Audubon California has publicly announced its comprehensive legislative agenda for 2026, outlining a robust set of priorities aimed at ensuring the vitality of the state’s natural ecosystems, securing crucial water resources for both wildlife and human communities, fostering equitable access to nature for all residents, and marking the 50th anniversary of the landmark California Coastal Act. This ambitious agenda underscores Audubon California’s commitment to protecting the state’s diverse avian populations and the critical habitats they depend on, while also addressing broader environmental and social justice issues facing the Golden State. The organization’s legislative focus reflects a strategic approach to conservation that intertwines ecological preservation with community well-being and long-term environmental resilience.
A Half-Century of Coastal Protection: The California Coastal Act
Central to Audubon California’s 2026 initiatives is the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act of 1976. This pivotal legislation stands as one of the most significant environmental protection laws in the United States, safeguarding over 1,100 miles of California’s iconic coastline. Prior to its enactment, California’s coast faced immense and largely unregulated development pressures. Developers often had free rein, leading to unchecked construction, pollution, and the privatization of what many considered a public trust. A stark and tragic catalyst for public awareness was the devastating Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969, which saw millions of gallons of crude oil blacken beaches and devastate marine life, galvanizing a nascent environmental movement and directly contributing to the creation of Earth Day.
In response to growing public outcry, Proposition 20, the California Coastal Zone Conservation Act, was passed by voters in 1972, establishing a temporary commission to plan for the long-term protection of the coast. This temporary measure paved the way for the permanent California Coastal Act in 1976, which created the California Coastal Commission. The Commission was empowered to regulate development within the Coastal Zone, stretching from three miles offshore to an inland boundary that varies from a few hundred feet in urban areas to several miles in rural ones. Its core mandates include protecting public access to the coast, safeguarding marine and terrestrial habitats, preserving scenic beauty, and ensuring environmentally sound development.
The impact of the Coastal Act has been profound. It has prevented countless environmentally damaging projects, preserved vast stretches of open space, and guaranteed public access to beaches and shorelines that might otherwise have been privatized. For avian species like the Western Snowy Plover, a federally threatened shorebird, and the Marbled Murrelet, an endangered seabird, the protections afforded by the Act are indispensable, safeguarding their nesting and foraging grounds. Other species, including the Surf Scoter and Dunlin, also rely heavily on the health of California’s coastal ecosystems. Beyond wildlife, the Act has fostered a thriving coastal economy based on tourism, recreation, and healthy marine resources, while also playing an increasingly vital role in helping coastal communities adapt to the challenges of climate change, such as sea-level rise and increased storm intensity.
Audubon California is actively supporting state Assembly and Senate resolutions, ACR 149 from Assemblymember Gregg Hart and SCR 136 from Senator John Laird, to formally recognize this historic milestone. Andrea Jones, Vice President of Audubon California, articulated the organization’s enthusiasm: "We’re thrilled to celebrate 50 years of the Coastal Act and the benefits it has delivered to protect California’s 1,100-mile coastline, supporting millions of birds along the Pacific Flyway. Californians know our iconic coastline is more than a stunning view. Our coast supports vital habitat for sensitive shorebird species like the Western Snowy Plover, helps ensure coastal communities and visitors alike can access and enjoy nature, and supports healthy coastal ecosystems that can buffer shoreline communities from the impacts of climate change.” This anniversary serves not only as a moment of reflection on past successes but also as a renewed call to vigilance in the face of ongoing environmental threats and development pressures.
Protecting Lands and Expanding Equitable Access to Nature
A cornerstone of Audubon California’s 2026 priorities is the fundamental belief that all communities, regardless of socio-economic status or geographic location, deserve equitable access to well-managed natural areas. These spaces are invaluable for a multitude of reasons, from providing opportunities for birdwatching excursions and outdoor education programs to simply offering the profound joy and mental well-being derived from experiencing nature. Research consistently demonstrates the positive correlation between access to green spaces and improved physical and mental health outcomes, reduced stress, and enhanced cognitive function. However, disadvantaged communities and communities of color in California disproportionately suffer from a lack of safe, accessible outdoor spaces. This environmental injustice is a critical issue that Audubon California is actively working to rectify.
