Elections matter – that is something that Clean Water Action has known for a long time. Our members expect many things from us, but one of our most important responsibilities is to recommend candidates for office that our members and others who care about can support on Election Day.
Clean Water Action is pleased to announce our endorsements for the following candidates for Congress because of their environmental record and positions.
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Congressional District 1 (Northern California): Mike McGuire
Mike McGuire will fight back against the Trump Administration’s assault on California’s environment. As he puts it, “from Forest Service cuts, to water management, air pollution and simple basic decency, it’s hard to imagine a more pressing priority than changing the constant barrage of attacks on everything we have worked so hard for here in California. We have to stop the crazy, and get back to the priorities of taking care of people and our environment.”
Mike has seen the devastation of wildfires and sea level rise firsthand while representing both coastal and inland rural communities in the state Senate. He recognizes that Northern California’s water systems are increasingly vulnerable, and protecting them is foundational to public health and our economy. Consequently, in Congress he will prioritize strengthening protections under the Clean Water Act to protect farming communities and promote forest management to ensure thriving habitats, clean water and safety. He is committed to securing sustained federal funding for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, especially for rural and small communities, along with investment in wildfire resilience, drought preparedness, and climate adaptation to protect water quality and reliability.
Congressional District 11 (San Francisco): Connie Chan
Connie Chan currently serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her professional accomplishments include helping to shut down the Mirant Power. Realizing “that environmental harm falls hardest on communities of color and low-income residents”, Connie also believes that shutting down pollution sources isn’t enough; “we must also invest in housing, transit, and jobs for the communities impacted by pollution and environmental harms. In Congress, I will put environmental justice first in every climate decision I make”. In addition, she will fight to restore EPA funding and staffing, reinstate Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act enforcement, reverse rollbacks on methane and toxic chemical regulations, restore climate resilience programs and ensure federal investments in renewable energy, public transit, climate-resilient infrastructure, and green workforce development with the focus on a just transition for workers and communities.
Congressional District 22 (Kern County): Randy Villegas
For too long, District 22 has been dominated by Big Ag and Big Oil. Now is the time to change that and elect a candidate committed to a sustainable economy that also serves those living with the air and water contamination and related health problems these industries create. That’s why Clean Water Action has endorsed Randy Villegas, a long time social justice educator and advocate.
Randy understands that the rural communities he seeks to represent have been struggling the most because of cuts to healthcare, education, and the environment. Many of these communities still lack access to safe, affordable and clean drinking water, and must budget for bottled water every month adding to a crushing cost of living. That’s why he will support investing in needed programs, including water infrastructure. He also understands that current reliance on fossil fuels not only contaminates communities, but does not create a sustainable economy with opportunities for all. That’s why he supports the necessary transition to clean energy and jobs in areas like wind and solar energy. He supports renewable energy through publicly-owned, renewable utilities that will lower costs for consumers. Finally, Randy wants to see a moratorium on oil drilling and fossil fuel extraction from federal lands and within federal waters, as well as protection of national parks that both the incumbent and Trump Administration wish to sell off.
State Senate District 2 (North Coast): Damon Connolly
Clean Water Action is pleased to endorse Damon Connolly for State Senate in District 2. When serving on the Marin County Board of Supervisors, Damon helped pass a Clean Water supported ordinance to require industry collection of unused household drug products in order to protect water. In 2024, his work in the Assembly, including his efforts on sustainable groundwater management, earned him recognition as Environmental Champion by our organization and allies. Damon also played a key role in crafting the "Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024" (Prop 4), which is voter approved $10 billion climate resilience bond that is now funding crucial programs to address water needs and the threats from climate and fire.
Much of Damon Connolly’s platform for Senate focuses on environmental issues, including addressing climate and sea level rise, two issues impacting his district because of climate change. Furthermore, he highlights a commitment to promoting sustainable transportation solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect air quality; advancing sustainable agriculture practices that address drought, reduce fire threats, stimulate sustainable practices and clean soils; and expanding open space. Finally, Damon has articulated a deep commitment to promoting social justice and racial and gender equality.
Assembly District 12 (Marin and Sonoma Counties): Jackie Elward
During her time as both a teacher and serving as Mayor and City Councilmember in Rohnert Park, Jackie Elward learned the importance of pairing strong policies with the sustained local investment needed to implement them. As a result, she will fight to ensure reliable funding for wildfire resilience, addressing sea-level rise and flooding, modern water infrastructure to ensure clean drinking water, and enforcement of environmental laws. While supporting reasonable streamlining of infill, transit-friendly housing construction, Elward opposes broad rollbacks of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for advanced manufacturing that will pollute local communities. In the Assembly, she will support stable funding of low-income rate assistance programs for families struggling to pay water bills. Elward will also couple her efforts to transition California away from fossil fuels with seeking funding for training so that workers in traditional energy can have a just transition into new, well-paying jobs. Finally, Elward has stated a commitment to hearing diverse voices, including those in rural regions of her district, urban dwellers, tribes, and environmental justice interests.
As she puts it, “When legislative schedules become crowded, the communities living with the consequences of pollution must not be crowded out by the industries responsible for it."
East Bay Municipal Utility District, Ward 3: Marguerite Young
Marguerite Young brings over forty years’ experience in water and environmental policy to her position on the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board. That expertise has translated into real results for the East Bay. Among her many accomplishments are:
- Modernizing the district’s infrastructure, including new pipelines and state-of-the-art leak detection,
- Ensuring that EBMUD leads the state in innovative drought response, including penalties for wasters and rewards for savers, conservation incentives and recycling, and environmentally appropriate water transfers,
- Leading community engagement to address contamination and upgrade water treatment,
- Helping end shutoffs and assist people that struggle to afford their water, and
- Championing protections of the Mokelumne River (EBMUD’s primary water source) and revamping watershed management plans to improve habitats, limit fire threats, and keep the region free of plastic.
Marguerite represents Ward 3, which includes Piedmont, portions of Oakland, Orinda, Moraga, El Sobrante, Pinole, and Richmond. Given her proven leadership and service to her community and her many other environmental credentials, Clean Water Action is proud to endorse Marguerite’s continued position on the EBMUD Board.
East Bay Municipal Utility District, Ward 7: Dr. Gary Wolff
Clean Water Action is proud to endorse Dr. Gary Wolff for the East Bay Municipal Utilities District Board (EBMUD). He will bring not only extensive expertise on water to the board, but a strong commitment to the community. As he puts it, "The highest goal is to represent the community effectively. Water is central to our lives in many ways…Competence and a strong work ethic are essential for any Director to represent the community effectively."
Wolff brings 40 years of engineering and regulatory expertise to the Board. Among the important roles he’s played are his service on both the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (which regulates EBMUD), and the State Water Resources Control Board. He has also worked as a resource economist and sustainability expert, including at Stanford’s Center for Conservation Biology, the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and the Pacific Institute. This experience will enable him to truly make progress on his three priorities on the EBMUD Board:
- Increasing water efficiency to secure sustainable quality supplies, such as using recycled water and storing high-quality Mokulumne water underground during very wet years. These actions will reduce the need for lower quality Sacramento River water, possibly reduce costs, and create environmental benefits.
- Keeping water affordable through innovative funding sources other than just ratepayer dollars and relevant cost-cutting initiatives.
- Responding to local needs of the residents served by EBMUD, such as fire safety, reducing utility-related truck traffic and other disruptions in our streets, and better access to EBMUD lands for recreation.
Clean Water Action is responsible for the content of this independent expenditure. It is not coordinated with or approved by any candidate nor is any candidate responsible for it. Contact us at cleanwater.org/ca or call 415-942-4933 with questions.
