WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. I
WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU THIS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13TH TO THE
JOINT HEARING BY THE ASSEMBLY
SELECT COMMITTEE ON
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND THE ASSEMBLY
SELECT COMMITTEE ON GREEN
INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
WE HAVE AN EXCITING
INFORMATIONAL HEARING TODAY, AND
A LITTLE BONUS AFTERWARDS. A
VIEWING FOR, AN EVENT CALLED
TITLED POWERING THE FUTURE
HARNESSING LIFE SCIENCES FOR
SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION. AND
TODAY IS REALLY AN APPROPRIATE
DAY BECAUSE AUGUST, OF COURSE,
IS LIFE SCIENCES MONTH
RECOGNIZED HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
SO I WANT TO THANK SOME OF OUR
PANELISTS IN ADVANCE FOR BEING
HERE. YOU KNOW, WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE CALIFORNIA IS THE
HOME TO SO MANY GREAT INNOVATIVE
COMPANIES HERE THAT ARE WORKING
TO PROVIDE. AND OUR EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS AND RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE WORKING TO
PROVIDE SOME OF THE ADVANCES
THAT WE SEE IN LIFE SCIENCES.
AND WE OFTEN THINK ABOUT THOSE
SOMETIMES JUST IN THE CONTEXT OF
HEALTHCARE, BUT IT'S SO MUCH
MORE AND SOME OF THE INNOVATIONS
AND THE DISCOVERIES THAT HAVE
COME OUT OF LIFE SCIENCES
COMPANIES RIGHT HERE IN
CALIFORNIA ARE FUELING A VARIETY
OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE, SOME OF THE SOME
OF THE PRODUCTS, SOME OF THE
DELIVERABLES THAT WE'RE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO OVERVIEW HERE TODAY,
SO SOME OF THE COMPANIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDE A LOT OF
GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGIES,
WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO
HEAR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT A
WHOLE WIDE SWATH OF OUR SOCIETY.
INSTEAD OF SOME OF OUR NORMAL
HEARINGS THAT ARE FOCUSED, WE'RE
GOING TO FOCUS TODAY ON CLIMATE
CHANGE AND ALTERNATIVES TO
FOSSIL FUELS AND INTENSIVE
PRODUCTS, WHICH PROMOTE
SUSTAINABILITY, TODAY WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TWO PANELS. OUR
FIRST PANELISTS WILL DISCUSS HOW
THEIR COMPANIES ARE PART OF SOME
OF THESE GROUNDBREAKING ADVANCES
IN SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION AND
WHAT CALIFORNIA WILL SEE IN THE
FUTURE. AND OUR SECOND PANEL
WILL DISCUSS HOW THE LIFE
SCIENCES ARE MOVING TOWARDS A
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, AND HOW
SPECIFIC COMPANIES ARE TAKING
ACTIONS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE
THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT. I WOULD
LIKE TO INVITE MY FELLOW
COLLEAGUE HERE AS WELL, WHO'S A
MEMBER OF OUR FELLOW SELECT
COMMITTEE, GREG HART, FOR ANY
OPENING REMARKS. THANK YOU.
CHAIR WARD, I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THAT, CALIFORNIA IS REALLY
FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH AMAZING
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS THAT WE
SUPPORT PUBLICLY THAT HAVE SOME
OF THE BEST SCIENTISTS IN THE
WORLD. AND AS A RESULT, WE'VE
GOT SPIN OFF COMPANIES DOING
INCREDIBLE WORK ALL AROUND THE
STATE, SOLVING PROBLEMS THAT
PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE ARE
PROBLEMS, WHICH IS EXCITING AND
A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
GROW OUR ECONOMY AND TO SOLVE
REALLY DEEP, VEXING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS. SO I'M
EXCITED TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
THE EXPERTS THAT ARE WORKING IN
THESE FIELDS AND LOOK FORWARD TO
HEARING YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK
YOU. AND WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO
WELCOME UP OUR FIVE PANELISTS
FOR PANEL ONE, AS YOU GET
SEATED, I'LL GO AHEAD AND
INTRODUCE YOURSELF, ALTHOUGH
WE'LL ASK YOU TO REINTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND ADVANCE YOUR
PRESENTATIONS FROM THE LAWRENCE
BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY. WE
HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF STATE AND
EXTERNAL RELATIONS, JIM HAWLEY,
THE PROGRAM MANAGER, DOCTOR
JAMES GARDNER FROM MANGO
MATERIALS IN VACAVILLE. WE HAVE
THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
DOCTOR MOLLY MORSE, FROM
CHECKERSPOT IN ALAMEDA. WE HAVE
THE HEAD OF STRATEGIC
RELATIONSHIPS, JANET OR JANET?
JANET. JANET. JANET, GARAMENDI.
AND THEN FINALLY BACK HOME IN
SAN DIEGO FROM GENOA, WE HAVE
IVANA YANG, THE HEAD OF
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. I WILL BEGIN
WITH MR. HAWLEY. THANK YOU.
CHAIR. WARD. ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
HART, REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. AM I ON
IS THIS OKAY, SO I'M JIM HAWLEY
WITH LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL
LABORATORY IN BERKELEY, AND I'LL
START BY BY WITH THIS, WELL,
MUCH OF THE FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABILITY FOCUSES ON THE
ENERGY SECTOR. EVERY DAY,
THOUSANDS OF PRODUCTS WHICH WE
USE IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES ARE
MADE AND PRODUCED FROM
NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES USING
ENERGY INTENSIVE PROCESSES,
OFTEN WITH HIGH TOXICITY. SO
WHAT IF WE COULD MAKE THE SAME
OR BETTER PRODUCTS IN THE BELLY
OF MICROBES? HARNESSING
BIOTECHNOLOGY. WE'VE USED THESE
PROCESSES LIKE FERMENTATION FOR
HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO PRODUCE
BEER AND WINE. TODAY'S
BIOTECHNOLOGY, HOWEVER, GIVES US
THE POWER TO MAKE MANY MORE
PRODUCTS, MANY MORE VALUABLE
PRODUCTS AND INSTEAD OF USING
CARBON FROM DEEP UNDERGROUND AND
BRINGING IT UP AND PUTTING IT
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE OR INTO OUR
OCEANS, WE CAN USE WASTE CARBON
FARM OR LOW VALUE FARM OR FOREST
WASTE, OR SOLID WASTE. AS THE
FEEDSTOCK FOR THE NEW TECHNOLOGY,
AND TO HARNESSING BIOLOGY TO
CONVERT LOW VALUE MATERIALS INTO
HIGH VALUE PRODUCTS. AND WITH
THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY
COLLEAGUE JAMES GARDNER WITH THE
LAB. HELLO. GOOD MORNING. AND
IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE ABLE TO
SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. I HAVE
JUST A FEW SLIDES THAT I'D LIKE
TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND I'M
HAILING, LIKE LIKE MY COLLEAGUE
JIM HAWLEY FROM, LAWRENCE
BERKELEY LAB AND WHERE WE WORK
IN THE BIOSCIENCES AREA. IN A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
THAT I'LL, THAT I'LL SHARE WITH
YOU, LET'S SEE WITH REGARD TO
TODAY'S OVERVIEW, IT'LL BE A
REALLY A DISCUSSION OF THE
BIOECONOMY WRIT LARGE, THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT BIOMASS AS WELL
AS BIOGAS AS AS WE'LL AS WE'LL
TOUCH ON THROUGHOUT THE
DISCUSSION THAT THIS PANEL WILL
OFFER, IN MOVING FROM, A SORT OF
STRICT SUGARS, YOU CAN THINK OF
CORN ETHANOL IN THAT, IN THAT
VEIN, TO MORE OF THIS BIOMASS,
THESE LOW VALUE MATERIALS THAT
WOULD OTHERWISE REALLY GO GO TO
WASTE AS THE LOST OPPORTUNITY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW BERKELEY
LAB IS ADVANCING THE BIOECONOMY
AND HOW CALIFORNIA CAN TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE
ABUNDANCE AROUND IT. THE
BIOECONOMY IS ALREADY $1
TRILLION US SECTOR, AND IT'S
ONLY GROWING. IT'S PROJECTED TO
GROW FOUR FOLD OVER THE NEXT TEN
YEARS WITH A STRONG PROJECTION
THEREAFTER, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY, AS JIM POINTED OUT,
IT'S ESSENTIALLY TAKING
MATERIALS SUCH AS SUGARS, BUT
ALSO BIOMASS AND OTHER FORMS OF
CARBON AND TURNING THEM INTO
HIGHER VALUE PRODUCTS. WE'VE
BEEN DOING THIS AS A SPECIES FOR
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS. IF
YOU CAN THINK OF BEER AND WINE
MAKING. BUT IN REALITY, THESE
VERY SAME TYPES OF MICROBES CAN
BE UTILIZED THROUGH
BIOTECHNOLOGY, THROUGH GENETIC
ENGINEERING, TO PRODUCE A WIDE
VARIETY OF CARBON PRODUCTS. IT'S
ALL ABOUT PUSHING CARBON THROUGH
THE VARIOUS, ASPECTS OF
METABOLISM IN MICROBES. SO IT'S
REALLY ABOUT UTILIZING THE POWER
OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, HARNESSING THE
MODERN CAPABILITIES OF
COMPUTING, AND TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF BIOMASS. THAT IS AVAILABLE
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IN TERMS
OF, OF, WHAT BIOTECHNOLOGY CAN
DO, IT'S THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT
ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT
WE'RE REFERENCING REALLY HAVE A
DRAMATIC IMPACT ON ESSENTIALLY
EVERY OTHER SECTOR OF THE
ECONOMY. THERE IS LITTLE THAT
BIOTECHNOLOGY CAN'T DO IN TERMS
OF ADDRESSING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
THE ECONOMY AT A LARGER SCALE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST US SAYING
THIS. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND, AND
PURSUITS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE
NOW, MCKINSEY AND COMPANY,
BOSTON CONSULTING, SCHMIDT
FUTURES HAVE ALL, POINTED TO THE
IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING THE
POWER OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ITS
TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON A
VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES. YOU CAN
THINK OF SUSTAINABLE AVIATION
FUELS, RENEWABLE PLASTICS, AND,
YOU KNOW, MODERN, TYPES OF, OF
ZERO, TOXICITY, PESTICIDES AND
SO ON AND SO FORTH. THE POWER OF
BIOLOGY TO, TO INFLUENCE THESE
SECTORS IS HAS LITTLE IN THE WAY
OF, OF, LIMIT, OF COURSE, WITH
THE 2022 EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE
WHITE HOUSE ITSELF HAS
RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND IS LOOKING TO
REALLY LEVERAGE AND SUPPORT
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL,
MICROBIOLOGY THROUGH, ITS ITS
EFFORTS TO BOLSTER MANUFACTURING
TO, TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE
IMPORTANCE OF BIOSAFETY AND, AND
DATA INTEGRITY, AND THEN TO
ADDRESS THE VARIOUS ASPECTS AND
FACETS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE
NEEDED TO REALLY RAISE UP
BIOTECHNOLOGY AS OR THE
BIOECONOMY, I SHOULD SAY, YOU
KNOW, MORE MORE BROADLY, YOU CAN
THINK OF THE VARIOUS KINDS OF
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS NEEDED.
YOU KNOW, THE STEEL IN THE
GROUND, AS THEY OFTEN SAY, YOU
CAN THINK OF WORKFORCE AS WELL
AS MARKET PULL AND, AND THEN THE
RAW MATERIALS THEMSELVES, THE
BIOMASS.
AS I REFERENCED, FROM SUGARS TO
BIOMASS, NO ONE TAKES AWAY FROM
THE IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHING
KIND OF THE, THE FOUNDATION OF
THE BIOECONOMY THAT THAT CORN
ETHANOL HAS OFFERED THE UNITED
STATES AND, AND, AND A WIDE
VARIETY OF OTHER ECONOMIES
AROUND THE WORLD. IN REALITY,
THOUGH, TO REALLY SCALE THAT,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK OF ANY
KIND OF SOURCE OF CARBON,
PREFERABLY THOSE THAT DON'T
NECESSARILY COMPETE FOR OTHER
IMPORTANT MARKETS, LIKE FOOD AND
FEED AND SO AND SO THE, THE SOME
56 MILLION TONS OF WASTE BIOMASS
THAT IS AVAILABLE IN CALIFORNIA
ALONE CAN GENERATE BILLIONS OF
TONS OR BILLIONS OF GALLONS OF
JET FUEL, BILLIONS OF POUNDS OF
DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIOPRODUCTS
THAT CAN RESULT IN HUGE,
DECREASES IN CARBON EMISSIONS AS
WELL AS MITIGATE, PLANNED BURNS
THAT THAT ARE NOW BEING PHASED
OUT AS WELL, OF COURSE, AS
WILDFIRES THAT ARE A HUGE
CONCERN AND ONLY BECOMING MORE
SO. SO ALL OF THESE ASPECTS
REALLY POINT TO THE IMPORTANCE
OF, OF, THE BIOECONOMY AS A
SOLUTION THAT OFFERS A VARIETY
OF, OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WAYS
OF SOLVING THINGS THAT WOULD
OTHERWISE BE DIFFICULT TO, TO
SOLVE ON THEIR OWN. COMING
TOGETHER AT REALLY RESULTS IN A
SYNERGY THAT WOULDN'T OTHERWISE
BE THERE. BERKELEY LAB IS
ADVANCING THE BIOECONOMY THROUGH
A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, THE JOINT
BIOENERGY INSTITUTE, THE AGILE
BIO FOUNDRY, AND THE ADVANCED
BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS PROCESS
DEVELOPMENT UNIT HAS A
CUMULATIVE ANNUAL BUDGET OF SOME,
SOMEWHERE AROUND $55 MILLION,
AND EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS HAS A
SPECIFIC MISSION TO SUPPORT THE
BIOECONOMY IN SPECIFIC WAYS. THE
JOINT BIOENERGY INSTITUTE IS
ABOUT TAKING WASTE CARBON AS
WELL AS ENERGY CROPS AND TURNING
THOSE MATERIALS INTO SUGARS THAT
ARE AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCING
THINGS LIKE, PERFORMANCE AND
COST ADVANTAGE. JET FUEL, AS
WELL AS A VARIETY OF OTHER FUELS
AND PRODUCTS, THE AGILE BIO
FOUNDRY IS REALLY A POWERHOUSE
BIO FOUNDRY OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
EXPERTS AND CAPABILITIES ACROSS
MULTIPLE GROUP OF LABS AND, AND
HAS ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS
WITH A VARIETY OF INDUSTRY
PARTNERS TO AGAIN SUPPORT BIO
MANUFACTURING IN WAYS THAT WOULD
OTHERWISE NOT BE AVAILABLE,
EXCEPT FOR THESE PUBLIC SECTOR
RESOURCES AND THE A BPDU IS KIND
OF A STORIED, PILOT PLANT FOR
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SCALE UP
FOR A VARIETY OF COMPANIES, SOME
OF WHOM ARE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
AND WE'RE WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
TO TELL THE STORY THAT ABDU HAS
HAS BEEN ABLE TO OFFER THE
COMMUNITY, I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF,
BUT JB'S CORE MISSION. REALLY?
