A Brief Introduction to the Sierra Club and the Creation of Sierra Club California

The Sierra Club is a non-profit, member-supported, public interest organization that promotes the conservation of our natural environment by influencing public policy decisions - legislative, administrative, legal, and electoral.

The Sierra Club was founded in 1892 in San Francisco by John Muir.  Originally, the purpose of the Sierra Club was to protect and preserve the Sierra Nevada and other scenic resources of the U.S. and its forests, waters, wildlife, and wilderness.  The Club has become increasingly involved in other environmental policy issues, such as pollution control, energy policy, population, toxic substances, and urban environment, at the local, state, and national levels.  At present, there are approximately 800,000 Sierra Club members worldwide.

The Sierra Club is by far the largest environmental organization in California, with approximately 170,000 members.  Over the years, the state was broken up into 13 Sierra Club chapters based on geographical region. 

In 1986, due to the numerous chapters and large number of Sierra Club members within the state of California, Sierra Club Board of Trustees created Sierra Club California to represent the 13 California chapters before the State legislature, Governor’s office, and State agencies. Sierra Club California was created to give California members a strong effective voice in the State Capitol. As a legislative advocacy organization, Sierra Club California lobbies the State Legislature, the Administration, and state government agencies to protect California's natural resources and to improve the health and safety of Californians.

The mission of Sierra Club California is to promote the preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of California’s environment, and enable chapters and grassroots activists to speak as one voice to promote California conservation.

Environmental issues that Sierra Club California addresses include:

• Forestry
• Land use, sprawl, air quality, and transportation issues
• Habitat, wildlife, parks and wetlands protection
• Water quality and supply
• Clean energy and energy conservation  
• Recycling, solid waste reduction, and landfills
• Pesticides, toxics, and hazardous waste
• Environmental justice
• Coastal protection

Grassroots activists provide clout and credibility to Sierra Club California’s Sacramento-based advocacy staff.  A committee of activist leaders from throughout the state, known as the Sierra Club California Legislative Committee, determines Sierra Club California’s positions on environmental legislation and policy.  In addition, Sierra Club California has its own Executive Committee and various subcommittees.

Sierra Club California works closely with California’s 13 Sierra Club chapters to insure that issues of local concern are addressed at the State Capitol. The office also provides grassroots training at our annual lobby day, provides chapter newsletters with articles and legislative updates, and works with the membership to bring grassroots support to lobbying efforts in Sacramento.

Sierra Club California - What We Do

• Lobby for Environmental Issues
• Consult and coordinate with Sierra Club experts on policy development and application
• Coordinate with the national Sierra Club, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund and other organizations
• Provide Up to Date Information to Members and the General Public
• Maintain the Legislative Action Network, an action-oriented email announcement system on legislative and administrative affairs
• Provide chapter newsletters with articles
• Publish periodic specialized newsletters and mailings
• Maintain Sierra Club media presence on California issues
• Grassroots Training and Outreach
• Train Sierra Club members in political and organizational effectiveness
• Mobilize active members in key legislative districts
• Raise funds for Sierra Club California's programs

Meet the SCC Staff

Bill Magavern - Director

Bill Magavern directs the Sierra Club California staff. He has represented the group since 2000, advocating for environmental causes before the State Legislature and executive agencies. His issue areas include air quality, global warming, toxics, recycling/solid waste, pesticides, enforcement, environmental justice, environmental health and open government. He was the 2003 recipient of the Mary Ferguson Award for outstanding service on the staff of Sierra Club California, and was named a Clean Air Champion in 2007 by the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition. He served on Governor Schwarzenegger’s Environmental Advisory Task Force and co-chairs the External Advisory Group for the Director of the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
Mr. Magavern received his A.B in American Civilization, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Brown University. After working in youth outreach, political campaigns, and alternative journalism, he received his J.D. magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, where he won the Faculty and Trial Technique awards.
Mr. Magavern has worked as an environmental advocate since 1988. He previously served in Washington, D.C., as a staff attorney for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and director of Public Citizen’s Critical Mass Energy Project. After moving to California, he worked as Sacramento director of the Committee to Bridge the Gap. He has authored numerous reports and articles on energy and environmental policy and testified frequently at hearings of Congress and the California state legislature, as well as at many public proceedings of federal and state administrative agencies..

Jim Metropulos - Senior Advocate

Jim Metropulos has been a legislative representative at Sierra Club California since the beginning of 2002. Before coming to the Sierra Club, he was committee counsel to the Washington State Senate's Environment, Energy and Water Resources Committee. Previously he clerked for Justice Jim Regnier of the Montana Supreme Court. He graduated from Tulane Law School specializing in Environmental and Natural Resources Law and was research assistant to Professor Oliver Houck. While in law school, he interned for the National Wildlife Federation in Washington DC, working on endangered species issues. He holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Jim enjoys getting out of Sacramento and hitting the open road to explore Northern California.

Legislative Assistant

Annie Pham is Sierra Club California’s legislative aide. Her responsibilities include assisting the legislative representatives in submitting letters to members of the legislature, acting as a liaison between activists and the Sacramento staff as well as coordinating the annual lobby day and compiling the environmental report cards. Annie graduated from California State University-Long Beach with a BA in Political Science, and has been with Sierra Club California since March of 2007. When not at work Annie is busy working on her Masters in Career Counseling from Sacramento State. Annie enjoys spending time in the outdoors and can be found hiking the trails of Northern California and finding snowy locations in winter months.

Sierra Club California Bylaws

801 K Street, Suite 2700

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 557-1100

Fax: (916) 557-9669