May 19, 2023
Assemblymember Ash Kalra
State Capitol P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0025
Via email to: erika.ngo@asm.ca.gov
Dear Assemblymember Kalra,
The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter is writing to ask for your help in modifying the proposed 2023 - 2024 Budget and opposing AB 625. Loma Prieta Chapter has 80,000 supporters in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties.
During this year with reduced revenue, it’s important to direct our expenditures where that funding can make the biggest and most beneficial difference.
The Governor’s budget allocates a large amount of funding for fuel reduction and very little to encourage the public to do defensible space and home hardening. Fuel reduction without making the house itself less flammable will not do much to increase public safety. Our wildfire resilience program needs to start with the home and move outward instead of starting in distant forests and stopping at the edge of the community. For more information, see Key Points from Jack Cohen’s Paper and Jack Cohen’s video. You will find our detailed comments here.
- Making these changes in spending priorities will necessitate these changes to the 2023 budget: Reduce funding for fuel reduction projects, and
- Reallocate some fuel reduction funding towards programs for education and incentives for defensible space and home hardening.
Forest biomass energy pollutes the climate and communities, perpetuates environmental injustice, and degrades forest ecosystems. For more information, see this document.
Thank you for your consideration of our input,
James Eggers, Executive Director, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
Karen Maki Forest Committee Protection Chair, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
Cc: Gladwyn d’Souza, Conservation Chair, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter