Capitol Voice November 2024

By Erin Woolley

Late last Tuesday night, the nation found out we would be facing another Trump Administration. Despite the results of the presidential election, Sierra Club will continue fighting at all levels to protect clean air, clean water and a healthy environment. President elect-Trump has already announced plans to deregulate pollution, increase oil drilling, and withhold wildfire aid unless the state enacts water policies that will devastate California rivers and the Bay Delta ecosystem. Sierra Club California will be working tirelessly to address these threats by continuing our efforts to phase out fossil fuels, stop the Delta Tunnel, and fiercely defend our state’s environmental protection laws.

To accomplish this, we will be continuing our advocacy at the California Legislature and to Governor Newsom to ensure they stand with the environment. Just after the election results, Newsom announced a special session - the second since the legislature recessed on September 1 - to bolster legal resources and defend against the incoming federal administration. 

In California’s statewide elections, more than a quarter of seats in the state legislature were left open by representatives facing term limits or running for Congress. Although vote totals won’t be final until December, Sierra Club California-endorsed candidates are currently leading in more than half of those races. Congratulations to Chris Rogers (AD 2), Maggy Krell (AD 6), Rhodesia Ransom (AD 13), Catherine Stefani (AD 19), John Harabedian (AD 41), Celeste Rodriguez (AD 43), Robert Garcia (AD 50), Jessica Caloza (AD 52), Sade Elhawary (AD 57), Darshana Patel (AD 76), LaShea Sharp-Collins (AD 79), Christopher Cabaldon (SD 3), Jerry McNerny (SD 5), Jesse Arreguin (SD 7), Sasha Perez (SD 25), and Eloise Gomez Reyes (SD 29)! We are looking forward to working with both seasoned allies and new members in the legislature to advance Sierra Club California’s environmental priorities over the next two years.

After several years of budget deficits at the state level, we were also excited to see that both Proposition 2 ($10 billion education bond) and Proposition 4 ($10 billion climate bond) were approved by voters! Sierra Club California supported both of these measures, and they will be vital in providing ongoing funding so that California can make progress on its commitments to reduce air pollution, ensure communities have access to clean water, and conserve biodiversity. 

It’s going to be an uphill battle, but we’re confident that with your support, we can protect our state’s hard-fought environmental progress and push for even bolder environmental policies next legislative session. We’ll need all the help our members can offer, so please keep an eye on your inbox for opportunities to get involved in the coming months.

By Caty Wagner

Throughout autumn, the State Water Contractors (SWC) have been voting on whether to fund the next round of permitting and planning of the Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel), an environmentally destructive water project. This next phase of planning will cost $300 million.  Costs will be paid by the residents of the water districts receiving the water through increases to their water bills, and in some cases, property taxes. 

On December 9 and 10, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) - the biggest funder of the Delta Tunnel - will be voting on whether to contribute $141.6 million towards this planning phase. We need your help to show up at these meetings and tell MWD to vote against funding the Delta Tunnel.

MWD has not included the $141 million in their budget for this cycle, meaning that if MWD votes to fund this phase of the project, those costs will be passed along to residents yet again. MWD already doubled property tax rates, and increased water rates and surcharges through 2026. Beginning January 2027, MWD’s 2027 rates would need to increase additionally by approximately 3% if this vote passes.

Los Angeles, the biggest member agency in MWD,  is already facing budget woes and far surpassing their liability budget. This has caused a hiring freeze on 1700 positions and cuts to even the food and medical expenses at animal shelters. 

If the other State Water Contractors choose not to participate in the project, the cost for MWD’s share will go up, and additional costs may be incurred. 

We have repeatedly called for the project planning to wait until after the State Water Board has completed updates to the  Bay Delta Plan. As part of these updates, the Board is considering amending regulations for water allocations and in-stream flow requirements in order to protect water quality and imperiled species. Any changes will impact the potential operations of future projects in the Delta, and must be incorporated into the planning, evaluation, and permitting process for the Delta Tunnel. Premature planning and permitting will likely slow down the permitting process because revisions will need to be made after the fact to comply with updated regulatory requirements, and may increase planning and permitting costs. This round of votes is premature and costly. 

We need you to join us at MWD on December 9th and 10th to say no to premature funding for the Delta Tunnel! Please sign our petition. More information will be emailed to you when MWD schedules these meetings.

 

California’s Coast at Risk from the Sable Pipeline

By Gabriela Facio

Photo of 2015 Refugio Oil Spill - Credit EDC

Almost a decade ago, one of California’s most devastating oil spills occurred on the Gaviota Coast. The spill, caused by a corroded pipeline that ruptured, released hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Pacific, which significantly harmed local ecosystems, closed public beaches, and disrupted the livelihoods of the local community. Today, that same pipeline, now even riskier than before, faces the possibility of being restarted. 

A Texas oil company, Sable, is pushing to resume operations on this old project, which includes reactivating three offshore platforms, two onshore processing facilities, and the same deteriorated pipeline that previously caused the massive oil spill. To put this in perspective, this same pipeline stretches across hundreds of miles of central California coastline, and poses an enormous risk to sensitive habitats, marine wildlife, and public spaces. Unfortunately, the Office of the State Fire Marshal is relying on an environmental review conducted back in the 1980s, before the pipeline system was fully operational, as a basis to allow Sable to move forward. 

Communities near the spill, including Sierra Club’s Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter, still bear the trauma of this disaster. Sierra Club has joined thousands of other community members in expressing strong concern over the potential restart of this pipeline system. Our coalition is urging that there be an updated environmental review, including the appropriate public process that comes with it to give a voice back to the community that was most impacted. 

Despite these well-documented dangers and demands from the public, California’s Office of the State Fire Marshal - which has final authority over the restart of the project - still has not enforced authority over the project to require comprehensive environmental review. Without it, restarting this deteriorating infrastructure will inevitably unleash a similar, if not worse, disaster. Sierra Club California, along with local leaders and environmental allies, is urging the state to require an updated review and public process before Sable is given the green light.

Now more than ever, as the incoming federal administration’s changes are expected to weaken regulations around offshore drilling and prioritize industry interests over environmental safeguards, the stakes could not be higher. If California allows Sable to proceed without an updated environmental review, we risk a repeat of the 2015 devastation, but potentially on an even larger scale. California has been a leader on environmental protection, and in the face of federal rollbacks of critical regulations, our state has a responsibility to stand by these values. Sierra Club California, local leaders, and allies are calling on state leaders at the Governor’s Office, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Coastal Commission, and local planning commissions to speak up and help enforce the essential review process to prevent an impending tragedy. Please stay tuned for opportunities to get involved on this issue.