SACRAMENTO — In a landmark move for environmental policy, California has fully established and funded the Salton Sea Conservancy, the state’s first new conservancy in over 20 years, paving the way for a more coordinated and sustainable future for the imperiled region, the California Natural Resources Agency announced.

The conservancy, officially created by Senate Bill 583 authored by Senator Steve Padilla and signed in September 2024, received its crucial operational funding last month when Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 105. This dual legislative action marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to the long-standing challenges at the Salton Sea.

kAm%96 4@?D6CG2?4J 😀 56D:8?65 E@ 36 2 A6C>2?6?E =@42= 6?E:EJ E92E H:== @A6C2E6 2?5 >2:?E2:? 4@>A=6E65 923:E2E 2?5 5FDE 4@?EC@= AC@;64ED 3F:=E 3J E96 DE2E6VD $2=E@? $62 |2?286>6?E !C@8C2> W$$|!X] %9:D 5:G:D:@? @7 =23@C H:== 7C66 E96 $$|! E@ 7@4FD @? 4@?DECF4E:?8 =2C86\D42=6 AC@;64ED[ 2446=6C2E:?8 E96 A246 @7 C6DE@C2E:@?]k^Am

kAm“%96 $2=E@? $62 r@?D6CG2?4J H:== A=2J 2 4C:E:42= C@=6 😕 D92A:?8 E96 7FEFC6 @7 E96 $2=E@? $62[” r}#p D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E] “xED C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ @7 @A6C2E:?8 2?5 >2:?E2:?:?8 4@>A=6E65 AC@;64ED H:== 2==@H E96 $$|! E@ 4@?E:?F6 :ED 7@4FD @? 3F:=5:?8 >@C6 =2C86\D42=6 923:E2E C6DE@C2E:@? 2?5 5FDE DFAAC6DD:@? AC@;64ED]”k^Am

kAm%96 ?6H 4@?D6CG2?4J H:== 36 8F:565 3J 2 5:G6CD6 ab\>6>36C q@2C5 @7 s:C64E@CD[ C6AC6D6?E:?8 2 4@2=:E:@? @7 7656C2=[ DE2E6[ =@42=[ 2?5 EC:32= 6?E:E:6D[ 2=@?8D:56 ?@?8@G6C?>6?E2= @C82?:K2E:@?D 2?5 >6>36CD @7 E96 AF3=:4] %96 DE2E6 😀 ?@H 24E:G6=J D66<:?8 2AA=:42?ED 7C@> E96 $2=E@? $62 4@>>F?:EJ 7@C EH@ <6J D62EDi @?6 7@C 2 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7C@> 2? 6?G:C@?>6?E2= ;FDE:46 @C82?:K2E:@? 2?5 2?@E96C 7@C 2 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7C@> 2 7:D9 2?5 H:=5=:76 923:E2E @C82?:K2E:@?] %96 5625=:?6 E@ 2AA=J 😀 uC:52J[ }@G6>36C `c]k^Am

kAm%96 7F?5:?8 3:== 2=D@ 56=:G6CD 2 >2;@C 7:?2?4:2= 4@>>:E>6?E E@ @?\E96\8C@F?5 H@C<[ 2==@42E:?8 @G6C S`cf >:==:@? 7@C ?6H 923:E2E C6DE@C2E:@? 2?5 5FDE DFAAC6DD:@? AC@;64ED E@ 36 3F:=E 3J E96 $$|! 😕 E96 4@>:?8 J62CD]k^Am

kAm“(6 @H E92E >2?J @7 J@F A=2J65 2 4C:E:42= C@=6 😕 25G@42E:?8 7@C E9:D 7F?5:?8 — H6 2C6 8C2E67F= 7@C J@FC DFAA@CE 2?5 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@ D92C:?8 >@C6 56E2:=D H:E9 J@F D@@?[” E96 DE2E6>6?E 4@?E:?F65]k^Am

kAm%@ <66A E96 4@>>F?:EJ :?7@C>65[ E96 $$|![ 2=@?8 H:E9 A2CE?6CD =:<6 pF5F3@? r2=:7@C?:2 2?5 x>A6C:2= xCC:82E:@? s:DEC:4E[ H:== 9@DE 2? @A6? 9@FD6 2E E96 q@>32J q6249 r@>>F?:EJ r6?E6C @? %9FCD52J[ ~4E@36C ab[ 2E dib_ A]>] %96 6G6?E H:== AC@G:56 C6D:56?ED H:E9 56E2:=D @? E96 FA4@>:?8 AC@;64ED 2?5 :?:E:2E:G6D 😕 E96:C 2C62]k^Am