California voters have passed Proposition 4, a $10 billion bond measure dedicated to funding a range of water, clean energy, and environmental initiatives across the state, reports Los Angeles Times.
This measure designates $3.8 billion for water projects, which include initiatives to ensure safe drinking water, expand water recycling, enhance groundwater storage, and bolster flood control efforts. Additionally, $1.5 billion will be allocated to wildfire prevention, while $1.2 billion will target coastal protections to address risks from rising sea levels.
Funds from Proposition 4 will also be directed toward creating parks, conserving wildlife and natural habitats, reducing air pollution, preparing for extreme heat events, and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.
“We are inspired and grateful to see voters back the largest climate and natural resources bond in state history,” said Liz Forsburg Pardi, California policy director at the Nature Conservancy. “Voters sent a powerful signal that climate resilience is a priority.”
According to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office in Sacramento, the bond will cost taxpayers an estimated $400 million annually over the next 40 years, amounting to a total repayment of $16 billion with interest.
Proposition 4, officially titled the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, was introduced by lawmakers as an alternative funding solution after significant climate initiatives were cut from the state budget due to a large deficit.
The measure faced opposition from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which raised concerns that financing these projects through bonds could double the overall costs due to interest. The association argued that a more responsible approach would be to fund the projects directly without incurring additional debt.
Despite this opposition, the proposal received strong backing from numerous environmental groups, labor unions, social justice advocates, water agencies, renewable energy firms, and the water recycling sector. Supporters argued that these environmental projects are essential to California’s long-term sustainability and will help mitigate the risk of expensive disasters like wildfires and coastal erosion.
