Capitol Voice January 2023

Erin Woolley

Last month, Sierra Club California submitted over 4,000 comments to the Department of Water Resources on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) of the Delta Conveyance Project (Delta Tunnel). This environmentally destructive project would construct new water intake facilities on the Sacramento River in the north Delta, and a single tunnel with a capacity of up to 6,000 cubic feet per second to divert water before it is able to reach the Delta, both of which would be severely harmful to local ecosystems and communities.

For decades, Sierra Club California and our allies have been fighting against the proposal to divert freshwater flows from North of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to serve large farming operations and water wholesalers south of the Delta. Over the years, this project has been known by different names - the Peripheral Canal, California WaterFix, and now the Delta Conveyance Project. The tunnel has the potential to harm the Delta ecosystem, promote unsustainable water diversions from the watershed, and contribute to the ongoing decline of endangered species and proliferation of Harmful Algal Blooms and other water quality concerns in the Delta.

After several months of work by dedicated staff and volunteers, Sierra Club California submitted a comment letter on the Draft EIR to DWR in December. The Sierra Club California Water Committee also released a whitepaper, Sierra Club California Smart Water Alternatives 2022, which outlines alternatives to the Delta Tunnel that California should pursue to meet water resiliency needs. In addition, over 4,400 Sierra Club members and supporters signed our petition and sent comments directly to the Department of Water Resources opposing the Delta Tunnel!

Now that the comment period on the Draft EIR has closed, DWR must review and respond to all substantive comments before adopting a Final EIR for the project. Meanwhile, further environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is being conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE). In December, US ACE released the complementary Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the DCP for public comment, and will be holding a series of virtual hearings during the month of January to receive comments from the public. We will be reviewing the Draft EIS and providing comments before the close of the comment period in March. 

Sign up to attend the next EIS public comment hearing - more information is available here.
 

By Sakereh Carter

On January 6th, 2023, CalGEM released emergency regulations that rightfully sustain the provisions in SB 1137 - a bill passed last session which mandates a 3,200 ft buffer between new oil and gas operations and California homes, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals.. The emergency regulations will institute the scientifically-supported buffer zone and  require all oil and gas operators to comply with the statutory requirements in SB 1137. These regulations underscore the importance of protecting community health over oil and gas interests.

Meanwhile, the oil and gas industry is trying to invalidate this critical regulation with a polluting money-backed referendum. The referendum must acquire 600,000 signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot in November. If it does, it'll be up to Californians to vote for the bill and establish SB 1137 permanently at the polls. If Californians don’t vote for SB 1137, it will be repealed.

CalGEMs emergency rulemaking is an excellent step in the right direction. Sierra Club California and our allies stand ready to fight any harmful action that the oil and gas industry may take to roll back these protections and harm communities. 

Sierra Club volunteers and our allies worked tirelessly to implement SB 1137, and now there's a chance that we won't see the fruits of our labor. But we won’t let them take this historic win away from us without a fight.

Keep an eye on your inbox for opportunities over the coming months to ensure  SB 1137 is permanently implemented. It’s more important than ever that we protect frontline communities - especially black and brown neighborhoods - that bear the disproportionate brunt of the negative health effects associated with living near oil and gas operations. 
 

Sign Up to Attend Our Legislative Webinar Next Week!

By Michael Blenner

Sierra Club California’s 2023 Legislative Webinar will be held live virtually on Thursday, January 19th from 12:00 - 1:15 pm PST. This webinar will provide in-depth detail on how Sierra Club California’s policy advocates and organizers advocate for the environment at the state level, and how our members and volunteers can aid in that effort at the local level.

Sign up to register today, so you can hear from speakers including Director Brandon Dawson, Policy Advocate Erin Woolley and myself, who’ll be discussing the process behind how Sierra Club California engages with the legislature and elected officials, how we takes positions on bills and policies, and how we work to inform our members about opportunities to advocate for those bills and policies.

In addition to the presentations, there will also be Q&A at the end of the webinar where attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to Sierra Club California staff and organizers. The webinar will be posted online for those who are unable to attend virtually.

We look forward to seeing you next Thursday!