MANIFESTS ITSELF MOST RECENTLY
IN THE PRODUCTION OF SO-CALLED
BIO ISOPROPYL ACETATE, WHICH CAN
BE, CATALYTICALLY UPGRADED TO A
PERFORMANCE AND COST ADVANTAGED,
JET FUEL THAT WILL SOON BE
TESTED IN A BUSINESS JET. AND
FOR EVALUATION AS PART OF ITS
ASTM CERTIFICATION PATH. AND THE
A BPDU, AS I MENTIONED, HAS BEEN
A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR MANY BIO
MANUFACTURING STARTUPS AND
COMPANIES, SOME OF WHOM ARE
HOUSEHOLD NAMES. YOU'LL SEE THE
SHELL LOGO DOWN THERE ON THE
LOWER LEFT. BUT MANY OF THEM
STARTED OUT WITH WITH REALLY, A
SMALL STORY TO TELL THAT HAS
ONLY GROWN BIGGER AS THEY'VE
BEEN ABLE TO PROVE THEIR, THEIR
ABILITY TO, TO THRIVE IN THE
MARKETPLACE, THEY COME TO THE
BPDU TO EVALUATE THE SCALABILITY
OF THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND TO SORT
OF DE-RISK THAT PROCESS SO THAT
THEY CAN GO TO INVESTORS AND
DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR
TECHNOLOGY HAS, IN FACT, MET
THAT THRESHOLD OF ABILITY IN
TERMS OF, OF SCALING UP AND
COMMERCIALIZING THEIR
TECHNOLOGIES. AND SO IN ADDITION
TO THAT, BPDU HAS BEEN INVOLVED
IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES WITH BOTH
THE UCS AS WELL AS VARIOUS,
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. SOLANO
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND LANEY
COLLEGE, AMONG THEM, WE'VE
WE'VE, ALARMED SOME 100 FORMER
STAFF AND STUDENTS AND HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN PRODUCING A VARIETY
OF OPEN SOURCE, RESOURCES THAT
WE PUBLISH ON OUR WEBSITE THIS
IS ALL ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TAKE
THAT KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO BUILD
THAT BIO ECONOMY, BUILD THAT
WORKFORCE, LEVERAGE, THE
KNOWLEDGE AND TALENT OF SORT OF
ADJACENT INDUSTRIES LIKE LIKE
FOOD PROCESSING AND SO ON, SO
THAT THE BIO ECONOMY CAN, AGAIN,
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE
GREAT RESOURCES. AND, YOU KNOW,
OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO IT IN CALIFORNIA,
AND JUST VERY, JUST VERY
QUICKLY, I'LL MENTION THAT OUR
MOST RECENT PROJECT IS THE BIO
CIRCULAR VALLEY. THIS IS A $10
MILLION, FIVE YEAR SCHMIDT
SCIENCES. PROJECT THROUGH THEIR
VIRTUAL INSTITUTE OF FEEDSTOCKS
OF THE FUTURE, WHERE WE WILL BE
ESTABLISHING WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY
A MINIMUM VIABLE VALUE CHAIN OF
ACTIVITY FROM THE GROWER ALL THE
WAY TO DEMONSTRATION OF NEW
PRODUCTS THAT THAT TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF A VARIETY OF KIND
OF DATA INPUTS FROM AGRONOMICS
CHEMOMETRICS, LAB BASED,
RESEARCH THAT THAT WILL TAKE
PLACE THROUGH THE CONVERSION
PROCESS, CULMINATING IN A
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE BIOECONOMY CARTOGRAPHY
TOOL THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND WILL
SUPPORT BY BY VIRTUE OF ITS VERY
DESIGN, THE INCLUSIVE KIND OF
INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
AND NEIGHBORS AND ANYONE WHO
WOULD BE INFLUENCED BOTH IN
TERMS OF, POTENTIAL WORKFORCE AS
WELL AS JUST GENERAL IMPACT ON
THE BIO ECONOMY AND ITS
INFLUENCE IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THAT EFFORT, ALONGSIDE OUR
èC PARTNERS, BEAM CIRCULAR IN
THE NORTH SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND
A VARIETY OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS,
AS WELL AS THIS VERY NEW PURSUIT
THAT WE ARE GOING AFTER RIGHT
NOW, WHERE WE WILL SOON BE
APPLYING FOR A $160 MILLION NSF
GRANT. AND WE WILL BRAID THOSE
FUNDS TOGETHER WITH THINGS LIKE
BIOSERVE AS WELL AS OTHER
RESOURCES TO AGAIN CATALYZE THAT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BIOECONOMY
WITHIN THE REGION AND ALLOW IT
TO SERVE AS A MODEL MORE BROADLY
ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. SO HERE WE ARE REALLY
ESTABLISHING THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN, THE INCREDIBLE
INNOVATIONS THAT TAKE PLACE IN
PLACES LIKE SAN DIEGO AND THE
BAY AREA AND LEVERAGING THOSE
FOR THE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE BIO ECONOMY THAT INVOLVES
FARMERS, THAT INVOLVES,
INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD BE CLOSER
TO THE BIOMASS, IF YOU WILL. SO
THAT WE CAN SORT OF BUILD THAT
CIRCULARITY AND DO SO WITH THE
INVOLVEMENT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS,
AS WELL AS ON, DOLLARS, SUCH AS
WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM
SCHMIDT SCIENCES. AND LET'S SEE,
SO IN TERMS OF PROSPECTIVE
POLICY LEVERS, WE'RE EXCITED BY,
BY THE, THE INVOLVEMENT OF
CALIFORNIA AND THE COMMITMENT
THAT CALIFORNIA HAS CONTINUED TO
SHOW OVER THE DECADES. IT'S
INTERESTING TO SEE PROGRAMS LIKE
THE US DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE'S BIOPREFERRED
LABELING PROGRAM, AS WELL AS
WAYS IN WHICH INVESTMENTS THAT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA MIGHT
MAKE IN, IN THE WAY OF
ACCELERATING, BIOMASS CONVERSION
RESEARCH, AS WELL AS, SUPPORTING
BIO MANUFACTURING INFRASTRUCTURE
AS WELL AS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
IN AN EFFORT TO MORE, MORE
STRATEGICALLY EXPAND THE ECONOMY
AND EXPAND THE WORKFORCE
OVERALL. AND I HOPE I HAVEN'T
TAKEN TOO MUCH TIME, BUT I'LL BE
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
NO THANK YOU. IT'S A VERY GOOD
OVERVIEW. NEXT, WE WILL LOOK
FORWARD TO DOCTOR MOLLY MORSE
WITH MANGO MATERIALS. èC. THANK
YOU EVERYONE. IT'S GREAT TO BE
HERE. MY NAME IS MOLLY MORSE.
I'M THE CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF
MANGO MATERIALS AND WE HAVE A
DREAM, A VISION TO CHANGE THE
PLASTICS INDUSTRY. SO WHAT WE DO
IS WE TRANSFORM BIOGAS. NOW,
METHANE IS A POTENT GREENHOUSE
GAS. IT'S PRODUCED FROM
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
IT'S HOW THEY TREAT WATER. IT'S
HOW THEY CLEAN IT. AND WE TAKE
THE METHANE FRACTION THAT'S
NATURALLY OCCURRING IN THIS
BIOGAS. WE FEED IT TO BACTERIA.
THE BACTERIA EAT THE BIOGAS,
THEY EAT THE METHANE. AND THEY
PRODUCE THIS BIOPOLYMER INSIDE
THEIR CELL WALLS. NOW, THIS
BIOPOLYMER IS NATURALLY
OCCURRING AND WE FORMULATE THAT
INTO SPECIFIC PELLETS. AND NOW
THESE PELLETS CAN GET MELTED
DOWN AND ARE A REPLACEMENT FOR
EVERYDAY CONVENTIONAL PLASTIC.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TWO
THINGS. ONE, TAKING THIS POTENT
GREENHOUSE GAS AND CONVERTING IT
TO BIOMATERIALS, BIO POLYMERS
AND TWO, WE ARE REPLACING
EXISTING OFTEN POLLUTING
PLASTICS WITH NATURALLY
OCCURRING ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE
DESIGNED FOR THE NATURALLY
OCCURRING CARBON CYCLE. SO THESE
MATERIALS THAT IT'S CALLED FA
POLYHYDROXYALKANOATE, THAT'S THE
TYPE OF BIOPOLYMER THAT WE MAKE.
AND YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH
PLA POLYLACTIC ACID, WHICH IS
THE MOST WIDELY COMMERCIALIZED
BIOPOLYMER CURRENTLY OUT THERE.
BUT WE MAKE IS FA. AND THE
UNIQUE THING ABOUT FAS IS THAT
THEY CAN BE PRONE TO ENZYMATIC
ATTACK. THEY CAN BIODEGRADE IN
MANY ENVIRONMENTS. SO PLA NEEDS
GENERALLY NEEDS INDUSTRIAL
COMPOST FACILITIES. BUT FOR WILL
BIODEGRADE IN INDUSTRIAL
COMPOST. BUT UNLIKE PLA, MOST
BLAS FOR CAN ALSO BIODEGRADE IN
BACKYARD COMPOSTS IN THE MARINE
ENVIRONMENT. IF IT'S
ACCIDENTALLY DISPOSED OF AND
LITTERED THERE, AND IT CAN EVEN
BIODEGRADE IN ANAEROBIC
ENVIRONMENTS AND ANAEROBIC
ENVIRONMENTS ARE LIKE MODERN
WASTE FACILITIES AND THE END
PRODUCT OF THESE ANAEROBIC
BIODEGRADATION PROCESSES IS
METHANE. SO WE CAN ACTUALLY USE
THE FEEDSTOCK TO COMPLETELY
CLOSE THE LOOP ON CARBON WITH
THESE MATERIALS. SO WE'VE BEEN
SCALING THIS UP. WE MAKE THE
FORMULATED PELLETS THAT SOMEONE
ELSE MELTS DOWN TO MAKE THINGS
LIKE A SOAP DISH THAT'S
CURRENTLY SOLD IN, IN STORES AND
ONLINE BY A COMPANY CALLED
NATURA THAT CAN THIS MATERIAL
CAN GO INTO FABRICS. IT CAN GO
INTO FILM, IT CAN GO INTO TOYS,
IT CAN GO INTO ALL SORTS OF
DIFFERENT PLASTIC SUBSTITUTE
TYPE APPLICATIONS. BUT WE NEED
TO SCALE THIS UP. WE NEED TO
MAKE THIS BIGGER TO MAKE IT A
REALITY. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY
LOCATED AT THE VACAVILLE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, NOT
TOO FAR FROM HERE AT EASTERLY WE
USE THEIR METHANE BIOGAS THAT'S
CURRENTLY BEING FLARED. WE USE
THAT AS OUR FEEDSTOCK. THERE ON
SITE TO MAKE OUR BIOPOLYMERS
LOCALLY. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT
THIS BIOGAS, WHICH IS OFTEN
OVERLOOKED AS A FEEDSTOCK. BUT
IT'S THE CARBON OUR CIVILIZATION
HAS LIKE IT'S WHAT WE'RE
PRODUCING. IT'S THIS WASTE
CARBON. AND WE CAN USE BIOLOGY
AND BIOMANUFACTURING TO
TRANSFORM THIS CARBON THAT WE
ALREADY HAVE INTO THE CARBON
THAT WE NEED, WHICH IS THINGS
LIKE MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS. AND
SO THIS IS PART OF THE LOCAL BIO
ECONOMY THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO
SCALE UP IN VACAVILLE. AND THEN
ULTIMATELY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
SO WE ARE BUILDING A BIGGER UNIT
IN VACAVILLE AT EASTERLY, GOING
THROUGH THE PERMITTING RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TERM
PROCESS FOR OUR COMPANY. SO OUR
TECHNOLOGY WAS ORIGINALLY
INSPIRED BY SOME OF MY PHD
RESEARCH, AND ME AND MY TWO
CO-FOUNDERS, APPLIED FOR A
$150,000 GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION. IT WAS AN
SBIR GRANT, SMALL BUSINESS
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH. THIS
WAS THE FIRST FUNDING INTO OUR
COMPANY. IN 2012, AND IT WAS A
GLORIFIED SCIENCE PROJECT. LIKE
ME AND MY TWO CO-FOUNDERS WERE
LIKE PIPETTING IN THE LAB. AND
SINCE THAT TIME, WE NOW HAVE
THIS FULLY OPERATING LAUNCH
FACILITY IN VACAVILLE. WE HAVE
SHIFT OPERATORS THAT SAMPLE THE
BIOREACTOR AND MAKE OUR PRODUCTS,
BUT WE'RE ULTIMATELY COMPETING
WITH EXISTING AND PETROLEUM
BASED PLASTICS THAT'S PRODUCED
REALLY CHEAP AT REALLY HIGH
VOLUMES, LIKE AT SINGLE
LOCATIONS. AND OUR VISION IS
THIS DECENTRALIZED BIOECONOMY
WHERE WE USE LOCAL CARBON TO
MAKE THE MATERIALS THAT WE NEED.
SO IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE
WE'RE COMPETING WITH THIS LOW
COST PRODUCT USING VERY
DIFFERENT, LIKE THEY HAVE 100
YEAR HEAD START ON US, BUT WE
ARE LOOKING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE
THE WAY MATERIALS ARE MADE. SO
THIS IS A LONG TERM DREAM. WE'RE
FOCUSED ON GETTING MORE PRODUCTS
INTO MARKET, CHANGING THE FATE
OF MATERIALS, AND ULTIMATELY,
LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, ANY
SORT OF THING THAT CAN
INCENTIVIZE EITHER LOCAL
PRODUCTION OR USING WASTE CARBON
AS A FEEDSTOCK OR THAT CAN HELP
WITH MATERIALS THAT ARE DESIGNED
FOR END OF LIFE OR DESIGNED FOR
THE NATURALLY OCCURRING CARBON
CYCLE. IT'S ACTUALLY SUPER
TRICKY BECAUSE THIS IS
INNOVATIVE MATERIALS. IT'S AN
INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING AND
DIFFERENT MATERIALS CAN
BIODEGRADE OR BE INDUSTRIALLY
COMPOSTED DIFFERENTLY. AND SO
THIS IS SORT OF THE WILD WEST
RIGHT NOW OF BIOPRODUCTS, WHICH
IS WHY I'M HERE, BECAUSE I'M
TRYING TO DO EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH TO EXPLAIN THAT, LIKE
THERE IS A FUTURE THERE. WE'RE
TRYING TO BUILD IT. IT'S REALLY
HARD AND WE'RE UP AGAINST
SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN VERY LARGE
AND VERY INCENTIVIZED FOR SUCH A
LONG TIME. BUT WE'RE VERY
FORTUNATE TO BE HERE IN
CALIFORNIA AND HAVE ALL THE
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE
HAD THAT HAVE SPONSORED TO US TO
GET TO WHERE WE ARE TO DATE, AND
OUR BIG VISION IS TO TRANSFORM
THIS WASTE MATERIAL, THIS WASTE
METHANE, INTO THIS COMPLETELY
CIRCULAR CLOSED LOOP PROCESS SO
YOU CAN QUICKLY SEE A PICTURE OF
OUR LAUNCH FACILITY THERE WHERE
WE TAKE METHANE ON SITE AND WE
HIRE LOCAL PEOPLE OFTEN WE'RE
SORT OF RESKILLING THEM FOR THE
BIOMANUFACTURING ECONOMY. BUT
THAT'S IN PART WHY WE'RE IN
VACAVILLE, BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH
AN SUCH A FOCUS ON NEXT
GENERATION BIOMATERIALS AND A
LOT OF INCENTIVES TO BE THERE.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION,
NEXT WE HAVE, JENNY BARRAMUNDI,
WITH CHECKERSPOT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET
THIS GOING, I HAD A HARD TIME
MAKING STICKY. YOU MIGHT HAVE
GOT THE LAST BATTERY OUT OF IT.
YEAH, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS
ACTING STRANGE. NOPE. SHOULD I
JUST GO BACK TO WORKING. TRY
AGAIN. OH OKAY. OH, THAT'LL DO
IT. CLICKING BEFORE TIME. I
THOUGHT WE GOT THE LAST BATTERY
OUT OF IT. I I BLAME YOU FOR
USING THE BATTERIES. YEAH, I'LL
DO SHORTER SLIDES. AWESOME.
WELL, IT'S SO GREAT TO BE HERE.
