My name is Marguerite Young, and I'm running for re-election to Ward 3 of the East Bay Municipal Utility District. 

Since my election in 2014 I've led successful efforts to:

• Provide permanent protection to the Mokelumne River, our drinking water source. Governor Brown signed legislation to include the Mokelumne in our state's Wild and Scenic River system.
• Increase the pace of infrastructure replacment
• Increase access to clean safe water for those who can least afford it.
• Decrease our reliance on fossil fuels and increase our use of renewable energy.
• Increase incentives for water conservation and accelerate water recycling
• Increased recreational access in our watershed while protecting sensitive habitat and water quality.

Here in the East Bay we are blessed with some of the finest quality drinking water in the nation.  It's because the source of our water, the Mokelumne River, comes from a protected watershed in the Sierra.  With that blessing comes the responsibility of stewardship to continue the protection of that water quality, and a responsibility to use it in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.  Our water board, The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) faces significant challenges and choices in the coming years as climate change modifies rain and snowfall, causes sea level rise, and changes energy supply and demand. At the same time, the infrastructure that we depend on to provide reliable water supplies is aging and an ambitious climate smart replacement program must be financed.  EBMUD has a responsibility to do everything it can to reduce its contribution to global warming from the watershed to the water tap to the treatment plant.  EBMUD needs to be a more powerful force in Sacramento and DC to demand tougher action climate policy. We need leaders on the EBMUD Board who are up to this challenge.

My East Bay roots go deep; I'm a third generation Californian, grew up in Kensington and have lived in Oakland for the past 24 years.  My appreciation for the environment started with family camping trips in the Sierra and caring for oil soaked birds harmed in the 1971 San Francisco Bay Oil Spill.  I’ve spent my entire adult life in community service working to protect our environment and to improve the lives of working people.  I’m experienced in the issues of drinking water quality, watershed protection, conservation, and putting together winning coalitions to achieve big ideas.  

The decisions that are made by the EBMUD Board in the next several years are critical to our future.  I've brought a fresh perspective to the EBMUD Board -- equipped with knowledge, courage, and imagination to lead the way forward, I hope I've continued to earn your support for another four years.

Sincerely,

Marguerite Young