Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Water

The Senate natural resources and water committee will come to order. Good morning. If all members of the committee can come to Room 2100, so we can establish a quorum for our hearing. We had seven bills on today's agenda. File item number three, SB1085 but Durazo has been pulled from this hearing.

Three bills are proposed for consent. Bills will be heard in file order. Welcome. Let's let's hear from our first author. Welcome, Senator Kabayari.

You may present your bill SB 1108.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Good morning, Members. I'm pleased to present SB1108 which establishes the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy, GEAC, within the California natural resources agency to protect, conserve, and restore the resources of the grasslands ecological area and nearby

wildlife corridors. I've talked about the largest wetlands West of The Mississippi, and that's what we're talking about. The existing grasslands ecological area located on the West Side of Merced County.

And for those of you that travel up I5, that's where Anderson pea soup, is located. People kind of had that identified in their mind. It's the largest remaining wetland, grassland, and working land complex West of The Mississippi and is of statewide and international significance for the conservation of wildlife habitat,

biological diversity, and ecological processes. The area provides critical habitat for numerous migratory bird species that depend on the managed wetlands for the Pacific Flyway migration, and it connects to a key remaining wildlife corridor that provides a route for wildlife to travel between the Sierra Nevada Foothills

and the coast range. It provides essential local opportunities for wildlife education and recreation, and there are centers there that are are really fantastic and, duck hunting.

Yet the wetlands and associated grasslands habitats of California Central Valley have been substantially reduced and fragmented due to historical land conversion and urban development. This threatens harm to migratory birds, bird population and evaporates the substantial community benefits that the

wetlands provide both locally and statewide. The ecological health and sustainability of the area will depend on increased resources and coordinated land, water, and conservation management efforts among public entities, NGO, and private landowners in order to remain healthy.

The proposed grassland ecological area con conservancy will strategically channel resources into the region governed by a board of local leaders. It will serve as a tool for generating voluntary state conservation easements to protect land in the area and complement more geographically limited federal easements.

Furthermore, it is estimated that at least 60,000 acres of irrigated farmland must be taken out of production within the per proposed conservancy boundaries to achieve groundwater sustainability over the next ten years. Through voluntary conservation easements with willing landowners,

the conservancy can provide alternatives to land following. Conservancy programs will be incentive based and voluntary and exclude eminent domain authority.

By providing a coordinated framework for channeling resources, the conservancy created by SB 1108 will serve as a valuable tool tool for conserving and restoring the area's critical wetlands and nearby wildlife quarters and support the economic and and environmental resilience of the Central Valley.

And I know, Mr. Chair, you're very familiar with the region because you spent a lot of time around UC Merced and in the Merced area.

So appreciate your all your commitment to Merced County. It's impressive. And with that, I would respectfully ask for your Aye vote. With me today is Ric Ortega from the Grasslands Water District and Mike Glines from the California Audubon Society.

Okay. Thank you for that and you both have, two minutes.

Hello. Good morning, Mr. Chair, Members of the committee. My name is Rick Ortega. I'm the General Manager of the Grass and Water District, the sponsor of SB 1108.

SB 1108 would establish the Grass and Ecological Area Conservancy under California Natural Resource Agency and would rig coordination to an area of the San Joaquin Valley that lacks comprehensive land and water protection framework.

The proposed conservancy includes land within the boundaries of five different groundwater sustainability agencies, eight water and irrigation districts, two resource conservation districts, and a large amount of non districted land without surface water. There are two state wildlife area complexes consisting of six units.

One state park and six units of the National Wildlife Refuge System. No single entity has the jurisdiction, authority, or resources to develop and implement a broad strategy for wildlife connectivity, agricultural land retirement enhancements on working lands or public recreation.

A conservancy is also very timely to achieve these state goals. As the Senator mentioned, it's estimated that at least 60,000 acres of land just within this area will be taken out of production within the conserved area boundaries to achieve groundwater sustainability over the next ten years.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Caltrans, Merced Subbasin, Groundwater Sustainability Agency, and the multi benefit land repurposing program have all identified the proposed conservancy area as a key remaining quarter that that links, the Sierra Nevada Foothill to the coast range through this, this ecosystem.

A conservancy will help accomplish the anticipated land use transition in an ecologically beneficial way while providing economic incentives, restoration projects, and habitat and wildlife beneficial agricultural easements bringing more stability and opportunity to the wetlands, ranches, and farms in this area

that face dramatic land use conversion over the course of the next decade. Thank you for your time.

