GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WE'LL. WE WILL, CALL THIS
BEAUTIFUL MEETING TO ORDER,
OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T HAVE A
QUORUM, BUT SOME OF OUR HEART.
YOU'RE ALL THAT MATTERS AS FAR
AS I'M CONCERNED, BUT. SO WE'LL
OPERATE AS A SUBCOMMITTEE WITH
THAT. MR. CONNOLLY, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND
PRESENT?
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
STAFF COMMITTEE. AND, 21.
PATIENT PROGRAM. RUN BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOLIDIFYING
THE PERMANENCE OF THIS PROGRAM
LIES IN THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT
THAT THE NORTH AMERICAN BEAVER
CAN HAVE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
THAT, ACCORDING TO CDFW, THE
BEAVER IS, QUOTE, BOTH AN
ECOSYSTEM ENGINEER HELPING TO
CREATE AND MAINTAIN DIVERSE
HABITAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
AND A KEYSTONE SPECIES FILLING A
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN
MAINTAINING THE ECOSYSTEM FOR
THE OTHER SPECIES THAT DEPEND ON
IT. BEAVERS ARE TRULY NATURE'S
LITTLE ENGINEERS, WHOSE DAM
COMPLEX HAS HELPED CHANGE WATER
FLOW AND CREATE HABITATS FOR
RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES,
REDUCES THE INTENSITY OF FLOODS,
IMPROVES SOIL HEALTH, REVERSES
EROSION, CREATES SUBTERRANEAN
WATER RECHARGE, SEQUESTERS
CARBON AND CAN HELP STOP OR
REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF
WILDFIRES. SOMETHING THAT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN MY
DISTRICT, AMONG OTHERS. THESE
BENEFITS ARE PART OF THE STATE'S
CLIMATE SMART STRATEGY AND THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATE'S
NATURAL AND WORKING LANDS
STRATEGY. AS NOTED IN THE
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS, THERE'S A
LONG STANDING POLICY OF ALLOWING
LANDOWNERS TO RECEIVE PERMITS TO
KILL BEAVERS TO PROTECT LAND
THAT IS BEING DAMAGED OR
DESTROYED. RECOGNIZING THE
ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS OF THESE ANIMALS, THE
ADMINISTRATION, THÀNH AND DFW
HAVE PRIORITIZED BEAVER
COEXISTENCE AND NONLETHAL
RESPONSES. WITH THE CREATION OF
THE BEAVER RESTORATION PROGRAM,
WHICH RECENTLY RECEIVED $2
MILLION FOR NON-LETHAL BEAVER
DAMAGE MITIGATION PROJECTS TO
PROMOTE AND ENABLE BEAVER KHÓ
EXISTENCE. AB 2196 SIMPLY
CODIFIES THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM
TO ENSURE THAT THE LEADERSHIP
AND EFFORT OF THE LAST FEW YEARS
WILL CONTINUE, AND THAT
CALIFORNIA CAN MEET ITS CLIMATE
GOALS WITH ME TO TESTIFY IN
SUPPORT IS JENNIFER FEARING,
REPRESENTING THE BILL'S SPONSORS
, AND ANNALISE RIVERA WITH CAL
TROUT. WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBER,
I'M JENNIFER FEARING ON BEHALF
OF THE WATER INSTITUTE AT THE
OCCIDENTAL ARTS AND ECOLOGY
CENTER HERE TO URGE YOUR SUPPORT
FOR AB 2196 AND TO THANK
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONNOLLY, AS HE
SAID, THE NORTH AMERICAN BEAVER,
WHICH IS CASTOR CANADENSIS, ARE
WHAT BIOLOGISTS CALL A KEYSTONE
SPECIES BECAUSE THEY CREATE THE
HABITAT THAT THEY CREATE
BENEFITS MANY OTHER SPECIES,
THEIR DAMS IMPROVE WATER
QUANTITY AND QUALITY, INCREASE
LATE SEASON FLOW AND REDUCE THE
IMPACTS OF FLOODING. BEAVER BANK
BURROWS AND FOOD CACHES PROVIDE
CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MANY NATIVE
AND ENDANGERED CALIFORNIA
SPECIES. BUT DESPITE THESE AND
OTHER BENEFITS, UP UNTIL JUST
THE PAST COUPLE YEARS,
CALIFORNIA BEAVER POLICY SOLELY
FOCUSED ON RECREATIONAL HUNTING
AND LETHAL NUISANCE MANAGEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY, MORE THAN A
DECADE AGO, WE LAUNCHED THE
BRING THE BEAVER BACK, BRING
BACK THE BEAVER CAMPAIGN TO
EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF BEAVER IN ORDER TO
IMPROVE WATER SUPPLY FOR HUMANS
IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND INCREASE
RESILIENCE TO DROUGHT, WILDFIRE
AND WILDFIRE, AND CLIMATE
CHANGE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY, DEEPLY,
COLLABORATIVELY WITH GOVERNMENT
AND ACADEMIC SCIENTISTS,
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS,
CONSULTING BIOLOGISTS AND
INTERESTED CALIFORNIANS TO
SUPPORT EXISTING BEAVER COLONIES
WHERE THEY ARE AND, WHERE
APPROPRIATE, REESTABLISH BEAVER
TO ENHANCE WATERSHED RESTORATION
AND SALMON RECOVERY EFFORTS. THE
PACE OF COLLABORATIVE AND
PROBLEM SOLVING CHANGE IN THE
LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN
EXTRAORDINARY, AND WE WANT IT TO
CONTINUE. SO ACROSS THE 40
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS, WE
WORK AS PRACTITIONERS, LAND
MANAGERS, FARMERS, ADVOCATES,
TRIBES, AND OTHERS IN WAYS TO
COLLABORATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF FISH AND WILDLIFE ON THIS
EFFORT TO HELP ENSURE THE FULL
COMPLEMENT OF CALIFORNIA'S
EFFORTS ASSOCIATED WITH BEAVER
RESTORATION REMAINS A STATE AND
CDFW PRIORITY BEYOND THE CURRENT
BEAVER. BELIEVING
ADMINISTRATION, IT IS IMPORTANT
AND VALUABLE TO CODIFY THE CORE
ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN THE BCP
THAT CREATED THE PROGRAM A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN THE
BUDGET. WE APPRECIATE THAT AB
2196 PURSUES THIS OBJECTIVE,
ENSURING THAT THE LEADERSHIP AND
EFFORT OF THE LAST FEW YEARS
WILL CONTINUE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO
ADD THAT MY OTHER CLIENT, SAN
DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY AND THE
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION,
ARE ALSO SUPPORTIVE. SO I COULD
GO ON AND I OFTEN DO ABOUT
BEAVERS, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF
TIME, I'LL STOP THERE AND WISH
YOU A HAPPY BELATED
INTERNATIONAL BEAVER DAY, WHICH
WAS SUNDAY. THANK YOU AND WE
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS. I'M ANNALISE RIVERO,
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF POLICY
WITH CAL TROUT. CAL TROUT
STRONGLY SUPPORTS AB 2196
BECAUSE OUR SCIENTISTS AND
PARTNERS KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND.
THE PROFOUND ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS
BEAVER PROVIDE FOR TROUT, SALMON
AND OTHER FRESHWATER FISH.
BEAVER ARE REMARKABLE ANIMALS
WHO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE
ENVIRONMENT IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS,
AS DESCRIBED WELL IN THE
FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS,
PROVISIONS IN AB 2196. INDEED,
THE ADMINISTRATION'S NEW SALMON
STRATEGY INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING.
BEAVER CAN BE IMPORTANT ALLIES
IN SALMON HABITAT RECOVERY.
SALMON AND BEAVER EVOLVED
TOGETHER. BEAVERS CREATE DAMS,
AND MANY CASES ALLOW FISH
PASSAGE WHILE CREATING DEEP,
COLD POOLS OF WATER THAT ARE
IDEAL NURSERIES FOR JUVENILE
SALMON. FOR YEARS, SALMON
RESTORATION PROGRAMS HAVE
SUPPORTED BEAVER ANALOG DAMS,
WHERE HUMANS ADD WOODY DEBRIS TO
NORTH COAST STREAMS TO PROVIDE
SALMON TO IMPROVE SALMON HABITAT
. IT IS TIME TO LET NATURE'S
BEST ENGINEERS DO SOME OF THIS
RESTORATION WORK IN CERTAIN
AREAS AROUND THE STATE. BEAVERS
CAN HELP PROVIDE BREEDING AND
REARING HABITAT FOR AQUATIC
SPECIES, SUSTAIN COLD FLOWS
DURING SUMMER, AND REDUCE
EROSION AND DEGRADATION OF
SPAWNING HABITAT. CAL TROUT
AGREES AND THINKS THAT 2196
SIMPLE CODIFICATION OF THE
EXISTING PROGRAM IS HELPFUL TO
CONTINUE POSITIVE MOMENTUM FOR
SALMON, TROUT AND OTHER SPECIES.
RESTORATION THANK YOU SO MUCH.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BEAVERS ENGINEERS DO WE HAVE
ANYONE IN THE ROOM THAT IS IN
FAVOR OF THE BILL? PLEASE COME
FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING, ABIGAIL
SCHMIDT, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARK AND SPACE
DISTRICT AND SUPPORT. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KIM BEZDEK WITH CAL
TROUT AND I AM HERE TO GIVE MY
SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
INFORMATION CENTER, CALIFORNIA
TROUT CLEAN WATER ACTION, SCOTT
RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL AND 350
SACRAMENTO. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. KIM DELFINO
REPRESENTING DEFENDERS OF
WILDLIFE, AUDUBON CALIFORNIA AND
SONOMA LAND TRUST IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO
WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? GOOD MORNING, MADAM
CHAIR. I'LL STAND IF THAT'S OKAY
WITH THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
BOB RIEBE AND I'M WITH REEB
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. AND I
REPRESENT THE CENTRAL VALLEY
FLOOD CONTROL ASSOCIATION AND
SOLANO COUNTY WATER AGENCY. OUR
CLIENTS ARE OPPOSED, UNLESS
AMENDED. WE'VE HAD GOOD
CONVERSATIONS WITH AUTHORS,
STAFF AND REPUBLICAN STAFF AND
HAD A DELIGHTFUL CHANCE TO MEET
WITH MISS FEARON THIS MORNING
ABOUT THE BILL. THE OPPOSITION
IS NOT ABOUT BEAVER RESTORATION.
IT'S WHERE THAT IS BEING TAKEN
PLACE, BEAVERS AND BANKS AND
BURROWS ARE GREAT, BUT BEAVERS
AND LEVEES WITH BURROWS ARE NOT
GREAT. AND SO THEY IN SOME AREAS
, LIKE THE DELTA, THEY POSE A
SEVERE THREAT TO THE INTEGRITY
OF LEVEES AND THAT PROTECT LIVES
AND PROPERTY. SOLANO COUNTY
WATER AGENCIES IS IN A UNIQUE
POSITION. THEY'VE SPENT TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
COORDINATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS, FEDERAL
AND STATE AGENCIES TO RESTORE A
FALL RUN CHINOOK SALMON RUN ON
LOWER PETER CREEK AND THE FALL
RUN CHINOOK, OF COURSE, IS THE
FOUNDATIONAL FISH FOR OUR
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN
CALIFORNIA AND THE OCEAN. THERE
ARE TIMES WHEN THE COUNTY WATER
AGENCY, HOWEVER, HAS TO GET IN
TO LOWER PETER CREEK AND NOTCH
THESE DAMS BECAUSE THEY ARE OVER
TEN FEET TALL AND THE RETURNING
SPAWNERS CAN'T JUMP OVER THEM.
SO ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THAT
LOCAL AGENCIES BE PART OF THE
COLLABORATING PARTNERS IN THIS
PROGRAM, AND THAT WE WILL WORK
ON SOME LANGUAGE TO TRY AND
AVOID CONFLICTS WITH FLOOD
PROTECTION OR SALMON MIGRATION,
THE BILL HAS MITIGATING
CONFLICTS, BUT FRANKLY, WHEN
WE'RE DEALING WITH LIVES AND
PROPERTY, WE WANT TO TRY AND
AVOID THOSE CONFLICTS WITH THE
BEAVERS. SO I'M WE'RE CONFIDENT
THAT WE CAN GET THERE. WE HAVE
NO OBJECTIONS TO THE BILL MOVING
TODAY, AND WE APPRECIATE BOTH
THE ADVOCATES AND THE AUTHORS
STAFF WORKING WITH US. THANK YOU
. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANYBODY ELSE IN OPPOSITION?
