California State Assembly Democratic Caucus
05/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/27/2026 13:27
Asm. Rhodesia Ransom Advances Bill to Speed Up California’s Golden Mussel Response
For immediate release:
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
SACRAMENTO, CA - Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom's AB 2032, the Golden Mussel Response Act, passed the California State Assembly, advancing urgent legislation to help local water agencies respond more quickly to the invasive golden mussel crisis. The bill includes an urgency clause and has been named a priority bill for the California Legislative Delta Caucus as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta faces growing threats to water infrastructure, supply reliability, and local response efforts.
AB 2032 gives workers on the ground clearer, faster tools to remove mussels from critical infrastructure, conduct needed research, and coordinate with state agencies without being slowed down by permitting delays that were not designed for a rapidly spreading invasive species.
"Golden mussels are spreading on biological time, and California cannot afford to respond on traditional administrative time. Local water agencies are already on the ground dealing with clogged pipes, damaged infrastructure, and rising maintenance costs. AB 2032 gives them the tools to move faster, cut through unnecessary delays, and protect the water systems our families, farms, and communities depend on."
-Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom
When signed into law, AB 2032's urgency clause would allow the measure to take effect immediately, giving local water agencies the ability to respond this year instead of waiting until 2027.
Golden mussels have already created serious operational challenges for water agencies, attaching to pipes, screens, pumps, gates, and other water infrastructure. Without urgent action, the costs of response and maintenance could fall on families, farmers, and local water systems across the state.
The bill is co-sponsored by the Contra Costa Water District and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. Both agencies have been working directly on the response to golden mussels and emphasized the need for faster state action.
| "Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) greatly appreciates Assemblymember Ransom's leadership on critical legislation to support local agencies' efforts to address the threat of golden mussels to water infrastructure and the health of the San Joaquin - Sacramento River Delta (Delta). CCWD is situated within the Delta and dependent on the Delta as our primary source of water supply. As such, we are experiencing firsthand the challenges caused by these invasive mussels and are at the forefront of developing control and mitigation strategies. AB 2032 provides needed permit streamlining and guideline development to ensure agencies are able to navigate the immediate response needed to address the threat that golden mussels pose state-wide," Said Ernesto A. Avila, Board President, Contra Costa Water District. |
San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority pointed to the statewide risk to water deliveries, farms, businesses, and wildlife habitat.
| "AB 2032 would provide critical tools to help water agencies and state partners respond more rapidly and effectively to the impacts of invasive golden mussels. Golden mussels pose a serious risk to California's water infrastructure supply reliability and to the health of the Bay-Delta ecosystem. By streamlining regulations and improving coordination, AB 2032 will help accelerate response efforts and mitigation measures to protect critical water conveyance systems and support reliable water deliveries for communities, farms, businesses, and wildlife habitats across the state." Said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. |
In addition to AB 2032, Assemblymember Ransom is pushing for a state budget allocation to establish five decontamination centers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. These centers would provide another layer of prevention by helping stop the spread of golden mussels through boats, equipment, and water infrastructure before the invasive species reaches more waterways.
California State Assembly Democratic Caucus published this content on May 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 27, 2026 at 19:27 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]