Good morning. I'm Mike Lynes. I'm the Policy Director for Audubon California, the state office of the National Audubon Society. We work to conserve birds and their habitats and create more access to nature for everyone. I'm here today to express our support and thanks for SB 1108.

The Grasslands Ecological Area and surrounding areas are essential parts of the Pacific Flyway, one of North America's most important migratory routes for birds. Since the nineteen seventies, we've lost more than 3 billion birds in North America, one third of our total populations.

In the century preceding that, we we've lost even more. California once was was home to 35 to 40 million waterfowl every year. Now it is closer to six to 8 million ducks and Geese that are able to use the habitats that remain. Many of our shorebird populations are less than 5% of what they were historically.

To conserve the species that we have left at numbers that will be sustainable, California needs to manage valuable habitats in places like the grasslands and the surrounding areas and to work collaboratively with landowners. Creating the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy is an idea long past due.

The Grasslands Ecological Area is already home to approximately 200 species of birds each year and provides essential habitat in the valley, as both Rick and the Senator have mentioned. And in that valley, we've lost 95% of our wetland habitats and our riparian areas, the most biodiverse of the terrestrial habitats in the state.

A conservancy will allow stakeholders to build on and scale up successes we've already seen in the area. The Conservancy will improve conservation outcomes, expand public access and recreation opportunities where appropriate, and benefit local economies.

It will also lead to more cost effective conservation efforts, which are more important now than ever, and have real buy in from local residents, creating more durable conservation benefits for birds and communities. Thank you, and I respectfully ask for your Aye vote.

Thank you both for those kind of eye opening statistics, and appreciate that. We will now take, other witnesses here in support.

Good morning. Kim Delfino in support on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife.

Good morning. Mark Smith in support on behalf of the California Waterfowl Association.

Chris White with San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors. We've recently taken a position of support, and we will with a letter to follow. Thank you.

Good morning. Megan Cleveland with the Nature Conservancy and Support.

Okay. We'll now turn to opposition witnesses. Do we have any opposition witnesses in the room? I see none. Do we have any opposition?

Me too or comments? No. Okay. With that, we'll turn it back over to the committee. Senator Laird.

Thank you. Let me thank the author for for bringing the bill forward and as is my want and I apologize in advance to the committee staff. There's three bills that were not mentioned in the analysis that are on point.

And the Sierra Conservancy bill in 2004 set up a framework and it was a very significant framework because for the board membership on the idea that a majority would be state appointees and not a majority would be the local appointees.

And then that was mirrored in the Delta Conservancy bill which was sometime around February 2010. And then it was mirrored a third time in Senator Padilla's attempt to to do a Salton Sea Conservancy.

And in reading the analysis this bill is consistent with that which I think has always been an important thing for the state and the administration and and for your amusement in the Sierra Conservancy bill I was forced to take an amendment I didn't want to take which put the resources secretary

on the board and then I had no idea that put me on the board for eight years later in my career. So it turned out to be a good amendment after all. I think that this also as the testimony indicated is a special area and a special land and if you've had a chance to see, and I think it's a national monument,

the grasslands that is in South Central South Dakota. It is amazing in a similar way both in water right by the Mississippi River, but the wind just takes the grasses in ways that is breathtakingly beautiful.

And so I think this is the right thing to do, and I don't know if you'll have to work out some things as it moves along, but it seems to be starting in the right place. So at the point at which we have a quorum, I will happily move this bill.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Laird, for that context and history and and for that statement. With that, would you like to close?

Well, thank you very much, Senator, for for your comments. This is a special place. And for most of the state not to realize it's even there is a it's a big shame. The reintroduction of elk into the region has, really added to the biodiversity of the region, and there's nothing greater than driving along

Pacheco Pass and seeing them their how majestic they look off, you know, within you feel like touching range. This is really, I think, an important addition to our conservancy statewide.

It's somewhat unusual to have conservancies away from the coastal area, and this is one of those that makes a lot of sense. So when the time comes, mister Chair, I respectfully ask for your Aye vote.

Well, thank you. It is a special place. Appreciate this bill. I will be supporting it at the appropriate time. I believe this will provide a cohesive state level coordination to promote sustainable water management and secure important wildlife corridors and also boost tourism in the area.

Okay. We will wait and and vote on it later, but thank you for being here.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Doctor Choi, you have SB 1021. And, yeah, if you're ready to present, let's go ahead.

