California Conservation Issue Committees

The CCC Steering Committee appoints and oversees our state-based conservation issue committees. These committees study their particular area of focus and serve as a resource to Sierra Club California staff and the California Legislative Committee (the CLC) to provide background information for legislation.  They may write a white paper on an issue to help clarify the subject to California Sierra Club activists and staff.

If adequate national policy doesn’t exist to confidently address a particular situation, committees may encourage national staff and volunteers to develop one. If no state policy exists and is needed, they create and bring a proposed resolution to the CCC plenary body for their review and endorsement of the needed policy or position. 

Sierra Club California staff manages the Club’s relationships with California legislators and state agencies.  CCC issue committee members may also meet with legislators and attend state meetings representing the Club if they have contacted and coordinated with Sierra Club California staff ahead of time.  Coordination with staff helps ensure that the Club speaks with one voice and is being strategically smart.

The CCC Steering Committee also appoints task forces, who may operate in a similar but less formal way than issues committees do.  Our Wild America has two forest campaigns in California.  These campaigns are listed on this page because they operate in the same area as the task forces and involve activists, who would otherwise be engaged with conservation issue committees.  The campaigns are different from issue committees, in that they don’t confer with staff and don’t propose policy changes.

Conservation Issue Committees, Task Forces, and Conservation Campaigns all provide annual progress reports and plans the the CCC for review.

 

CA Conservation Committees, Subcommittees, Task Forces, Campaigns

 

Name
(click link for more details)

 Overview 

30x30

(Task Force)

The California 30x30 Task Force is a partnership of Sierra Club California, volunteers from the Sierra Club Grassroots Network, and the Our Wild America campaign. We are also part of a statewide coalition of environmental groups across the state working to advance conservation, equity, and access.

Agriculture

The mission of the California Sustainable Agriculture Committee is to support agricultural systems that advance social equity, regenerate soil health, mitigate climate change, and improve agricultural productivity, water conservation, food quality, animal welfare, and ecosystem biodiversity through education and advocacy.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/soilscommittee4u/

Desert

The Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee works for the protection and conservation of the deserts of California, Nevada and other areas in the Southwest; monitors and works with public, private and non-profit agencies to promote preservation of our arid lands, sponsors education and service trips; encourages and supports others to work for similar objectives; and maintains, shares and publishes information about the desert.

Energy-Climate

The ECC mission is to help California reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by the most effective, timely, affordable, efficient, least polluting, socially just, and community-based means possible.
Environmental and Social Justice

 Enable all to equitably participate in meeting mutual needs, especially those addressed in the Sierra Club’s three environmental principles:
1) the right of all people to a clean and healthful environment;
2) an end to pollution; and
3) the precautionary principle. Support structural reforms that unify by addressing segregation and the excessive low wage employment that underlies disparate environmental outcomes in low income communities and communities of color. 

Sequoia National Forest

(Task Force)

To preserve, protect, and restore the ecological integrity of the Sequoia National Forest and the Giant Sequoia National Monument through monitoring, education, advocacy, and political action.

State Forests

  • To advocate for the protection of state and privately owned forests, that are regulated by California, to ensure public trust resources (climate, water, wildlife/plants/aquatic etc.) are protected for future generations

  • To identify and develop positions that will ensure that forest legislation, rules and policy and practice result in biodiverse resilient forests

  • Identify potential forest-related policy and regulatory issues and develop positions for CA Board of Forestry

  • To monitor and develop positions on forests and climate change for CARB and Forest Climate Action Team

State Parks
  • ∙To advocate for the preservation and protection of the natural and cultural resources of California's State Parks.
  • ∙To ensure that all Parks are open and available for public use and that there is adequate funding for operations and maintenance.
  • ∙To ensure equitable access by all Californians to our state parks.
  • ∙To support the expansion of State Parks where appropriate.
  • ∙To coordinate with the Sierra Club Off Highway Vehicle Taskforce on OHV issues in State Parks.

Transportation and
Sustainable Communities

To help California reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce vehicle miles traveled, promote land use practices that build the urban core in ways that are effective, timely, affordable, efficient, non-polluting, socially just, and community-centric.

Water

The CCC Water Committee will work to protect California’s lakes, streams, rivers, and all the lives that depend on them. We will advocate for restoring the Bay Delta ecosystem so that it can continue to provide habitat for two-thirds of California’s salmon and half the birds on the Pacific flyway. We will promote water justice for disadvantaged communities and a sustainable water future that assures supplies for California’s families, farms, industries, and wildlife. We will strenuously promote water conservation and advocate for the beneficial uses of said conserved waters.

Wilderness

To preserve and protect all state and federal wilderness areas within the CCC region of California and Nevada.

Advance education to Sierra Club members and to the public on the important values of wilderness.

Expand by legislation or executive action wilderness areas with CA and NV

Wildlife

Develop, organize and carry out Sierra Club campaigns to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat with the CCC region.

Our committee is the Sierra Club voice for the voiceless among us, our precious and ever endangered wildlife.

Yosemite

To preserve and protect Yosemite National Park and its natural resources through participation in its planning processes and outreach to the Sierra Club members and the public. To serve as the voice of the Sierra Club on Yosemite issues.

Zero Waste

Develop zero waste policies and programs at the local and state levels. Advocate for a circular economy. Collaborate with other groups to promote environmental justice and fight climate change.