RRI Joins Coalition Fighting Potential Budget Cuts to Critical California Conservation Projects
On May 9, 2024, the Resource Renewal Institute (RRI) joined over 100 environmental organizations in signing a letter urging Governor Newsom and his administration to fund the projects scheduled for the May 23rd Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) meeting despite the budget freeze proposed by the Department of Finance. This meeting represents the final action on dozens of conservation, restoration, education, equity, and engagement projects across the state, initiatives that have been years in the making and involve landowner agreements and matching funds from various sources.
The letter highlights Governor Newsom's leadership in setting these ambitious conservation and natural resource management goals while expressing concern that the recent guidance from the Department of Finance to halt expenditures of certain funds could impact the funding for the WCB's projects. The letter emphasizes the significance of these projects in helping California achieve its bold targets for conservation, climate mitigation, biodiversity protection, and ensuring equitable access to nature. Among these ambitious goals is the state's commitment to conserving 30% of its land and coastal waters by 2030, also known as the "30x30" initiative.
"These projects are absolutely vital for protecting California's diverse natural ecosystems and making progress on the state's ambitious 30x30 conservation goal," said Chance Cutrano, Director of Programs at the Resource Renewal Institute. "Derailing them at the last minute due to budget cuts would be a major setback that could jeopardize years of effort and millions in matched funding from other sources."
Alongside the Resource Renewal Institute, the letter's signatories included influential organizations such as the Sierra Club, Audubon California, Defenders of Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, and the California Native Plant Society, underscoring the broad-based support for these critical projects.
As the May 23rd WCB meeting approaches, the Resource Renewal Institute stands firm in its commitment to the 30x30 initiative, urging the Governor's administration to exercise discretion and ensure that the critical projects on the agenda receive the necessary funding to get across the finish line and help the state take tangible steps to achieve its bold conservation vision.