To address this disparity, Audubon California is co-sponsoring SB 1268 (Gonzalez), a crucial piece of legislation designed to codify Governor Newsom’s "Outdoors for All" initiative. Launched to expand access to nature and its myriad benefits for all Californians, the "Outdoors for All" strategy acknowledges the historical and systemic barriers that have prevented many residents from connecting with the state’s natural heritage. By enshrining this initiative into law, SB 1268 seeks to ensure that its goals—to create more parks, improve existing ones, and facilitate transportation to natural areas—become permanent fixtures of state policy, rather than being subject to shifting political tides. This legislative effort represents a significant step towards dismantling barriers and ensuring that nature’s benefits are truly accessible to everyone.
California’s network of state-chartered conservancies plays a vital role in protecting habitats and open spaces, serving as critical mechanisms for land acquisition, restoration, and public access. Building on the successful establishment of the Salton Sea Conservancy in 2024—a critical effort to address the ecological crisis unfolding at California’s largest lake—Audubon California is strongly supporting several bills aimed at expanding this conservancy model. These include AB 1108 (Cabarello), which seeks to establish the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy. California’s grasslands, though often overlooked, are incredibly biodiverse ecosystems providing crucial habitat for raptors, ground-nesting birds, and a variety of other wildlife. Establishing a dedicated conservancy would ensure these vital landscapes receive the focused protection and management they require.
Furthermore, Audubon California is backing AB 2216 (Aguiar-Curry), which proposes to expand the successful Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy. The Delta is an ecological marvel and the heart of California’s water system, a mosaic of islands, sloughs, and wetlands that serves as a critical stopover on the Pacific Flyway for millions of migratory birds. An expanded conservancy would bolster efforts to protect and restore this complex ecosystem, which faces immense pressures from water diversions, agricultural runoff, and climate change. Finally, the organization supports AB 1548 (Pellerin), which would establish the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority. The Monterey Bay region is renowned for its unique coastal and marine biodiversity, attracting significant tourism and supporting a rich array of wildlife. This new authority would be tasked with land protection and expanding access to nature in this ecologically sensitive and economically important area, ensuring its treasures are preserved for future generations.
Safeguarding Environmental Review: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Audubon California remains deeply concerned about ongoing legislative efforts to weaken the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), one of the state’s foundational environmental protection statutes. Enacted in 1970, CEQA requires state and local agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of their actions and to avoid or mitigate those impacts where feasible. It mandates public disclosure and provides a mechanism for public input on projects that affect their communities and the environment. Often likened to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) at the federal level, CEQA is designed to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into decision-making processes, preventing adverse impacts on air quality, water resources, wildlife habitats, and community well-being.
Despite its critical role, CEQA frequently comes under attack, often portrayed as a major impediment to housing development and infrastructure projects. Critics argue that it adds unnecessary costs and delays through frivolous litigation. However, data consistently refutes these claims. The 2023 "CEQA By the Numbers" report, for instance, revealed that less than two percent of housing developments in California result in CEQA litigation. Moreover, in recent years, numerous adjustments have been made to CEQA, specifically relaxing review standards for infill housing projects, which are typically located within existing urban footprints and generally have fewer environmental impacts than greenfield developments. This demonstrates a willingness within the state to adapt CEQA to meet housing needs without abandoning its core principles.
Audubon California emphasizes to decision-makers that achieving affordable housing goals is entirely possible without sacrificing the state’s shared environment or undermining the public’s right to weigh in on projects that directly affect their communities. The organization points to the record profits reaped by housing developers in recent years—for example, Lennar and the Pulte Group posting record profits of $3.9 billion and $3.08 billion, respectively, in 2024—as evidence that financial success is not inherently tied to the weakening of environmental safeguards. The assertion that CEQA is a primary driver of housing unaffordability often serves as a convenient scapegoat, deflecting attention from other complex factors such as land costs, labor expenses, and local zoning regulations.
Of particular concern to Audubon California is a CEQA exemption inserted into legislation last year, which removed environmental accountability for "advanced manufacturing" facilities. This category includes computer chip manufacturers and data centers, both of which carry significant environmental footprints. Silicon Valley, a hub for the tech industry, notoriously harbors more toxic Superfund sites—areas designated by the EPA for cleanup of hazardous waste—than anywhere else in the U.S., a direct legacy of past unregulated manufacturing practices. Data centers, the backbone of the digital age, are equally problematic, demanding immense quantities of water for cooling and consuming vast amounts of electricity, often from carbon-intensive sources. To counter these risks, Audubon California is supporting SB 887 (Padilla), which seeks to remove the CEQA exemption for data center approvals in California. The bill also aims to create incentives for these centers to meet stringent environmental leadership development criteria, ensuring that technological advancement does not come at an unacceptable environmental cost.