I'M GOING TO JUST POP IN. MY
NAME IS JENNY GARAMENDI, AND I
LEAD STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS FOR
CHECKERSPOT AND IT IS TRULY A
PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, FOR
MAKING THIS HAPPEN AND FOR
REACHING OUT TO NEW TECHNOLOGY
COMPANIES LIKE CHECKERSPOT. AND
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE NATIONAL LABS FOR BEING HERE
TODAY, BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU GUYS,
A LOT OF US WOULDN'T BE HERE. WE
Tð RECEIVED A $40,000 GRANT,
SBIR THAT GOT US KICKED OFF THE
GROUND AND INTO THE A BPDU WHERE
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SCALE THIS
KIND OF INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE ARE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT,
BUT BEFORE I GET INTO IT, LET ME
ASK YOU TWO IF YOU CAN PULL THE
MICROPHONE JUST A LITTLE CLOSER
FOR THOSE VIEWING ON TV, PLEASE,
PLEASE, PLEASE, SO BEFORE I GET
INTO IT, I'M GOING TO JUST KIND
OF SET A STAGE OIL IS EVERYWHERE.
IT'S EVERYWHERE. IT'S NOT JUST
THE FUEL. IT'S NOT JUST THE
AIRLINE FUEL. IT'S EVERYWHERE.
IT'S IN THE CARPET, THE TABLE
LACQUER, THE SEATS THAT YOU'RE
SITTING ON. IT'S EVERYWHERE. AND
OFTENTIMES PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
THAT WITH BIG OIL, THEY'VE
ALREADY WRITTEN OFF FUEL. THEY
KNOW WHERE THE WORLD IS GOING.
THEY SEE ELECTRIFICATION, BUT
IT'S ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN AND HAVE
BEEN GROWING INTO FOR 100 YEARS
WITH AMAZING SUBSIDIES THAT HAS
MADE THEM SO STUCK WITH ALL OF
OUR MATERIALS. SO WHAT I'M GOING
TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS USING
BIOTECHNOLOGY TO CREATE NEW
MATERIALS AND BETTER INGREDIENTS
FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. AT
CHECKERSPOT, WE MAKE OIL. OUR
PROCESS IS REALLY SIMPLE. WE USE
MICROALGAE. AND THE REASON WHY
WE USE MICROALGAE IS BECAUSE IT
IS THE WORLD'S ORIGINAL OIL
PRODUCER. EVERY SINGLE HIRE
PLANT HAS EVOLVED FROM
MICROALGAE, AND THAT MEANS EVERY
SINGLE OIL PRODUCING HIGHER
PLANT HAS EVOLVED FROM
MICROALGAE. AND WE'LL GET INTO
THE SCIENCE A LITTLE BIT
FURTHER. SMALL AMOUNT OF
SCIENCE. BUT THIS ALLOWS US TO
USE MICROALGAE IN FERMENTATION
WHERE WE TAKE SUGAR AND WE FEED
IT TO THE MICROALGAE IN
FERMENTATION. AND INSTEAD OF
LIKE WITH YEAST WHERE YOU FEED
IT SUGAR AND IT MAKES BEER OR IT
MAKES ALCOHOL, WE FEED SUGAR TO
MICROALGAE SO THAT IT GETS FAT
WITH OIL. SO IMAGINE LIKE
GAZILLIONS OF LITTLE TINY
MICROALGAE JUST GETTING
COMPLETELY FAT AND HAPPY WITHIN
THE FERMENTATION TANK. AFTER
FERMENTATION, WE TAKE IT OUT, WE
DRY IT, AND THEN WE EXTRACT THE
OIL JUST LIKE THEY DO FROM SEEDS
ALL OVER THE WORLD. EVERY SINGLE
DAY. THIS PROCESS TAKES A MATTER
OF DAYS. SUPER TRANSPARENT,
SUPER EFFICIENT, AND IT ALLOWS
US TO PRODUCE EXACTLY THE OIL
THAT WE NEED FOR THE PRODUCTS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE. AND SO
WE MAKE EVERYTHING FROM
INCREDIBLE FOOD OILS THAT ARE
NOW IN SEVEN BAY AREA
RESTAURANTS AND QUICKLY GROWING
INTO SPROUTS DISTRIBUTION. SO
ALGAE COOKING CLUB IS TAKING IT
NATIONWIDE TO OILS THAT ALSO ARE
USED INTO THE PRODUCTION OF NEW
PLASTICS, NEW MATERIALS, EVEN
WICKING FINISHES FOR OUR CLOTHES
THAT WE WEAR, WHICH ARE ALSO
CURRENTLY FINISHED WITH
PETROLEUM. WHY BIO MANUFACTURE
ALGAE OIL? THIS IS ON DEMAND
PRODUCTION OF OIL. SO WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE SUPPLY
CHAIN, SECURITY AND THE ABILITY
TO PRODUCE ON DEMAND WHAT WE
NEED WHEN WE NEED IT, THIS IS
WHAT THIS TECHNOLOGY DOES. AND
AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST ONE KIND OF
OIL. IT'S MULTIPLE KINDS OF
OILS. SO FASTER PROCESS
COMPLETELY TRACEABLE, NOT
RELIANT ON WATER AND LAND.
PRETTY EASY TO UNDERSTAND. AND
IT'S FERMENTATION. AND GUESS
WHAT? CALIFORNIA IS REALLY,
REALLY GOOD AT, ESPECIALLY
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. I'M A
LITTLE BIT BIASED. I WILL SAY
FERMENTATION. WE FERMENT A LOT
OF THINGS. AND AS WE LOOK TO THE
FUTURE AND I WANTED TO GIVE A
SHOUT OUT TO A COLLEAGUE THAT I
SEE IN THE AUDIENCE. BIO MADE.
THIS IS A GROUP THAT CALIFORNIA
SHOULD DEFINITELY KNOW. PART OF
THE BIO ECONOMY MOVEMENT ON THE
NATIONAL LEVEL, BIO MADE IS
ACTUALLY LOOKED AT CALIFORNIA
AND SELECTED IT AS ONE OF THE
SIX STATES TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE
FOR BIO MANUFACTURING PLANTS ON
A LARGE SCALE. SO THINGS TO LOOK
FORWARD TO IN CALIFORNIA,
PERHAPS. SO WHAT IS CHECKERSPOT?
CHECKERSPOT IS ACTUALLY BASED IN
TWO LOCATIONS. OUR MOLECULAR
FOUNDRY IS IN ALAMEDA,
CALIFORNIA. WONDERFUL ISLAND OFF
THE COAST OF OAKLAND THAT WE
LOVE AND ADORE. AND ALSO IN SALT
LAKE CITY WHERE WE DO OUR LARGE
SCALE UP OF OUR MATERIALS,
DEVELOPMENTS AND FORMULATIONS
THAT WE SEND TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF
OTHER DIFFERENT COMPANIES, SALT
LAKE CITY IS ALSO WHERE WE MAKE
OUR SKIS AND OUR AWARD WINNING
SNOWBOARDS, AND WE'RE ALSO
STARTING TO MAKE A WHOLE BUNCH
OF OTHER THINGS AS WELL, WHICH
I'M EXCITED TO SHOW YOU IN THE
NEXT ROOM AFTER THE PRESENTATION.
SO OUR PROCESS IS REALLY, REALLY
SIMPLE. IT'S REALLY VERTICALLY
INTEGRATED. SO WE GO ALL THE WAY
FROM MOLECULES. SO STARTING WITH
THE ALGAE, SOMETIMES WE APPLY
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND POLYMER
CHEMISTRY. WE THEN MAKE THINGS
FROM THE MATERIALS THAT WE'VE
CREATED. AND WE TAKE IT ALL THE
WAY TO THE CONSUMER AND THE
REASON WHY WE GO ALL THE WAY TO
CONSUMER IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO
TELL A STORY OF WHAT IS
POSSIBLE. YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT
REAL. AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE,
DESIGNERS AND COMPANIES, THEY
DON'T WANT TO USE THEIR
GRANDFATHER'S INPUTS. THEY ARE
DONE WITH PETROLEUM. THEY'RE
DONE WITH IT. SO WHEREVER THEY
CAN PUSH IT OUT OF THEIR
FORMULATIONS OF THEIR PRODUCTS,
DEVELOPMENTS, THAT'S WHAT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. AND THEY'RE
TALKING ABOUT USING THESE NEW
MATERIALS LIKE MANGO IS MAKING.
AND GINO IS MAKING AND
CHECKERSPOT IS MAKING. AND
THAT'S THE EXCITING THING. IT'S
A MOVEMENT THAT IS STARTING.
OKAY. THIS IS THE MOST SCIENCEY
SLIDE I'VE GOT. SO HERE WE GO,
OIL. THERE ARE THREE LEVELS IN
NATURAL OILS THAT WE HAVE
CONTROL OF. THE FIRST IS CHAIN
LENGTH. THE SECOND IS FUNCTIONAL
GROUPS WHERE THE FATTY ACIDS ARE
BASED ON THE TRIGLYCERIDE
BACKBONE, AND THE SECOND IS
UNSATURATION OR SATURATION. ALL
THIS MEANS IS THAT MICROALGAE IS
THE PERFECT BLANK SLATE. TO BE
ABLE TO MAKE ALL OF THESE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF OILS. SO FOR
EXAMPLE, WE CAN MAKE A PALM
ALTERNATIVE USING THIS
TECHNOLOGY. AND MOST RECENTLY
WITH THE ABPD HELP AND THE
NATIONAL LABS HELP, WE'VE HAD AN
INCREDIBLE BREAKTHROUGH IN HUMAN
NUTRITION. WE HAVE PRODUCED
MOTHER'S MILK FAT THROUGH
MICROALGAE. AND WHAT'S AMAZING
ABOUT THIS, THE STRUCTURE OF IT,
IS THAT IT ALLOWS INFANTS TO
METABOLIZE NUTRIENTS MORE
EFFICIENTLY. AND RIGHT NOW, THE
US DOESN'T HAVE AN INPUT FOR
THIS. REALLY IMPORTANT FAT THAT
INFANTS NEED TO THRIVE. AND
UNFORTUNATELY, THE US DOESN'T
EVEN MANDATE IT IN OUR INFANT
FORMULAS. CHINA DOES. SO WITH
THIS DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE SUPER
EXCITED TO BRING THIS TO MARKET.
WE'RE ALREADY PARTNERING WITH A
LOT OF INFANT NUTRITION
COMPANIES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
THIS, WHO SEE THE PROMISE AROUND
IT, AND WE WOULD BE EXCITED TO
SHARE MORE WITH YOU AROUND THOSE
NUTRITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE
FUTURE. SO THIS IS A SLIDE JUST
TO SHOW ALL THE AREAS THAT OUR
OILS GO. SO OUR HIGH OLEIC IS IN
INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS AND FOOD
AND NUTRITION IN PERSONAL CARE.
AND APO, WHICH IS THE MOTHER'S
MILK FAT ANALOG THAT I TALKED
ABOUT, IS ALSO EXTREMELY
VALUABLE IN THESE AREAS AS WELL.
WE ALREADY HAVE FIVE MATERIALS
ON THE MARKET. THESE ARE BEING
DEVELOPED AT LARGE SCALE AND ARE
GOING INTO MULTITUDE OF
DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND BRANDS.
AND AGAIN, NEXT DOOR YOU'LL BE
ABLE TO SEE, TOUCH AND FEEL SOME
OF OUR PRODUCTS, AND OF COURSE,
THE PIPELINE COMING WITH THESE
NEW TOOLS AND NEW MATERIALS,
INCLUDING OUR MOST RECENT
ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ANOTHER
COMPANY IN THE BIO MANUFACTURING
SPACE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE
DEVELOPING HIGH TEMPERATURE,
FIRE RESISTANT PFAS FREE FOAMS
FOR A WIDE RANGE OF
APPLICATIONS. SO WE'RE SUPER
EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND AREAS
LIKE CONSTRUCTION AND SHIPPING
AND FLIGHT AND AEROSPACE. AND
JUST A SMATTERING OF SOME OF THE
BRANDS THAT WE'VE BEEN EXCITED
TO BE WORKING WITH, FROM
COMPANIES IN EUROPE, AKA ONE OF
THE WORLD'S LARGEST NATURAL OIL
DISTRIBUTORS, TO DICK IN JAPAN,
TO SWISS IN DUBAI. THAT'S A KITE
BOARD THAT YOU SEE IN THAT
PICTURE, AND YOU'LL SEE ONE NEXT
DOOR. DUOTONE IS THE BRAND THAT
IS USING OUR MATERIALS IN THEIR
KITE BOARDS, AND WE'RE SUPER
EXCITED TO SHARE THAT THEY
ACTUALLY JUST WON THE WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS ON A BOARD THAT
HAD OUR MATERIALS IN IT. HANKOOK
SKATEBOARD WHEELS. YOU COULD
JUST SEE THE AMOUNT OF PLACES
THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN GO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME,
I APPRECIATE IT. GREAT. THANK
YOU VERY INSPIRATIONAL. AND OUR
LAST PANELIST FOR THIS PANEL IS
MISS IVANA YANG WITH JENO. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR WARD. SHOULD
I WAIT A MOMENT TO OKAY.
I'M READY. OH HI EVERYONE. MY
NAME IS IVANA YANG AND I AM THE
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR
NØ, BASED IN SAN DIEGO,
CALIFORNIA. AND WE WANT TO THANK
CHAIR WARD AND ALSO THE
CALIFORNIA LIFE SCIENCES
ASSOCIATION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
OUR COMPANY DURING TODAY'S
IMPORTANT HEARING. SO I JUST
WANT TO START OFF WITH THE
QUESTION, WHICH IS WHERE DO THE
PRODUCTS THAT WE ALL USE EVERY
DAY COME FROM? AND UNFORTUNATELY,
THE ANSWER IN A LOT OF CASES IS
THAT WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW AT THE
SAME TIME THAT CONSUMERS ARE
DEMANDING GREATER PRODUCT
TRANSPARENCY, BRAND OWNERS ARE
TELLING US THAT IT'S VERY HARD
TO TRACE DOWN THEIR SUPPLY
CHAIN, AND WE WORK WITH PARTNERS
LIKE UNILEVER, LULULEMON, KAO
AND L'OREAL, AMONG OTHERS. AND
THEY TELL US THAT NOT BEING ABLE
TO TRACE DOWN THEIR SUPPLY
CHAINS IS CREATING MASSIVE RISKS
FOR THEIR BRAND. SO JUST FOR
EXAMPLE, UNILEVER, KAO AND
L'OREAL ARE ALL PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCT MAKERS THAT USE PALM OIL
IN THEIR PRODUCTS.
CONVENTIONALLY PRODUCED PALM IS
OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD
LABOR PRACTICES, SO IT'S
HARVESTED, USING SLASH AND BURN
METHOD, WHICH IS TERRIBLE FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT. AND THE EU HAS
ACTUALLY PASSED LEGISLATION THAT
WOULD BAN THE IMPORT OF RAW
MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN LINKED
TO DEFORESTATION. PALM IS ONE OF
THESE RAW INGREDIENTS, ALONG
WITH COCOA, TIMBER, RUBBER. SO
BRAND OWNERS LIKE UNILEVER, LIKE
L'OREAL, WHO SELL IN THE EU, NOW
HAVE TO FIND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES
FOR THESE RAW MATERIALS. AND
THIS LEGISLATION IS SET TO TAKE
EFFECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO EITHER THEY NEED TO PROVIDE,
AUDITING OF THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN,
WHICH OFTENTIMES THEY CAN'T DO,
OR THEY NEED TO LOOK FOR
ALTERNATIVES LIKE GINO. SO
ANOTHER QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE
PRODUCTS TODAY LARGELY MADE OUT
OF? AND LIKE THE OTHER PANELISTS
HAVE MENTIONED, IT'S LARGELY
MADE OUT OF CARBON. AND 96% OF
ALL MATERIALS ARE MADE FROM
CARBON COMING OUT OF FOSSIL
FUELS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE KNOW
THAT FOSSIL FUELS IS A DRIVER OF
GEOPOLITICAL INSTABILITY AND
ALSO A DRIVER OF THE CLIMATE
CRISIS, FOSSIL FUELS MAKE UP
EVERYTHING FROM HOUSEHOLD
CLEANING PRODUCTS TO PERSONAL
CARE PRODUCTS TO OUR APPAREL.
