California Water Bond

The Sierra Nevada Alliance generally supports Water Bonds and other funding sources that support sustainable water projects in the Sierra and California. However, in the instance of the November 2010 Water Bond, the Sierra Nevada Alliance opposes the bond for the following top three reasons:

1)The bond supports a number of new dams in the Sierra Nevada that are unnecessary and cause significant ecological, historical, and cultural impacts. Mega-projects that would likely receive significant funding boosts from this bond if passed are in the Mokelumne, Yuba-Bear, Merced and San Joaquin watersheds of the Sierra Nevada.

2) This bond shifts some mitigation costs from the proponent/beneficiary of projects to the general public.

3) This bond expands privatizing public water, with ramifications for restoration, public water strategies and social justice issues.

For more information, see the related document: SNA 2010 Water Bond Analysis