OKAY, GREAT, THERE IS A
RECOMMENDATION TO DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. AND WHEN WE GET
A QUORUM, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE
A VOTE. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. AND WE'LL. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OF MEMBERS WAIT BEFORE
I GIVE HIM A CHANCE. YOU WISH TO
CLOSE? WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO,
OF COURSE, WORKING WITH OUR
VALUED LOCAL AGENCIES, HEARING
THEIR CONCERNS AND, CONTINUE TO
BRING THIS ACROSS THE FINISH
LINE. SO THANKS. THANK YOU.
MAYOREDLEE US FOR AN AYE VOTE.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONNOLLY AND
HAPPY BELATED BEAVER DAY TO YOU.
WELL, ASSEMBLY AGUIAR-CURRY,
COME ON DOWN.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. I'M
GETTING. THANK YOU. CHAIR PAPPIN
AND MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR
THEIR THOUGHTFUL AND THOROUGH
ANALYSIS OF THE BILL. AND I AM
HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS TODAY. THIS BILL IS
AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS
SECURING FLOOD CONTROL FOR THE
CITY OF WOODLAND, WHICH IS IN MY
DISTRICT, AND A SHORT DRIVE FROM
HERE. LOWER CASH CREEK POSES A
SIGNIFICANT FLOOD RISK TO
PORTIONS OF THE CITY OF WOODLAND
. THERE HAVE BEEN 20 FLOOD
EVENTS SINCE THE MID 1900S AND
THIS IS LIKELY TO GET WORSE AS
CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASES. WHILE
DOWNTOWN WOODLAND HAS NOT
HISTORICALLY FLOODED, IT'S
BECAUSE OF FLOOD FIGHTING
EFFORTS AND REALLY GOOD LUCK.
THIS BILL IS MOLDED, EXCUSE ME.
MODELED ON TWO BILLS BY SENATOR
LAIRD TO HELP BRING THE FLOOD
CONTROL PROJECT TO PAJARO.
DESPITE THE HARD WORK OF MANY
PEOPLE, THE RECENT FLOODING
SHOWS THAT WE MUST MOVE QUICKLY
TO IMPROVE FLOOD CONTROL WHEN WE
KNOW COMMUNITIES ARE AT RISK.
THE CITY OF WOODLAND HAS BEEN
TRYING TO IMPROVE FLOOD
PROTECTION FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
THIS VERY COMMITTEE HELD AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING IN
WOODLAND IN 2005 TO DISCUSS WAYS
TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. THIS
BILL WILL AUTHORIZE A FLOOD
CONTROL PROJECT THAT HAS ALREADY
BEEN APPROVED BY THE US ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT WILL ALSO
INCREASE THE STATE COST SHARE TO
REFLECT THE COMMUNITY'S
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
STATUS. THIS BILL IS AN
IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS FINALLY
BUILDING MUCH NEEDED FLOOD
PROTECTION TO PROTECT THE
COMMUNITY AND THE CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE FROM FLOODING.
WITH ME TODAY IS TANYA GARCIA
CADENA. I SAY IT WRONG EVERY
TIME. TANYA, MAYOR OF THE CITY
OF WOODLAND AND KEN HYATT,
WOODLAND CITY MANAGER, TO ANSWER
ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS, MY NAME IS TANYA
GARCIA CADENA, AND I HAVE THE
HONOR OF SERVING AS THE MAYOR OF
THE CITY OF WOODLAND. I AM
HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CITY.
OUR CITY HAS THE LOWEST LEVEL OF
FLOOD PROTECTION OF ANY URBAN
CITY IN THE CENTRAL REGION, AND
ALONG WITH A REPORT THAT WAS
JUST RECENTLY RELEASED AND
REPORTED ON CAPITAL PUBLIC
RADIO, YOLO COUNTY IS THE MOST
IMPOVERISHED COUNTY IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA, SO WE ARE HOPING
TO GET THIS MOVED FORWARD TO
PROTECT OUR VULNERABLE CITIZENS
AND OUR INDUSTRIAL AREA IN
WOODLAND. THANK YOU. MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, KEN HYATT, CITY
MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF
WOODLANDS. I THINK THE NEED FOR
FLOOD PROTECTION FOR OUR
COMMUNITY AS WELL ARTICULATED IN
THE ANALYSIS, AS WELL AS REMARKS
THIS MORNING, I'M HERE TO ANSWER
ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT. I
WOULD BE REMISS, THOUGH, AND NOT
ACKNOWLEDGING THE STATE'S
CONSISTENT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
CITY IN TRYING TO BRING FLOOD
PROTECTION TO OUR COMMUNITY OVER
THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND VERY
INSTRUMENTAL IN SECURING FEDERAL
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT. SO
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MAY
HAVE. THANK YOU. OKAY, GREAT.
EXCELLENT BEFORE WE GO A MOMENT
FURTHER, LET ME TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF HAVING A QUORUM, AND WE'LL
ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL.
PAPINE. PAPINE HERE. MATHIS
ADDIS. ADDIS. HERE. ALANIS
ALVAREZ. BENNETT. BENNETT HERE.
BONTA. BONTA. HERE. GALLAGHER.
DAVIES GARCIA. HART. HART HERE.
THREE OF US. SHIAVO SCHIAVO.
HERE. VILLA. VILLA. HERE WEBER.
WEBER. HERE. SO, WITHOUT FURTHER
ADO, DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR? SO MOVE.
SECOND, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON
THAT SO I CAN GET THAT PART
DONE. OKAY. ITEMS ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR A B 1830 8AB 2120 4AB
2252 A, B 2713 A, B 2962 A, B
3163 PAPINE A PAPINE A ADDIS A
ADDIS A ALANIS ALVAREZ, BENNETT
A BENNETT A BONTA, BONTA A
GALLAGHER, DAVIES, GARCIA, HART,
HART I THREE OF US SCHIAVO,
SCHIAVO I VILA VILLA I WEBER,
WEBER I OKAY, EXCELLENT. GREAT.
SO, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
WITNESSES IN FAVOR? PLEASE COME
FORWARD. STATE NAME? MADAM
CHAIR. BOB REEB WITH REEB.
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY
FLOOD CONTROL ASSOCIATION.
APOLOGIES TO THE COMMITTEE. WE
DIDN'T GET AN OFFICIAL LETTER,
BUT WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE?
GREAT. OKAY. ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE. I'LL
BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE.
QUESTIONS MEMBER BENNETT, NOT A
QUESTION. OKAY, SURE, NOT A
QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO
COMPLIMENT 20 YEARS OF BATTLING
BY THE AUTHOR, AND REPRESENTING
THE AREA. I JUST WANT TO
COMPLIMENT HER FOR STAYING AFTER
FOR 20 YEARS, AND I'LL MOVE THE
RECOMMENDED ACTION. THANK YOU.
SECOND, THANK YOU. COMMENTS.
QUESTIONS BY ANYONE ELSE. OKAY.
AND YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY ACCEPTED
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? WELL, I WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE STAFF. THEY DID A
GREAT JOB WORKING WITH MY
OFFICE. THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS
ON THESE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS.
BUT ANYWAY, I WANT TO THANK THEM
AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
AYE VOTE. EXCELLENT. GREAT.
WELL, WE WISH YOU GODSPEED. WE
KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME
COMING. A LOT OF TURMOIL IN THE
COMMUNITY. WAY TO STAY WITH IT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL, GO AHEAD AND
TAKE A VOTE. AB 2450 MOTION IS
DUE. PASS AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS. PAPINE. PAPINE.
AYE. ADDIS. ADDIS AYE. ALANIZ.
ALVAREZ. BENNETT A. BENNETT.
AYE. BONTA A. BONTA. AYE.
GALLAGHER DAVIES. GARCIA. HART
HART. AYE. THREE OF US. SHIAVO
SHIAVO. AYE. VILA. PADUA. PHILIP
AYE. WEBER. WEBER. AYE BIXEL.
WE'LL KEEP IT OPEN. IF FOR ANY
OTHER ADD ONS. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU
DID GOOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. OKAY, SO, MEMBER
BENNETT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
PROCEED? SURE. GIVEN THAT WE
HAVE NO OTHER AUTHORS PRESENT.
HAPPY.
ARE MY WITNESSES PRESENT? I
THINK WE'RE OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
GREAT, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS, AB
3162 IS A BILL TO PROTECT AN
INTELLIGENT, SEA DWELLING ANIMAL
FROM UNKNOWN CRUELTY. AS OCTOPUS
HAVE GAINED POPULARITY ACROSS
THE GLOBE, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY
HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN
OCTOPUS AGRICULTURE. AGRICULTURE
OR OCTOPUS FARMING. HOWEVER
RESEARCH TELLS US THAT IN THIS
REASON, I'M STUMBLING HERE IS
THAT WE'VE HAD A LONG
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S THE
PLURAL OF OCTOPUS, RIGHT,
OCTOPI. OCTOPUSES THERE'S A
NUMBER OF THINGS HERE, BUT,
OCTOPUSES ARE NOT SUITED FOR
FARMING. AB 3162 OPPOSED CRUELTY
TO OCTOPUSES OR THE OCTO ACT
PREEMPTIVELY BANS OCTOPUS
FARMING AND THE SALE OF FARMED
OCTOPUSES ACROSS THE STATE. AND
I WOULD POINT OUT, WE FIND
OURSELVES OFTENTIMES AFTER AN
INDUSTRY IS MOVING, TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING. AND IT'S MUCH BETTER
IF IT IS OUR DESIRE TO DO THIS,
TO DO IT BEFORE AN INDUSTRY HAS,
HAS ACTUALLY EMERGED. OCTOPUSES
ARE UNIQUE, HIGHLY INTELLIGENT
ANIMALS. RECENT STUDIES HAVE
REVEALED OCTOPUSES TO HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO FEEL JOY AND PAIN,
HOLD MEMORIES, SOLVE PROBLEMS.
CALIFORNIA NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT
THIS UNIQUE ANIMAL IS PROTECTED
FROM THE HARMFUL PRACTICES OF
FARMING AND, I HOPE MY WITNESSES
WALKED IN JUST NOW. AND IT DID.
WONDERFUL TIMING. WE HAVE, WITH
US TODAY, AMANDA FOX, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ANIMAL
RIGHTS INITIATIVE, AND TESSA
GONZALES, A SENIOR RESEARCHER OF
THE AQUATIC LIFE INSTITUTE, AND
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, THANK
YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK IN
FAVOR OF ASSEMBLY BILL 3162, FOR
THE RECORD, MY NAME IS AMANDA
FOX, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
ANIMAL RIGHTS INITIATIVE. THE
ORGANIZATION THAT WORKED
DIRECTLY WITH WASHINGTON STATE
TO PASS SIMILAR LEGISLATION
EARLIER THIS YEAR. SO A
COMPILATION OF OVER 300 STUDIES
FINDS OCTOPUSES TO BE HIGHLY
INTELLIGENT, COMPLEX, SENTIENT
CREATURES WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL
CAPACITY TO FEEL PAIN AND
COMPREHEND SUFFERING, CONCLUDING
THAT HIGH WELFARE FARMING OF
THEM IS NOT POSSIBLE,
RESEARCHERS IN SPAIN HAVE BEEN
EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
OPEN OCEAN NET CAGES AND SMALL
TANKS ON LAND, WITH A REPORTED
INTENTION OF CONFINING AND
KILLING 1 MILLION OCTOPUS EVERY
YEAR BY SUBMERGING THEM FULLY
CONSCIOUS INTO FREEZING WATERS.
CALIFORNIANS HAVE ALREADY MADE
THEIR OPINION ON PREVENTING
CRUELTY TO FARMED ANIMALS CLEAR.
WHEN 8 MILLION RESIDENTS VOTED
TO BAN EXTREME CONFINEMENT IN
2008 AND AGAIN IN 2018,
CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS
HAVE ENDED CRABBING SEASON EARLY
THE LAST TWO YEARS IN A ROW,
IMPOSING NEW REGULATIONS TO
PROTECT HUMPBACK WHALES AND
OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES FROM
BEING CAUGHT IN CRABBING GEAR.
