Natural Resources Committee

What You Can Do

 

The Committee monitors topics identified by the League as areas of emphasis in the League’s Program Plan.

Join the Committee and help shape the League’s activity.

 

Here are some areas for involvement:  

• Volunteer to monitor a specific project for the Committee and report monthly on status/activity

• Review the published meeting agendas of a public agency or commission.  Examples include:  County Board of Supervisors; City Councils and/or Planning Commissions; Air Pollution Control District; or a state agency that might  address issues that impact our county (California Coastal Commission, State Parks, CA Energy Commission)

• Read an EIR or staff report for a project and collaborate with other Committee members to help draft League responses

• Help organize webinars to educate our members and the public on projects or other natural resource concerns in our county

• Participate on a subcommittee for a particular project or interest area (Diablo Canyon Decommissioning, for example)

• Join other organizations focused on natural resource issues, such as the SLO Climate Coalition, LWVC Climate Change Task Force, and provide the Committee with updates. 

• Educate yourself on a natural resource issue you are concerned about and share your knowledge with other members.

 

Projects Currently Being Tracked

 

The Natural Resource Committee is currently tracking the following projects. Click on each link to see current developments and background information. You may also see updates in the bi-monthly newsletter The Voter.

 

Diablo Decommissioning

The Natural Resources Committee will continue to monitor progress and report.

Oceano Off-Road Vehicle Area

The Natural Resources Committee is monitoring the status of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, including actions by the California Coastal Commission, State Parks, the SLO County Air Pollution Control District, the Board of Supervisors, and the various lawsuits filed with regard to both closure and dust mitigation efforts.

Water Issues

The 2014 California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires local governments and water agencies that overlie high and medium priority basins form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) for the purpose of sustainably managing the groundwater basins.  The Natural Resources Committee is tracking the development of these plans in the Paso Basin and the San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin.

Dana Reserve
Natural Resources Committee members continue to monitor the Dana Reserve project, a large 1,300 unit residential and commercial proposal adjacent to Highway 101 near Nipomo.

Oso Flaco
In December 2020,  the California State Parks issued the Pismo State Beach and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area Public Works Plan that included changes to the Oso Flaco Lake area.  The Natural Resources Committee is tracking the Coastal Commission and State Parks' actions with respect to this Plan. 

Other Natural Resource Issues
The Natural Resources Committee follows other environment-related issues in San Luis Obispo County, including off-shore wind projects, energy storage projects, and the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.

Climate Issues

Committee members will continue to monitor state and national League Climate information and will participate, when available, in the SLO Climate Coalition meetings.

See SLO Climate Coalition activities here

See SLO City Climate Action Plan here

See LWVC Climate Change Task Force here