EVEN MAYBE THE FOAM IN THE
CHAIRS THAT YOU'RE ALL SITTING
IN TODAY FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
SO THE ROLE IS ACTUALLY
UNDERGOING A MASSIVE ENERGY
TRANSITION, WHERE THE DEMAND FOR
CARBON AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY IS
COMING DOWN DUE TO THE MASSIVE
GROWTH OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES,
RENEWABLE MATERIALS LIKE THE
ONES THAT WE ALL MAKE, AND
ELECTRIFICATION. SO THE SEARCH
IS ON FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE
SOURCES OF CARBON TO DISPLACE
CONVENTIONAL HYDROCARBONS IN A
$4 TRILLION GLOBAL INDUSTRY. AND
DOING SO WILL DE-RISK SUPPLY
CHAINS AND BREAK AND BRING
GREATER TRANSPARENCY. SO THIS IS
WHERE GINO COMES IN Þ WHERE I
THINK THESE TWO SLIDES ARE
SWITCHED. SO WE BUILT OURSELVES
AS A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE BECAUSE
WE MAKE THE SAME DROP IN
CHEMICALS THAT MAKE THE
MATERIALS WE USE EVERY DAY, AND
NOT FROM CARBON, NOT FROM FOSSIL
FUELS, BUT FROM PLANT BASED
FEEDSTOCKS. SO PRIMARILY CORN,
WE CAN ALSO USE WHEAT, SUGARCANE
AND SUGAR BEETS. THROUGH THE
PROCESS OF FERMENTATION, WE
TRANSFORM THOSE RAW INGREDIENTS
USING Â COLI INTO THE BUILDING
BLOCKS FOR EVERYDAY GOODS. AND
AGAIN, WE'RE A DROP IN SOLUTION
AND WE SELL OUR CHEMICALS AT
COST, SO WE'RE NO MORE EXPENSIVE
THAN THE CURRENT INCUMBENTS.
WHEN YOU BUY GINO'S INGREDIENTS,
YOU ALSO GAIN GREATER SUPPLY
CHAIN TRANSPARENCY AND
VISIBILITY. AND OF COURSE, WE
HAVE SUBSTANTIAL SUSTAINABILITY
SAVINGS. SO OUR INGREDIENTS
BRING UP TO 90% GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSION SAVINGS COMPARED TO
THEIR, CARBON ALTERNATIVES. SO
FEW PRODUCTS THAT WE HELP POWER.
SO WE DON'T MAKE THESE PRODUCTS,
BUT WE WORK WITH BRAND OWNERS
LIKE DERMALOGICA. SO WE MAKE AN
INGREDIENT CALLED BUTYLENE
GLYCOL. TRADE NAME IS BRONTIDE,
USED IN A TON OF PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS AS A SURFACTANT, AS A
KIND OF A CLEANSER. SO
DERMALOGICA DECIDED TO USE OUR
INGREDIENTS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES
GREATER CARBON SAVINGS, BUT ALSO
JUST JUST PERSONALLY, I WOULD
RATHER USE A PRODUCT MADE FROM
PLANTS THAN FROM FOSSIL FUELS.
AND THEN LULULEMON IS ANOTHER
BRAND OWNER WE WORK WITH. AND
THAT SHIRT IS ACTUALLY ONE THAT
WE WORKED WITH THEM TO CREATE.
LAST EARTH DAY. AND LULULEMON
HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO THEIR
CONSUMERS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2030. OF
COURSE, THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO
CHANGE WHERE THEY SOURCE THEIR
RAW MATERIALS. LULULEMON USES A
TON OF NYLONS, PROBABLY IN EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF THEIR PIECES OF
APPAREL, AND THEY WANT TO
TRANSITION TO BIO NYLON. SO WE
MAKE AN INGREDIENT CALLED
CAPROLACTAM OR CPL. THAT'S A
PRECURSOR TO BIO NYLON. AND THAT
SHIRT HAS 38% BIO NYLON MADE
USING THOSE TECHNOLOGIES. AND
ALSO IF YOU WATCH THE OLYMPICS
OPENING CEREMONY THIS YEAR,
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE CANADIAN
OLYMPICS TEAM IS OUTFITTED BY
LULULEMON AND THEIR TRACKSUITS
THAT THEY WORE DURING THE
OPENING CEREMONIES CONTAINED
SOME OF GENOS BIO NYLON. ANOTHER
TECHNOLOGY THAT'S ACTUALLY
COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE NOW IS
BIO BIO. AGAIN, THAT'S A
PRECURSOR TO APPAREL,
ELECTRONICS, AUTOMOTIVES, SINGLE
USE PLASTICS. AND MOST OF THE
BIO IN THE WORLD IS MADE IN
CHINA USING COAL POWER
TECHNOLOGIES. BUT WE ARE
ACTUALLY POWERING THE FIRST BIO
BIO FACILITY IN THE US THAT'S
BEING BUILT BY CARGILL OUT IN
IOWA. AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR
INGREDIENTS THAT DOES HAVE UP TO
90% GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
SAVINGS. SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE
WHAT SETS YOU APART, IT'S OUR
ADVANCED BIO ENGINEERING
PLATFORM USING THE POWER OF
FERMENTATION TO TRANSFORM
FEEDSTOCK INTO EVERYDAY
MATERIALS. AND WE SCALE SO THAT
WE CAN BE DROP IN REPLACEMENTS.
WE'RE NOT A NICHE PRODUCT AND
OUR SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT IS
SUBSTANTIAL. SO JUST TO PROVIDE
AN ILLUSTRATION, IF WE REPLACED
ALL THE CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTS ON
THE MARKET WITH PRODUCTS THAT
GENO MAKES CURRENTLY OR IS IN
DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT'S CORPORAL
HDO BUTYLENE GLYCOL, FATTY
ALCOHOLS AND OTHERS, WE CAN
REDUCE THE EMISSION OF 85
MILLION TONNES OF CARBON DIOXIDE
ANNUALLY. AND THAT'S THE
EQUIVALENT OF TAKING 18 MILLION
CARS OFF THE ROAD EVERY YEAR. SO
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO MENTION A
FEW OF JUNO'S POLICY GOALS. AND
THEY FALL INTO LARGELY THREE
BUCKETS. THE FIRST IS WE NEED TO
BOLSTER US BIO MANUFACTURING
INFRASTRUCTURE. AND JANET
MENTIONED ALL THE WORK THAT BIO
MADE IS DOING AND ALSO THE
BERKELEY LABS. BUT WE NEED TO
TAKE GREATER STEPS TO MAKE SURE
THAT, WE HAVE MORE FERMENTATION
FACILITIES IN THE US. SO GENO,
LIKE A LOT OF OTHER COMPANIES
DO, ALL OF OUR BENCH WORK IN
HOUSE IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
AT OUR INNOVATION CENTER. BUT
BEFORE YOU COMMERCIALIZE, YOU GO
THROUGH A STEP CALLED
DEMONSTRATION. AND
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S JUST NOT
THE NUMBER OF FACILITIES IN THE
US TO BE ABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE
TO DO IT HERE. SO WE DO MOST OF
IT IN EUROPE, AND THEN ONCE WE
DO THE DEMO WORK, THEN WE'RE
READY TO COMMERCIALIZE. AND IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT IN THIS CURRENT
ECONOMIC CLIMATE TO SOURCE THE
FINANCING FROM PRIVATE EQUITY.
IT CAN COST HALF $1 BILLION TO
BUILD ONE OF THESE FACILITIES,
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR
GOVERNMENTS, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR
HELP IN THE FORM OF LOAN
GUARANTEES, DIRECT GRANTS OR TAX
CREDITS. AND THERE IS MOVEMENT
ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO HELP
COMPANIES LIKE US, WHICH WE'RE
VERY GRATEFUL FOR, BUT BUT WE DO
NEED MORE PROGRAMS IN THIS AREA.
AND LIKE JAMES MENTIONED, WE
NEED TO ALSO CREATE GOVERNMENT
DEMAND PULL FOR BIO BASED
PRODUCTS AS WELL. WE DO. WE ALL
HAVE BRAND PARTNERS THAT WE WORK
WITH, BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS THE
LARGEST CUSTOMER IN THE WORLD.
AND HAVING GOVERNMENT AS A
CUSTOMER WOULD REALLY HELP
VALIDATE OUR PRODUCTS. SO WE'RE
WORKING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO
REVAMP THE BIOPREFERRED PROGRAM,
WHICH IS A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
THAT'S MEANT TO MANDATE BIO
BASED PRODUCT PURCHASING WHERE
POSSIBLE AND TO GIVE A
PREFERENCE TO BIO BASED
PRODUCTS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, IT'S NOT
REALLY WORKED VERY WELL, SO
HOPEFULLY IN THE FARM BILL, THIS
GO AROUND, WILL WILL BE ABLE TO
FIX THAT PROGRAM. BUT WE WOULD
ALSO LOVE TO SEE SIMILAR
PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS PROLIFERATE
AT THE STATE LEVEL BECAUSE
AGAIN, THOSE PRODUCTS ARE NOT AT
A GREATER COST THAN CONVENTIONAL
PRODUCTS. SO WE THINK THAT
PROCUREMENT OFFICERS ARE
SELECTING BETWEEN, LIKE BIO
BASED PLASTIC UTENSILS OR
UTENSILS MADE FROM PETROLEUM.
THEY SHOULD CHOOSE BIO BASED
WHERE POSSIBLE. AND THEN LASTLY,
WE WANT TO HELP CREATE POLICY
THAT MOVES THE NEEDLE ON THE
CARBON ADVANTAGE THAT OUR
COMPANIES PROVIDE. AND THAT
INCLUDES POTENTIALLY TAX CREDITS
FOR RENEWABLE CHEMICALS. JUST SO
WE CAN COMPETE WITH THE
INCUMBENT MULTINATIONALS THAT
HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WE KNOW THAT CALIFORNIA HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER IN
SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES THAT ARE
THEN ADOPTED LATER ON AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL. SO WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THIS
COMMITTEE ON CREATING THESE
POLICIES AND TO HELP CALIFORNIA
COMPANIES, LIKE ALL OF US,
CONTINUE TO INNOVATE. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. GREAT, WELL, THANK YOU.
AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATIONS. I WAS SEARCHING
FOR THE WORD, THE KIND OF
ENCAPSULATES WHAT WE'VE TAKEN IN
IN THE LAST 45 MINUTES. AND I
CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WORD
THAN AMAZING. HOW AMAZING IT IS
THAT YOU'VE HAD SOME OF THE
FORESIGHT TO THINK ABOUT A NEW
APPROACH, TO BE ABLE TO USE
MATERIALS IN A DIFFERENT WAY, TO
PRODUCE AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THE COMMERCE THAT THAT WE NEED
OUT THERE, BUT IN A WAY THAT
ALSO IS SIMULTANEOUSLY MEETING
CLIMATE GOALS, HOPEFULLY JUST
THE BASIS OF THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, WILL
CATALYZE A LOT MORE, SWITCH IN
IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR
APPROACH TO MANUFACTURING AND
THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. I
WANTED TO KICK IT OFF WITH OUR
MY CO-CHAIR, OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON GREEN INNOVATION
AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. MAYBE FOR
SOME OF HER THOUGHTS AND
QUESTIONS. WELL THANK YOU, CHAIR
WARD. AND LET ME START BY SAYING
THANK YOU FOR CONVENING TODAY'S
HEARING AND FOR THIS JUST
INCREDIBLE CONVERSATION. I WAS
I'LL JUST START BY SAYING I WAS
SUPER EXCITED COMING INTO THE
HEARING. AND AFTER JUST THE PAST
45 MINUTES, MY MIND IS TOTALLY
BLOWN BY THE WORK THAT THAT YOU
AND YOUR TEAMS ARE DOING. I
THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE,
THE CLIMATE CRISIS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DELIVER
ON OUR CLIMATE GOALS, TAKE
CLIMATE ACTION, AND THERE'S A
LOT OF CHALLENGES, LOTS OF
CHALLENGES. BUT THERE'S ALSO SO
MUCH OPPORTUNITY. AND I THINK
PARTICULARLY FOR CALIFORNIA,
RIGHT. CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN THE
BIRTHPLACE FOR THE BREAKTHROUGHS
AND THE INNOVATIONS THAT HAVE
SHAPED OUR MODERN WORLD, WHETHER
THAT'S TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGHS
OR BIOTECH LIFE SCIENCES
BREAKTHROUGHS. AND THERE'S EVERY
REASON IN THE WORLD THAT WE
SHOULD BE THE BIRTHPLACE FOR THE
BREAKTHROUGHS AND THE
INNOVATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO
BOTH ENABLE CALIFORNIA TO
DELIVER ON OUR CLIMATE GOALS,
ENABLE US TO GLOBALLY DELIVER ON
THOSE GOALS, AND ALSO SET A
FOUNDATION FOR REALLY THE NEXT
GENERATION OF ECONOMIC GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE STATE.
SO, KIND OF WRIT LARGE, THIS
TOPIC IS SO, SO EXCITING. AND I
THINK WE COULD SPEND LIKE ALL
DAY. WE COULD SPEND ALL DAY
HERE. OKAY. SO LET ME JUST LET
ME TRY TO ASK TWO QUICK
QUESTIONS. I KNOW THERE'S A TON
OF QUESTIONS FROM MY FROM MY
FROM OTHER MEMBERS AS WELL. SO,
THE FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE, I GUESS KIND OF, INVESTMENT
AND FINANCING LANDSCAPE RIGHT
NOW. AND YOU STARTED TO TOUCH ON
IT A LITTLE BIT. IT SOUNDS LIKE
NOT SO GOOD. WE'D LOVE TO JUST
UNDERSTAND, LIKE OUR VCS
INVESTING RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON THAT FRONT. AND
THEN WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE POLICY LEVERS THAT
THAT WE CAN PULL. TO HELP YOUR
COMPANIES SUCCEED. AND I THINK
FOR ME, IT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
IT'S A WE WANT YOUR COMPANIES TO
SUCCEED. B, WE WANT YOU TO
SUCCEED IN CALIFORNIA. SO, I
GUESS WHAT'S LIKE THE NUMBER ONE
THING THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR, YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SEE CALIFORNIA
POLICYMAKERS DO, A TO HELP YOU
BE SUCCESSFUL AND B, TO HELP YOU
INVEST AND GROW IN CALIFORNIA,
LET ME TAKE THAT FUNDRAISING. SO
I JUST GOT BACK FROM A TWO WEEK
TRIP TO ASIA FUNDRAISING IS
REALLY HARD. FIRST OFF, I WANT
TO SAY MANGO MATERIALS IS SUPER
FORTUNATE. WE HAVE HAD A TON OF
GRANT NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING FROM
ALL SORTS OF PROGRAMS. WE ALSO
HAVE VENTURE CAPITAL BACKING AS
WELL. SO VERY HAPPY WITH OUR
CURRENT INVESTORS. HOWEVER, THE
CURRENT CLIMATE IS VERY, VERY,
VERY ROUGH. IT'S ALL GOING TO I
BIOMANUFACTURING THAT NEEDS SOME
INFRASTRUCTURE AND IS COMPETING
WITH PLASTICS. THEY'RE LIKE,
YEAH, LOOK, I MEAN MY COMPANY
NEEDS TENS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS TO GET TO THE NEXT
STAGE. AND THE INVESTORS ARE
LIKE, LOOK, I CAN PUT HALF A
MILLION INTO THIS APP. THIS APP.
THIS APP, THIS APP FOR LIKE JUST
A SMALL FRACTION OF WHAT YOUR
COMPANY NEEDS. SO WE'RE
INVESTING IN AI. I'M HEARING
THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. OTHER
COUNTRIES ARE LOOKING AT IT
DIFFERENTLY. THAT'S WHY I WENT
TO ASIA WHERE THE PLASTICS
PROBLEM IS VERY AT THE FOREFRONT
AS WELL. AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF A LONGER TERM VIEW. AND
SO THAT BEING SAID, IT IS REALLY
HARD. SO ANYTHING TO ANSWER YOUR
SECOND QUESTION, PROBABLY ALL OF
US WOULD BENEFIT FROM SOME KIND
OF LIKE BIOPREFERRED. BUT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT CAN
LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD LIKE A
PRICE ON CARBON OR ALSO AND I
KNOW THIS CAN BE CONTROVERSIAL,
BUT BRAND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
MATERIALS AS WELL, LIKE THIS IS
VERY SPECIFIC TO MANGO, BUT
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION
AROUND END OF LIFE OF MATERIALS.