THAT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT
YESTERDAY. ACTUALLY REQUIRING 3
POUNDS OF CRAB AND FISH TO
PRODUCE 1 POUND OF OCTOPUS
CRABBING WOULD NEED TO BE
INTENSIFIED. KILLING MILLIONS OF
MORE ANIMALS PER YEAR. THE VAST
AMOUNTS OF WASTE GENERATED FROM
SUCH A VORACIOUS DIET WILL
INEVITABLY CAUSE ALGAL BLOOMS
AND DEAD ZONES IN THE WATER, AND
WILL SUFFOCATE LOCAL WILDLIFE TO
DEATH. CALIFORNIA AND THE ENTIRE
WEST COAST HAS PREVIOUSLY PASSED
LEGISLATION TO PROTECT WILDLIFE
BY BANNING NET PEN FARMING, AND
OCTOPUS ARE KNOWN TO ESCAPE,
MAKING THEM MORE LIKELY THAN ANY
OTHER AQUACULTURED SPECIES TO
SPREAD DISEASE, PARASITES AND
GENETIC MUTATIONS ON FARMS INTO
WILD POPULATIONS. ASSEMBLY BILL
3162 IS THE CHANCE TO EXTEND
THESE LAWS TO OCTOPUS FARMING,
AND ENSURE THAT LACK OF
REGULATION DOES NOT GIVE
OPPORTUNITY FOR QUICK EXPANSION,
AND CALIFORNIA WILL BE
RESOUNDING TO THE WORLD THAT THE
ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AND
BIOSECURITY ARE NOT
COMPROMISABLE. THANKS FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. HELLO. GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TESSA
GONZALEZ. I'M THE SENIOR
RESEARCHER AT AQUATIC LIFE
INSTITUTE, A LEADING
ORGANIZATION INVOLVED WITH THE
PROHIBITION OF OCTOPUS FARMS
SINCE 2022, WHEN WE SUBMITTED A
COMPREHENSIVE REPORT TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE CANARY ISLANDS
DURING THEIR REVIEW OF A COMPANY
SEEKING OPERATIONAL PERMITS
BECAUSE THE COMPANY HAD FAILED
TO CONSIDER CONCERNS REGARDING
ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE AND PUBLIC
HEALTH, THEIR PERMIT WAS
RECENTLY DENIED. OCTOPUS FARMING
WOULD REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL
INPUTS, PLACING ADDITIONAL
DEMAND ON ALREADY STRAINED
NATURAL RESOURCES. ALL SPECIES
OF OCTOPUS ARE VENOMOUS AND
ACTIVE CARNIVORES THAT DEPEND ON
OTHER FISH FOR FEED INGREDIENTS,
WHICH ONLY AMPLIFIES PRESSURE ON
WILD FISH POPULATIONS. THE
CONCENTRATED WASTE THAT WOULD BE
PRODUCED BY OCTOPUS OCTOPUS
FARMS COULD HAVE DETRIMENTAL
EFFECTS ON SURROUNDING WATERWAYS
. THESE ARE TYPES OF INTENSIVE
PRODUCTION SYSTEMS THAT WOULD
MIMIC, CONFINE ANIMAL FEEDING
OPERATIONS AND AGRICULTURE. THE
INCREASED EXPLOITATION OF
OCTOPUS IN THE SEAFOOD SYSTEM
HAS ALREADY LED TO A
CORRESPONDING GROWTH IN
PROCESSING INDUSTRIES, AND THE
SUBSEQUENT GENERATION OF LARGE
AMOUNTS OF WASTE. THE PROCESSING
OF OCTOPUS, WHICH DISCHARGES
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF SOLID AND
LIQUID WASTE BYPRODUCTS SUCH AS
SKIN CUTTLEBONE INK AND INTERNAL
ORGANS. ESCAPED FARMED OCTOPUSES
WOULD BE POSITIONED TO WREAK
HAVOC ON WILD POPULATIONS, AND
IF ANY ESCAPES WERE TO OCCUR DUE
TO MECHANICAL ERRORS OR NATURAL
DISASTERS, DISEASES AND
PATHOGENS SUCH AS WORMS AND
NEMATODES THAT COULD AFFECT
HUMANS WOULD BE DISCHARGED,
RECOGNIZED SEAFOOD CERTIFICATION
PROGRAMS HAVE ALREADY CONDEMNED
THE IDEA OF OCTOPUS FARMING AND
PUBLIC OBJECTIONS, RAISING
CONCERNS OVER THE COMMERCIAL
FARMING OF OCTOPUSES AND THE
NEGATIVE WELFARE IMPACT IT COULD
HAVE. THE CASE AGAINST OCTOPUS
FARMING IS CLEAR AND COMPELLING.
AQUATIC LIFE INSTITUTE URGES YOU
TO CONSIDER THE ETHICAL,
IMPERATIVE AND ECOLOGICAL
NECESSITY OF THIS LEGISLATION.
THE POTENTIAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION, DISEASE OUTBREAKS
AND REPUTATIONAL HARM FAR
OUTWEIGH ANY PERCEIVED BENEFITS.
BY SUPPORTING A BAN ON OCTOPUS
FARMING AND FARMED OCTOPUS
IMPORTATION, CALIFORNIANS CAN
SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT
THEY VALUE COMPASSION OVER
CRUELTY, SUSTAINABILITY OVER
EXPLOITATION, AND STEWARDSHIP
OVER SHORT TIME GAIN. THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION,
AND THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
BENNETT FOR OFFERING THIS BILL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE
ANY OTHER WITNESSES IN FAVOR?
COME ON. FORWARD GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS. SUSAN
MATTINAT HERE ON BEHALF OF
ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND AND
SOCIAL COMPASSION IN LEGISLATION
. PROUD SPONSORS OF THE BILL.
THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MATT
ROBINSON WITH ANTHONY SCHMELZER
AND L®NG, ON BEHALF OF THE
HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED
STATES IN SUPPORT. OKAY. SEEING
NO ONE ELSE. ANY WITNESSES
OPPOSED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
LUCKY FOR YOU, MR. BENNETT, WE
GOT NO ONE. SO LET'S BRING IT
BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND SEE IF
THERE ARE ANY, COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
MOVE THE BILL. GREAT OKAY. WITH
THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A
ROLL CALL. VOTE. DO YOU WANT TO
CLOSE? RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE, NUMBER 15. AB 3162
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. PAPINE. PAPINE.
AYE. ADDIS. ADDIS AYE. ALANIZ.
ALVAREZ. BENNETT AYE. BENNETT.
AYE. BONTA. AYE. BONTA. AYE.
GALLAGHER DAVIES. GARCIA. HART
HART. AYE. THREE OF US. SHIAVO
SHIAVO. AYE. VÀ. LIPUA. LIPUA.
AYE. WEBER WEBER. AYE. OKAY
EXCELLENT. AND WE'LL KEEP THE
ROLL OPEN FOR A FOR ADD ONS.
WITH THAT, I SEE ASSEMBLYMEMBER
FRIEDMAN COME ON DOWN. YOU'RE
WELCOME. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD
MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MADAM
CHAIR. GOOD MORNING. I'M GOING
TO START WITH AB 2875. I WANT TO
THANK THE COMMITTEE AND THE
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR THEIR
EXCELLENT AND THOROUGH ANALYSIS.
Ã WETLAND IS AN AREA OF LAND
SATURATED WITH WATER, WHICH MAY
BE WET YEAR ROUND OR ONLY
SEASONALLY, AND IS OFTEN
DISTINGUISHED BY THE PRESENCE OF
AQUATIC PLANTS WHICH ADAPT TO
LIVE IN SATURATED SOIL. WETLANDS
PROVIDE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR
ENDANGERED SPECIES AND MANY
OTHER RESIDENT WILDLIFE AND FISH
POPULATIONS. THEY'RE ALSO
IMPORTANT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES
AS THEY SERVE AS NATURAL WATER
PURIFIERS THAT ABSORB POLLUTANTS
TO KEEP THE WATER IN INLAND
LAKES AND STREAMS CLEAN BY
STORING WATER, WETLANDS OPERATE
ALSO OPERATE AS NATURAL FLOOD
CONTROL TO PROTECT LOCAL
COMMUNITIES FROM FLOODING AND
DROUGHT, AND TO HELP BUFFER
COMMUNITIES FROM A CHANGING
CLIMATE. HISTORICAL FILLING AND
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HAVE
REDUCED CALIFORNIA WETLANDS TO A
MERE 10% OF THEIR ORIGINAL
EXTENT. THE LOSS OF COASTAL
WETLANDS IS EVEN MORE ALARMING.
95% OF FORMERLY ABANDONED
LAGOONS AND MARSHES ALONG
CALIFORNIA'S 1100 MILE COASTLINE
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. IN 1993,
GOVERNOR PETE WILSON ORDERED
ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER W 5993,
ESTABLISHING A STATE POLICY OF
NO NET LOSS AND LONG TIME GAIN
OF WETLANDS. SINCE THEN,
HOWEVER, CALIFORNIA HAS
CONTINUED TO LOSE MORE WETLAND
ACREAGE THAN IT REPLACES THROUGH
RESTORATION AND MITIGATION. THE
FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT IS
CONSIDERED THE MOST POWERFUL
TOOL FOR SAFEGUARDING WATER
QUALITY. WETLANDS AND RIPARIAN
HABITAT. HOWEVER, STARTING IN
2001 AND A SERIES OF DECISIONS,
FEDERAL COURTS HAVE LIMITED THE
TYPE OF WATER BODIES AND
WETLANDS THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL
PROTECTION. IN 2023, THE US
SUPREME COURT ISSUED A RULING IN
SACKETT VERSUS ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY THAT HAS
ENORMOUS RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE
HEALTH OF THE NATIONS AND FOR
CALIFORNIA'S WETLANDS AND
WATERWAYS. BECAUSE IT EXCLUDED
MANY TYPES OF STATE WATERS,
INCLUDING CERTAIN WETLANDS FROM
THE CALIFORNIA, FROM THE CLEAN
WATER ACT, THE SACKETT DECISION
ALSO UPHELD STATES AUTHORITY TO
ADDRESS WATER POLLUTION VIA
REGULAR REGULATION OF LAND AND
WATER USE. CALIFORNIA HAS LAW.
THE PORTER-COLOGNE WATER QUALITY
CONTROL ACT, TO PROTECT THE
WETLANDS OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, CAN NO LONGER
PROTECT GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S 2024
PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING
AIMED TO HAVE THE STATE STATE
TAKE ON THE ROLE THAT HAS BEEN
CONDUCTED BY THE US ARMY CORPS
OF ENGINEERS AND THE US
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
BUT WILL NO LONGER BE DUE TO THE
SACKETT DECISION. AB 2875 IS NOT
CREATING NEW PROTECTIONS OR
PROGRAMS OR PROVIDING FOR MORE
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. IT'S NOT
MEANT TO STOP NEW HOUSING OR
DEVELOPMENT FROM HAPPENING. THE
BILL WILL MERELY PUT INTO
STATUTE WHAT IS ALREADY THE
POLICY OF THE STATE, WHICH IS TO
PROTECT, CONSERVE AND RESTORE
WETLANDS BY ENSHRINING THIS
REQUIREMENT INTO STATUTE, WE ARE
MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THE STATE
MUST TAKE ACTIONS AND ADVANCE
POLICIES TO BENEFIT WETLANDS,
WHICH HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE
CASE. TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF
OUR SPONSOR, AUDUBON CALIFORNIA,
IS KEVIN HUNTINGTON AND WE ALSO
HAVE KIM DELFINO FROM DEFENDERS
OF WILDLIFE. AND I WOULD REQUEST
AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE
HERE AGAIN. MY NAME IS KEVIN
HUNTING. I'M REPRESENTING
AUDUBON CALIFORNIA. AUDUBON
CALIFORNIA HAS ABOUT 120,000
MEMBERS STATEWIDE, SPANNING OVER
40 CHAPTERS, REALLY FROM ALL
WALKS OF LIFE AND ITS MISSION IS
TO PROTECT BIRD AND WILDLIFE
HABITAT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS,
WE'RE PROUD TO BE A SPONSOR OF
AB 2875 AND AS AS WAS PREVIOUSLY
MENTIONED, IT WOULD PUT INTO LAW
THE STATE'S LONG STANDING POLICY
TO ENSURE NO NET LOSS. AND LONG
TERME GAME OF WETLANDS AT A TIME
WHEN CALIFORNIA'S WETLANDS ARE
AT SERIOUS RISK. THE AUTHOR
MENTIONED THE SUPREME COURT'S
RECENT DECISION IN, THAT REALLY
COMBINED WITH THE FAR REACHING
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND A
VARIETY OF OTHER FACTORS HAVE
COME TOGETHER TO JEOPARDIZE THE
FEW REMAINING WETLANDS THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS. WHILE CALIFORNIA
DOES HAVE A NO NET LOSS POLICY,
AS WAS MENTIONED IN FROM SINCE
1993, REALLY, THAT REMAINS AN
ELUSIVE GOAL, ACCORDING TO A
RECENT REPORT BY THE US FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE, WETLAND LOSS
CONTINUES IN CALIFORNIA AND HAS
REALLY ACCELERATED BETWEEN 2009
AND 2019. SO ESTABLISHING LONG
TERME NET GAIN LAW WOULD BE AN
IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS REVERSING
THIS TREND, JUST FROM A AUDUBON
CALIFORNIA STANDPOINT.