Good morning, Chair and the Members. I would like to, stop by, accepting the committee's amendments. I'm pleased to present the Senate Bill 1021 which establishes a narrowly tailored program through the California Fish and Game Commission to expand access to hunting and fishing opportunities for youth

facing life threatening illnesses. As is the core, SB 1021 provides meaningful outdoor experiences to young people and the families navigating extraordinary ordinary difficult times life experiences. For many of these families, time is uncertain.

This bill offers an opportunity to create lasting memories through safe, structured engagement with California's natural resources. SB 1021 also leverages partnerships with nonprofit organizations and experienced outdoor leaders to ensure these opportunities are delivered the response

deliver the responsibly ethically and with the strong emphasis on conservation and mentorship. All activities will be conducted in accordance with the science based con conservation principles under the oversight of the Fish and Game Commission and with the appropriate supervision and permitting.

Allowing youth to practice in fishing and hunting under proper guidance provides children with him more than just it is more than just a lesson. They gain valuable perspective.

For many youth, their first hunt hunt becomes a defining moment. It connects them the natural world in a way that a few modern experiences can. It also transforms abstract ideas about the conservation and responsibility into something that is real and personal.

Members, this is a measured approach that balances compassion with the stewardship while maintaining the integrity of our our wildlife management system. It is also very time sensitive.

Joining with me today is Mr. Tom Dermody, with the bill's sponsor, Field of Dreams. Also joining me is Mr. Rick Travis representing a Coalition of Anglers, hunters, and conservationists. Gentlemen, thank you very much and whenever you are ready.

Thank you, Dr. Troy. Yes. You each have two minutes.

Thank you for having me to this morning. My name is Tom Dermody. I'm the Founder and CEO of the Field of Dreams, which is a nonprofit based here in Northern California. Our mission statement is to provide outdoor opportunities for special needs children, children of our fallen, and terminally ill children.

Through the years of doing this, we've always struggled with being able to provide these opportunities in California because of all the regulations.

So we've had to go spend a phenomenal amount of money and take them to neighboring states that have such programs. You know, my goal today is to hopefully get something together with your Department of Fish and Wildlife, get a strong relationship where we can provide these opportunities for these

for these families. You know, we we love our outdoors. We respect our wildlife. We wanna make sure that these children are introduced in a positive way.

We wanna make sure that the, you know, the wildlife are respected in a positive manner and most of all make it educational. But, you know, most of all, it's a hunt of a lifetime. And, you know, through the years, I've dealt with a lot of terminally ill children. A lot of them are not here anymore.

But at least I know that in my mind and and with the crew that I have that we were able to provide a very positive experience for that, not just the terminally of children, but but the whole family.

We've done a lot of great things. We have a lot of local land owners that are on board with this. We're just asking for the blessing for you guys to take a look at this with an open mind and get this thing passed through. Thank you.

Good morning, Chair Becker and Members of the committee. My name is Rick Travis on behalf of the Angling Hunting and Conservation Coalition. We strongly support SB 1021 as amended. This compassionate measure directs the fishing game commission to create a targeted program giving resident youth

hunters 18 with physician certified life threatening illnesses defined as conditions that may end life within five years, the chance to fish and hunt big game, wild pigs, upland game, and migratory game birds. We wholeheartedly endorse the excellent suggested amendments.

They impose a firm January 1, 2028 deadline for program development through a transparent public process. They keep full hunter education requirements in place, require the department to factor program tag allocations into, public lottery or auction numbers, authorize special hunts, add wild pigs to eligible species,

provide clear definitions, and mandate a comprehensive 2032 legislative report on participation, cost, revenues, improvements, and include a five year sunset for oversight. These guardrails ensure sustainability, accountability, and responsible implementation.

On a personal note, having been fighting my, cancer in my own family and having worked with kids fighting different types of life threatening illnesses with City of Hope, I've got to see firsthand how when we're able to get a child out on a fishing trip with some of our partners from Captain Rollo's and California Coastal

Association or out for a pheasant hunt, how this has been the only respite in a three to four year battle. It doesn't just affect the child that's going through. It affects the family. It affects the siblings. It affects that larger group of people, including the Health Care Workers that come out on this. California has the

most precious resources, I would argue, on the planet, and I've got to travel. It is a shame that we're not able to do what we're able to do in many other states by providing a program like this, and that's why we strongly encourage them.

I vote. I know there's some people that say, why would you have kids do this? But this is one of the best examples I can show of backing the commissions both consumptive and non consumptive use of our fishing and wildlife heritage. And we urge you for an Aye vote.

Thank you, both. We will now take other witnesses in support. We will now take other witnesses in support. See none. Do we have any witnesses in opposition here today?

