The effort to create specialized Sierra Nevada License plates for the benefit of the newly formed Sierra Nevada Conservancy will be considered in the Senate Transportation Committee in January.
Assembly Bill 84 will create a process for authorizing a Sierra Nevada License Plate and could create more than $2 million annually for conservation efforts in the Sierra Nevada.
Last week, AB 84 was heard in the Senate Transportation Committee and received 6 votes in favor to 1 opposed. The bill needed 8 votes to pass out of the Committee and proceed to the Senate floor.
The bill passed on a bipartisan vote of 73 – 4 in the Assembly.
“More than 1,200 supporters of the Sierra have pre-registered for Sierra License plates,” said Shawn Garvey of The Sierra Fund. “We are working with folks from throughout the region to expand that to 7,500 by the end of 2006.”
The vote came on the same day that more than 75 citizen lobbyists representing Sierra environmental organizations, cities and counties and local water districts lobbied all 120 legislative offices in support of major new investments in the watersheds of the Sierra Nevada.
Sponsored by The Sierra Fund, the Sierra Nevada Alliance, Sierra Cascade Land Trust Council and the Mono Lake Committee, the Sierra Lobby Day was the fourth time residents from the Sierra have traveled to Sacramento to make their case to lawmakers.
“This is a tremendously powerful and effective strategy” said Cathy Colvin, director for The Sierra Fund of the all day event. “It provides the foundation for the possibility of tremendous new investment in the Sierra's land, air and water resources.”
To pre-register online for the Sierra Nevada License Plate, go to www.sierralicenseplate.org.