HISTORICALLY, CALIFORNIA'S
CENTRAL VALLEY HAD MORE THAN 4
MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS, YOU
HEARD PREVIOUSLY THAT ABOUT 90%
OF THIS THESE WETLANDS HAVE BEEN
LOST WITH ABOUT 200,000 ACRES OF
WETLANDS REMAINING TODAY. SO
THIS LOSS IS A PROFOUND IMPACT
ON WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND
ESPECIALLY ON MIGRATORY BIRDS,
EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT
HISTORICALLY, MORE THAN 60
MILLION BIRDS WERE MIGRATING TO
CALIFORNIA'S WETLANDS EACH YEAR,
INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40
MILLION DUCKS AND GEESE. WHEN
THE EMINENT ORNITHOLOGIST FRANK
CHAPMAN VISITED LOS BANOS IN
1903, HE WROTE, I'VE NEVER SEEN
BIRDS MORE ABUNDANT TODAY.
WATERFOWL POPULATIONS IN
CALIFORNIA HAVE DECLINED TO
APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 6 MILLION
DUCKS AND GEESE THAT RELY ON
THESE WETLANDS FOR RESTING AND
FEEDING DURING MIGRATION. EVEN
THOUGH DIMINISHED, THESE
CALIFORNIA POPULATIONS STILL
COMPRISE ABOUT 60% OF THE
PACIFIC FLYWAYS. WATERFOWL
POPULATION AND ABOUT 20% OF THE
CONTINENTAL POPULATION.
SIMILARLY, SHOREBIRDS,
SONGBIRDS, AMPHIBIANS, AND
MAMMALS. VIRTUALLY MOST WILDLIFE
IN CALIFORNIA DEPEND ON
WETLANDS, AND THEY ALSO CONTINUE
TO ENDURE SIGNIFICANT POPULATION
DECLINES. MANY OF THESE WETLAND
DEPENDENT SPECIES ARE IMPERILED
BECAUSE OF THE WETLAND LOSS IN
CALIFORNIA. OVERALL WETLANDS
PROVIDE VALUES THAT NO OTHER
ECOSYSTEM CAN VALUES THAT ARE
EVEN MORE CRITICAL AS CALIFORNIA
EXPERIENCES THE INTENSIFYING
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
WETLANDS ARE AMONG THE MOST
PRODUCTIVE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE
WORLD, COMPARABLE TO RAINFORESTS
AND CORAL REEFS, AND IN THE
CONTEXT OF ONE OF THE MOST
DIVERSE BIRD AND WILDLIFE
REGIONS ON OUR PLANET. THEY ARE
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT HERE. IT
IS IN THE STATE'S BEST INTEREST
TO CONSERVE THESE WETLAND
HABITATS, AS CALIFORNIA STRIVES
TO ACHIEVE ITS ADOPTED 30 BY 30
GOAL, THAT IS, TO CONSERVE 30%
OF OUR LAND BASE AND WATERS BY
2030. ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE
ACTIONS WILL BE TO ENSURE THERE
IS NO NET LOSS OF IMPORTANT
HABITATS LIKE WETLANDS AND WHEN
IT COMES TO CONSERVATION OF
WETLANDS AND REALLY ALL WILDLIFE
HABITAT, THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE
MEANS TO CONSERVE THEM IS TO
PROTECT THE REMAINING HABITAT
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. AB 2875
PROVIDES IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP
FOR OTHER STATES AND PROVIDES A
MODEL FOR USING STATE LAW TO
SHIELD WETLAND RESOURCES FROM
EFFORTS TO ERODE FEDERAL
PROTECTIONS BY CODIFYING THIS
POLICY, WE WILL DEMONSTRATE OUR
COMMITMENT TO SCIENCE BASED
WETLAND CONSERVATION THAT
BENEFITS OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND
BIODIVERSITY AND SUPPORTS OUR
EFFORTS TO COMBINE CLIMATE
CHANGE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M KIM DELFINO,
REPRESENTING DEFENDERS OF
WILDLIFE, AND I'M PLEASED TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT IN FAVOR OF AB
2875. DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE IS A
NATIONAL NONPROFIT CONSERVATION
ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
PROTECTING ALL WILD ANIMALS AND
PLANTS IN THEIR NATURAL IN THEIR
NATURAL COMMUNITIES. AB 2875
COMES AT A TIME WHEN IT'S
CRITICAL FOR CALIFORNIA TO
DOUBLE DOWN ON PROTECTING ITS
LAST REMAINING WETLANDS AND
RECOMMIT TO RESTORING WETLANDS.
WE MUST REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE
TO OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS AT A TIME
WHEN WE ARE INCREASINGLY FEELING
THE IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE.
100 YEARS AGO, WETLANDS WERE
CONSIDERED WORTHLESS. HOWEVER,
AS WE'VE HEARD, THEY SERVE A
VERY IMPORTANT PURPOSE. THEY
PROVIDE REPLENISHING OF
AQUIFERS. THEY SERVE AS NATURAL
STORMWATER DETENTION BASINS.
MOUNTAIN MEADOWS WILL HOLD
SNOWPACKS AND ALLOW IT WATER TO
RELEASE SLOWLY, WHICH IS GOING
TO BECOME INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
TO US. THEY ARE NATURAL WATER
FILTERS, AND IN COASTAL AREAS
THEY PROVIDE BUFFERS AGAINST
WIND AND WAVE ACTION, THE FACT
IS THAT AS CALIFORNIA GRAPPLES
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA
LEVEL RISE, WETLANDS WILL BECOME
INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS THE
ULTIMATE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND AS WE HEARD EARLIER IN, ONE
OF THE BEST ENGINEERS TO CREATE
WETLANDS ARE BEAVERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE SACKETT
DECISION HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT
WE CANNOT RELY UPON THE FEDERAL
CLEAN WATER ACT ANY LONGER TO
PROTECT OUR WETLANDS, AND THAT
CALIFORNIA MUST UTILIZE ITS
EXISTING AUTHORITIES TO
CONSERVE, PROTECT, RESTORE AND
ENHANCE OUR NATURAL WETLANDS BY
CODIFYING CALIFORNIA'S NO NET
LOSS AND NET GAIN POLICY. AB
2875 WILL SHOW THAT CALIFORNIA
IS STEPPING UP AND NOT STEPPING
BACK FROM ITS COMMITMENT TO
PROTECT ONE OF OUR MOST
IMPORTANT AND MOST THREATENED
NATURAL RESOURCES. AND FOR THESE
REASONS, WE URGE AN AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DO
WE HAVE ANY FOLKS IN FAVOR IN
THE AUDIENCE? GOOD MORNING.
MEMBERS. GABRIELA FAZIO WITH THE
SIERRA CLUB CALIFORNIA IN
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING. ISABELLA
GONZALEZ WITH THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. ADAM HARPER, CALIFORNIA
CONSTRUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL
MATERIALS ASSOCIATION AS
SUPPORTIVE, AMENDED. BY ABIGAIL
SCHMIDT IN REPRESENTING THE
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE
DISTRICT AND THE CALIFORNIA
STATE PARKS FOUNDATION IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MARK FENSTERMAKER, FOR THE
WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY,
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF LAND TRUST
AND THE BOLSA CHICA LAND TRUST
AND SUPPORT. EXCELLENT. ANYONE
ELSE? OKAY. DO WE HAVE WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION? NOT SEEING ANY.
I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS.
SECOND. OKAY, GREAT. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE, I WOULD REQUEST
AND I VOTED. AND IF WE CAN
PROTECT MORE OF OUR CALIFORNIA
WETLANDS, WE'LL ALL HAVE DONE A
GREAT THING. TOTALLY AGREE. I
COME FROM THE BAY AREA. WE'VE
GOT SOME VERY NICE BIRD HOTELS
BY WAY OF OUR WETLANDS, SO THE
RECOMMENDATION IS DO PASS, I
THINK YOU'RE GOING TO
APPROPRIATIONS. LUCKY YOU. AND
SO LET'S TAKE A ROLL CALL. VOTE,
PLEASE. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 12, AB
2875 MOTION DO PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. PAPPIN I HAPPEN
I ADDIS ADDIS I ALANIS ALVAREZ.
BENNETT. BENNETT I BONTA BONTA I
GALLAGHER DAVIES. DAVIES I
GARCIA. HEART HEART I THREE OF
US SHIAVO. SCHIAVO I VILA.
PADUA. PHILIP I. WEBBER WEBBER I
OKAY. EXCELLENT. GREAT. I'LL
KEEP IT OPEN FOR ADD ONS. WISH
YOU THE BEST. THANK YOU. WE HAVE
ANOTHER BILL ASSEMBLY. OH, YOU
HAVE ANOTHER ONE, DON'T WE.
YEAH. COME WHY DON'T YOU GO
AHEAD AND TAKE IT. THE
WITNESSES. MY WITNESSES, CAN
COME UP. THANK YOU. I WANT TO
AGAIN THANK THE COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR THEIR
WORK ON THIS BILL. WOLF GREENS,
ONCE ABUNDANT IN CALIFORNIA,
HAVE BEEN NEARLY WIPED OUT DUE
TO HUMAN ACTIVITY. DUE TO THEIR
TENUOUS STATUS, THE WOLVERINE
HAS BEEN A DESIGNATED FULLY
PROTECTED SPECIES UNDER THE FISH
AND GAME CODE SINCE 1970, AND
HAVE BEEN LISTED AS A THREATENED
SPECIES UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT SINCE
1971. IN 2023, A SINGLE MALE
WOLVERINE WAS SPOTTED IN THE
EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS,
SPARKING MUCH EXCITEMENT AND
CURIOSITY ABOUT THE SPECIES.
CONSIDERING THE RARE SIGHTING,
AB 2722 WOULD DIRECT CDF TO
CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON A
SUPPLEMENTATION OR
REINTRODUCTION PROGRAM OF THE
WOLVERINE, AND THUS WOULD
PROVIDE THE LEGISLATURE WITH
ESSENTIAL DATA TO TAKE A STEP
FORWARD TOWARDS RECOVERING
WOLVERINES IN CALIFORNIA. IN
2023, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE
PASSED SB 147, WHICH REQUIRES
CDF TO DEVELOP A PLAN BY JULY
1ST, 2024 TO ASSESS THE
POPULATION STATUS OF EACH FULLY
PROTECTED SPECIES. IT ALSO
REAFFIRMED THE WOLVERINES PLACE
ON THE FULLY PROTECTED SPECIES
LIST. AB 2722 FEASIBILITY STUDY
WOULD BE CONDUCTED AS PART OF
THE PLANNED STATUS ASSESSMENT
FOR THE WOLVERINE, PURSUANT TO
2023 SB 147, WHICH PASSED LAST
YEAR. TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT THIS
AFTERNOON ON BEHALF OF OUR
SPONSORS, THE CENTER FOR
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IS OAN
LEWIS AND JARED LINDGREN. THIS
BILL HAS NO OPPOSITION THAT WE
KNOW OF, AND I RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST AN AYE VOTE. HEY. CHAIR
BABIN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
MY NAME IS OAN LEWIS. I'M A LAW
STUDENT AT MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF
LAW, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY IN SUPPORT OF AB 2722
OVER 45. ORGANIZATIONS AND
TRIBES SUPPORT THIS BILL, WHICH
REPRESENTS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS
RESTORATION OF A WOLVERINE
POPULATION. THIS IS A GOAL THAT
FULLY ALIGNS WITH OUR STATE'S
COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING
BIODIVERSITY. HISTORICALLY,
WOLVERINES WERE ABUNDANT IN
CALIFORNIA, MOSTLY UP IN THE
SIERRA NEVADA. HOWEVER IN THE
EARLY 20TH CENTURY, FUR TRAPPING
AND POISONING LED THEM TO THE
BRINK OF EXTIRPATION. LAST JUNE,
AS THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN JUST
POINTED OUT, WE HAD A REMARKABLE
OCCURRENCE WHERE A MALE
WOLVERINE WAS SPOTTED IN
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. THIS WAS
AN EXCITING OCCURRENCE THAT
REKINDLED SOME HOPE FOR
REINTRODUCTION. HOWEVER, IT ALSO
HIGHLIGHTED THE URGENT NEED FOR
ACTIVE CONSERVATION MEASURES.
