Sacramento >> The California State Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife passed Assembly Bill (AB) 367, which would allocate $2.4 million for the purposes of restoring Clear Lake’s wetlands, maintaining its water quality and preserving its ecosystem, Tuesday morning.
“Clear Lake is the heartbeat of Lake County, and it is time for the state to step up its investment in protecting this incredible environmental and economic resource,” said Assemblyman Bill Dodd, who introduced the legislation in February.
District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele and Lake County Director of Public Works Scott DeLeon were both on hand in Sacramento at the invitation of Dodd to provide expert testimony to the committee. They addressed two main areas — the concerns regarding Clear Lake and why the state of California should help the county with those concerns.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity for Lake County,” DeLeon said. “The community should be very thankful that Assemblymember Dodd has taken the time to introduce this legislation.”
AB 367 passed through the committee with only two dissenting votes. There were a handful of audience members who voiced their support of the bill including Lake County residents, along with representatives of the Sierra Club and Cal Water. No opposition was voiced regarding the bill.
The bill’s principal co-author is District 2 Sen. Mike McGuire, who represents Lake County in the California Senate.
“A healthy lake means a healthy economy in Lake County. I’m grateful for Assemblymember Dodd’s hard work on this important legislation, and look forward to getting this bill passed in the Senate,” McGuire said.
The bill will now be heard in the California State Assembly Committee on Appropriations. A date for that hearing has not yet been set.