SO IF SOMETHING IS LABELED
INDUSTRIALLY COMPOSTABLE OR EVEN
LIKE THE WORD BIODEGRADABLE,
THAT'S WHY I SAID LIKE PRONE TO
ENZYMATIC ATTACK, WHICH REALLY
MEANS BIODEGRADABLE. BUT THIS IS
LIKE A CONTROVERSIAL WORD AND
LIKE IT SHOULDN'T BE. BUT
THERE'S SO MUCH CONFUSION OUT
THERE AND CHALLENGES, WHETHER
IT'S WITH RECYCLING, WHICH WE
SHOULD TOTALLY DO, WE SHOULD
RECYCLE. I WAS SO I'VE BEEN
PASSIONATE ABOUT RECYCLING SINCE
SOMEONE VISITED MY SECOND GRADE
CLASS. THAT'S WHY I'M INTO THIS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT
GOING TO RECYCLE OUR WAY OUT OF
THE PLASTIC PROBLEM, SO ANYTHING
WE CAN DO TO HELP LEVEL THE
PLAYING FIELD, TO HELP US GET
OFF TAKE AGREEMENTS, I WOULD SAY
THAT I WOULD SAY THANK
CALIFORNIA. THERE'S PROGRAMS TO
KEEP LIKE ELECTRICITY PRICES
DOWN, AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST FEW
YEARS WHILE YOU START THOSE
SORTS OF PROGRAMS ARE SO HELPFUL
FOR US. SO, I CAN TALK FOR HOURS
ABOUT THIS IF YOU WANT TO TALK
MORE, BUT I'LL PASS IT OVER.
THAT'S SO GREAT, SO I WOULD SAY
YES TO EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID.
AND I THINK THAT CALIFORNIA HAS
A REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
RIGHT NOW, AND I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THE MANUFACTURING
OPPORTUNITY IN, IN PARTICULAR,
YOU JUST SAID THAT CALIFORNIA IS
THE BIRTHPLACE OF SO MANY
INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGIES, BUT
WHAT HAPPENS TIME AFTER TIME? WE
DEVELOP IT HERE AND IT GOES
SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET
MANUFACTURED. AND I THINK IN
THIS WORLD WHERE WE ARE
RETHINKING SUPPLY CHAINS, WHERE
WE ARE RETHINKING THE INPUTS
INTO THE PRODUCTS THAT WE ARE
MAKING. CALIFORNIA HAS SUCH A
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAN INTO
THE WORK THAT OUR NATIONAL LABS
ARE ALREADY DOING, TO THINK
ABOUT HOW CALIFORNIA CAN BE A
LEADER IN BIOMANUFACTURING,
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW EVERYBODY
LOOKS TO THE MIDWEST. THEY'RE
LIKE, OH, THEY'RE THE
FERMENTATION GUYS. THEY DON'T
HAVE TO BE LIKE, CALIFORNIA CAN
SHOW THE WORLD HOW TO DO THINGS
THE MOST SUSTAINABLE, THE MOST
ADVANCED WAY HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
SO IMAGINE WE CREATE A JEWEL BOX
OF A MANUFACTURING PLANT, AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE THAT TAKES IN
WASTE FEEDSTOCKS. I CANNOT WAIT
FOR THESE TO COME ALONG. PLEASE
HURRY UP SO THAT SO THAT WE CAN
PUT THEM INTO OUR FERMENTATION
TANKS, FEED THEM TO MICROALGAE
AND MAKE OIL FOR FOOD. MAKE OIL
FOR MATERIALS AND DO SO MANY
DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO WHAT DO
WE NEED FROM CALIFORNIA? WE NEED
THE OPEN ARMS. WE NEED THE
INCENTIVES TO PULL WHAT WE'RE
PRODUCING THROUGH INTO
COMMERCIALIZATION. YES,
BIOPREFERRED. BUT I THINK
CALIFORNIA CAN DO IT BETTER AND
CAN ACTUALLY SHOW THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HOW A BIOPREFERRED
PROGRAM CAN WORK AND REALLY BE
SUPER SUCCESSFUL. I SECOND
EVERYTHING THAT JENNY JUST SAID
ON THE BIOPREFERRED PROGRAM. ON
THE FINANCING SIDE, I WOULD SAY
THAT COMPANIES LIKE US, WE DON'T
NEED GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOREVER,
AND THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL. IT'S TO
BUILD THESE FIRST OF ITS KIND
FACILITIES, LIKE A FIRST OF ITS
KIND CAPROLACTAM FACILITY.
BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET THAT FIRST
FACILITY, ONLINE VENTURE CAPITAL
LOVES TO BE THE FIRST TO BE THE
SECOND TO FUND. SO ONCE WE GET
THAT FIRST FACILITY AND THEY SEE
THAT WE HAVE YOU KNOW, OFFTAKE
AGREEMENTS, WE HAVE PURCHASERS,
MAYBE GOVERNMENT HAS COME ON AS
ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS, THEN
THEY'RE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE
WILLING TO INVEST IN SECOND,
THIRD, FOURTH FACILITIES, AND
THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHEAPER TO
BUILD TO. GREAT. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN BACHMANN, THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I
COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH BOTH
THE CHAIRS. THANK YOU FOR
CONVENING THIS, HEARING AND JUST
THE BRILLIANCE IN THIS ROOM AND
WHAT CALIFORNIA IS CAPABLE OF IS
PALPABLE, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT,
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY LAWRENCE
LIVERMORE IS HERE BECAUSE ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN IN
LIVERMORE VALLEY, WHICH I
REPRESENT, IS THE ECOSYSTEM OF
THE LAB, THE OPEN CAMPUS OF THE
LAB, WHICH ALLOWS FOR LAB GENIUS
TO THEN SORT OF START TO
INCUBATE INTO THE WORLD, AND
THEN THE CITY, WHICH, WORKING
WITH GO-BIZ, OPENED AN INCUBATOR
OUTSIDE THE LAB, WHERE THEN THEY
GO NEXT, AND THEN THEY INCUBATE,
AND THEN WE SEE THEM STARTING
COMPANIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND EVEN IN THE SIX YEARS THAT
I'VE BEEN REPRESENTING
LIVERMORE, I'VE SEEN THAT
ECOSYSTEM SUCCEED. AND IT IS
CREATING AN ECONOMIC GROWTH IN
THE REGION, A TALENT BASE, ALL
OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO
SEE IN CALIFORNIA. BUT I AGREE
WITH SOME OF WHAT IS SAID IN THE
MANUFACTURING SPACE IS WE SEE
THOSE COMPANIES START. THEY SORT
OF BEGIN TO MANUFACTURE THERE,
AND THEN THEY GET BIG ENOUGH.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THEM
EXPAND ELSEWHERE. RIGHT AND SO I
DO THINK I WAS GOING TO ASK A
QUESTION ABOUT MANUFACTURING,
BUT YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON IT. I
THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE AND I WANT TO SAY THAT
THE INCUBATOR IN LIVERMORE WAS
STARTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
GO-BIZ. MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE
ARE DOING LESS OF THAT. AND SO I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE AS A STATE DO THINK ABOUT HOW
WE CAN PARTNER WITH THESE
OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THOSE, I
MEAN, IT'S RUN BY THE CITY. CITY
LEVEL INCUBATORS THAT ALLOW
OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
TO REALLY GET STARTED IN OUR
BACKYARD BECAUSE IT IS SO HARD,
IT IS SO EXPENSIVE. AND SO WHEN
THE CITY GIVES YOU SPACE TO BE
IN COMMUNITY, ALSO WITH OTHER
BRILLIANT STARTUP FOUNDERS, IT
REALLY IS THE PERFECT
ENVIRONMENT FOR THESE COMPANIES
TO START. SO WE HAVE A ROLE
THERE. THEN I THINK WE TALK ALL
THE TIME ABOUT HOW WE DON'T HAVE
MANUFACTURING IN CALIFORNIA
ANYMORE, AND WE NEED TO BRING IT
BACK. AND PART OF THE REASON WE
NEED TO BRING IT BACK IS BECAUSE
THOSE ARE GREAT JOBS FOR
CALIFORNIANS, AND WE NEED JOBS
AT EVERY INCOME LEVEL IN
CALIFORNIA. AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN
IS THAT PEOPLE IN LOWER INCOME
JOBS HAVE TO LEAVE CALIFORNIA
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT.
AND SO THE MORE WE CAN BUILD AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE
THOSE GOOD JOBS IN OUR
COMMUNITY, THE BETTER OFF WE
ARE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK
THERE'S SUCH OPPORTUNITY HERE TO
DO ALL THE THINGS THAT
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S PETRIE-NORRIS
MENTIONED. BUT I DO JUST WANT TO
REITERATE THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE
TO HELP THIS ECOSYSTEM THRIVE,
BECAUSE I THINK THE STATE REALLY
NEEDS TO DOUBLE DOWN. AND I KNOW
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
DIALING BACK SOME OF THE
INCENTIVES WE HAVE FOR OIL
COMPANIES, WHICH I THINK IS
MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AS AN
ENVIRONMENTALIST, BUT I THINK
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO INSTEAD
OF DIAL THEM BACK, SHIFT THEM TO
THE PRIORITIES THAT WE CARE SO
DEEPLY ABOUT. SO SOMETHING I
WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR BURNER.
YES, I WANT TO ECHO MY
COLLEAGUE'S, STATEMENT. THANK
YOU TO THE CHAIRS FOR CONVENING
US. AND THANK YOU FOR THESE
GREAT PRESENTATIONS. ALWAYS
INSPIRING TO SEE WHAT WE'RE ABLE
TO DO WHEN WE WANT TO SOLVE A
PROBLEM. AND TOUCHING ON WHAT,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER BAUER-KAHAN JUST
MENTIONED, WHAT IS THERE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE WORKFORCE YOU
NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL
IN CALIFORNIA, AND WHAT TRAINING
DO THEY REQUIRE, AND HOW ARE YOU
WORKING WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES
TO ACHIEVE THAT? I'M HAPPY TO
JUMP IN ON THAT, SO IT'S A SUPER
EXCITING TIME RIGHT NOW WITHIN
OUR SYSTEMS, WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEMS IN
PARTICULAR, SO THERE ARE BIO
MANUFACTURING PROGRAMS THAT ARE
AMAZING, THAT ARE POPPING UP
RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE ONE AT
MIRACOSTA. YOU'RE WELCOME. LOVE
THIS. THANK YOU. AND IN
VACAVILLE AND I REPRESENT
MIRACOSTA. SO IT'S COOL BECAUSE
SOLANO COUNTY AND LANEY COLLEGE,
WE HAVE ACTUALLY HIRED DIRECTLY
FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE INTO
OUR BIO MANUFACTURING
FERMENTATION PROCESSES. SO 100%
AND THESE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY
GETTING SNAPPED UP BEFORE THEY
EVEN GRADUATE. LIKE IT'S THAT
THAT NEEDED. SO 100% MORE ON ALL
OF THAT. I WOULD JUST SAY THE
DIVERSE WORKFORCE AND JUST, THE
TYPE OF WORKERS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
PROS TO COMPANIES LIKE US
STAYING HERE AND DOING
MANUFACTURING HERE. AND WE'RE IN
YOUR DISTRICT, ZUBIATE, AND WE
HIRE I KNOW WE HIRE A LOT OF OUR
SCIENTISTS FROM UCSD AND, IT'S A
REALLY GREAT, POOL TO CHOOSE
FROM. WE'RE FORTUNATE WE ARE
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, MISS
BERNER. SO MEMBER PAPAN, OR ON
THE SUBJECT OF WONDERFUL, FIRST
OF ALL, WELCOME. I APOLOGIZE FOR
BEING LATE, I THINK TOUCHING
JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THIS IDEA
OF MANUFACTURING. WHAT I'VE
OBSERVED AS THINGS ESCALATE
ALONG IS THAT IT TAKES UP LESS
OF A FOOTPRINT. AND, YOU KNOW, I
COME OUT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
WHERE THE BAY AREA IN
PARTICULAR, I REPRESENT SOUTH
SAN FRANCISCO, GOT A LOT OF
BIOTECH. SAME THING WITH FOSTER
CITY. AND, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT
ON THE MANUFACTURING PART
BECAUSE OF THE FOOTPRINT. IT
TAKES UP IN A RATHER, YOU KNOW,
THIN PENINSULA WITH WATER ON
MANY SIDES. ET CETERA. YOU'VE
GOT A LITTLE MORE OUT IN
LIVERMORE WHERE YOU ARE, BUT, SO
I WOULD JUST SAY IF WE CAN, AS
YOU GO ALONG IN YOUR. AND BY THE
WAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
EMPHASIS ON WHERE THE FINANCING
COMES FROM AND WHAT YOUR TRICKS
ARE. AND I GETTING MORE THAN
WHAT YOU'RE GETTING. AND BELIEVE
ME, THAT WAS NOT LOST ON ME. SO
I APPRECIATE THAT BIRD'S EYE
VIEW AND THAT VENTURE
CAPITALISTS ARE VERY BRAVE WHEN
IT COMES TO SECOND INVESTMENT. I
LOVE THAT, BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T
MEAN TO GET OFF ON THAT TANGENT,
BUT NONETHELESS, I FEEL LIKE IF
THERE'S ONE MORE SELLING POINT
TO KEEPING MANUFACTURING HERE
AND ENHANCING MANUFACTURING
HERE, IT IS A SMALLER FOOTPRINT.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED. I MEAN, WE
HAVE, ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS IS
BEING ACTUALLY MANUFACTURED IN
THE BAY AREA RIGHT NOW. ARE
DRONES, AND THEY DON'T TAKE UP A
LOT, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW,
GANGBUSTERS. AND IT'S GREAT TO
HAVE DRONE, MANUFACTURING HERE
BECAUSE OF SAFETY REASONS AND
SECURITY REASONS AND ALL THAT.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE
BECAUSE LAND IS SUCH A COMMODITY
IN CALIFORNIA, AND WE'RE TRYING
SO MUCH TO DO WITH OUR LAND,
WHAT WE CAN FOR HOUSING. BUT
JOBS HAVE GOT TO COME WITH IT.
SO ANYWAY, I WOULD JUST YOU'RE
LOOKING TO ME FOR I KNOW
TREMENDOUS ADVICE, BUT I WOULD
SAY AS WE GO DOWN THE PATH, IF
THAT FOOTPRINT REMAINS SMALL, IT
IS CERTAINLY MORE DOABLE IN SOME
OF THESE COMMUNITIES. SO THANK
YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. I I'VE
FOLLOWED SOME OF IT, WITH GREAT
ANTICIPATION. CHARM IS ONE
THAT'S BASED IN SAN FRANCISCO. I
KNOW SOME OF HER TEAM LEFT US,
BUT SIMILAR WITH THE WITH
BIOFUELS AND WHATNOT. SO I
APPLAUD YOU AND ALL YOUR
RECYCLING. IT MAKES MY HEART GO
PITTER PATTER. THANKS FOR BEING
HERE. THANK YOU. MISS. SO,
MEMBER HART. YEAH, I JUST WANT
TO ADD TO THE ENTHUSIASM AND THE
EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE
THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING AND
FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW A
BIOPREFERRED POLICY PURCHASING
STRATEGY IN CALIFORNIA WOULD BE
REALLY HELPFUL TO THE INDUSTRY.
BUT IT ALSO OCCURS TO ME THAT
THE LEGISLATION THAT WE PASSED
LAST YEAR THAT TALKED ABOUT
DISCLOSURE OF GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS AND THE SUPPLY CHAINS
OF COMPANIES MIGHT ALSO BE
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL
TO YOU. AND I WANT TO KNOW YOUR
THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT. WE'VE BEEN
STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND
IMPLEMENTING THAT VISIONARY
LEGISLATION. BUT IN TALKING
ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE
PRODUCT SUPPLY CHAIN THAT YOU
PROVIDE AND OFFER VERSUS FOSSIL
FUEL COMPANIES, SEEMS LIKE A BIG
ADVANTAGE STRATEGICALLY FOR YOU.