THAT'S BECAUSE FEMALE WOLVERINES
DO NOT MAKE THE SAME DISPERSAL
TRIPS THAT MALE WOLVERINES MAKE,
SO A NATURAL RECOLONIZATION IS A
HIGHLY UNLIKELY OCCURRENCE.
HOWEVER FOR THIS IS WHAT AB 2722
SEEKS TO DO, SEEKS TO ADDRESS,
AND THAT IS TO PROPOSE A
REINTRODUCTION FEASIBILITY STUDY
WHERE WE CAN PLAN A CAREFUL AND
RESPONSIVE REINTRODUCTION OR
SUPPLEMENTATION PROGRAM. OF ALL
THE LOST SPECIES IN CALIFORNIA,
WOLVERINES ARE AN IDEAL
CANDIDATE FOR REINTRODUCTION
BECAUSE THEIR HIGH ELEVATION
HABITAT IN THE SIERRA NEVADA IS
ALREADY NATURALLY PROTECTED BY A
SERIES OF STATE PARKS, NATIONAL
PARKS AND WILDERNESS AREAS.
THUS, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY
FOR REINTRODUCTION WITHOUT HUMAN
CONFLICT AND LIVESTOCK CONFLICT
AS WELL. AB 2722 IS AN IMPORTANT
FIRST STEP TOWARDS RESTORING
WOLVERINES, AND WE ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I AM GERRY
LINDGREN. I AM A THIRD YEAR LAW
STUDENT AT MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF
LAW HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
SPONSOR, CENTER OF BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY AND STRONG SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL. THIS IS LEGALLY A
SIMPLE BILL. LAST YEAR'S SB 147
REQUIRES CDFW TO DEVELOP A PLAN
TO ASSESS THE POPULATION STATUS
OF EACH FULLY PROTECTED SPECIES,
THE WOLVERINE BEING ONE OF THEM.
AB 2722, WOULD DIRECT CDFW AS
PART OF THE POPULATION
ASSESSMENT FOR THE WOLVERINE.
PER SB 147 PLAN TO INCLUDE A
FEASIBILITY STUDY LOOKING AT THE
POSSIBILITY OF A REINTRODUCTION
FOR THIS SPECIES. WE RECOGNIZE
THAT DUE TO THE STATE'S CURRENT
FISCAL STATUS FULLY FUNDING A
FEASIBILITY STUDY THIS YEAR IS
UNLIKELY. HOWEVER, THIS BILL,
LIKE SB 147 TO WHICH IT IS
TETHERED, REQUIRES THIS FUNDING
TO COME FROM A SEPARATE FUTURE
LEGISLATIVE ACT. THIS BILL WOULD
MAKE THE STATUS ASSESSMENT
EVENTUALLY DONE UNDER SB 147
MORE MEANINGFUL. UNDER TÊ. WE
ALREADY KNOW THE STATUS OF
POPULATION OF THE WOLVERINE IN
CALIFORNIA. LIKELY THERE IS ONLY
ONE. I HAVE LOVINGLY NAMED HIM
HUGH JACKMAN AND HE HAS COME.
AND AS YOU HEARD, HE CAME ALL
THE WAY FROM IDAHO BECAUSE HIS
INSTINCTS TOLD HIM THAT THERE
SHOULD BE A VIABLE POPULATION OF
MATES FOR HIM TO CHOOSE FROM
HERE. HOWEVER THERE WILL NOT BE
UNLESS WE REINTRODUCE THEM. THE
WOLVERINE HAS BEEN ON THE FULLY
PROTECTED SPECIES LIST AND THE
CALIFORNIA THREATENED ENDANGERED
SPECIES LIST SINCE THE 1970S,
AND LAST YEAR IT WAS JUST PLACED
ON THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED
SPECIES LIST, WHILE THE
CALIFORNIA ENDANGERED SPECIES
ACT CARRIES A MANDATE THAT TO
RESTORE LISTED SPECIES AND THE
OVER FIVE DECADES SINCE THE
WOLVERINES WERE FIRST PROTECTED,
NO REAL EFFORTS TO BRING THEM
BACK HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN. THIS
BILL WOULD LAY THE FIRST STEPS
ON A LONG JOURNEY TO BRING THEM
HOME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT AND I
VOTE FOR AB 2722. OKAY, GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT, GOOD
MORNING AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. SUSAN MADDEN AT W
STRATEGIES HERE ON BEHALF OF
ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND AND
SOCIAL COMPASSION IN LEGISLATION
AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AGAIN, MATT ROBINSON WITH
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED
STATES IN SUPPORT. KIM DELFINO
WITH DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE IN
SUPPORT. ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION, ANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION. EVERYONE
LOVES WOLVERINES. THAT'S WHAT I
AM CONCLUDING. OKAY. DO WE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE?
THANK YOU. OKAY, GREAT. WITH
THAT, WE'LL TAKE A, YOU WANT TO
CLOSE? THIS IS YOU KNOW, TINDER
FOR THAT WOLVERINE. WE NEED TO
WE NEED TO REINTRODUCE THIS. A
POPULATION THAT'S NOT GOING TO
BE IN CONFLICT WITH HUMANS, AND
IT WAS ONCE AN ICONIC SPECIES IN
OUR STATE, AND IT NEEDS OUR
HELP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, ASSEMBLYMEMBER FRIEDMAN.
WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL RIGHT. NUMBER 11, AB 2722.
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
APPROPRIATE PAPINE. HI, CAPTAIN.
I ADDIS ADDIS I ALANIZ. ALVAREZ.
BENNETT OH, SORRY. BONTA BONTA I
GALLAGHER. DAVIES DAVIES. NÓ.
GARCIA. HART. HART I THREE OF
US. SCHIAVO. SCHIAVO I VILA.
PADUA AND WEBBER. WEBER I. WE'LL
KEEP IT OPEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER MCKENNA. COME ON
DOWN. THIS WILL BE AB 2214
INSTEAD OF, RBK. YES THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, I AM
PROUD TO PRESENT AB 2214, A
JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN MY
COLLEAGUE, ASSEMBLYMEMBER BOYER
KHN AND I. WE ARE FACED WITH AN
URGENT AND PERVASIVE THREAT TO
BOTH OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR
HEALTH. MICROPLASTICS, THESE
TINY PARTICLES, WHICH STUBBORNLY
RESIST DEGRADATION, HAVE BEEN
OBSERVED IN MONTEREY BAY, SAN
FRANCISCO LAKE TAHOE AND
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. WATERWAYS
MICROPLASTICS HAVE BEEN DETECTED
IN BREAST MILK AND BABIES FECES
TO THE ANTARCTICA SNOW, AND EVEN
HUMAN LUNGS. A GLOBAL STUDY BY
WWF INTERNATIONAL FOUND THAT ON
AVERAGE, PEOPLE COULD BE
INGESTING APPROXIMATELY FIVE
GRAMS OF PLASTIC EVERY WEEK,
EQUIVALENT TO THE WEIGHT OF A
CREDIT CARD. RECOGNIZING THE
SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION, THE
OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL
MANDATED BY STATUTE, DEVELOPED A
STATEWIDE MICROPLASTICS
STRATEGY. THIS COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, PUBLISHED IN EARLY 2022,
OUTLINES 22 RECOMMENDATIONS
AIMED AT REDUCING AND MANAGING
MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION ACROSS
CALIFORNIA. THE AB 2214 BUILDS
ON THIS INITIATIVE BY MANDATING
THE OPC TO LEAD AN INTERAGENCY
COORDINATION GROUP TO IDENTIFY
AND RECOMMEND NECESSARY
STATUTES, STATUTORY CHANGES TO
IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION
OUTLINED IN THE STATEWIDE
MICROPLASTICS STRATEGY TO THE
LEGISLATURE. BY DECEMBER FIRST,
2025. WITH ME IN SUPPORT IS
JENNIFER FARING ON BEHALF OF THE
OCEAN CONSERVANCY. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. JENNIFER FEARING,
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OCEAN
CONSERVANCY AS WELL AS THE
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM. WE ARE
PLEASED TO BE AMONG NEARLY TWO
DOZEN ORGANIZATIONS URGING YOU
TO VOTE AYE ON AB 2214 TO
LEVERAGE THE DIVERSE EXPERTISE
OF OUR STATE AGENCY STAFF TO
COLLABORATIVELY ADDRESS THE
URGENT ISSUE OF MICROPLASTIC
POLLUTION. ABSENT URGENT
INTERVENTION, MICROPLASTICS WILL
CONTINUE TO POSE A THREAT TO OUR
ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE AND PUBLIC
HEALTH. THE DISTINCT TYPES OF
TINY FRAGMENTS IN THE
MICROPLASTIC FAMILY COME FROM
VARYING SOURCES AND THUS REQUIRE
DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS TO
ADDRESS THEIR ARE MICROPLASTICS
THAT FRAGMENT FROM DURABLE GOODS
IN PACKAGING. MICROPLASTICS
DERIVED FROM SYNTHETIC TEXTILES,
WHICH ARE OFTEN CALLED
MICROFIBERS, AND MICROPLASTICS
DESIGNED TO BE TINY
PRE-PRODUCTION PLASTIC PELLETS
CALLED NURDLES THAT ACCOUNT FOR
AN ANNUAL GLOBAL LEAKAGE OF
130,000 METRIC TONS ROUND
PLASTIC BEADS CALLED MICROBEADS,
ARE INTENTIONALLY INCLUDED IN
SPECIFIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS SUCH
AS COSMETICS, HOUSEHOLD AND
INDUSTRIAL DETERGENTS, AND
CLEANING PRODUCTS, AND ARE
REGULARLY DISCHARGED INTO OUR
WASTEWATER SYSTEMS AND AQUATIC
AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. BECAUSE
THERE IS NO POINT OF CAPTURE AND
PLASTIC MICROFIBERS, THE MOST
ABUNDANT AND WIDESPREAD FORM OF
MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION, ARE
PERVASIVE IN THE ENVIRONMENT,
DRINKING WATER AND FOOD
SUPPLIES, AND THEY ARE POSING
POTENTIAL HEALTH HEALTH RISKS TO
HUMANS. MOST OF YOU SUPPORTED
ASSEMBLYWOMAN MCKENNA'S BILL
LAST YEAR TO IMPLEMENT A Kò
MICROPLASTICS PREVENTION
RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS INCLUDED
IN THAT STATEWIDE MICROPLASTICS
STRATEGY, AB 1628 WOULD HAVE
REQUIRED WASHING MACHINE
MANUFACTURERS TO INCLUDE FILTERS
THAT REDUCE UP TO 90% OF THE
MICROFIBERS RELEASED INTO
WASTEWATER AND ULTIMATELY, THE
ENVIRONMENT. UNFORTUNATELY,
GOVERNOR NEWSOM VETOED THAT
BILL, NOTING ONGOING WATER BOARD
ASSESSMENTS AND ASKING THE
AUTHOR TO DEVELOP INCENTIVES. WE
SUPPORT THIS CONTINUED EFFORT TO
ENROLL THE STATE'S AGENCIES AND
THEIR EXPERTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF WORKABLE AND PRACTICAL
OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THE
CROSS-SECTORAL ISSUE OF
MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION
COMPREHENSIVELY, WE NEED
TEAMWORK. AB 2214 FOCUSES ON TWO
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE
STRATEGY EXPANDING THE STATEWIDE
MICROBEAD BAND TO INCLUDE
MICROPLASTICS THAT ARE
INTENTIONALLY ADDED TO CONSUMER
PRODUCTS, AND DETERMINING AND
DETERMINING THE BEST WAY TO
PROMOTE THE SALE AND USE OF
ENERGY. STAR DRYERS AND WASHING
MACHINES EQUIPPED WITH
MICROFIBER FILTERS, BRINGING THE
STATE GOVERNMENT EXPERTS
TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY EXPLICIT
WAYS TO ADDRESS THE
PROLIFERATION OF MICROPLASTICS
IN OUR ENVIRONMENT IS THE PATH
THAT AB 2214 IS PURSUING, HOPING
THAT CALIFORNIA WILL CONTINUE
ITS LEADERSHIP ON A GLOBAL LEVEL
TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE AND
MITIGATE THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF
PLASTIC POLLUTION. WE URGE YOUR
SUPPORT AND THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN FAVOR? ISABELLA
GONZALEZ, POTTER WITH THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. KIM DELFINO WITH AUDUBON
CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT. MARK
MASON WITH CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS IN SUPPORT.
