Senator Cortese Calls for Preservation of Coyote Valley as Farmland and Open Space
Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) is urging the San Jose Mayor and City Council to vote in favor of preserving Coyote Valley for agriculture and open space during their City Council Meeting this evening (agenda item 10.3).
Senator Cortese co-chaired the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan Task Force that resulted in Santa Clara County’s multi-award-winning Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan, a comprehensive strategic plan to invest in working lands for regional resilience in the face of the climate crisis.
In push to make the City more climate resilient through agricultural preservation, the former San Jose Vice Mayor sent a letter to the Mayor and City Councilmembers on November 14th that expressed how Coyote Valley absorbs carbon emissions and protects the surrounding community from flooding and other extreme weather conditions exacerbated by climate change.
“As co-chair of the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan Task Force, I know that Coyote Valley can play an important role in addressing future food security while contributing to a robust local agricultural economy,” said Senator Cortese.
Pointing to the City Council’s recent adoption of a goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the Senator added: “The City Council recently approved a resolution to become carbon neutral by 2030. Protection of our natural and working lands is necessary to ensure we reach this goal of carbon neutrality.”
Through state legislation, AB 948 (Kalra, 2019) established the Coyote Valley Conservation Program and designated this land as an “area of statewide significance”.