No. No opposition. Me too. Or comments? Okay.

We'll take it back to the committee. I'm I'm here right now representing the committee. And I appreciate the work that you've done, doctor Choi, with the committee staff and, your passion about this. And I will be supporting this, when it when it, comes time to vote. But for now, would you like to close?

Thank you, chair. I appreciate, everyone's, thoughtful discussions and the presentations, as a witness. As a its core, SB 1021 is, a bipartisan bill, about providing hope and meaningful experiences for young people and the families during the time of the most difficult moments of their lives. I respectively ask everyone's Aye vote.

Thank you very much. Well, thank you, Dr. Choi. We are a subcommittee right now. We will be taking a vote at the appropriate time. Thank you both.

Thank you. That's fine.

Thank you.

We're gonna take a brief recess. We have a number of committees going at the same time, so we're gonna wait for a couple more Members for our two final bills.

And, we have SB 949.

Thank you.

Is that correct?

Yes.

Okay. Good. Sorry, I just got here. Yeah. So anyway, you may, you may present your bill, sir.

Thank you. As you mentioned, 949, this would declare the Santa Cruz Mountains a landscape of statewide significance. Let me begin by accepting the proposed amendment on page four of the analysis, change the word landscape to resource.

The Santa Cruz Mountains hold significant ecological value as a vital hot spot for biodiversity along California's Central Coast, including San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties.

In addition to being a hotspot for biologically unique species of plants and animals, the region plays a critical role in sustaining ecological processes that support the broader landscape through carbon capture, stabilization of soils, and filtering water that feeds in some of the most critical watersheds in the state.

There are currently no statewide policies that formally recognize the distinctiveness of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This gap leaves the region vulnerable to uncoordinated management and conservation outcomes. SB 949 would provide the Santa Cruz Mountains regions with the

necessary designation of a unique conservation area that requires special protection. The bill defines protection as actions necessary to prevent harm or damages to persons, property, or natural, cultural, and historic resources, improve access to public open spaces areas, and actions to allow the continued use

and enjoyment of property and its natural, cultural, and historic resources. By enshrining the Santa Cruz Mountains in statute as a resource of statewide significance, the natural resources agency and its boards, departments, and conservancies will be better equipped to protect, restore, and preserve the region's natural ecosystems.

I wanna make a couple of final points. 949 calls out the importance of supporting working lands for grazing and managed timberlands requiring a collaborative approach that respects private property rights while enhancing the stewardship of both public agencies and private landowners.

And second, the bill recognizes the Santa Cruz Mountains are the ancestral homelands of indigenous peoples and the importance of their traditional ecological knowledge and ongoing cultural connection to these lands.

Here today to testify in support of the bill, Anna Marie Ruiz, the General Manager of the Mid Peninsula Open Space District, and Sarah Barth, Executive Director of the Sempravirans Fund.

Thank you for being here this morning and, if you can each take two minutes. Appreciate that. Go ahead and

Good morning.

Whenever you're ready. Yes.

Good morning, Chair and Members of the committee. I am Ana Ruiz, General Manager of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and we are a proud cosponsor of SB 949. In the midst of the second largest metropolitan area of California within the San Francisco Bay Peninsula lies the Santa Cruz Mountains.

A critical global biodiversity hotspot, home to over 350 species, rare species, like the San Francisco garter snake and the Santa Cruz black salamander, along with many, many other plants and wildlife species. This range serves as a vital wildlife corridor and provides essential ecosystem services.

For over fifty years, MidPen has worked to protect and conserve these open space open space lands along with a host of partners. We understand that the mountain range faces increasing pressure from climate change, habitat fragmentation, and over a century of mixed levels of land management.

SB 949 helps to address these challenges by formally designating the Santa Cruz Mountains as a resource of statewide significance.

This designation directs the natural resources agency to prioritize the region's protection and restoration while fostering a collaborative approach to land management and stewardship. Our vision for this bill recognizes the vital mosaic of the landscape.

SB 949 also promotes public access through trail development and ensures the sustainability of working timberlands, farmlands, and ranches. Additionally, it fosters collaboration with local tribes on ancestral land stewardship and encourages voluntary conservation on private lands through

technical assistance and incentive programs and public private coalitions. SB 949 provides the framework necessary to coordinate conservation across county lines and diverse ownerships. I respectfully ask for your Aye vote to protect this essential California resource.

Next speaker.