Ensuring Water for Birds and People: Addressing Scarcity and Pollution
Water and the protection of wetland habitats are perennial top priorities for Audubon California, reflecting the state’s precarious water balance and the devastating loss of critical ecosystems. California has lost over 90% of its wetland habitats since 1850, primarily due to agricultural conversion and urban development. This catastrophic decline has directly led to massive population reductions in many wetland-dependent bird species, including the Western Sandpiper, the Tricolored Blackbird, and the iconic Sandhill Crane. These species rely on wetlands for breeding, foraging, and crucial stopover points during migration along the Pacific Flyway. Compounding this historical loss, recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, such as Sackett v. EPA, and other federal actions have further curtailed protections for wetlands under the federal Clean Water Act, putting dozens more bird species at heightened risk.
To directly address the critical need for wetland habitats, Audubon California is sponsoring Assembly Bill 929 (Connolly), formerly AB 828. This legislation is designed to exempt managed wetlands and small community water systems from water allocation reductions imposed under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Enacted in 2014, SGMA aims to achieve sustainable groundwater management throughout California by curbing overdraft and ensuring long-term aquifer health. While vital for the state’s future water security, its restrictions are inadvertently forcing many managed wetland owners to reduce their footprint, with some even facing permanent closure. These managed wetlands, though artificial, provide essential substitute habitats for millions of birds, especially during drought conditions when natural wetlands shrink or disappear entirely. If these wetlands go dry, birds will be left with even less habitat across the state, making them exceedingly vulnerable to drought and further population declines. AB 929 seeks to provide a crucial carve-out, recognizing the unique ecological service these managed wetlands provide.
Beyond legislative efforts, Audubon California is a leading voice in a state budget request for $25 million from Proposition 4, a bond measure previously passed to fund water infrastructure and environmental projects. This funding is specifically earmarked to benefit wetlands, refuges, and wildlife areas within the Central Valley and the Klamath Basin. The Central Valley, often called California’s "bird factory," and the Klamath Basin, straddling the California-Oregon border, are two of the most important wetland complexes in the Western Hemisphere for migratory birds. The proposed projects, identified by Audubon and its partners in the Central Valley Joint Venture, are "shovel-ready" investments designed to provide immediate and significant benefits to wetland-dependent birds. These projects include habitat restoration, water infrastructure improvements to optimize water delivery for wetlands, and land acquisitions to expand protected areas.
Furthermore, Audubon California is actively supporting SB 601 (Allen), which proposes a robust state backstop to prevent water pollution. This bill is particularly critical in light of recent rollbacks of protections under the federal Clean Water Act. The federal act, originally passed in 1972, aimed to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. However, judicial interpretations and regulatory changes, particularly concerning the definition of "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS), have narrowed the scope of federal jurisdiction, leaving many wetlands, ephemeral streams, and other critical aquatic features vulnerable to pollution without federal oversight. SB 601 would establish state-level protections to fill this regulatory void, ensuring that the quantity and quality of California’s freshwaters remain protected. This is essential not only for fish and bird populations but also for the drinking water supplies of communities and the overall ecological health of the state for future generations of Californians.
Joining the Legislative Effort
Audubon California’s engagement in the legislative process extends far beyond these identified priority bills. Throughout the legislative season, the organization diligently tracks and actively participates in discussions surrounding dozens of bills and state budget proposals that have implications for birds, habitats, and environmental policy. This comprehensive approach ensures that conservation perspectives are integrated into a wide array of state decisions, from land use planning to climate change adaptation strategies.
Audubon California actively encourages collaboration and welcomes questions from its extensive network of chapters, community partners, and other interested stakeholders. The organization believes that a collective voice is the most powerful tool for achieving meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. By working together, these groups can amplify their impact, share expertise, and advocate more effectively for policies that benefit both wildlife and human communities. The organization invites all concerned Californians to join its mailing list to stay informed about its legislative activities and to receive updates on upcoming opportunities to share their voices and participate in crucial advocacy efforts. This legislative session is poised to be a pivotal moment for California’s environment, and Audubon California stands ready to lead the charge for a more sustainable and equitable future.