Legislative Advocacy | Friends of the River

Legislative Advocacy
Healthy, Free-Flowing Rivers in California Policy

Friends of the River continues to be the voice of rivers at the state capitol in 2022. Despite the Newsom Administration’s historic financing for climate resilience, healthy rivers continue to fall behind and get forgotten in the absence of a climate-driven, holistic water management plan for the state. Below are the three forums where Friends of the River will engage and advocate for healthy rivers in 2022, because healthy rivers mean healthy communities, and a resilient water future for our state.

On January 10, 2022, Governor Newsom released the budget for 2022-2023, and again ignored the importance of rivers in his draft budget, despite emphasizing climate change. Even worse, the administration claimed the approval of Sites, Del Puerto, and Pacheco Canyon dams as a win for water.

Budgets are a statement of values, and this proposal falls short. But there was some reason to take hope. Secretary Crowfoot acknowledged that California Water Management is always a “work in progress,” and we could not agree more. While the proposal included historic funding for a variety of water issues, it still lacks a holistic #ClimateChange driven water agenda. Friends of the River urges our state leaders to take action and review our recommendations for prioritizing 21st century water solutions and healthy rivers, not more deadbeat dams. We will keep pushing for a better budget as the season progresses.

Sign up for our River Advocate today and stay up to date and in the know for the coming months.

A Voice for the People

As a member of the Green California network and the California Caucus of the Hydropower Reform Coalition, Friends of the River will track and engage in the 2022 California legislative season to ensure California’s rivers have a voice in the influential state policy process. FOR will help ensure that any proposed bills do not further degrade watersheds and only proceed if:

Efforts to improve river and watershed conditions
Recover abundant and diverse populations of key fisheries of concern (such as salmon and steelhead).

A Focus on Healthy Rivers

California is seen as a leader in addressing the climate crisis, but unfortunately has yet to implement a holistic, enforceable climate-driven water management plan for the state. Instead, Friends of the River and our partners have continued to engage with the Newsom administration to help ensure healthy rivers are prioritized across the board and push for resilient water solutions, such as recycled water, groundwater recharge, urban stormwater capture, and river restoration.

For more information on Friends of the River’s engagement, check out some of our comment letters and recommendations below.

Friends of the River, the Sierra Fund, Mono Lake Committee, and the South Yuba River Citizens League’s recent comments on the 2021 California Climate Adaptation Strategy.

Friends of the River and a coalition of over thirty nonprofits original 2018 recommendations are linked below for the Water Resilience Portfolio, and check out the disappointing 2021 Progress Report.

Read the Full report: NGO Gubernatorial Water Agenda
Read the Short report: NGO Gubernatorial Water Agenda - Short Version