Thank you, Chair and Members of the committee. I'm Sarah Barth, executive director of Sempervirens Fund, a non profit conservation organization that has worked for a 125 years to help protect the redwood forests and associated habitats of the Santa Cruz Mountains,

and we are extremely proud to cosponsor SB 949. The Santa Cruz Mountains represent one of California's unrecognized but distinct and very special coastal mountain systems.

In addition to being a biological hotspot, the region is also home to forests and coast redwoods that regulate local climate conditions through carbon capture. They stabilize soils and filter water that feeds into some of the most critical watersheds in the state, delivering clean drinking water to hundreds of

thousands of Californians across Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz Counties.

The mountains also provide recreation and public health benefits to nearby urban populations and stand as one of the last remaining large natural landscapes near Silicon Valley. SB 949 establishes a unifying framework that encourages local partners, landowners, and state agencies to

align their actions around shared landscape scale goals. This kind of coordination is essential if we're going to improve wildfire resilience, protect water resources, and maintain habitat connectivity over the long term in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

And that sort of alignment has become ever more apparent following the CZU wildfire that hit the Santa Cruz Mountains and tore through a tremendous amount of the landscape, reminding us just how vulnerable these forest lands are to climate change.

The bill also supports existing statewide priorities, including 30 by 30 climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and wildlife corridor preservation. Importantly, this bill does not place the Santa Cruz Mountains above other regions.

It simply aligns the range within the existing framework already in place across California. Sempervirens Fund has always known that the Santa Cruz Mountains were a special place deserving of recognition, and this bill helps the Secretary of Natural Resources recognize it as such. I respectfully ask for your Aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you very much. And, both of you did it in two minutes. That's awesome. Thank you. So, at this time, we'll take the #MeToo's.

Anybody who would like to, express support for the bill can come up to the microphone, state your name, the organization you're with, and also your support for the bill at this time.

Thank you. Good morning. Kim Delfino. I'm here on behalf of Greenfoot Hills in support of the bill. Thank you.

Good morning. Megan Cleveland with The Nature Conservancy in support.

Hi. Good morning. Tasha Newman, on behalf of Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and Peninsula Open Space Trust in support.

Good morning. Jake Schultz on behalf of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County in support. Thank you.

Good morning. Josh Garner on behalf of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in support.

Great. And we're gonna take a real quick break to establish a quorum now that the, Senator from Santa Cruz is here to hopefully support his bill. Santa Cruz Mountains. Santa Santa Cruz Mountains. That's right. So go ahead and call roll.

Thank you. Senators Becker? [Roll Call]

Alright. It looks like we have a quorum. So, at this time, we'll take, opposition. Are there any primary witnesses in opposition to this bill? I didn't suspect there would be.

Anybody would like to come up to the mic and offer their opposition? Short form? No? Okay. We'll bring it back to the dias.

Do you have any questions, comments? Yes, sir. Go ahead.

I would just thank the author for for bringing this bill. The Santa Cruz Mountains are a special area of ecological significance. If there's anybody that has not hiked or been in the Santa Cruz Mountains, you have really missed something, you should do that.

And this will extend that recognition and it's been particularly pronounced since the CCU fire just because for those of you that had ever been to Big Basin Park, the first real state park that we have had, it was 97% burnt over in that fire.

For some of us, we will never live to see it the way we knew it for decades and decades and it just makes the case for this bill. So I would move the bill.

Any other comments, questions? My comment is, you're talking about one of the areas in California that is just gorgeous and has a lot of great purpose as open space. But there's also some ranches and things like that. And I understand some of those conversations are still to be had about how

this melds in with them and the definitions of various parts of this. My intention today is to to to lay off till we get those answers, because I wanna make sure everybody gets the table. From a fire perspective, it is really important to, have a thorough understanding of who's

responsible for what when we have a conservancy and because that could be a precursor to later on down the road overgrowth and mismanagement or non management.

Yeah. Well, thank you for those comments. First, we are working with the private landowners as as you mentioned, so we'll continue that. And I thank the Senator from Santa Cruz for his words. Listen, designating this as a resource of statewide significance, which what it would do,

we believe advances state policy moves us closer to 30 by 30 and protects a will help us protect a really beautiful region respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Alright. This is a due pass as amended to appropriations. Go ahead and call roll.

[Roll Call]

Okay. That is 30 and it'll remain on call until the other members arrive. Thank you.

Let's take up the consent file.

I moved to consent.

With three bills on consent. These are filing five SB 899 by Grove. File six SB 893 by Seyarto. And filing eight sb 973 by Becker. Senator Laird has made the motion.

Can you please call the roll?

[Roll Call]

Okay. That is 4, 0. We will leave those on call.

