The Planning and Conservation League has six program areas that staff members are devoted to year round. This work includes everything from coalition building, to legislative and lobbying work, to workshops and publications. You may notice that some of these projects actually belong solely under the PCL Foundation banner; they are grouped together here because we wanted to give you a clear idea of all the projects our staff members are working on. PCL and PCLF work closely together, with PCL working the legislative side of environmental issues and PCLF working on education and outreach for those same issues.

Global warming is likely the most critical issue facing California. Fortunately, thousands of Californians are joining together to take action. Our Global Warming Program is helping to leverage that energy by empowering grassroots leaders to reduce the carbon footprint of new development and by reforming state and national policies.          

Growth pressures along the coast, in the Sierra, and throughout the Central Valley are putting local communities, wildlife, public health, and our natural environment at risk. Learn about how PCL is working to fundamentally change our land use patterns.

This program will pursue innovative new state-wide policy solutions that will ensure that all communities have access to safe and healthy environments. These policies include incorporating global warming considerations, pedestrian and transit-oriented development priorities, and sustainability and social equity criteria as key components of local planning and environmental review processes.

During 2007, efforts to organize a grassroots directory of environmental non-profits and public agencies of the Sierra Nevada began. Learn about this effort and make sure your organization or group is included in this regional directory.

PCL’s Water Policy team works to fundamentally change California’s water policy. We focus on developing and implementing the most environmentally beneficial solutions to California’s water challenges. Through the wise use of water, we can ensure that there will be sufficient water resources for our economy, people and environment.