IF THAT WERE IN EFFECT. THAT'S
BRILLIANT. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'LL
TAKE THAT AS A YES. THANK YOU,
MR. HART. YES I ALSO HAD SB 253
KIND OF NOTED, AS WELL AS THE
VERY INTENSE DISCUSSION THAT WE
HAVE AND THE TREND SETTING,
PLACE THAT CALIFORNIA IS TRYING
TO FIND ITSELF IN POLICY MAKING,
TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE BEING ACCOUNTABLE, WE'RE
MONITORING WE ARE COMMITTED TO
REDUCING OUR TOTALITY OF
CORPORATE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS THAT ANY PARTNERSHIP.
RIGHT. THEY WONDER, HOW CAN WE
DO THIS, ESPECIALLY AS WE GO
DOWN TO THAT NEXT TIER. AND
WE'RE TRYING TO CALCULATE SUPPLY
CHAIN BASED, EMISSIONS. AND YOU
HAVE OPTIONS, RIGHT. AND THERE
MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AS MUCH AS WE'RE TRYING TO THINK
ABOUT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY AND THE
ABILITY TO MAYBE FINE TUNE SOME
OF OUR WORK, TO BE ABLE TO GO
RIGHT BACK TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR
AND BE ABLE TO FIND THAT
PARTNERSHIP THERE THAT GETS
MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, ABOVE AND
AROUND VC OPPORTUNITIES, BUT
WORKING DIRECTLY WITH COMPANIES
TO HELP ACCELERATE YOUR WORK,
BACK IN HOUSE, YOU KNOW, YES, WE
HAD A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET
YEAR. AND SO WE ARE WORKING
REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THE TAX CREDITS AND THE
INCENTIVES THAT WE NEED OUT
THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY
IF WE'VE TURNED A CORNER, IF
THINGS KIND OF STAY BETTER,
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF HARD WORK
THIS YEAR. WE CAN THINK ABOUT
BIOPREFERRED OPTIONS AS WELL AS,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME SUBSET OR
CARVE OUT, THIS HAS BEEN
ENLIGHTENING. SO THAT CAN
DEFINITELY HELP INFORM US AS
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT FUTURE. BUT
I WOULD INVITE YOU TO STAY
ENGAGED WITH US AS WELL AS
YOU'RE SEEING US APPROACH THOSE
NEXT, YOU KNOW, BOTH POLICY
MAKING YEARS IN 2025 AS WELL AS
BUDGET CONVERSATIONS FOR THESE
KIND OF ELEMENTS THAT WE MIGHT
BE MISSING. I WONDER IF THERE'S,
EXISTING FUNDS OUT THERE, LIKE
THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
FUND OR OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE
OUT THERE. DO YOU FIND THAT YOU
MIGHT QUALIFY FOR MAYBE SOME OF
THESE EMERGING, FUNDS THAT ARE
THAT ARE GETTING PRETTY ROBUST
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, IF I MIGHT
ADD? I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT BIOMASS
COMBUSTION, BUT THIS IS BIOMASS
TO PRODUCT. IT'S A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT PROCESS. AND IT WOULD
BE REALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO
DISTINGUISH THAT. I ALSO WANT TO
ASSURE YOU WE ARE GOING WE'VE
GOT THIS SCHMIDT FOUNDATION
FUNDING. WE HAVE WE'RE GOING
AFTER FEDERAL FUNDING. AND I
WOULD SAY THIS REALLY NEEDS TO
BE AN ALL CALIFORNIA STRATEGY.
WE HAVE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN
DIEGO, LA. WE HAVE NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, AND WE HAVE AREAS
ALL THROUGH CALIFORNIA HAVE A
TON OF BIOMASS. THE MOUNTAIN
COMMUNITIES WITH THE FOREST
TREATMENT AND ALL OF THAT. AND
WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER. AND
I THINK WHAT YOU CAN DO TO
ENCOURAGE US TO WORK TOGETHER
AND TO BUILD AN ALL STATE
STRATEGY, I THINK WOULD BE
EXTREMELY HELPFUL, AND BECAUSE
WE WE'RE A LAB THAT IS A WE LOVE
MANUFACTURING. WE'RE A MATERIALS
SCIENTIST, WE'RE BIOSCIENTISTS
THE IDEA OF WATCHING THESE
COMPANIES START AT THE LAB, AND
WE TOP OUT AT OUR 300 LITER
FACILITY. AND THEN WHEN THEY
WENT THEIR 100,000 UNIT
FACILITY, THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE
MIDWEST. WE ARE WORKING ON
TRYING TO GET A UNIT IN WORKING
WITH MERCED AND BEING CIRCULAR
AND NORTH SAN JOAQUIN TO GET A
MANUFACTURING FACILITY HERE. IF
WE CAN DO THAT, THAT'S A HUGE
STEP FORWARD FOR CALIFORNIA AND
THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ANY STATE
MONEY AT THIS POINT. IF WE CAN
GET THE FEDERAL MONEY. SO
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
WE WOULD LOVE TO STAY ENGAGED
WITH YOU BECAUSE I THINK THERE
WILL BE SOME LET'S SEE HOW SOME
OF THESE APPLICATIONS PLAY OUT.
BUT WE'RE YOU KNOW, THERE WILL
BE AREAS FOR SURE WHERE WE VERY
MUCH NEED YOUR HELP AND
PARTNERSHIP TO MOVE FORWARD. BUT
I THINK AN ALL STATE STRATEGY
HERE WE HAVE WE HAVE ASSETS AND
SMART PEOPLE AND COMPANIES
ACROSS THE STATE. AND IT'S THIS
IS THIS IS ONE THAT WE CAN WIN.
THANK YOU. AND I'M WONDERING,
GETTING OFF OF FINANCING AND
SUBSIDY NEED THAT'S OUT THERE ON
THE REGULATORY SIDE OF THINGS.
IS THERE ANY DISADVANTAGES THAT
YOU'RE SEEING THERE THAT, YOU
KNOW, MAYBE ARE NOT AFFORDED TO
PETROLEUM BASED INDUSTRIES, BUT
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
BARRIERS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE
RUN INTO THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE
OF TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT
WOULD HELP YOU GROW? YEAH, WE
HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE END OF
LIFE LEGISLATION THAT'S
HAPPENING SPECIFICALLY
SURROUNDING COMPOSTABLE
MATERIALS THAT ARE REALLY BEST
INTENTIONED TO DECREASE SINGLE
USE PLASTICS. BUT IN THAT
PROCESS OF TRYING TO DO THAT, IT
ALSO MAKES INVESTORS NERVOUS
THAT THAT MARKET IS LIMITING AND
SINGLE USE, MATERIALS, WHICH
LIKE, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT WHAT
WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, THINGS
LIKE STRAWS AND CUTLERY. BUT YOU
COULD IMAGINE OUR MATERIAL COULD
BE GREAT FOR THAT. BUT WE'RE
STAYING AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE
THERE'S SO MUCH CONCERN
SURROUNDING END OF LIFE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND IT'S
ACTUALLY REALLY SAD BECAUSE IT
MAKES INVESTORS NERVOUS. AND
THAT WASN'T THE INTENTION. LIKE,
YEAH, WE SHOULDN'T BE USING
ANCIENT PETROLEUM POLLUTING
PLASTIC TO MAKE A SINGLE USE
STRAW, BUT OUR MATERIAL WOULD BE
GREAT FOR THAT. AND SO THAT'S A
HUGE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW THAT LIKE
ALL THE FOR COMPANIES ARE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. AND IT
GOES BACK TO THE LIKE COMPOSTING
IS END OF LIFE OR LIKE WHAT
WE'RE PROPONENTS OF IS LIKE
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION. CAN YOU
IMAGINE IF WE COULD TAKE ALL OUR
TRASH BAGS AND ALL OUR FOOD
PACKAGING WITH OUR WASTE FOOD
AND LIKE, GRIND IT UP AND PUT IT
IN AN ANAEROBIC DIGESTER WHERE
WE ACTUALLY HAVE EXTRA LAND AND
CAPACITY, THAT'S THE ONE PLACE
WE HAVE. IT IS AT WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANTS. MAKE MORE
CARBON AND USE IT ON SITE. SO
YEAH, A LOT OF CONCERNS AROUND
COMPOSTABILITY GOT IT. AND I
KNOW THIS ISN'T IN THE STATE'S
PURVIEW, BUT FDA, IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT YOU RUN INTO AS
WELL? MAYBE ABOVE AND BEYOND
WHAT COMPETITION WOULD RUN INTO?
WE DO IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE LIKE
WE NEED FDA FOOD COMPLIANCE
CONTENT FOR FOOD CONTACT, BUT
IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE FOR US.
OKAY I THINK I HAD ONE MORE
QUESTION ON MY MIX OF NOTES
HERE, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN
FASCINATING, AND I'M KIND OF
LIKE JUST TRYING TO SORT OF MAP
OUT, A LOT OF DIFFERENT, AREAS
TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE HERE. OH,
IN THE INNOVATIONS THAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, AND I'M THINKING
CARBON CAPTURE CAME TO MIND,
RIGHT? INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW,
RELEASING METHANE AND THROUGH A
FLARE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY USING IT.
WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, ONGOING
DEBATE AND STRATEGY ABOUT USING
CARBON CAPTURE, SEQUESTERING IT,
POSSIBLY EVEN GETTING IT INTO
THE GROUND OR OTHERWISE SOMEHOW
STORING IT. YOU'RE REPURPOSING
IT, RIGHT? YOU'RE ACTUALLY USING
IT TOWARDS A PRODUCT. SO HOW DO
YOU SEE THIS AS MAYBE SOMETHING
THAT CAN COMPETE WITH SOME OF
THOSE STRATEGIES. SO SOME OF THE
STRATEGIES ARE ACTUALLY REALLY
SPECIFICALLY GEARED FOR USING
BIOGAS TO ELECTRICITY. AND SO
THAT ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING HARD
FOR US. SO SOME WASTE METHANE
PRODUCERS ARE LIKE OH NO NO NO
NO. LIKE YOU DON'T MEET ALL THE
YOU DON'T GET THE INCENTIVES FOR
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE CAN
ONLY USE IT FOR ELECTRICITY AND
SO IT ACTUALLY ENDS UP LONG TERM
BEING A CONCERN. BUT ACTUALLY
THERE'S SO MANY PLACES RIGHT NOW
JUST FLARING THE METHANE. SO
THAT'S WHY WE ENDED UP IN
VACAVILLE. BUT IT IS A CONCERN
BECAUSE NO ONE'S LOOKING AT
GOING METHANE INTO MOLECULES.
THEY'RE GOING METHANE INTO
ELECTRONS, LIKE INTO ELECTRICITY,
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
COULD JUST BE LIKE TAILORED AND
CLEANED UP. ALSO KIND OF WHY I'M
HERE TO BE LIKE THIS IS THE
FUTURE. WE'RE WORKING ON IT, AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE
INCENTIVES CAN BENEFIT US AS
WELL. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I THINK ON THAT NOTE, WE
HAVE ANOTHER PANEL. YES. MR.
PETRIE-NORRIS, ONE HOPEFULLY.
QUICK QUESTION. SO A LOT OF
FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES, I THINK,
RECOGNIZE THAT THE, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S AN EVENTUAL END TO THE
FOSSIL FUEL ECONOMY. THEY ARE
INVESTING A LOT IN GREEN ENERGY,
CLEAN ENERGY AND TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WAYS TO DEPLOY THEIR
EXISTING RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGIES,
CAPABILITIES. ARE THEY AT ALL
ENGAGED KIND OF IN THIS ARENA OR
WITH COMPANIES LIKE YOU? I WOULD
SAY YES. AND UNFORTUNATELY, ONE
AREA IN WHICH I GUESS THEY
ENGAGE NOT WITH US, BUT WE, LIKE
I MENTIONED, ARE LOOKING FOR
FEDERAL GRANTS TO HELP US
COMMERCIALIZE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND
THESE INCUMBENT COMPANIES, ONES
THAT WE'VE ALL HEARD OF, ARE
ALSO VERY ATTRACTED BY GRANTS
COMING OUT OF LEGISLATION LIKE
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, LIKE
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW,
HUGE AMOUNTS OF FUNDING FOR THE
ENERGY TRANSITION. AND WE'VE
SEEN THAT, THESE COMPANIES ARE
MORE SUCCESSFUL AT GAINING THESE
LARGE, LIKE $200 MILLION. YEAH,
TWO LARGE PROGRAMS FOR FIRST OF
ITS KIND PLANTS. YEAH THAT WENT
TO THEM. YEAH. GOT IT. OKAY ONE
THING I WILL SAY THOUGH IS THEY
ARE INVESTING IN COMPANIES LIKE
OURS AND OUR COMPETITORS. AND
SOMETIMES THE OIL COMPANIES ARE
THE EASIEST ONES TO TALK TO.
THEY SEE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE
THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY HAVE
THE BALANCE SHEET. YEAH, THEY
ARE INCENTIVIZED IN DIFFERENT
WAYS, BUT YEAH, WE'RE HAVING
THOSE CONVERSATIONS. OKAY. ALL
RIGHT. GREAT THANK YOU AGAIN SO
MUCH. AND I THINK WE ALL REALLY
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. WELL WE'LL GO AHEAD
AND RELIEVE THE PANEL.
APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
TRAVEL TO THE CAPITOL AND YOUR
TESTIMONY TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD
TO STAYING ENGAGED. NEXT WE HAVE
OUR SECOND PANEL WITH TWO
PANELISTS, THIS IS TITLED HOW
OUR LIFE SCIENCES ARE MOVING
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
AND WHEN THEY ARE READY TO GET
SITUATED, I WILL WELCOME MARGO
PARKS, THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OF BOEHRINGER
INGELHEIM, AND AMY PATTON, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR GLOBAL
FACILITIES OPERATIONS FOR
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB. GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, GOOD MORNING
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS
MORNING. AND HEARING ABOUT ALL
THE REALLY FASCINATING AND
AMAZING THINGS THAT OUR PARTNERS
IN BIOTECHNOLOGY ARE DOING. IT'S
SUPER EXCITING, SO AS THE
CHAIRMAN SAID, MY NAME IS MARGO
PARKS. HE DID AN EXCELLENT
PRONUNCIATION OF THE COMPANY'S
NAME, BETTER THAN I COULD DO,
BUT WITH BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM,
AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE
THIS MORNING TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT OUR INITIATIVES AND
WHAT WE'RE DOING TO REDUCE OUR
CARBON FOOTPRINT AND MAKE OUR
COMPANY AS ENVIRONMENTALLY AND
GENERATIONALLY SUSTAINABLE AS
POSSIBLE. SO AS A LEADING
HEALTHCARE COMPANY, WE SERVE AND
HELP MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND
ANIMALS LIVE LONGER AND
HEALTHIER LIVES. SUSTAINABILITY
IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN OUR DNA, AND
EVERY DAY WE ARE WORKING TO
IMPROVE OUR PRACTICES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE BETTER FOR
OUR PATIENTS AND PEOPLE AND THE
PLANET. BUT THIS IS A HUGE
CHALLENGE, AND THERE'S A LOT TO
DO, AND WE WORK TO IMPROVE THAT
EVERY DAY, OUR SUSTAINABILITY
FRAMEWORK, WHICH IS CALLED
SUSTAINABILITY FOR GENERATIONS,
FOCUSES ON HEALTH EQUITY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY FOR THE
PLANET. AND OUR PILLARS ARE
DESIGNED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE
UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
AND THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD. SO
SCIENCE IS GUIDING EVERYTHING WE
DO IN TERMS OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
GOALS AS WELL AS OUR OUR HEALTH
EQUITY GOALS. SO WE HAVE BEEN
INDEPENDENT SINCE OUR FOUNDING
IN 1885. AND CONSEQUENTLY, WE
TAKE A VERY LONG TERM
PERSPECTIVE ON DECIDING HOW WE
ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO A VARIETY
OF GOALS AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT
THOSE ALONG OUR ENTIRE VALUE
CHAIN. SO BOEHRINGER IS PROUD TO
HAVE OVER 53,000 EMPLOYEES
WORLDWIDE SERVING 130 MARKETS.