While you're at it, I would move item number one.

Yes. Excellent. Let's do that. Senator moves item number one SB1108 by Caballero. Please call the roll.

Senators Becker.

Aye. Oh, sorry. The motion is due passed to appropriations. Thank you.

[Roll Call] 4 to 0.

Okay. That is also 4 to 0. We will leave that I would move on. That open. We have a motion to move item number two, SB 1021, do pass as amended to appropriations.

Please call the roll.

Senators Becker.

This is on file item two, vote on file item two, due pass amended appropriations, Aye.

[Roll Call]

Okay. That is 5 to 2. We'll leave it open. We have one remaining item, SJR 12 by Senator Laird. Okay.

Chair?

Yeah.

And Members of the committee, Senate joint Resolution 12 is a measure opposing the Federal Government's proposed Eleventh National outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program. It calls for the removal of California from the proposed plan, stronger environmental review, and the opportunity for public engagement.

This has nearly 50 co authors. It it is bipartisan. There are co authors from both parties. Under the plan proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management or or BOEM, 34 permits would be issued for offshore lease sales across 1.27 billion acres of federal waters including six new potential lease sites off of California.

These areas have not seen any newly executed offshore oil and gas leases since the Reagan administration due to the long standing efforts by state and local leaders to protect our coast. We did experience a spill in 2015 off the coast of Santa Barbara that saw a 140,000 gallons of crude oil spilled at the

Refugio oil spill. It is there have been spills and obviously the previous major one was in 1969, but it gave us a clear picture of the impact of of such actions. The scope of this proposal is unprecedented and it diverges greatly from the prior federal policy.

The final leasing program that was adopted by the Biden administration the final leasing program that was adopted by the Biden administration refrain from proposing any California leases and issued a memorandum removing all California areas from future offshore oil and gas planning.

The development of offshore oil operations and increase for fossil fuel emissions acts against our efforts to do exactly the same. And it's important to note that this battle has been going on for fifty years.

And as we will likely hear from one witness who we worked together in the nineteen eighties. And in the 1980s, when I was in local government, our local government adopted a ballot measure with over 80% of the vote to oppose the then proposed oil drilling, but also say that you could not

have a zoning change for onshore support facilities without a vote of the people. And the Santa Cruz ballot measure also authorized city money to educate other cities and counties on what they might do if they wanted to do the same thing.

When that ballot measure passed, we on the city council hired Save Our Shores, and a witness you'll hear from in a moment, Dan Hafeli, was the executive director of Save Our Shores at the time. And that led to the 26 cities and counties that adopted this.

And the only one of those that still doesn't survive is the one in Santa Barbara because it had a twenty five year limit. And so there are still a few counties in Southern California that don't have this, but this is what has been known as the blue wall because those ordinances are still in effect.

And they were very important because it wasn't an absolute ban. It actually recognized one of the few constitutional powers delegated to cities and counties, which is that of zoning. And there was actually a lawsuit after 13 of these in federal court, and the federal court upheld these ordinances.

It was beaten. And what's important is it it basically says you have to trust the people, that there might be elected officials that wish to, support leasing, but everybody knows the people don't. And so if you reserve the right to the people, then they have the appropriate say in this.

And so, and at the time, when we were doing this in the 80s, we basically said that just an increase in fuel efficiency in cars of one mile per gallon would more than offset what would be provided by any offshore oil leasing.

And as a result, we have done that many times over since the mid 1980s and we have in many ways removed the the need for this. And in the last little bit, this has been tied to the war in Iran as if, hey, we'll have more energy security if we do this.

Well, if this were successful and this resolution and it's almost 50 co authors in the legislature do not want it to be successful. If it were to be successful, it would take years and years to accomplish. The Iranian war would be ancient history by the time that happened.

And by the time that happened, we will be much more successful in adding millions of more electric vehicles in The United States, lowering the demand for this.

So it is a phony argument to say that the Iran war justifies oil drilling off the California coast. And this is really necessary to protect our marine environment, our visitor serving industry. And I think one of the little known statistics that we talked about in the 1980s was the oil rigs at that time.

A single oil rig, the the air emissions from it off the coast would be the equivalent of those created by 30,000 cars driving in California in a year.

And and that is a little known impact in addition to just being in the sea lanes causing the possibility of spills and actually countering our very own direction and national leadership against climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

So here today to testify and support is Dan Hafeli, who I mentioned earlier. He is also in his long checkered career is a former Senate staffer. I don't know if that recommends him. It probably should. And also, Ashley Blackow on behalf of Oceana at the appropriate time, I would respectfully request an iPhone.

