Regional Advocacy
Ensuring the Sierra's Voice is Heard
Sierra Business Council advocates for the Sierra Nevada’s social, environmental, and economic interests in Sacramento and beyond. We work to elevate the issues that most impact our communities while ensuring the region’s value is recognized in policy outcomes.
Who
Our team works closely with local, regional, statewide, and national partners across sectors including natural resource conservation, affordable housing, outdoor recreation, climate change, economic development, broadband, and more, to drive policy that supports a more resilient Sierra Nevada.
What
Policy areas we advocate for on behalf of the Sierra include wildfire prevention, watershed restoration, equitable broadband access, affordable housing, sustainable outdoor recreation, regional workforce development, and climate action. Whether it’s leading coalitions, meeting with legislators, strengthening partnerships, identifying common ground, weighing in on draft regulations, commenting on legislation, testifying in hearings, or coordinating advocacy campaigns, SBC’s Government Affairs network is standing up for the Sierra.
Why
The Sierra Nevada provides over 60% of California’s developed water supply, accounts for 50 million of California’s recreation visits each year, is the home of 600,000 residents in 212 communities, provides habitat for 60% of California’s wildlife, and stores half of the state’s forest carbon. Amidst this significant inherent value, however, the Sierra region has been historically and unjustly underfunded.
Policy Partnerships
For more details on current and past initiatives, see below and the SBC blog archive.
Sierra Consortium
SBC coordinates a coalition of Sierra-based conservation and community-based organizations to advocate on wildfire, natural resource, water, and climate policies. To learn more about the Sierra Consortium, contact bbenesi@sierrabusiness.org
Sierra CAMP
The Sierra Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Partnership, a program of Sierra Business Council and ARCCA member, tracks state climate policy and provides policy-related educational and coordination opportunities for Sierra CAMP members, in addition to other activities. See more information here, or view the Sierra CAMP website.
Clean Water for Natural Resources and Parks Coalition
SBC tracks natural resource policies, agency efforts, and funding opportunities related to forestry, recreation, watershed management, and other issues affecting the jurisdiction of the California Tahoe Conservancy.
Tahoe Truckee Mountain Housing Council
SBC coordinates a sub-committee of the Tahoe Truckee Mountain Housing Council dedicated to weighing in on State housing policy in legislative, budgetary, funding, and policy implementation in an effort to find solutions to the affordable housing crisis in the North Lake Tahoe/Truckee region.
Gold Country Broadband Consortium
SBC engages on an ad-hoc individual or partnership basis on critical efforts not captured through other advocacy initiatives, such as key wildfire, biomass, and forest policy or small business development policy opportunities responding to recent or immediate crises, etc.
Ad-Hoc Key Issues
SBC engages on an ad-hoc individual or partnership basis on critical efforts not captured through other advocacy initiatives, such as key wildfire, biomass, and forest policy or small business development policy opportunities responding to recent or immediate crises, etc.
Regional Advocacy Programs:
Vulnerability Assessment
A project of Sierra CAMP, the Sierra Nevada Regional Climate Vulnerability Assessment will help Sierra Nevada communities prepare for climate change by examining social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities specific to our region and by providing climate planning technical assistance.
Government Affairs
Sierra Business Council’s Government Affairs team works with local, regional, and statewide partners to advocate for policies that enhance the communities, economy, and environment of the Sierra.
Sierra CAMP
The Sierra Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Partnership (Sierra CAMP) is a cross-sector partnership that promotes and facilitates regional climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
ReCent Blogs & Updates:
Not if But When
It’s one thing to follow the news reports and social media videos of wildfire damage from afar, mentally preparing yourself for what it might be like to try and identify the skeletal remains of a structure as your own family’s cabin or home. Or see the tornados of fire set ablaze against a hillside you’ve traversed hundreds of times by car or by foot. Or watch a community you know and love evacuate by the thousands, their whole lives crammed into one carload.
It’s another thing entirely when it happens for real.
From Beyond the Line of Fire: Living through largest single fire in California History
As we contemplated go-bag contents and watched the relentless advance of the Beckwourth, River, Tamarack, and especially the Dixie fire over the last few weeks, one of our dearest Small Business Development Center counselors, Clint Koble was smack in the middle of the devastation. Clint lives at and manages a resort in Chester along Lake Almanor. Over the course of several days, Clint holed up at the resort, guarded by the command of fire fighters he so graciously hosted. The firefighters instructed him to park his car on the boat ramp and to take refuge in the car should the flames approach – they would protect him.
Guest Blog: Sierra SBDC Sierra SBDC’s In-Home Childcare Training Program Announced
The ripple effect of COVID-19 is still being felt in the Sierra and beyond. As the following guest blog (written by SBDC Business Advisor, Danielle Marshall) highlights, one area in particular where we’re still reeling from the pandemic is its disproportionate impact on women (especially women of color). We’re excited to announce an upcoming course taught by Danielle later this year that will hopefully help lessen the obstacles women face in reentering the workforce by helping entrepreneurs start in-home childcare businesses.
Photo of working mom by Charles Deluvio via Unsplash
Join Us In Creating A More Resilient Sierra.
The Government Affairs team accepts requests for advocacy support, coordination, or partnership on a continuous basis.
For more information, contact Government and Community Affairs Director, Brittany Benesi.
bbenesi@sierrabusiness.org
530.582.4800