California budget vote recognizes current climate crisis but must look to the future

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, the California State Senate and Assembly each fulfilled their constitutional requirement to pass a balanced budget by midnight on June 15. This joint budget represents many of the priorities of the Senate and Assembly and is the basis for ongoing negotiations with Governor Newsom over his revised May budget proposal. These votes are important steps in the budget process though there is much deliberation still to come. 

Statement from Katelyn Roedner Sutter, California State Director, Environmental Defense Fund:

“EDF appreciates the Legislature recognizing the real and present impacts of the climate crisis and the state’s water challenge that has us seesawing from drought to flood almost overnight – even in challenging financial times, the Legislature realizes that Californians cannot afford to delay climate action,” said Katelyn Roedner Sutter, California State Director for Environmental Defense Fund. “The Legislature restored proposed funding cuts by the governor to ensure California has the tools and data to responsibly manage water in both wet and dry years, to support equitable building decarbonization, and restored key incentives to ensure the state is on track to facilitate the transition to zero-emission vehicles. 

“As negotiations between Governor Newsom and the Legislature are finalized, EDF urges the parties to restore funding for programs that ensure the long-term sustainability of California’s groundwater resources, support innovative strategies to reduce forest fuel load and avoid catastrophic wildfires, and restore funding to ensure our ports and truck fleets can decarbonize and significantly reduce the health-harming air pollution they create.”