Excellent. Thank you. Yeah. Please go ahead. You each have two minutes.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair and Members, for your consideration of SJR 12. As Senator Laird mentioned, the California coastline is probably the most majestic in the world. It hosts the California and Davidson Currents, which feed a vast array of wildlife. And as Senator Laird mentioned, in 1969,

Yeah.

a disastrous oil spill from Union Oil's Platform A off Santa Barbara sent 4 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, killed wildlife, choked habitats, and hammered the tourism and fishing industry for many months.

One of the first environmental disasters that really was broadcast nationwide and really propelled the conservation movement. Couple of things that happened as a result of that. One is the passage of Proposition 20 in 1972 by 55% of California voters, California Coastal Act and Public Access.

And also a raft of laws were passed by Congress including the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Five separate times, in California areas have been designated as national marine sanctuaries.

That includes the Channel Islands off Southern California, Chumash Heritage off Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, Monterey Bay from the Marin Headlands to Cambria and San Luis Obispo County, Greater Farallones from Marin County to Point Arena and Cordell Bank to the west of Greater

Farallones covering 16,668 square miles totally. And as Senator Laird mentioned when he was on the Santa Cruz City Council, we did initiate an effort to work with local governments up and down the state.

There are now 27 of these local ordinances, 26 back when we were doing this work and then Marin County came in in 2020 during the first Trump administration. And these laws did pass legal tests. And eventually San Luis Obispo County did put up an onshore facility to the voters who rejected it.

The oil industry then referred this to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. So the ordinances do stand today. And these ordinances give local governments the ability to deal with the impacts of offshore oil, give them leverage. And many of these were passed by voters overwhelmingly.

So as, Senator mentioned, the Trump administration has proposed leasing off California. There'd be six oil lease sales beginning in 2027. There was a public comment period on this program where 308,000 people went online and offered public comments. Instead of reading many of those 308,000 public comments,

the Trump administration one day later went ahead and asked the oil industry to begin nominating areas for offshore oil development. So it's very clear that the administration is serious about this. I think that's why this bill is so important to express the legislature's strong opposition to this federal program.

So therefore, I would respectfully request your Aye vote on this bill. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Good morning, Chair Becker, committee members. My name is Ashley Blacow-Draeger, and I'm the Field Campaign Manager for Oceana, the largest nonprofit organization dedicated solely to protecting the world's oceans.

Waters off California are a globally significant epicenter of biodiversity, and they drive our coastal economies and are critically important to the people of California.

More than 45 environmental protection organizations joined by over 8,000 West Coast businesses, including local California chambers of commerce, oppose expanded offshore oil and gas drilling because of the risks that it poses to California's iconic coast and ocean.

National security experts say that offshore oil and gas development and the associated spills could impede our military's ability to conduct critical trainings and testings and could compromise our military readiness efforts.

All of this is at risk from the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's draft drilling plan. The federal government did not hold even a single public hearing. That's why more than a thousand California residents from across across coastal counties in the state

held their own people's hearings joined by local and state representatives and leaders, California congressional delegates, tribal representatives, fishermen, and businesses to turn out to oppose this plan.

The federal drilling plan also lacks efficient environmental review and the opportunity for the public to provide thorough comments on the environmental implications. The agency has rushed this process to expedite federal approvals for new drilling leases.

We're grateful for governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta's, support to defend the California coast from expanded offshore oil and gas drilling, and we are pleased by the 47 bipartisan members of the legislature who are co authors on this important resolution to

maintain California's support for protecting our coast and opposing its inclusion in the draft drilling plan.

In recognition of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which occurred on this day thirty seven years ago and for which the impacts are still being felt, I respectfully urge your Aye vote on SJR 12. Thank you.

Thank you very much. We'll now take any witnesses in support. You know, me too. Comments from people.

Good morning, Mr. Chair and Members. Jennifer Fearing here today in support of SJR 12 on behalf of Surfrider Foundation. Also asked to convey the support for the Environmental Defense Center, Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, Save the Bay, and the Center for Environmental Health. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning. Kim Delfino here in support on the behalf of California Coastal Protection Network and Defenders of Wildlife.

Sarah Barth here with Sempervirens to express support.

Good morning. Christina Scrinch with the Center for Biological Diversity and strong support.

Good morning. Thomas Alai with Assul in support.

Good morning. Melissa Sparks Kranz with the League of California Cities in support of SJR12 and just really appreciate the, comments from the Senator about the local ordinances and local onshore, regulation. Thank you.

