Napa Growers and Vintners for Responsible Agriculture request title and summary for ballot measure to be placed in the 2020 November General Election.
Napa — Napa Growers and Vintners for Responsible Agriculture has requested that the Napa Department of Elections prepare a title and summary for the Napa Valley Water Sustainability Initiative to be voted on the November 2020 ballot.
This initiative will close loopholes in county ordinances that allow developers in the Agricultural Watershed (AW) to use land already undevelopable by law for mitigation purposes. The initiative also encourages on-site mitigation for developments, only allowing off-site mitigation under extreme conditions.
“The Napa Valley is a national treasure and we need to protect its long-term sustainability. In recent years, Napa County has lost thousands of acres of forests. Much of this has been clear cut for development, and this puts the water supply and the long-term sustainability of the valley at risk.” Said Warren Winiarski, California Hall of Fame inductee and member of Napa Growers and Vintners for Responsible Agriculture.
“This measure strikes a balance between protecting our forests and water supply while allowing the economy of Napa County to thrive long-term. It builds on the work of dozens of members of the community that fought for a strong ordinance from the County Board of Supervisors.” notes Beth Novak Milliken, President and CEO of Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery. She continued, “This legislation aims to protect our forests, and thereby our scarce water resources, by simply not allowing mitigation on land that is already closed to development. We must be good stewards of our land so as to protect the long-term integrity of Napa County.”
Napa Growers and Vintners for Responsible Agriculture is a coalition of Napa County vintners and environmental advocates committed to fighting to protect our forests and water resources so that Napa County will continue to be a robust, agriculturally based community into the future.
