FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2026
Contact: Michael Blenner, michael.blenner@sierraclub.org
Environmental Groups Applaud Solano County Vote Rejecting Rushed Legislation for Billionaire-Backed California Forever Project
California’s Largest Environmental Groups, Allied with Family Farms, Urge State Leaders to Respect Solano County’s Decision and Reject Efforts to Gut Community and Environmental Protections
Sacramento, CA — A coalition of environmental organizations today celebrated the Solano County Board of Supervisors 3-2 vote to oppose the proposed Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act, and called on Governor Newsom and State lawmakers to respect the County’s decision and abandon efforts to rush the proposal through the Legislature in the final days of session.
The proposed legislation would have provided special streamlining for a planned shipyard and related manufacturing development, including data centers, in Solano County that could have significant impacts on workers, surrounding wetlands, critical habitat for endangered species and local communities. Critically, it would also override a Solano County initiative that restricts new development in unincorporated areas without a vote of the people.
The Board’s vote followed hours of discussion and public testimony over the proposed legislation and reinforced concerns that a proposal of this scale should not be rushed through Sacramento without meaningful participation from affected communities.
The coalition emphasized that manufacturing growth in California cannot come at the expense of environmental safeguards, meaningful public review, or established community protections.
The shipyard and manufacturing proposal is part of California Forever’s broader development vision for Solano County, which also includes a new industrial manufacturing hub and a proposed new city of 22,000 acres across existing farmland and sensitive habitat. Environmental organizations are united in believing that development of this scale should be subject to comprehensive environmental review and public participation, instead of limiting the ability of affected communities to shape decisions about their future.
The coalition is calling on lawmakers and Governor Newsom to respect the decision of the Solano County Board of Supervisors and reject any effort to revive streamlining provisions in the closing days of the legislative session.
Statement from Miguel Miguel, Sierra Club California Director: “California needs to protect sustainable agriculture, rare and unique wetlands and endangered species habitat, and the right of communities to have a meaningful voice in development decisions that will shape their future. The Solano County Board’s vote sends a clear message that leaders must respect that local voice, and not create special rules that sideline the concerns of the Solano community.”
Statement from Amanda Brown-Stevens, Executive Director of Greenbelt Alliance: “We applaud the Solano County Board of Supervisors for opposing California Forever’s legislation this session to instead allow for a full evaluation of the potential environmental, community, and health impacts of converting farmland and delicate ecosystems into a massive industrial development. The reality is this rushed attempt to force the issue on local residents was flawed from the start. Solano County needs and deserves economic prosperity and the only way to achieve that is through a genuine commitment to both construction and long-term jobs, ongoing fair labor standards, and community benefits to grow a thriving local economy that will benefit all current and future Solano County residents.”
Statement from Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat, urban wildlands policy specialist for the Center for Biological Diversity: “Manufacturing facilities like those proposed by California Forever developers need environmental review and community feedback the most. This misguided bill would eliminate these critical steps. We all deserve a say in what our communities invest in. Thorough environmental reviews allow neighbors to push for air and water quality protections, climate resiliency measures and better protections for imperiled wildlife. That’s why Solano County supervisors voted against this dangerous bill. California Forever needs to work with residents instead of trying to create short cuts behind closed doors.”
Statement from Matthew Baker, Policy Director, Planning and Conservation League: “The proposal for a last-minute bill would be a legislative overreach, bypassing local voter approval requirements and declaring that a 20-year-old programmatic EIR is in full compliance with CEQA for an undefined range of industrial projects. There are better places to put a shipyard, manufacturing facilities, and data centers than sensitive Delta wetlands, and it certainly should not be done without environmental review. For this proposal to get jammed through in an end-of-session trailer bill without the full legislative process would be anti-democratic, and we are grateful to the Solano County Supervisors that refused to accept it.”
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Sierra Club California is the legislative and regulatory arm of Sierra Club’s 13 local chapters in California, representing half a million members and supporters, with a mission to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives. Among Sierra Club’s highest priorities is advocating for federal regulatory policies that address the impacts of climate change, including impacts to the financial system. Sierra Club also has an investment portfolio of approximately $62 million and represents millions of members and supporters, many of whom have significant investments of their own. The Sierra Club and its members seek more reliable and comparable climate-related disclosures.