AND SO IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
TO US THAT WE ARE COMMITTED NOT
ONLY GLOBALLY, BUT LOCALLY IN
THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE
SERVE. AND NOT ONLY HAVE
OPERATIONS, BUT SERVE PATIENTS,
AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE A GLOBAL
COMPANY, BUT WE ARE PROUD TO SAY
THAT OUR ONLY US MANUFACTURING
AND MANUFACTURING, SITE IS IN
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, AND WE HAVE
BEEN THERE SINCE 2011. AND
SINCE, SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE
EXPANDED OUR FOOTPRINT AND GROWN
OUR EMPLOYEE BASE TO OVER 650
PEOPLE. SO, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO
BE HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND ARE CURRENTLY
ACTUALLY GROWING AS WE SPEAK,
DOING SOME BIG PROJECTS. SO AS I
MENTIONED, WE HAVE A LOT OF
REALLY BIG GOALS, AND WE'RE
FORTUNATELY VERY WELL ON OUR WAY
TO ACHIEVING MANY OF THEM, YOU
KNOW, PRIMARILY WE WANT TO BRING
THE WORLD MORE HEALTH. WE'RE A
GLOBAL HEALTH COMPANY BY 2030.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE INVESTED
OVER $35 BILLION IN HEALTH
INNOVATIONS THAT ARE TACKLING
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, AND
WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO HELP 50
MILLION PEOPLE GLOBALLY IN
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGH
A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES THAT
ARE DIRECTLY TARGETED AT HEALTH.
BUT MAYBE LESS CONVENTIONAL THAN
YOU MIGHT THINK. SO DELIVERING
WATER TO COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, AND
ACROSS THE GLOBE, WE ARE VERY
COMMITTED TO OUR GREEN
OBJECTIVES AND ENVIRONMENTAL
TARGETS. BY 2030, WE ARE
COMMITTED TO REDUCING OUR
NATURAL RESOURCE USE BY 50% AND
BECOMING A CARBON NEUTRAL
COUNTRY AT ALL OF OUR SITES,
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AS
I'VE MENTIONED, WE'VE MADE
TREMENDOUS PROGRESS TOWARDS
THESE GOALS. WE'VE REDUCED
EMISSIONS BY 36% JUST SINCE
2019, WE'VE INCREASED OUR USE OF
RENEWABLES GLOBALLY TO 70% BY
70%. AND WE'VE DECREASED OUR
LANDFILL WASTE BY 62% AND
CERTIFIED SEVEN OF OUR SITES AS
CARBON NEUTRAL. SO STILL A WAYS
TO GO, BUT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE
ANTICIPATE MEETING THESE 2030
GOALS, SO YOU MAY BE CURIOUS
ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT OUR OUR GOALS,
THAT THEY ARE THEIR GOALS, BUT
WE'RE MEETING THEM. AND TO GIVE
A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM
THE VERY SMALL TO THE VERY
LARGE, SO NOW I'M GOING TO
EXCUSE MYSELF HERE FOR MY
LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE HERE WHILE I
TALK ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE
SCIENCY, AND I HOPE NO ONE HAS
ANY QUESTIONS, BUT AT A
FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, AT A VERY
BASIC LEVEL, WE ARE LOOKING AT
HOW WE MAKE MEDICINE AND HOW WE
REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
OF MAKING THAT MEDICINE. SO
WE'RE INVESTIGATING HOW WE
IMPLEMENT WHAT IS CALLED ECO
DESIGN. AND THOSE PRINCIPLES
APPLY TO ALL OF OUR RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT AND ECO DESIGN LOOKS
AT ALL ASPECTS OF THE LIFE CYCLE
OF A MEDICINE. AND IT STARTS
FROM THE VERY BASICS OF THE RAW
MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THE
MEDICINE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
PRODUCTION OF THAT MEDICINE, THE
PACKAGE, THE DEVICE, AND THEN TO
END OF LIFE, HOW IT'S DELIVERED,
HOW THE CONSUMER USES IT, AND
FINALLY HOW THEY DISPOSE OF IT.
SO BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WE HAVE
RECENTLY, BEEN ABLE TO
SYNTHESIZE ONE OF THE CHEMICAL
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR OUR CANCER
MEDICATIONS IN A WAY THAT
REDUCED OUR WATER USE BY 76%,
AND OUR WASTE AND CARBON
FOOTPRINT BY 98 AND 99%,
RESPECTIVELY. SO HUGE
DEVELOPMENTS ON HOW WE'RE
ACTUALLY MAKING THE MEDICINE.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS
WAS THAT THIS ALSO RESULTED IN,
IN, IN DECREASING THE PRODUCTION
TIME OF THIS MOLECULE BY ONE
YEAR, WHICH IS HUGE WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT GETTING ACCESS FOR
PATIENTS, IN FREMONT, WE HAVE
INVESTED IN TECHNOLOGY THAT
TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT OF PRODUCT
AT SCALE, BUT USES 50% LESS
RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT SAME
AMOUNT OF MEDICINE. SO WE THINK
BY COMBINING THESE, YOU KNOW,
WHAT I SORT OF CALL LOW CARBON
MEDICATIONS WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY
TO MANUFACTURE THEM AT SCALE,
WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE HUGE IMPACTS
JUST ON THE MEDICINE SIDE ALONE
OF OUR PORTFOLIOS. SO THIS IS
REALLY EXCITING. AND THIS ECO
DESIGN IS NOW MANDATED THROUGH
EVERY PRODUCT DESIGN THAT WE GO
THROUGH FOR ALL OF OUR
MEDICATIONS, BUT OF COURSE, ALL
OF THIS MANUFACTURING AND
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TAKES
POWER, AND GLOBALLY, 70% OF OUR
ELECTRICITY IS FROM RENEWABLE
SOURCES. AT FREMONT, WE ARE
EXCITED TO GET TO 100%
RENEWABLES HERE VERY, VERY
QUICKLY. BUT OF COURSE, THERE
ARE THOSE PROCESSES WHICH ARE
HARD TO ELECTRIFY, AND IN THOSE
SEGMENTS WE ARE LOOKING AT
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES, HOW WE CAN
BUILD ON FUELS THAT EITHER
REDUCE OR ELIMINATE OUR CARBON
FOOTPRINT. AND IN THE MEANTIME,
REALLY TAKING SERIOUSLY THE
AUDIT AND ANALYSIS OF OUR
CURRENT, OUR CURRENT NATURAL GAS
AND, AND THE HVAC SYSTEMS, OUR
COMPUTERS, OUR SERVERS,
EVERYTHING THAT USES POWER, HOW
WE CAN MAKE THOSE AS EFFICIENT
AS POSSIBLE. SO WE DO REGULAR,
YOU KNOW, I THINK ONCE, ONCE
EVERY SIX MONTHS, AUDITS OF ALL
OF THOSE SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY ARE OPERATING AS
EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE
ALSO REALLY EXCITED THAT FREMONT
WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST SITES TO BE
CERTIFIED BY THE ALLIANCE FOR
WATER STEWARDSHIP, WHICH MEANS
THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE REDUCING
OUR WATER USE AND ENSURING THAT
THE WATER THAT LEAVES OUR SITE
IS AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE, BUT
THIS PROGRAM ALSO REQUIRES THAT
WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE BASIN TO
MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S WATER
ADEQUACY FOR EVERYONE WHO IS A
USER OF THAT RESOURCE. SO THAT
PROGRAM CERTIFIES US ANNUALLY.
WE WORK WITH THEM ON AN ONGOING
BASIS TO ENSURE OUR CONTINUED
CERTIFICATION. SO OUR GOAL IS TO
HAVE ALL OF OUR SITES CERTIFIED
IN THIS MANNER BY 2030. AND OF
COURSE, WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING
AT HOW WE ARE REDUCING OUR OWN
EMISSIONS THROUGH OUR
MEDICATION, THROUGH OUR
FACILITIES, BUT ALSO WORKING
WITH OUR SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE
TO REDUCE EMISSIONS WHERE
POSSIBLE. AND THAT MEANS WE'RE
BEING VERY SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO
WE WORK WITH. WE HAVE TO DATE,
MADE A LIST OF OUR LARGEST
VENDORS AND HAVE HAD
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, IN OUR
CONTRACTS AND IN OUR PROCUREMENT
PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
VALUES MATCH OURS IN TERMS OF
OUR REDUCTION GOALS AND TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN PARTNER
WITH THEM, WHERE THEY MAY HAVE
CHALLENGES, SOME OF THESE
SMALLER SUPPLIERS, HOW WE CAN
WORK TOGETHER TO HELP SUPPORT
THEM IN REDUCING THEIR
EMISSIONS, AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT, AS I
MENTIONED, THESE THESE GOALS ARE
NOT JUST GOALS IN TALKING
POINTS, BUT THESE ARE THESE ARE
REAL EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND SO TRUE
TO OUR SCIENTIFIC ROOTS, WE ARE
AUDITING, WE ARE MEASURING AND
WE ARE THIRD PARTY CERTIFIED ON
ALL OF OUR REDUCTIONS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THESE ARE REAL AND
VALID. AND WE TAKE A VERY
FOCUSED APPROACH ON THIS. THAT
IS NOT AN OFFSETS BASED
APPROACH. THIS IS REALLY A
REDUCTIONS EMISSIONS FIRST
APPROACH, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE
THAT WE CAN REDUCE OUR
EMISSIONS. AND THAT'S THE
IMPORTANT THING TO DO FOR THE
COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE SERVE
AND TO THE LONG TERM
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE COMPANY.
OUR PATIENTS AND THE PLANET. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
AND OUR LAST PANELIST IS, MISS
PATTON WITH BMS. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS
MOVING. ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD
MORNING. GOOD MORNING,
DISTINGUISHED COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO
BE HERE TODAY. I AM AMY PATTON,
A PROUD CALIFORNIA RESIDENT AND
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
FACILITY OPERATIONS FOR
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB. I HAVE THE
PLEASURE OF LEADING A TEAM
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAILY
OPERATIONS OF OUR FACILITIES AND
R&D, R&D, AND MIXED USE
FACILITIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE
LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. WHILE I'M CURRENTLY
AN OPERATIONS LEADER, THE
FOUNDATION OF MY CAREER WAS IN
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY.
SO BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB'S
COMMITMENTS AND ACTIONS IN THE
ENVIRONMENTAL REALM ARE VERY
IMPORTANT TO ME TODAY. I PLAN TO
SHARE WITH YOU SOME INFORMATION
ABOUT BMS COMMITMENTS AND
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AS AN EXAMPLE
OF HOW A MEMBER OF THE BIOTECH
INDUSTRY IS HELPING TO ADVANCE
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN
OUR COMMUNITIES. BRISTOL-MYERS
SQUIBB HAS A ROBUST PRESENCE
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
WITH, AS OF JANUARY THIS YEAR,
ROUGHLY 800 EMPLOYEES IN OUR
THREE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
FACILITIES LOCATED IN BRISBANE,
REDWOOD CITY AND SAN DIEGO. AT
THESE INNOVATION HUBS ACROSS
CALIFORNIA, SCIENTISTS AND
RESEARCHERS WORK ACROSS TEAMS,
FUNCTIONS AND SITES TO
INVESTIGATE MOLECULES IN THE
THERAPEUTIC AREAS OF ONCOLOGY,
HEMATOLOGY, HEMATOLOGY,
IMMUNOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE, AND
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. ONE DAY,
THEIR WORK MAY HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR PATIENTS.
IN AUGUST OF 2023, OUR EXPANSION
IN BRISBANE, CALIFORNIA AT 1200
SIERRA POINT ADDED 27,000FT² OF
LAB AND OFFICE SPACE TO OUR
EXISTING SITE AT 1000 SIERRA
POINT. THIS EXPANSION FEATURED A
LEED GOLD COMPLIANT DESIGN AND
INSTALLED SIX ADDITIONAL
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS AT THE
SITE. THERE WE GO. SAN DIEGO, IN
SAN DIEGO, BMS IS GOING TO BRING
TOGETHER FOUR OF OUR CURRENT R&D
FACILITIES INTO A NEWLY
CONSTRUCTED STANDALONE BUILDING
AT CAMPUS POINT. THIS FACILITY,
WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER
CONSTRUCTION, WILL OFFER OVER
430,000FT² DEDICATED TO
ADVANCING NEW MEDICINES FOR
PATIENTS. AND WE EXPECT TO
OCCUPY THIS FACILITY IN 2026,
THIS NEW FACILITY INCORPORATES
SEVERAL SUSTAINABLE FEATURES
THAT WILL FURTHER US IN OUR
COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
SOME OF THOSE FEATURES ARE A
WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM THAT USES
FRESH WATER IN OUR COOLING
TOWERS, WITH AN ANTICIPATED
SAVINGS OF ABOUT 4 MILLION
GALLONS A YEAR, INNOVATIVE
ENERGY SOLUTIONS SUCH AS A HIGH
EFFICIENCY CHILLER SYSTEM, WHICH
REDUCES OUR ELECTRIC CONSUMPTION
AND AN ENERGY EFFICIENT EXTERIOR
FINISH THAT LIMITS HEAT
INTRUSION INTO THE BUILDING AND
ENABLES US TO SAVE ELECTRICITY.
THE USE OF A WEATHER STATION,
WHICH ALLOWS EXHAUST FANS TO
WORK AT A REDUCED SPEED, AND
ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
WILL ALLOW COMPLETE
ELECTRIFICATION OF THAT BUILDING
IN A FUTURE TIME. THE USE OF
HEAT PUMPS INSTEAD OF NATURAL
GAS HEATERS FOR A LABORATORY,
HOT WATER SYSTEMS AND OVER 40 EV
CHARGING STATIONS FOR OUR
EMPLOYEES.
AT BMS, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
STRATEGY FOCUSES ON TAKING
ACTIONS AND DRIVING CHANGE TO
IMPROVE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
FOOTPRINT. WE HAVE A SET OF
PUBLIC GOALS NOW THROUGH 2050,
WHICH SUPPORT OUR LONG STANDING
COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL
STEWARDSHIP. AMONGST THESE
PUBLIC GOALS IS A RECENTLY
ACHIEVED 2024 GOAL TO VALIDATE
OUR EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS
BY THE SCIENCE BASED TARGET
INITIATIVE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
SBTI. THIS RECENT ACHIEVEMENT
WAS ATTAINED FOR BOTH OUR
NEAR-TERM AND OUR NET ZERO
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
REDUCTION TARGETS. SBTI IS
CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD FOR
EMISSION REDUCTION STRATEGIES
AND VERIFICATION. TARGETS ARE
CONSIDERED SCIENCE BASED IF THEY
ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE
CLIMATE SCIENCE DEEMS NECESSARY
TO MEET THE GOALS IN THE PARIS
AGREEMENT, LIMITING GLOBAL
WARMING TO 1.5°C ABOVE
PRE-INDUSTRIAL LEVELS BY HAVING
SCIENCE BASED TARGETS, BMS IS
HELD ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH CLEAR
TARGETS THAT ARE WELL DEFINED
AND PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. BMS SBTI
VALIDATION REINFORCES THE
COMPANY'S COMMITMENT TO
ADVANCING ITS LONG TERM STRATEGY
TO MINIMIZE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL
FOOTPRINT. WE PUBLISH OUR
PROGRESS ANNUALLY IN OUR ESG
REPORT AND SOME OF THE
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE. IN 2023,
OVER 70 PROJECTS AIMED AT
REDUCING ENERGY USE AND SCOPE
ONE AND TWO GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS.
