After great consideration, Audubon California has decided to support the five water policy bills that will be heard today in the California legislature. As you may know, we’ve not only been following the progress of water policy in this year’s legislative session closely, but strongly advocating for the needs of birds and habitat (see attached policy statement that was sent to key legislators during the debate). We now feel that, if passed in their current form, these five bills will result in the most environmentally sound and economically responsible approach to the state’s complex and worsening water crisis that the state has ever had.

These bills do the following:

• Include specific protections and guarantees for migratory bird habitat in the Bay-Delta, including a “no net loss” provision stipulating that any unavoidable changes to critical habitat will be mitigated in the Delta or nearby.
• Elevate ecosystem conservation to a co-equal goal with water supply management in future planning for the Delta—far better than what has historically been the case.
• Require greater reliance on local water supplies, putting less demand on the dwindling water supplies in the Delta.
• Mandate comprehensive urban water conservation targets.
• Prevent the most harmful potential results of inaction on water issues. In particular, the package puts into play a much higher level of environmental review, mitigation, and environmental performance standards into any discussion or effort to change the way water is diverted from the Delta.

While not perfect, this is a good plan, not just for birds, but for California. If you’ve been following this issue, you know that the debate on water has been fast-moving and influenced by a multitude of interests ranging from conservation to agriculture to business to recreation. Although we certainly would prefer even stronger protections for the environment, we and our partners in conservation agree that these five bills represent the best solution we’ve seen in the last 30 years.

Groups that are joining Audubon California in support of these bills include The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Defense Counsel, Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Bay Institute, among others.

As of this hour it is highly uncertain whether the package will be approved and ultimately signed by the Governor. There are powerful forces that are opposing this package because it is too strong for conservation and they are working hard to kill it. More will be known later today but we wanted to let you know now from us what we’ve decided to do and why.

We appreciate your attention to these issues, and welcome your input as we continue to find ways to make California a better place for birds. Feel free to give us a call or email if you have any questions or comments.