THANKS GREAT. DO WE HAVE ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION? NOT
SEEING ANY NO MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION. WE HAVE A
MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ANY
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? YES.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AB 2214
LEVERAGES OUR STATE AGENCIES
EXPERTISE AND AUTHORITY TO
ENGAGE IN COMPLEMENTARY EFFORTS
TO REDUCE MICROPLASTICS
POPULATION AND ACHIEVE A GOAL OF
ZERO PLASTIC POLLUTION ENTERING
A STATE WATERS BY 2030. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR. I
VOTE. EXCELLENT. WITH THAT,
LET'S TAKE A VOTE. ITEM NUMBER
FOUR AB 2214. MOTION IS DO PASS
TO ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND
TOXIC MATERIALS. CAPTAIN A
CAPTAIN I ADDIS ADDIS I ALANIZ.
ALVAREZ. BENNETT BONTA I BONTA I
GALLAGHER. DAVIES DAVIES I
GARCIA. HEART HEART I THREE OF
US SCHIAVO. SCHIAVO I VILA AND
WEBER. WEBER I. GREAT. WE'LL
LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, MR. HEART. YOU'RE ON
.
GONNA START WITH 2285. YEAH.
OKAY GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT
THIS BILL FOR SPEAKER EMERITUS
RENDON TODAY. I'D LIKE TO BEGIN
WITH ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS
RECOMMENDED AND COMMENT THREE OF
THE COMMITTEE ANALYSIS. THIS
BILL ENCOURAGES THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND ITS LAND
CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
INVESTMENTS IN URBAN NATURE
BASED SOLUTION INTERVENTIONS.
UNDERSTANDABLY, THE PATH OF
LEAST RESISTANCE IN REACHING
LAND CONSERVATION GOALS IS
INVESTMENTS IN RURAL AND
SUBURBAN CALIFORNIA, WHERE REAL
ESTATE IS ATTAINABLE AND
AFFORDABLE. WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT
TO CONSERVE THOSE LANDS AS THE
STATE WORKS TO REACH ITS 30 BY
30 GOAL, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
CONSERVE LANDS AND HIGHLY
URBANIZED AREAS, BRINGING NATURE
TO PEOPLE AND THE REWILDING OF
URBAN AREAS TO THE EXTENT
POSSIBLE, SHOULD BE A CO-EQUAL
GOAL, AND WE AS A BODY EMBRACE.
AND AB 2285 BINDS US TO THAT
COMMITMENT. THIS BILL ACTS ASKS
US TO RECONCILE AND BALANCE
FUNDING AND POLICY DECISIONS AS
THEY RELATE TO OUR ACTIONS TO
PROTECT, CONSERVE AND RESTORE
NATURE IN ALL SETTINGS. BY
TAKING THE TYPE OF COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH ENVISIONED IN THIS
BILL, WE'RE MAKING A STRONGER
COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND
PROVIDING GREATER ACCESS TO
NATURE ACROSS CALIFORNIA. WITH
ME TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL IS DOUG HOUSTON,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
PARKS AND RECREATION SOCIETY.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS. DOUG HOUSTON,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA PARK
AND RECREATION SOCIETY. ALSO
HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY OF
LOS ANGELES. AND I FIRST WANTED
TO COMMEND COMMITTEE STAFF FOR
WORKING WITH US TO MAKE WHAT I
THOUGHT WAS A FLAWLESS BILL EVEN
MORE FLAWLESS. SO IN TAKING
TAKING OUR CUE FROM THE FIRST
PARTNERS OUTDOOR FOR ALL
INITIATIVE, THIS BILL SEEKS TO
ELEVATE THE AWARENESS OF HOW TO
GO ABOUT REDUCING POVERTY,
NATURE, POVERTY IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND THE OPERATIONAL
PREMISE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
BILL IS THAT HOW CAN WE, AS A
STATE, BRING NATURE TO OUR
URBAN, REINTRODUCE NATURE TO OUR
URBAN AREAS HERE IN CALIFORNIA?
SO ALONG WITH CODIFYING OUTDOORS
FOR ALL AB 2285, IT'S A
STATEMENT BILL ASKING
POLICYMAKERS TO RECOGNIZE THAT
CO-EQUAL GOALS OF 30 BY 30 AND
NATURE BASED, INVESTMENT AND OUR
DECISION MAKING GOING FORWARD.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR
SUPPORT ON THIS BILL. OUTDOOR
SPRAWL. YO I LIKE IT, DO WE HAVE
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN
FAVOR? ABIGAIL SCHMIDT, ON
BEHALF OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL
PARKS DISTRICT AND THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT. ERICA
ROMERO, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL
CONSERVATION, CAUSE AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION? NO.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OPPOSITION
. BRING IT BACK TO THE Þ. SORRY,
NO, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A
SECOND. NO QUESTIONS, NO
COMMENTS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. GREAT AND THE
RECOMMENDATION, I THINK, SENDS
YOU TO A PROBES ITEM. LET'S TAKE
A VOTE. ITEM NUMBER SIX AB 2285.
MOTION DO PASS AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS. PAPIN PAPIN I
ADDIS. ADDIS I ALANIS. ALVAREZ.
BENNETT. BONTA I BONTA I
GALLAGHER. DAVIES. DAVIES I
GARCIA. HEART I HEART I THREE OF
US SCHIAVO. SCHIAVO I VILA.
PADUA. WEBER. WEBER I. OKAY,
WE'LL KEEP THE ROLL OPEN. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. OKAY ASSEMBLYMEMBER
HART, THANK YOU AGAIN. YOU'RE
WELCOME. I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT
THIS BILL FOR SPEAKER EMERITUS
SARANDON TODAY, AB 3036
INSTRUCTS THE SAN GABRIEL AND
LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVERS AND
MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY AND THE
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS
CONSERVANCY TO COLLABORATE WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION, THE CALIFORNIA
CONSERVATION CORPS, AND THE
STATE LANDS COMMISSION TO
DEVELOP A PERMANENT LOS ANGELES
RIVER RANGER PROGRAM. THE
PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE ONE
CREATED BY AB 1558 OF 2017 BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CRISTINA GARCIA.
THIS BILL WILL BUILD ON THE WORK
DONE TO FOSTER CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN COMMUNITIES, AGENCIES
AND RESOURCES IN PROMOTING
EQUITABLE USAGE AND STEWARDSHIP.
STEWARDSHIP OF THE LA RIVER TO
SUPPORT ECOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND
RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
FURTHERMORE, THE RIVER RANGER
PROGRAM WILL HELP RESIDENTS
EXPERIENCE THE RIVER AS A SAFE
AND INVITING PLACE AND ALLOW
THEM TO PARTICIPATE. PARTICIPATE
IN THE RIVER'S ENHANCEMENT
THROUGH VOLUNTEER OR EMPLOYMENT
PROGRAMS. HERE TO SPEAK IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL IS ERIKA
ROMERO, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL
CONSERVATION CORPS. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
EDDIE ROMERO AGAIN HERE ON THE
CALL ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL
CONSERVATION CORPS, WHICH
REPRESENTS THE 14 CORPS'S
WORKING ACROSS THE STATE TO
IMPROVE OUR ENVIRONMENT AND
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN THOSE
PROJECTS, AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER
HART MENTIONED, IN 2017, THE
LEGISLATURE ALLOWED THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM
TO DEVELOP A NETWORK OF RIVER
RANGERS THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE
URBAN RIVER RESTORATION IN THE
WATERSHED OF THE LOS ANGELES
RIVER. SINCE THEN, THIS PROGRAM
HAS EMPOWERED GOVERNING AGENCIES
TO WORK TOGETHER TO INCREASE
RIVER CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS
WHILE SUPPORTING OUTDOOR ACCESS
AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES TO TYPICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT WHO
HAVE HISTORICALLY LACKED ACCESS
TO NATURE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
CONSERVATION CAUSE OF LONG BEACH
IMPLEMENTED THE INITIAL PILOT OF
THE RIVER RANGER PROGRAM FOR THE
SAN GABRIEL AND LOWER LA RIVER
CONSERVANCY ALONG A FIVE MILE
STRETCH OF THE LOWER LA RIVER AT
THE CONFLUENCE OF THE RIO HONDO
RIVER, WHICH REQUIRED
COLLABORATION NOT JUST WITH THE
CONSERVANCIES BUT ALSO WITH THE
CITIES OF SOUTH GATE, DOWNEY
BELL GARDENS, AND UNINCORPORATED
AREAS OF LA COUNTY. THIS
PARTNERSHIP HAS RESULTED IN
RESTORATION OF A DECENT RIVER
HABITAT, LITTER AND DEBRIS
REMOVAL, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.
EDUCATION. RESEARCH SURVEYS AND
EMERGENCY RESPONSE WHILE
PROVIDING OUTDOOR ACCESS AND
WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
OVER 50 CORPS MEMBERS THAT
PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. IN
FACT, MANY OF THOSE CORPS
MEMBERS MOVED ON TO CAREERS AT
LOCAL PARKS AND REC AND CODE
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AS WELL AS
MOVING ON TO EDUCATION,
SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND EVEN
WORKING FOR NATIONAL PROGRAMS.
AB 30 AB 3036 WOULD HELP MAKE
THIS PROGRAM PERMANENT SO THAT
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES CAN
CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE RIVER
AND WORK TOGETHER TO RESTORE AND
MAINTAIN IT. FOR THESE REASONS,
WE RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN FAVOR?
OKAY. SEEING NONE, ANY WITNESSES
IN OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE. ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE, I'LL MOVE THE SECOND.
EXCELLENT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? JUST RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. OKAY,
THEN THIS HAS A RECOMMENDATION
TO DO PASS TO NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A
VOTE. ITEM NUMBER 14 AB 3036
MOTION DO PASS TO NATURAL
RESOURCES HAPPEN I HAPPEN I
ADDIS ADDIS I ALANIS ALVAREZ
BENNETT BONTA BONTA I GALLAGHER
DAVIES DAVIES I GARCIA HEART I
HEART I THREE OF US SCHIAVO
SCHIAVO I VILA PADUA WEBER I
WEBER I. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND KEEP
THE ROLL OPEN. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
ERWIN.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT AB 2320
TODAY. IN 2020, GOVERNOR NEWSOM
ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER N8. 220,
CREATING THE 30 BY 30 INITIATE
TO CONSERVE 30% OF OUR LANDS AND
COASTAL WATERS BY 2030. A KEY
PART OF 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE IS
THE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, THE
USE OF NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS TO
ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. AB 2320
WOULD REQUIRE CALIFORNIA NATURAL
RESOURCES AGENCY TO IDENTIFY
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND FISH
PASSAGE RESTORATION PROJECTS,
AND INCLUDE THEM IN ITS ANNUAL
REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. THIS
BILL WOULD FURTHER REQUIRE THE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD TO
PRIORITIZE PROJECTS THAT PROTECT
AND CREATE NEW WILDLIFE
CORRIDORS. WILDLIFE CONNECTIVITY
IS A CRITICAL STEP IN PROTECTING
CALIFORNIA'S RICH BIODIVERSITY.
