Assemblymembers Robert Rivas and Cristina Garcia Announce New Legislation to Ensure Clean Water Access for All

Sacramento, CA— On February 15th, in honor of 2022 marking the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, Assemblymembers Robert Rivas and Cristina Garcia announced three new pieces of legislation to ensure that all Californians have access to clean water for drinking, swimming, fishing, and more.

The first piece of legislation, Assembly Bill 2108, will improve representation of tribal and disadvantaged communities on Water Boards and better incorporate environmental justice considerations into clean water permits. Assembly Bill 2106 will modernize the state’s permitting system for the treatment of stormwater, the most significant source of water pollution in California today.  Finally, Assembly Bill 2113 will require fines paid by polluters to be sent back into the community that was harmed, instead of going to fund state government operations.

“The Clean Water Act was a landmark piece of legislation, but many low-income families and communities of color in California today still struggle with the same water pollution challenges that they did fifty years ago,” said Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas). “We must ensure disadvantaged communities have the same access to clean water for drinking, swimming, fishing, and other human activities that affluent areas enjoy today. I am grateful to my colleague, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, for her partnership on this crucial legislation.”

“I am proud to join Assemblymember Robert Rivas on this important package of clean water bills,” said Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). “In 2022, where you live should not decide your access to clean water. In my district, the San Gabriel River and the Los Angeles River continue to be hazardous to human activity despite being one of the few areas of open space for outdoor recreation. Dangerous water pollution has been eliminated in several affluent regions of the state; it’s time to finish the job and ensure all communities enjoy those same benefits.”

“As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act, it is time that all California communities – not just the affluent ones – have access to swimmable, fishable and drinkable waters for all Californians,” said Sean Bothwell, Executive Director of California Coastkeeper Alliance. “This legislative package is an opportunity for the state to modernize its clean water program, provide resources back to communities historically marginalized by racial inequality, and to give a voice to those living in underserved communities of color.”