Kristin’s primary responsibilities were as member of the AB 32 legal and policy team. She authored numerous legal memos that helped guide the drafting process, and wrote key portions of the bill.

In addition, Kristin researched and authored two fact sheets that were used as advocacy tools and widely distributed to Legislators and staff, the press, other environmental organizations, and coalition partners. The first fact sheet describes the health benefits of solving global warming (such as air quality benefits of pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy).  The second fact sheet exposes the oil and coal industries for “crying wolf” once again, repeating the same tired refrains they used to oppose past environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act.  This fact sheet was released to the press along with a hard-hitting ad to counter the oil industry’s attacks on AB 32. Both these fact sheets were crucial advocacy tools. 

Kristin also assisted on several additional projects.  She produced a very helpful review of the National Commission on Energy Policy's proposed new "metrics" for gauging national progress on reducing oil dependence.  And she represented NRDC in several CPUC forums on energy efficiency related issues, and in lobbying visits with Legislative staff on AB 32.

Less than two weeks after Kristin’s fellowship ended, the value of her work was resoundingly affirmed with the Legislature’s passage of AB 32 and Governor Schwarzenegger’s commitment to sign it.

AB 32 is an historic accomplishment, making California the first state in the country to put a binding limit on its global warming pollution, and thereby significantly increasing the pressure on the federal government to take action on global warming.  Many other states, and the rest of the world, were watching closely (there were prominent articles about AB 32’s passage in papers around the world from the UK to China), and NRDC will be seeking to make this bill the latest in a long line of examples of California’s leadership inspiring others to act.

“I believe that the fellowship changed more than my life - I hope that my work this summer will contribute to a change in many people's lives and mindsets.  AB 32 should provide momentum for action against global warming in other states and possibly even nationally.  Although only time will tell, I hope my summer work was spent changing the future - by taking action against global warming pollution.”

- Kristin Burford

“It would be hard to overstate how valuable this Fellowship, and Kristin in particular, were to the success of AB 32, the recently-passed landmark bill to limit California’s global warming pollution.  She was an essential part of our team, and provided crucial legal and policy research and analysis, and most importantly she authored several key fact sheets and critical portions of AB 32 itself.  Without her, we would not have as strong an AB 32 as we do.”

- Sheryl Carter, Director, California Energy Program

- Devra Wang, Staff Scientist