Policy Wins in 2024 for Wetland Protection

This is interesting as the fight is over wetlands which is something we were battling about in Michigan too. Builders like to build close to them or fill in parts of it to expand their development. We did manage to establish 75-foot setbacks to houses so as to protect the wetland. The subdivision we lived in was surrounded on three sides by wetland. It probably should have remained as prairie. It passed before I sat on the Board. One year two Sand Cranes were crossing our backyard nervously watching us, In Fall I saw a dozen of them run (if you can imagine such) across Nine Mile Road near Marshall. We were semi-rural.

As taken from . . .

Audubon-Backed Policy Wins in 2024

– by Mike Lynes

National Audubon Website-Pacific Flyway

From protecting wetlands for both birds and communities to creating the Salton Sea Conservancy, Audubon has two incredible policy wins to celebrate. These victories are thanks to dedicated California legislators, our partners, and every Audubon supporter who let their representatives know they stand firmly behind California’s biodiversity, birds, communities, and the future we build together.

Together, supporters like you took 14,404 actions, whether sending letters to representatives or urging Governor Newsom to sign these bills into law. Without this collective action, we would not be celebrating these victories today.

AB 2875: No Net Loss of Wetlands

The Legislature passed AB 2875 to protect California’s wetlands following the rollback of federal protections under a Supreme Court decision last year. The court’s ruling in Sackett vs. EPA redefined the federal scope of wetlands, removing protections for many streams that do not flow year-round. This left ephemeral streams, which flow only seasonally, vulnerable to development and pollution.

“We have wetlands that only flow certain times of year, and they are seasonal, ephemeral streams that were stripped of protections, and yet they are really, really important biologically and for habitat,” said Assemblymember Laura Friedman, who introduced the legislation.

Co-sponsored by Audubon California, AB 2875 establishes a policy of “no net loss” of wetlands in the state and commits California to long-term gains in both the quantity and quality of wetlands. As many know, over 90% of California’s historic wetlands have already been lost. With the reduction in federal protections, this legislation strengthens state safeguards and serves as a model for other states.

SB 583: Salton Sea Conservancy

Authored by Senator Steve Padilla, SB 583 establishes the Salton Sea Conservancy (California’s first new conservancy in nearly two decades). This marks a significant milestone in the long-term efforts to restore and manage the Salton Sea. Ensuring a sustainable future for the sea requires active participation from communities throughout the region, who must have a voice in planning projects that impact them. The Conservancy will coordinate initiatives to protect public health while providing critical habitat for shorebirds and shallow-feeding ducks, safeguarding a vital ecosystem for millions of birds.

Audubon worked to build support for the bill among local communities and leaders at the Salton Sea, assisted with the bill’s language, and helped secure votes in the state legislature. Now, as the Conservancy begins its work, Audubon and its partners will ensure it remains inclusive and effective from the start.