In a year where conservation policy victories have been few and far between, we’re glad to report some good news. Last night, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 51 into law. The bill establishes the Salton Sea Restoration Council as the governance authority for the Salton Sea Ecosystem Restoration Program. Why is this such a big deal? Well, the Salton Sea is one of California’s most important places for birds, hosting more than 400 species, at least 19 sensitive species including Brown Pelican, Least Bittern, White-faces Ibis, Wood Stork, Clapper Rail, Long-billed Curlew, and many others. The lake is also critical to keeping down hazardous dust pollution. The conservation issues around the lake have been many – and getting this council in place is an important first step in fixing a problem that has been on the back burner for way too long. Audubon and Audubon California have been involved in the restoration of the Salton Sea for some time, and we'll keep pushing for solutions such as SB 51.