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Significant Investment to Support Port Infrastructure for Offshore Wind Energy Included in Historic Climate Bond

For immediate release:

Up to $475 million allocated in the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024

SACRAMENTO, CA—Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) announced today that the $10 billion climate resiliency bond approved by the California State Legislature for the November ballot includes a historic and significant investment to fund the port infrastructure necessary to advance offshore wind off the California coast. The bond includes up to $475 million, which can be used to fund port infrastructure related to offshore wind, prioritizing investments that leverage federal funding. The successful inclusion of this funding is the result of advocacy by a broad coalition that included Environment California and other environmental groups, the California Association of Port Authorities and individual ports, Offshore Wind California, organized labor, and other stakeholders.

In February of 2024, Assemblymember Zbur introduced AB 2208, which would have placed a one-billion-dollar bond on the November ballot to fund port infrastructure necessary for offshore wind. In March of 2024, Assemblymember Zbur decided to pause the legislation to work with Assemblymembers Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) and Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) to incorporate into the climate resiliency bond being negotiated in the Legislature a significant investment in offshore wind port infrastructure. During this time, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas formed a working group led by Assemblymembers Garcia and Wilson, the climate resiliency bond’s joint authors. The other members of the working group included Assemblymember Zbur, as well as Assemblymembers Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo), Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City), Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), Diane Papan (D-San Mateo), Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), and Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced).

“The inclusion of up to $475 million, which can be used to fund the port infrastructure necessary to advance California's offshore wind, is a crucial step to California meeting its climate change and clean energy goals,” said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood). “This is a significant down payment on the funds necessary to upgrade California's ports and will create tens of thousands of high-wage, high-skilled jobs. I’m grateful for the broad coalition that advocated for this important investment, and for the strong advocacy of Assemblymembers Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine), Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) and Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), and State Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). I’m also thankful for the extraordinary leadership of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate pro tem Mike McGuire, which led to the passage of this historic bond, as well as Asssemblymembers Garcia and Wilson, and the other members of the Assembly Climate Working Group.”

If enacted by voters in November, the $10 billion bond would represent the largest voter-approved climate resilience investment in U.S. history.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.

CONTACT: Vienna Montague, (916) 319-2051, Vienna.Montague@asm.ca.gov