Mountain View, Calif. (Sept. 23, 2024) – Today, Sempervirens Fund, California’s first land trust, responded to Ca. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of AB 2103 (Pellerin – Santa Cruz).

Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth said, “Conservation groups like Sempervirens Fund have been working for years to get our state leaders to make the necessary investments and improvements to California’s State Parks system – a system that should be regarded as one of the world’s jewels.

Yesterday Gov. Newsom vetoed AB 2103 (Assemblymember Gail Pellerin – Santa Cruz), which would have simply streamlined the expansion of state parks affected by the 2020 CZU wildfire. With this veto–and with the possibility in Prop 4 of a climate bond that would fund expansion–we have missed yet another opportunity to prioritize the conservation of highly critical lands. In fact, with the veto of AB 2103, it is even more essential that California voters support Prop 4, to ensure funding is available for expanding the region’s state parks, no matter how that process is legislated.

We look forward to working with the governor’s administration in 2025 for a solution to our shared commitment to cutting the green tape that is delaying implementation of Reimagining Big Basin.

We also want to extend our gratitude to Assemblymember Gail Pellerin for championing this important need for the region’s state parks.

We are especially grateful to the thousands of people who reached out to Assemblymembers, Senators, and the governor to support this legislation this year.”