Two historic bills that would create a coordinated effort within the California State Resources Agency dedicated to protecting and restoring the watersheds of the Sierra Nevada passed the floor of the State Assembly late on Wednesday.
The Sierra Nevada region – making up more than 20 percent of the state’s land mass and providing two-thirds of California’s clean water – is threatened by sprawl, climate change and resource extraction that challenges the mountain range’s ability to produce a clean and reliable water supply.
Assembly Bill 2600 (Laird) and Assembly Bill 1788 (Leslie) both propose to create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy that could direct and organize substantial state and federal investment in the region to ensure clean and reliable water.
Assembly Bill 2600 – sponsored by The Sierra Fund and the Mono Lake Committee and endorsed by nearly 100 business and environmental organizations – passed on a 52 – 20 vote with bi-partisan support.
