Municipal Water
EI Policy Appears In California Water Bond
September 17, 2014
Regional Environmental Accounting and the Central Valley Habitat Exchange have been included in water bond language for the State of California! In August the California Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown passed AB 1471 The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, a water bond for the November ballot. This bond will help the state allocate funding to support safe drinking water, incentivize ecosystem restoration and address other issues impacting the state’s future ability to respond to droughts. Bond language directs landowners to use “voluntary habitat credit exchange mechanisms” to achieve agricultural and forested landscape preservation goals. Furthermore, the bond recognizes the importance of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in achieving wildlife and water quality goals stating that “The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy may develop and implement a competitive program for habitat enhancements that maximizes voluntary landowner participation in projects that provide measurable and long-lasting habitat or species improvements in the Delta.” We are encouraged to see these aspects of Regional Environmental Accounting incorporated in the bond language, and we are confident that the Central Valley Habitat Exchange will be integral to achieving these wildlife and landscape preservation goals.
For more information on the Central Valley Habitat Exchange visit their website or check out our project page.
