California Must Prioritize Funding for Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice

Bold and transformative commitments made in the last few years must be maintained in California’s budget and ongoing investment plan. We urge the following investments to advance the goal of an equitable California that offers equal access to opportunity for all. 

Read the full details of these budget priorities in our 2023 Budget Letter and Response to the Senate Budget Proposal.

Provide emergency relief funds to disadvantaged communities severely impacted by the recent flooding. Emergency relief is needed for the community in Planada, Merced County and in other disadvantaged communities that are still reeling from this year’s flooding.

Maintain $160 million for the Community Resilience Center Program and $665 million for the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program. These investments are crucial to reach our climate goals and ensure that low-income communities can access crucial resources.

Eliminate all incentive funding for the development or use of factory farm gas. The production of and reliance on factory farm gas pollutes communities and, thus, it must not be funded or receive favorable treatment as a low-carbon fuel or a clean fuel. 

Secure funding for community-serving projects that support a resilient Salton Sea region. The state’s investments to further the resilience of the Salton Sea region must fund community amenities that improve community resilience, public health, and quality of life. 

Maintain committed investments in the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) program. TCC is a crucial investment to ensure that climate mitigation and resilience programs are place-based, center vulnerable communities, and require robust community engagement.

Continue investing in safe and affordable drinking water and wastewater services for all. California must continue to provide and preserve funding for both drought-impacted water systems and households served by domestic wells through funding for emergency response . Additionally, the state should use the remaining funding in the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program for an additional round of payments. 

SGMA implementation must prioritize small water systems and domestic wells. Funding for recharge should include funding to map safe recharge sites that will not flush contamination from into drinking water sources. Additionally, the state should not support groundwater trading.

Retain investment in energy burden relief. California took the historic and necessary step to relieve ratepayers through the California Arrearage Payment Program and must continue to provide relief to energy burdened customers.