THESE SOLUTIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED
ACROSS OUR BUILDINGS, LABS AND
FLEET, AS WELL AS OUR COMMERCIAL
PRODUCT AND DEVELOPMENT
PROCESSES. BY 2030, WE EXPECT TO
ACHIEVE 100% PURCHASE
ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLE
RESOURCES. WE WILL ACCOMPLISH
THIS BUILDING ON OUR CURRENT
RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO USING
VIRTUAL POWER PURCHASE
AGREEMENTS. BPA'S AS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STRATEGY.
TO DATE, BMS HAS EXECUTED 215
YEAR VPP, EHS FOR ABOUT 200MW.
COLLECTIVELY, THESE PROPELLED
BMS ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO
REALIZING OUR GOAL OF 100%
PURCHASE ELECTRICITY FROM
RENEWABLE RESOURCES. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'VE
GIVEN ME TODAY TO SHARE A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB
AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
COMMITMENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
I HOPE THE INFORMATION I SHARE
WILL SERVE AS A POSITIVE EXAMPLE
OF HOW BMS AND THE REST OF OUR
INDUSTRY ARE HELPING TO ADVANCE
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU BOTH FOR THE TESTIMONY HERE
TODAY. I WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S
ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS I CAN CERTAINLY KICK
IT OFF IF THAT HELPS TO SPUR A
FEW IDEAS. MISS WALDRON. I JUST
REALIZED THAT MY MICROPHONE
DOESN'T WORK. SORRY. NO, I JUST,
JUST A COMMENT AND MAYBE A
GENERAL QUESTION, YOU KNOW,
YEARS AGO, WHEN I SERVED IN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE DID LAND
USE PLANNING AND THINGS. WE USED
TO SAY WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT CAN BE GOOD FOR
BUSINESS. AND WE'RE SEEING THAT,
YOU KNOW, AS WE REDUCE THE USE
OF RESOURCES AND THE IMPACTS
THAT WE HAVE ON THE ENVIRONMENT,
WE CAN ALSO CREATE EFFICIENCIES
FOR BUSINESS, WHICH REDUCES
COSTS AS WELL. WE SEE THAT IN
GROWING INDUSTRY IN THE
AGRICULTURE ALSO, AND BOTH OF
YOU TALKED ABOUT RENEWABLES
USING RENEWABLES AND WHAT
SPECIFICALLY TYPE OF RENEWABLES
DO YOU USE, YOU KNOW, I, I'M
TRYING TO LEARN WHAT ALL OF
THESE ARE LIKE IN WHAT WHAT
TYPES ARE THEY REPLACING? HYDRO
OR GAS OR YOU KNOW, I'M JUST
CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. WELL, ONE
EXAMPLE MIGHT BE CONVERTING
ELECTRICITY TO WIND POWERED
ELECTRICITY THROUGH THE VPAS AND
OTHER SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE
RESOURCES WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE.
YEAH, I WOULD SECOND THAT, IT
ALSO DEPENDS. SO IN FREMONT,
SPECIFICALLY IN CALIFORNIA, YOU
KNOW, WE ARE THE ENERGY THAT
WE'RE PROCURING. WE'RE WORKING
WITH OUR POWER PROVIDER TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW,
QUALIFIED RENEWABLES UNDER
CALIFORNIA LAW, DEPENDING ON
OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN WHICH WE
OPERATE, THAT RENEWABLE MIX
LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. IT
MAY BE BIOGAS, IT MAY BE
GEOTHERMAL. SO IT JUST DEPENDS
ON WHERE THOSE RENEWABLES, WHERE
THE SITE IS LOCATED AND WHAT
THOSE RENEWABLES ARE AND WHAT IS
CONSIDERED TO BE VALID UNDER
THAT JURISDICTION. BUT HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, IT'S, YOU KNOW,
PRIMARILY WIND AND SOLAR,
WHATEVER. THAT MIX IS A LITTLE
BIT OF, I THINK HYDRO FROM
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, OREGON, BUT
WHATEVER THAT ALLOWABLE MIX IS.
THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU
EARLIER WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME
OF THE NEEDS FOR WATER CRITICAL
THAT IT IS TO FACILITY
OPERATIONS, ONE THING WE WERE
PROUD OF IN MY HOME COMMUNITY IN
SAN DIEGO WAS WORKING CLOSELY
WITH INDUSTRY TO ENSURE WE HAD A
GUARANTEED, GUARANTEED WATER FOR
INDUSTRY DWI PROGRAM, KNOWING
THAT WERE WE TO EXPAND AND
BECOME THE CLUSTER THAT WE ARE,
THE SIGNIFICANT CLUSTER THAT WE
ARE IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION,
THAT WAS A GUARANTEE THAT WAS
NECESSARY. BUT WE ARE AT THE END
OF THE PIPELINE AND WE ARE, YOU
KNOW, PROJECTED FORWARD, IN, IN
MORE OF A RISKY ENVIRONMENT
WHERE WATER IS A LITTLE BIT MORE
TENUOUS, AND SO THE IDEA THAT
THAT'S ONE OF YOUR FIRST GO TOS,
IN ADDITION TO ENERGY
CONSUMPTION, FOR FINDING WAYS TO
CONSERVE AND REALLY TRY TO THINK
MORE ABOUT TRANSFORMING YOUR OWN
KIND OF FACILITY OPERATIONS IN A
WAY THAT'S GOING TO REDUCE THAT,
THAT THAT CONSUMPTION IS, YOU
KNOW, CERTAINLY COMMENDABLE, AND
I'M WONDERING, I KNOW YOUR, YOUR
TWO GREAT COMPANIES THAT DON'T
SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY,
BUT IS THERE A LITTLE BIT OF
CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE AWARE
OF, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE BROADER
UMBRELLA OF ORGANIZATIONS WHERE
YOU MIGHT BE SHARING INFORMATION
ABOUT BEST PRACTICES OR
INNOVATIONS THAT YOU'RE FINDING
TO BE ABLE TO HELP REDUCE, ANY
OF THESE, THESE, THESE, THESE
ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS THAT YOU'RE
HAVING FOR YOUR COMPANY, I'M
SURE EVERYBODY ELSE IS TRYING TO
ACHIEVE OR HOPE I WOULD HOPE
THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE
THE SAME GOALS. HOW IS THAT
CONVERSATION GOING, YOU KNOW,
BETWEEN ACROSS THE INDUSTRY. SO
I THINK, SEVERAL THINGS. SO, IT
WAS MENTIONED THAT BMS IS USING
SBTI SCIENTIFIC BASED TARGET
INITIATIVE. I THINK THAT AS ARE
WE, AND SO I THINK YOU SEE SOME
OF THESE BEST PRACTICES EMERGE
IN THE INDUSTRY AND, AND PEOPLE
TAKE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN
ORGANIZATION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
IS WELL RESPECTED, THAT IS
GLOBAL. AND BECAUSE WE ARE ALL
GLOBAL COMPANIES, I THINK THERE
ARE MANY DIFFERENT POINTS ACROSS
THE GLOBE IN WHICH WE ARE SEEING
WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING. AND
CERTAINLY WHILE THERE ARE A LOT
OF PEOPLE IN BIOTECH, IT'S IT IS
SORT OF A SMALL WORLD. AND I
THINK THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN
THIS SPACE SPECIFICALLY SORT OF
LIKELY KNOW WHO THE OTHER
PLAYERS ARE AND KNOW WHAT OTHER
COMPANIES ARE DOING AND I THINK
FOR ALL OF THE PUBLICLY TRADED
COMPANIES AND EVEN THOSE THAT
AREN'T LIKE, LIKE, BERINGER, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF THIS IS SORT OF
PUBLIC INFORMATION. IT'S PUBLIC
DATA THAT'S PRODUCED AND SHARED
ANNUALLY, AND SO I THINK THERE'S
A LOT OF COMMITMENT AND PERHAPS
A LITTLE BIT OF COMPETITION IN
THE INDUSTRY TO SEE WHO'S DOING
WHAT AND HOW YOU CAN REALLY MAKE
THOSE MAKE THOSE STRIDES ALONG
WITH YOUR COMPETITORS FOR YOU
KNOW, FOR THE FOR THE PLANET AND
FOR OUR PATIENTS AND I'D AGREE,
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS WE'RE
SHARING IS OFTEN ENCOURAGED.
WHAT IS GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR OUR
BUSINESS, IS GOING TO BE GOOD
FOR OUR PATIENTS. SO I DO
BELIEVE THERE'S A BIT MORE
FREEDOM IN DISCUSSING SOME OF
THE ADVANCES WE'RE MAKING IN AND
AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS.
YEAH, FORTUNATELY, I THINK A LOT
OF THIS STUFF IS, YOU KNOW, LESS
ON THE ON THE TRADE SECRET SIDE
AND MORE BEST PRACTICE OF WHAT
YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE YOUR
EMISSIONS IN YOUR FACILITY. SO
DEFINITELY, CERTAINLY GIVES MORE
OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION
THERE. THANK YOU. WELL, IF
THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS I
APPRECIATE THE OVERVIEW. AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I APPRECIATE
YOUR OWN COMMITMENTS TO BE ABLE
TO WORK WITH US AND OUR
NEIGHBORS ON ON REDUCING SOME OF
THESE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINTS.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE MOVING TO
OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION. IF
THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC HERE THAT MAY WANT TO
TAKE 1 TO 2 MINUTES TO SOME OF
THESE TOPICS, YOU CAN LINE UP
OVER HERE TO MY LEFT. AND IF YOU
WANT TO NAME AN ORGANIZATION AND
STATE YOUR COMMENT, MR. CHAIR,
MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE,
JEFFREY ROTH WITH CALIFORNIA
LIFE SCIENCES. CALIFORNIA LIFE
SCIENCES REPRESENTS OVER 1200
COMPANIES OF ALL SIZES, FROM
EARLY STARTUPS TO ESTABLISHED
INDUSTRY LEADERS IN THE
BIOTECHNOLOGY, PHARMACEUTICAL
AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY SPACE AND
ON BEHALF AND AS WELL AS MANY OF
THE STATE'S TOP RESEARCH
UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS.
ON BEHALF OF CLS, I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK BOTH CHAIRS AND MEMBERS
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE, AS WELL
AS STAFF FOR CONVENING THIS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING. MR.
CHAIR, IN YOUR OPENING COMMENTS,
YOU MENTIONED THAT WE OFTEN
DON'T THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT
MANY OF THESE COMPANIES ARE
DOING WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE
LIFE SCIENCES, OFTEN FOCUSING ON
THE HUMAN HEALTH SIDE OF THINGS.
AND SO THAT REALLY UNDERSCORES,
I THINK, WHY THIS HEARING IS SO
IMPORTANT TODAY, TO BE ABLE TO
UPLIFT AND SHOWCASE THE WORK
THAT THESE INCREDIBLE COMPANIES
ARE DOING HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. SO WE LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE SELECT COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS
OF THE LEGISLATURE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. HI, I'M CATHERINE
BRINK WITH BIOMED. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR CONVENING THIS HEARING
TODAY. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE
PANELISTS FOR SHARING YOUR
STORIES WITH THE COMMITTEE HERE,
BIOMED IS A NONPROFIT, PUBLIC
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP LAUNCHED IN
2021, AND WE WORK WITH OUR 300
PLUS MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS,
INCLUDING SOME OF THE PANELISTS
HERE TODAY TO PROPEL BIO
MANUFACTURED CHEMICALS AND
MATERIALS FROM THE LAB TO
COMMERCIAL SCALE. I KNOW BIO
MADE WAS MENTIONED IN A FEW OF
THE TESTIMONIES THAT WE HEARD
TODAY, AND I WANTED TO SHARE
THAT WE REALLY DO SEE AN
OPPORTUNITY IN CALIFORNIA TO BE
ABLE TO BUILD THE PILOT AND
DEMONSTRATION SCALE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COMPANIES
REALLY NEED TO SCALE UP THEIR
PRODUCTION HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES, RATHER THAN IN EUROPE OR
IN ASIA. BIOMED HAS BEEN
FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE A $300
MILLION INVESTMENT FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO
CATALYZE THE CREATION OF A
NETWORK OF PILOT AND
DEMONSTRATION SCALE FACILITIES
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND, AS
WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY BY
JENNY. CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF THE
SIX STATES THAT WE ARE WORKING
WITH TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO
BE ABLE TO BUILD OUT THESE
FACILITIES, WHICH WE SEE AS
BEING VERY IMPORTANT FOR BEING
ABLE TO CREATE THE WELL-PAYING
JOBS, THE SUPPLY CHAIN
RESILIENCE AND THE NATIONAL AND
ECONOMIC SECURITY THAT CAN COME
FROM BIOINDUSTRIAL
MANUFACTURING. SO JUST TO SHARE
THAT, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
FOLKS HERE IN THIS ROOM TO BE
ABLE TO EXPLORE WHAT'S POSSIBLE
IN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. AND IT APPEARS THAT WILL
CONCLUDE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE,
EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN
HELPING TO DEVELOP TODAY'S
AGENDA, AND ESPECIALLY MY CHIEF
OF STAFF, BETHANY WESTFALL, FOR
BEING ABLE TO HELP OUR SELECT
COMMITTEE. I KNOW THAT WOULD BE
SHARED AS WELL BY MY CO CHAIR
HERE FOR THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
GREEN INNOVATION AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WE'VE COVERED
A LOT OF GROUND THIS SESSION, AS
WELL AS YOUR LAST HEARING AT THE
CAPITOL. WE HOPE TO DO SOME MORE
ACTIVITY OUT, IN THE FALL DURING
OUR RECESS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE
MANY OF OUR COMPANIES AND, AND
OTHER OTHER ELEMENTS THAT SORT
OF INTERFACE WITH BIOTECHNOLOGY.
BUT I HOPE THAT TODAY'S HEARING
HAS HELPED TO ELUCIDATE A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THE BREADTH. IT'S
NOT JUST ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC
OUTCOME, BUT REALLY A LOT OF
TOUCH POINTS. THE LIFE SCIENCES
INDUSTRY HAS ACROSS SOME OF OUR
SHARED GOALS HERE IN,
CALIFORNIA, AND I WANTED TO
INVITE YOU AGAIN, AND THE ROOM
WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 1:00 AFTER
THIS HEARING CONCLUDES, BUT IN
ROOM 125 ACROSS THE HALL HERE,
WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THE
PRODUCTS THAT WE DISCUSSED
TODAY, IF YOU WANT TO SEE A
SNOWBOARD, I THINK THEIR SKIS, A
SET OF SKIS, ACTUALLY, MAYBE
SOME, ATHLETIC SHIRTS AND OTHER
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS AS WELL,
SO YOU CAN TOUCH AND FEEL AND
REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE
FUTURE IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US
AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD
CELEBRATE RIGHT HERE AS
CALIFORNIA MADE THE INNOVATION
LEADING THE WAY FOR A MORE
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, AGAIN, 1:00,
THE ROOM WILL BE AVAILABLE TO
ANYBODY WATCHING THE HEARING
TODAY, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO DO
THAT. AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO
INVITE MY CO CHAIR TO CLOSE WITH
ANY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. CHAIR.
WARD. JUST IN CONCLUSION, I WANT
TO THANK EVERYONE WHO JOINED US
TODAY OFFERING YOUR INSIGHT AND
A LITTLE WINDOW, I THINK, INTO
WHAT IS REALLY THE LIMITLESS
OPPORTUNITY IN THIS AREA FOR
CALIFORNIA. SO AS I SAID IN MY
OPENING COMMENTS, I'M SUPER
EXCITED. I THINK EVERYONE HERE
TODAY. SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THESE
POSSIBILITIES. AND REALLY WANT
TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN AS
POLICYMAKERS TO HELP CREATE
FERTILE GROUND IN CALIFORNIA FOR
THESE INNOVATIONS, REALLY TO
TAKE ROOT AND TO FLOURISH. SO
PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AN
INVITATION TO CONTINUE THIS
CONVERSATION AND REALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF
YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND
EXCITED TO CHECK OUT THE
PRODUCTS NEXT DOOR. THANKS
EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. I WOULD
ECHO THAT, AND WITH THAT, I
APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME THIS
MORNING AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.