This measure will establish the Santa Cruz County Safe Drinking Water, Clean Beaches, Wildfire Risk Reduction & Wildlife Protection Act to manage and maintain the County’s natural resources for the benefit of people, wildlife, and the natural environment. This measure will fund activities that:

● Protect groundwater, drinking water sources, and other natural water sources now and for future generations, including local creeks, streams, and rivers.

● Preserve and protect the health of Monterey Bay and our beaches by addressing pollution.

● Reduce the risk of dangerous and damaging wildfires.

● Protect redwood trees and local forests.

● Restore wildlife habitats and protect endangered native species, marine life, and wetlands.

● Care for and maintain natural areas, open spaces, and parks.

Santa Cruz County faces ongoing water shortages and drought-related challenges exacerbated by climate change. The County’s water supply is derived almost entirely from local rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater sources and many of our major groundwater basins are overused and depleted. Major climate change events like drought and intensified storms make water sources less reliable and water storage more difficult. This measure will enable the County, incorporated cities, nonprofits, and water agencies to invest in critical projects that protect these water sources from pollution and contamination and enhance the natural areas around them.

Land conservation and management plays a pivotal role in water quality and supply by protecting watersheds, maintaining important elements of the water cycle like groundwater recharge, and minimizing the accumulation and runoff of pollutants. Land management practices in forests and wetlands support watershed health by reducing erosion, preserving natural flow patterns, and minimizing flooding. By maintaining these natural areas, we can protect critical water sources now and for future generations and make Santa Cruz County’s water supply more resilient to the impacts of a changing climate.

This measure will provide much-needed local funds for forest health and wildfire risk reduction activities such as reducing dangerous fuel loads, managing vegetation, and creating defensible space. These activities will reduce wildfire risks in forests and open spaces and help protect surrounding communities. Funds for wildfire resilience and forest health projects will also be used to apply for larger state and federal grant programs that require local match funds.

Regular brush clearing of dead trees and brush is essential to prevent the worst wildfires. Controlled burns, also known as prescribed fires, reduce underbrush, dead trees, and forest debris. Reducing the amount of available fuel makes wildfires less intense and easier to control.

Creating firebreaks and defensible space are other high-value fire resilience strategies. Our local forest and natural resources agencies do a tremendous job with this labor-intensive work, but they lack sufficient local funding for these essential activities. This measure will invest in these critical activities to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires in Santa Cruz County.