficit or hurting the economy.

"I am committed to improving the environment and believe we can do so more wisely and effectively without shutting down or stifling our economy," said Tran.  "In fact recently I participated in the opening of Orange County Water District's Ground Water Replenishment System."

"The GWR system is a great example of how break-through technologies can help our environment and our economy.  It helps our economy grow by providing near-distilled water for a cost comparable to imported water, and it helps our environment by using only ½ the energy required to import water from northern California.  Most importantly, it reduces our water (and pollution) discharged to the ocean."

"As a member of the Task Force on Energy, the Environment and the Economy I will continue to work to find solutions to our energy demands that do not squander our water, wilderness, wildlife or other natural treasures. Californians share a deep concern for the environment and we know that a healthy environment and a healthy economy are both essential to California's prosperity."

Tran and members of the Assembly Republican Task Force on Energy, the Environment and the Economy will work to develop better, more innovative ways to improve air and water quality, increase energy efficiency, expand alternative energy and grow our economy, while preserving our natural resources.

Tran said that California's $14 billion deficit presented an opportunity to show that California can safeguard our environment for future generations through incentives without increasing state spending or imposing burdensome regulations.  The Task Force will talk with leading experts from other states as they review dozens of creative ideas to secure California's environmental future.

Assemblyman Van Tran proudly serves the people of the 68th Assembly District, which includes Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Anaheim, Stanton, and Newport Beach.

In addition to his historic election as the first Vietnamese-American in any state legislature, Tran serves as the vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee, the Chairman of the newly created Assembly Select Committee on International Trade and as an Assistant Republican Leader in the Assembly.