Legislation Accelerating Salton Sea Restoration Efforts Passes Assembly Floor
SACRAMENTO – Last week, the California Assembly passed Senate Bill 583, authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) and co-authored by Coachella Valley Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), with bipartisan support. The bill creates the Salton Sea Conservancy to unify the state’s efforts to protect residents’ health, foster ecological recovery in the area, and to empower local stakeholders in that process.
“The deterioration of Salton Sea is one of the worst environmental disasters in California history,” said Senator Padilla. “Generations of working families have already suffered the consequences of California’s failure to address the harm the Sea inflicts on these historically underserved and overlooked communities. A Conservancy empowers those living with this reality and gives them a meaningful voice as we manage limited resources to best help remediate this public health crisis. These communities cannot afford more delay.”
SB 583 would create the Salton Sea Conservancy, tasking it with coordinating management of all conservation projects in the region to restore the shrinking sea and reducing the negative health impact the Sea imposes.
“As we take action to protect our Salton Sea communities, we must look ahead to ensure our future health and sustainability," said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, co-author of SB 583. "Establishing a Salton Sea Conservancy will bring all local stakeholders to the table to ensure the operation and maintenance of restoration projects and safeguard Salton Sea obligations."
“We are currently in negotiations with Governor Newsom’s office to ensure funding is available to stand up the Conservancy as soon as possible,” said Senator Padilla. “We appreciate the Administration’s collaboration and intend to hold SB 583 in the Senate until these negotiations can be finalized early next year.”
SB 583 received bipartisan support on the Assembly Floor, passing out on a 68-0 vote. Read more about SB 583 here.
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Steve Padilla represents the 18th Senate District, which includes the communities of Chula Vista, the Coachella Valley, Imperial Beach, the Imperial Valley, National City, and San Diego. Prior to his election to the Senate in 2022, Senator Padilla was the first person of color ever elected to city office in Chula Vista, the first Latino Mayor, and the first openly LGBT person to serve or be elected to city office. Website of Senator Steve Padilla: https://sd18.senate.ca.gov/