LAST YEAR, BY 12, THE FIRST BEAR
KNOWN TO LIVE IN THE SANTA
MONICA MOUNTAINS IN NEARLY A
DECADE WAS FATALLY STRUCK BY A
VEHICLE WHILE CROSSING HIGHWAY
101. HE HAD SUCCESSFULLY CROSSED
CALIFORNIA FREEWAYS AT LEAST
FIVE TIMES AND WAS KILLED 16
MILES FROM THE ONGOING
CONSTRUCTION OF THE LARGEST
WILDLIFE CROSSING IN THE COUNTRY
THAT WALTER ANNENBERG WILDLIFE
CROSSING, WHICH IS IN MY
DISTRICT. STORIES SUCH AS THOSE
OF BB 12 AND THE BELOVED
MOUNTAIN LION P 22 ARE A
TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT WE
MUST INCREASE HABITAT
CONNECTIVITY FOR CALIFORNIA'S
WILDLIFE. WITH ME TO TESTIFY
TODAY ARE THE BILL SPONSORS?
CANDICE MANAGAN MANAGING
MANAGING WITH THE COASTAL
RANCHES CONSERVANCY AND ABIGAIL
SMET ON BEHALF OF THE FRIENDS OF
THE SANTA CLARA RIVER. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR PEPPIN AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
CANDICE MENEGON, AND I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COASTAL
RANCHERS CONSERVANCY, CO-SPONSOR
OF AB 2320. FOR YEARS, WE'VE
BEEN A FIERCE ADVOCATE OF
REDUCING WILDLIFE COLLISIONS
ALONG THE GAVIOTA COAST, AND
PARTICULARLY THE GAVIOTA PASS ON
HIGHWAY 101, IN SANTA BARBARA
COUNTY. FOR SEGMENTATION OF
NATURAL AREAS, IS THE NUMBER ONE
CAUSE OF SPECIES DECLINE IN
CALIFORNIA AND WILDLIFE
CORRIDORS AND HABITAT
CONNECTIVITY ARE CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT TO WILDLIFE MOVEMENT
AND SPECIES ADAPTATION IN TIMES
OF CLIMATE CHANGE. WHILE
CALIFORNIA HAS PROTECTED NATURAL
AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, LESS
WORK HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON
PROTECTING AND RESTORING
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND FISH
PASSAGE. CONSERVATION EXPERTS
AGREE THAT THE TOP PRIORITY OF
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IS
PROTECTING AND RESTORING
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND, AND
CONNECTING THEM. IN 2010, THE
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
AND CALTRANS PRODUCED THE STATE
ESSENTIAL HABITAT CONNECTIVITY
REPORT THAT IDENTIFIED KEY
LOCATIONS WHERE WILDLIFE
CORRIDORS AND CROSSINGS ARE
NEEDED. AND OUR 2020 GAVIOTA
WILDLIFE CORRIDOR PROJECT
IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS OF HIGH
DENSITIES OF ROADKILL ACROSS
GAVIOTA PASS, WITH MAMMALS BEING
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED
BETWEEN 2 TO 300 INDIVIDUAL
MAMMALS OF ALL SIZES ARE KILLED
HERE EVERY YEAR. THIS DATA WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMPTING A
SOLUTION, AND IN DECEMBER 2023,
CALTRANS WAS AWARDED AN $8
MILLION GRANT UNDER THE FEDERAL
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
THANKFULLY, CONGRESSMAN SALUD
CARBAJAL CHAMPIONED FOR FUNDING
YEAR TO SAFEGUARD OUR LOCAL
WILDLIFE. BUT SIMILAR NEEDS
EXIST ALONG THE I-5 IN LA COUNTY
AND THE CONEJO GRADE IN VENTURA
COUNTY. IN ADDITION TO THE
GAVIOTA PASS, THE GAVIOTA CREEK
ALSO HAS 14 FISH PASSAGE
BARRIERS, AND THAT IMPACTS
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STEELHEAD.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH CALTRANS
TO HELP PRIORITIZE THOSE
REMEDIATION ACTIONS. AB 2320 IS
A PUSH TO IMPLEMENT THESE WELL
KNOWN PRIORITIES IN THESE
REPORTS BY ADDING WILDLIFE
CONNECTIVITY ACTIONS WITHIN THE
30 BY 30 INITIATIVE.
CONNECTIVITY IS AN ESSENTIAL FOR
BIODIVERSITY RESILIENCE,
BOLSTERING 30 BY 30 OBJECTIVES
AND THE GOVERNOR'S SALMON
STRATEGY FOR A HOTTER, DRIER
FUTURE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS AND RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST YOUR AYE VOTE TODAY.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. ABIGAIL SCHMIDT, ON
BEHALF OF THE FRIENDS OF THE
SANTA CLARA RIVER, ONE OF THE
PROUD SPONSORS OF AB 2320
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS PROMOTE
BIODIVERSITY BY ALLOWING SPECIES
TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL WHEN
HABITATS HAVE BEEN FRAGMENTED BY
ROADS OR DEVELOPMENTS, WITH
INCREASING HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
ACROSS THE STATE, MANY OF
CALIFORNIA'S ICONIC FLORA AND
FAUNA ARE FACING GENETIC
ISOLATION, LEADING TO DECLINING
POPULATIONS AND SERIOUSLY
THREATENING THE STATE'S
BIODIVERSITY. AS MENTIONED IN
PREVIOUS TESTIMONY, THIS BILL
WOULD MAKE IT A PRIORITY FOR THE
STATE TO ADDRESS THESE SEVERE
HABITAT FRAGMENTATIONS AS A PART
OF ACHIEVING THE 30 BY 30 GOAL,
THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND
WILDLIFE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION HAVE ALREADY
ASSESSED THE MOST SERIOUS
BARRIERS ACROSS THE STATE AND A
SERIES OF SURVEYS AND MAPS LAST
UPDATED IN 2022. THIS BILL WOULD
SIMPLY HIGHLIGHT THE NEED TO
ADDRESS THESE KEY BARRIERS.
WHILE PURSUING THE 30 BY 30
GOAL, AND REQUIRE THE NATURAL
RESOURCES AGENCY TO INCLUDE
UPDATES ON THAT PROGRESS IN
THEIR ANNUAL REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE ON PROGRESS TOWARDS
REACHING THE 30 BY 30 GOAL.
ESTABLISHING WILDLIFE
CONNECTIVITY AS A PART OF 30 BY
30 PLANNING AND REPORTING WILL
ENSURE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
TO CONSERVATION AND SUPPORTS THE
ALREADY ESTABLISHED GOALS OF
PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY ACROSS
THE STATE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER IRWIN'S
DEDICATION TO THIS IMPORTANT
GOAL AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR AYE VOTE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN FAVOR? EDDIE
ROMERO, AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION, THE LAND TRUST OF
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, MID-PENINSULA
REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT,
AND SEMPERVIRENS FUNDS IN STRONG
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING, JENNIFER
FEARING, ON BEHALF OF THE SAN
DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY AND SUPPORT
MARQUIS MASON WITH CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU GABRIELA
FAZIO WITH SIERRA CLUB
CALIFORNIA AND SUPPORT KIM
DELFINO WITH DEFENDERS OF
WILDLIFE, AUDUBON CALIFORNIA AND
SONOMA LAND TRUST IN SUPPORT.
ADAM HARPER, CALIFORNIA
CONSTRUCTION, INDUSTRIAL
MATERIALS ASSOCIATION SUPPORT OF
AMENDED. MELISSA SPARKS KRANZ
WITH THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA
CITIES IN SUPPORT. DO WE HAVE
ANY WITNESSES THAT ARE HERE IN
OPPOSITION? THÀNH NO. MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION. YOU DO
ACCEPT THE AMENDMENTS, THE
TECHNICAL AMENDMENT FROM THE
CITY AND FROM THE COMMITTEE.
GREAT. BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
I'LL MOVE SECOND. GREAT. WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I JUST
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE.
GREAT. SO THIS IS Dð PASS, AS
AMENDED IN NATURAL RESOURCES.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AB
2320 MOTION DO PASS AS AMENDED
TO NATURAL RESOURCES. PAPIN A,
PAPIN I, ADDIS ADDIS I ALANIZ.
ALVAREZ BENNETT. BONTA. BONTA I
GALLAGHER. DAVIES. DAVIES I
GARCIA. HEART, HEART I THREE OF
US. SCHIAVO. SCHIAVO I VILA.
PADUA AND WEBER. WEBER. I WILL
LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER GREAT. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. GARCIA, YOU HAVE
EXCELLENT TIMING. WOULD YOU LIKE
TO ADD ON YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A
BILL TO PRESENT? I DO Þ CAN I
COME ON AND DO IT? ALL RIGHT,
MADAM CHAIR. COLLEAGUES. GOOD TO
SEE YOU ALL. GOOD TO BE HERE,
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE STAFF
FOR THE ANALYSIS. I'M GOING TO
GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. THIS
BILL, NARROWLY CRAFTED, WILL
HELP PROTECT THE OVERALL WATER
SUPPLY RELIABILITY IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, WHILE AT THE SAME
TIME HELPING US DRAW DOWN $175
MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS NEEDED
TO CONTINUE CRITICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS OUT AT
THE SALTON SEA. WE'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT ALL
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS
ARE IN PLACE. AS I MENTIONED,
VERY NARROWLY CRAFTED BILL.
JOINING ME HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE
TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL
AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, IS
JOHN SMITH HOFF FROM ID,
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT.
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I VOTE
. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS JOANNA SMITH HOFF, DEPUTY
GENERAL COUNSEL FOR IMPERIAL
IRRIGATION DISTRICT. FIRST, LET
ME BEGIN BY THANKING ASSEMBLY
MEMBER GARCIA FOR HIS LEADERSHIP
AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS ON THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUE. IN SHORT, AB
2610 IS NEEDED TO CONTINUE
CRITICAL WATER CONSERVATION
PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
JUST THIS PAST YEAR, OUR FEDERAL
PARTNERS AT THE US BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION LAUNCHED THE LOWER
COLORADO RIVER BASIN SYSTEM
CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY
PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS THE
DROUGHT CRISIS IN THE COLORADO
RIVER BASIN. THE WATER
CONSERVATION EFFORTS IMPLEMENTED
UNDER THAT PROGRAM ARE FUNDED BY
THE FEDERAL BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE LAW. IID IS
CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING A SYSTEM
CONSERVATION IMPLEMENTATION
AGREEMENT WITH RECLAMATION UNDER
THAT PROGRAM TO CONSERVE A
CUMULATIVE TARGET OF 800,000
ACRE FEET OF WATER DURING THE
YEARS OF 2024 THROUGH 26. THIS
CONSERVED WATER WOULD BE
GENERATED BY AGRICULTURAL WATER.
USERS VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATED
IN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS WITHIN
AND ADMINISTERED BY IID. ANY
WATER CONSERVED BY IID PURSUANT
TO THIS AGREEMENT WOULD BE. IN
ADDITION TO EXISTING
CONSERVATION EFFORTS TIED TO THE
2003 QUANTIFICATION SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT, THE NARROWLY FOCUSED
AMENDMENTS PROPOSED IN AB 2610
CREATE A PATH FORWARD FOR IID TO
REQUEST AND RECEIVE A TAKE
PERMIT FROM THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
IF IT'S DEEMED NECESSARY FOR ITS
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.