Okay. We will now turn to witnesses in opposition. Do we have any opposition witnesses, here today? Seeing none, if anyone else would like to come to the mic and express short form opposition? Seeing none, we'll take it back to the committee.

Any comments? Or Senator Allen.

Just appreciate the author bringing this forward. We're all very concerned about this and, happy to move the bill.

Okay. Would you like to close?

Let me thank everybody that commented and thank witnesses that had to make the round trip I make every week for a brief time to testify here. That is very significant and is appreciated.

And the last comment I would make is the representative from Oceana commented on public meetings and because there was the the public process was limited with how this was done, I know that when we had the very first one with a few 100 people on the Santa Cruz Wharf,

I said, this is the start of the public process to which everybody cheered. And it was a huge turnout. And then it was it was matched in Monterey where it was a huge turnout of hundreds of people. And I think the people on the coast are awake to this issue and

they understand it and they've been fighting it for a long time. It's very important that we adopt this resolution and I think it is significant that it does have co authors from both parties. I would respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

Santa Barbara oil spill expressing opposition to offshore federal oil and gas leasing. You know, we know that it's not only a harm from these bills to the environment, but also tremendous economic harm to our state's coastal economy.

Well, thank you, Senator. I'm a proud co author as well of this resolution and I appreciate again both the history and then us stepping forward again. I mean, this is the latest of many legislative resolutions, often unanimous resolutions since the 1969

And the best path forward as you alluded to is really to continue to decarbonize our energy supply and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

This is an excellent time to buy an EV if you don't have one given what's happening in the world, but really view this as a the the expanding oil production, is a false solution to the current oil supply disruption and and prices at the pump.

With that, we'll move to a vote. We have a motion from Senator Allen. It is the motion is to be adopted. And please call the roll.

Thank you. [Roll Call]

That is 4 to 0. We will leave it on call. We'll open the roll on on all items right now. Starting with file item one, Caballero. The motion is due past due appropriations.

Please call the roll.

The file item one, the mash SB1108 Caballero. Motion is due past due appropriations. Current vote is 4 to 0. [Roll Call]

5 to 0. 5 to 0. File item two, still on call. File item two, by Choi, due passes amendments to appropriations. Please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Oh, sure. Okay. You're on that one. That one was already 5 to 0 . How about seven?

Sorry. Problem two was the amendment was taken?

Yes.

Yes. Yes. You would already vote.

File item two. You just voted.

Okay. Got it. Got it.

Yeah. As you're walking in. Yeah. File item seven.

File item seven, by Becker. Due passes made into appropriations. Please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

And the consent so that's those remain open at 4 to 0. And the consent calendar, let's please call the absent Members on the consent calendar file names 5, 6 and eight.

[Roll Call] Five to zero.

That is 5 to 0. We will keep the roll open. Okay. Wait. Thank you.

So we will keep the roll open waiting for some absent Members.

We're gonna announce a brief recess while we wait for other members. We're going to open the roll on all items. We'll start with file item one, s b 11 o eight by Caballero. The motion is due past appropriations. Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

That is six to zero. We'll keep the roll open. File in two, sb 1021 by Choi do passse as amended to appropriations. Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

Six to zero. Now, we'll turn to file item four. This is SJR 12 by Laird. The motion is to is to be adopted.

[Roll Call]

That is five to zero. Next, we'll have file 7sb 949 by Becker. Do you pass as amended to appropriations? Who's called the absent?

[Roll Call]

Five to zero. And then finally, the consent calendar. This is items 56 and eight. Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

6 to 0. We'll keep it all open. We will reconvene in ten seconds. Okay. We are back in session, and we are gonna open the roll on all items starting with file item one, sb 1108 by Caballero. The motion is do passed to appropriations. Please call the absent member.

[Roll Call]

Seven to zero. That bill is out. Filing two, SB 1021 by Choi, do passes amended to appropriations. Please call the absent member.

[Roll Call]

Seven to zero. That bill is out. We'll move on to file item four, SJR 12 by Laird. The motion is to be adopted. Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

Five to one. That resolution is out. And now, we'll move on to file seven, SB 949 by Becker, do pass as amended to appropriations. Please call the absent members.

[Roll Call]

Five to zero. That bill is out. Now, we'll have the the consent calendar. File item five by Grove, six by Seyarto, eight by Becker. Please call the absent member.

[Roll Call]

Seven to zero. The consent calendar is adopted. Thank you that adjourns are hearing today. The Senate Committee of Natural Resources and Water. Thank you very much.