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:
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.
Sierra Nevada Geotourism
Sierra Nevada Geotourism helps travelers experience the Sierra through the eyes of a local, learn about responsible recreation, and foster tourism-based economies in gateway communities.
ReCent Blogs & Updates:
2020 in the Rearview Mirror
I know I am not the only one glad to leave 2020 in the dust. At Sierra Business Council we talk a lot about turning challenges into opportunities, about implementing actionable steps that don’t just temporarily solve one-off problems but offer alternative ways of doing business, interacting with the environment, and existing in the Sierra to eradicate what causes those problems in the first place. As an organization, we’re proactive rather than reactive, and our goal is to build a region that is as well.
No one saw 2020 coming, though. Over the course of the last year, everyone has been asked to react to the unexpected, the unimaginable.
Think Global, Shop (and Invest) Local
As we gear up for the holidays, we’ve been hearing a familiar refrain: Shop Local. The value of supporting local businesses is well established: money spent locally supports a friend or neighbor’s job, charities and youth activities, and thriving downtown districts. The same is true for supporting local non-profits; your investment will be returned directly to the community. But this year, shopping local — let’s call it spending local — means even more.
Healthier Forests, a Stronger Workforce, and Reduced Wildfire Risk: A Win-Win-Win.
The scale required to meet California’s wildfire crisis is massive. Millions of acres are in need of forest restoration, millions of homes are in need of retrofitting, millions of Californians are threatened by unprecedented wildfire risks.
And yet, the state does not have the workforce capacity to meet that scale, not even close.
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