As you read this, the California State Legislature and Governor Newsom are moving to defy the will of voters who passed Proposition 117 in 1990 and wipe out funding for the wildly successful Habitat Conservation Fund. As lawmakers and the governor move to finalize the budget by the end of June, your voice is essential to send a clear message that they need to reverse course. Send your message today!
The current budget plan under discussion between the legislature and governor calls for reversing $45 million that has already been allocated to the Habitat Conservation Fund. This move to effectively wipe out the Fund directly violates the language of Proposition 117 that expressly prohibits the Legislature from spending this money on anything other than habitat protection and conservation. It also sets a dangerous precedent that will likely eliminate more than $120 million in future funding, as well.
The Habitat Conservation Fund has been the most useful and reliable source of funding for vital conservation and restoration projects for more than three decades. Hundreds of important projects protecting everything from mountain lions to salmon to forests to rivers to wetlands have been supported by the Fund – nearly a million acres in all.
We cannot let the legislature and governor siphon away these important funds at such a critical time for conservation and in violation of what voters wanted. Your voice is essential. Time is running out. Take action now!
To contact your State representatives:
Find your legislators here.
Go to your legislator's contact page and submit your support for keeping the Habitat Conservation Fund as a general comment.
Call your legislator's local office and voice your concerns!
Use these draft comments as guidance: As a strong supporter of the protection of California’s great natural treasures, I’m writing to ask that you remove the current section of the State Budget proposal that would revert $45 million from the Habitat Conservation Fund. Not only is this a bad idea for conservation, but it would also seem to directly violate the language of Proposition 117, which created the act and defy the will of the voters. This language, approved by voters in 1990, expressly forbids the reallocation of these funds for anything other than habitat protection and conservation. Moreover, it will set a dangerous precedent that will likely eliminate more than $120 million in future funding, as well. The Habitat Conservation Fund has been the most useful and reliable source of funding for vital conservation projects for more than three decades. Hundreds of important projects protecting everything from mountain lions to salmon to forests to rivers have been supported by the Fund – nearly a million acres in all. In addition, the Fund is one of the few reliable and ongoing funding sources for the state’s Climate Plan and 30x30 Initiative. This action would essentially wipe out this important tool for conservation. Again, please remove the current State Budget proposal that would revert $45 million from the Habitat Conservation Fund, and reject any efforts to eliminate the requirement that $30 million be allocated annually to the Fund for habitat protection and conservation.