DURING THE TEMPORARY PERIOD OF
THREE YEARS AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER,
GARCIA ALSO MENTIONED, THE
AGREEMENT TRIGGERS THE RELEASE
OF 175 MILLION FEDERAL DOLLARS
EARMARKED FOR THE SALTON SEA
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS UNDER THE
STATE SALTON SEA MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM. WORKING WITH OUR STATE
AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, IID IS
COMMITTED TO DOING ITS PART TO
SUPPORT THE PRECIOUS WATER
SUPPLIES FROM THE COLORADO RIVER
THAT HELP SUSTAIN AGRICULTURE,
AS WELL AS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. GLAD
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE, AND WE RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. ANY MEMBERS OF THE
AUDIENCE WISH TO COME FORWARD IN
SUPPORT? MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS
ORACIO GONZALEZ, ON BEHALF OF
THE SALTON SEA AUTHORITY, WE ARE
A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
CONSISTING OF THE, COACHELLA
VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, THE
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT,
THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, THE
COUNTY OF IMPERIAL, AND THE
TORRES-MARTINEZ DESERT CAHUILLA,
A TRIBAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE
INHABITED THE SALTON SEA REGION
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL. WE ARE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS MEASURE
AND URGE YOU TO SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. HELLO. KELLY MORRIS WITH
EDELSTEIN, GILBERT, ROBESON AND
SMITH, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT. OKAY. DO
WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? MANY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN OPPOSITION. OKAY.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE, ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA
. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO
CLARIFY SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE
TAKE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS
SO I GUESS THERE ARE 37 FULLY
PROTECTED SPECIES THAT MAY NOT
BE TAKEN OR POSSESSED, WITH
LIMITED EXCEPTIONS. OF THE 37
SPECIES CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS
FULLY PROTECTED, EIGHT ARE ALSO
LISTED AS THREATENED AND 19 ARE
ALSO LISTED AS ENDANGERED. AND
SO THIS SPECIFICALLY WOULD ALLOW
FOR CREATE AN ALLOWANCE FOR WHAT
NUMBER OF SPECIES. SO WE WOULD,
REQUEST AND GO THROUGH THE
PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT WE
ANTICIPATE IT TO BE TWO SPECIES.
IT WOULD BE THE CALIFORNIA BLACK
RAIL AND YUMA RIDGWAY'S RAIL.
AND THOSE WOULD BE THE ONLY TWO
THAT WE ANTICIPATE NEEDING TO
PURSUE A PERMIT FOR UNDER THIS
LEGISLATION. AND THOSE CURRENTLY
ARE FULLY PROTECTED. RIGHT?
CORRECT OKAY. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? YEAH COLLEAGUES, THANK
YOU AGAIN, THE THIS COMMITTEE,
HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
WORK ON THE ISSUE OF THE SALTON
SEA, HISTORICALLY, IT'S
IMPORTANT. AND IT WAS MENTIONED
IN OUR KEY WITNESSES, TESTIMONY,
THE, QSA THE QUANTIFICATION
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, THAT WAS
PASSED IN THE EARLY 2000, WAS
ONE OF THE LARGEST WATER
TRANSFERS AGREEMENTS THAT THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA EVER ENGAGED
IN WATER TRANSFERRED FROM THE
IMPERIAL COUNTY TO, THE SAN
DIEGO REGION FOR URBAN USAGE.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COMMITTED, TO BE LIABLE FOR ANY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WHEN IT
CAME TO PROTECTING THE REGION OF
IMPERIAL COUNTY, AS A RESULT OF
THAT WATER TRANSFER, THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS HAVE BEEN
EXTREMELY DEVASTATING WITH THE
SALTON SEA DYING, THE AIR
QUALITY IMPACTS, THE ECO HABITAT
IMPACTS. AND THAT'S WHERE THESE
TYPES OF LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS,
THE TYPE OF INVESTMENTS THAT THE
STATE HAS MADE OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS TOWARDS MITIGATING THOSE
IMPACTS, HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT THIS
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU'LL HEAR
MORE ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THAT
DIRECTION AGAIN, BECAUSE THE
STATE, MADE A COMMITMENT,
THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT. AND SO
THIS IS ONE WAY OF CONTINUING TO
, LIVE UP TO THAT, SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT BY ALSO HOLDING OUR
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS,
ACCOUNTABLE TO DOING THEIR PART.
AND SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS MATTER.
AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND DO
YOU DO ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS? COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS? OKAY. DO WE HAVE A
MOTION? AND WE HAVE A SECOND
FROM DAVIES. WITH THAT, WE'LL
TAKE A VOTE ROLL CALL. ITEM
NUMBER NINE AB 2610. MOTION IS
Dð PASS, AS AMENDED, WITH
URGENCY TO APPROPRIATIONS. PAPIN
I, PAPIN I ADDIS. ADDIS I
ALANIZ. ALVAREZ. BENNETT BONTA
I, BONTA I GALLAGHER. DAVIES
DAVIES I GARCIA. GARCIA I HART.
HART I THREE OF US. SCHIAVO
SCHIAVO I VILA. PADUA AND WEBER.
HI. WEBER, I THANK YOU. OKAY.
THANK YOU. WE'LL BE BACK. WE'LL
LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN.
SO, MEMBER GARCIA, WOULD YOU
WISH TO ADD ON IN A MOMENT? YOU
COME RIGHT BACK, OKAY? WE'LL BE
WAITING. WE'RE HERE ON TIME.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO START TO
ADD ON WITH THE FIRST ONE,
CONSENT CALENDAR, I THINK. YEAH
YOU WERE NOT HERE. OKAY GREAT.
ALL RIGHTY, GUYS, READY? YES.
OKAY. YES SO. I'LL START WITH
THAT. YEAH, YEAH, I THINK. OKAY.
CONSENT CALENDAR. ALANIS ALANIS
I ALVAREZ. GALLAGHER AND THREE
OF US. OH, DID I MISS. OH. I'M
SORRY. SORRY. CONSENT CALENDAR.
ALANIS ALANIS I ALVAREZ.
GALLAGHER DAVIES. OH, SORRY.
GALLAGHER I DAVIES. YEAH, YEAH,
DAVIES. DAVIES. I GARCIA. GARCIA
I THREE OF US. OKAY OKAY. OKAY,
OKAY. ITEM NUMBER THREE 2196
CONNOLLY. MOTION IS Dð PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. PAPIN I, PAPIN I
ADDIS. ADDIS I ALANIS I ALANIS I
ALVAREZ. BENNETT. BENNETT I
BONTA BONTA I GALLAGHER.
GALLAGHER. NOT VOTING DAVIES
DAVIES I GARCIA. GARCIA I HEART
HART I THREE OF US SCHIAVO.
SCHIAVO I VILA DE VILA I WEBER.
WEBER I THAT ONE'S OUT OKAY. AND
THEN ITEM NUMBER FOUR AB 2214
MOTION IS Dð PASS TO
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND TOXIC
MATERIALS. ALANIS ALANIS NØ
ALVAREZ. BENNETT BENNETT I
GALLAGHER 2214. NUMBER FOUR. THE
BEAVERS. NO. OKAY GALLAGHER. NO.
GALLAGHER. NO. GARCIA. GARCIA I
THREE OF US. VILLA. PHILLIPS I
OKAY. CONSENT. OKAY ITEM NUMBER
SIX AB 2285. MOTION IS DUE. PASS
AS AMENDED TO APPROPRIATIONS.
OWENS. ALANIS. YES. ALANIS I
ALVAREZ. BENNETT. BENNETT. I.
GALLAGHER. NOT GALLAGHER. NOT
VOTING. GARCIA GARCIA I SORRY.
OH I WILL NOTE THAT OKAY. THREE
OF US. PHILIP PHILIP I OKAY.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AB 2320, DO
PASS AS AMENDED TO NATURAL
RESOURCES. ALANIS, CONFIRMING
ERWIN 2320. YES, NO. ALANIS. NO.
ALVAREZ. BENNETT BENNETT. I.
GALLAGHER. NO. GALLAGHER. NO.
GARCIA GARCIA. I THREE OF US I
THREE OF US I VILLA. VILLA. I
OKAY. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AB 2450
AGUIAR-CURRY MOTION IS DUE. PASS
AS AMENDED TO APPROPRIATIONS.
ELANESE ALANIS I ALVAREZ.
GALLAGHER. GALLAGHER I DAVIES.
GARCIA Ó. DAVIES. I. GARCIA.
GARCIA I THREE OF US I THREE OF
US I OKAY. ITEM NUMBER NINE AB
2610. GARCIA, THAT'S YOUR MOTION
IS TO PASS, AS AMENDED, WITH
URGENCY TO APPROPRIATIONS.
ALANIS ALANIS I ALVAREZ.
BENNETT. BENNETT. I. GALLAGHER.
GALLAGHER I THREE OF US. THREE
OF US I VILLA. I. OKAY ITEM
NUMBER 11 AB 2722 FRIEDMAN.
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. OWENS, ALANIS NÓ
ALANIS NÓ. ALVAREZ. BENNETT.
BENNETT I GALLAGHER. VÀ
GALLAGHER. NØ GARCIA. GARCIA I
THREE OF US THREE OF US I VILLA.
DUA LIPA I OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 12
AB 2875 FRIEDMAN. MOTION IS DUE.
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS ÓRDENES
ALANIS. ALANIS I ALVAREZ.
GALLAGHER. GALLAGHER I GARCIA.
GARCIA I THREE OF US THREE OF US
I OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 14 AB 3060
AS MR. RENDON. MOTION IS DUE.
PASS TO NATURAL RESOURCES.
ALANIS ALANIS NOT VOTING.
ALVAREZ BENNETT. BENNETT I
GALLAGHER. NØ GALLAGHER. NØ.
GARCIA. GARCIA I THREE OF US.
THREE OF US I VILLA I OKAY. ITEM
NUMBER 15 AB 3162. BENNETT.
MOTION IS DUE. PASS TO
APPROPRIATIONS. OWENS, ALANIS.
ALANIS I ALVAREZ. GALLAGHER. NØ.
GALLAGHER. AL. GALLAGHER. NOT
VOTING. DAVIES. NO. DAVIES. NO.
GARCIA GARCIA I THREE OF US
RIVAS. I OKAY, THAT IS
EVERYTHING THAT WE'LL. YEAH OKAY
. YEAH GOOD. GLAD YOU OKAY. SO
OKAY. ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
ALVAREZ. GALLAGHER. I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE YOU AND THREE OF US
THREE OF US. I OKAY, LET'S GO
BACK HERE. OKAY. AND THEN ITEM
NUMBER THREE, 2196. CONNOLLY, DO
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS. THREE OF
US RIVAS. I AND I THINK WE NEED
YOU HERE, NUMBER FOUR, AB 2214
DO PASS TO ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
AND TOXIC MATERIALS. THREE OF
US. MISS RIVAS, I CONSENT, ITEM
NUMBER SIX, AB 2285. MOTION IS
DO PASS AS AMENDED TO
APPROPRIATIONS THREE OF US RIVAS
I AND WE'RE GOOD. THAT'S
EVERYTHING. 2285 I JUST WANTED
TO CHANGE THE STAIN TO I. ITEM
NUMBER SIX 2285 GALLAGHER I.
OKAY, PERFECT. YEP. THANK YOU.
YES. HE JUST SAID. YEAH. THANK
YOU. IF YOU COULD COME UP TO THE
OFF TO THE RACES? TO THE. ENJOY
THE REST OF THE
,
THANK YOU. WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN
ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ALVAREZ
Ã ALVAREZ I. THAT'S OUT 14
ZERO. OKAY. AND ITEM NUMBER
THREE, AB 2196. CONNOLLY DO PASS
TO APPROPRIATIONS. ALVAREZ.
ALVAREZ I THAT IS OUT, 13 ZERO.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR AB 2214.
ALVAREZ ALVAREZ I THAT IS OUT 12
TO 2. ITEM. OOPS ITEM NUMBER SIX
AB 2285. ALVAREZ Ã ALVAREZ I
THAT IS OUT. 13 ZERO. ITEM
NUMBER SEVEN AB 2320 ALVAREZ I
ALVAREZ I THAT IS OUT. 12 TO 2.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AB 2450.
ALVAREZ. ALVAREZ I THAT IS 14 TO
0. ITEM NUMBER NINE AB 2610
ALVAREZ. ALVAREZ I. THAT IS 14
TO 0. ITEM NUMBER 11 AB 2722
ALVAREZ I ALVAREZ I THAT IS OUT
11 TO 3. ITEM NUMBER 12 AB 2875
ALVAREZ. ALVAREZ I THAT IS OUT
14 TO 0. ITEM NUMBER 14 AB 3060.
ALVAREZ ALVAREZ I. THAT IS OUT
12 TO 1. ITEM NUMBER 15 AB 3162.
ALVAREZ ALVAREZ I THAT IS OUT 12
TO 1. AND THAT IS IT. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. I OH MY GOSH. CAN
MAKE USE OF THE TIME
.
CORRECTION. ITEM NUMBER SIX AB
2285. FINAL VOTE IS 14 ZERO.
GREAT WITH THAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. WE'LL BE ADJOURNED