Water issues are very important in the 47th Congressional District. Congresswoman Sanchez has co-sponsored many bills to improve California's water system and to increase the deliverable water supply in Orange County. During the first month of the 111^th Congress, the Congresswoman authored and introduced H.R. 383, a bill that would authorize additional federal support for the Orange County Groundwater Replenishment system. Congresswoman Sanchez's bill was included in the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 and signed into law by President Obama on March 30, 2009.

Congresswoman Sanchez is a strong supporter of both statewide and national conservation efforts. She supported legislation to ban costly clear-cut logging practices on federal lands and has advocated for increased fines for off-road vehicles that damage our national forests. She also supports the preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Outer Continental Shelf and has cosponsored bills designating lands in California, Alaska, Utah, and Michigan as federally protected areas.

Congresswoman Sanchez will continue to build on her environmental record in the 111^th Congress by supporting legislation that will improve emission standards, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, improve water quality, and clean up toxic waste sites. These and other environmental efforts will improve the health of our environment and enhance the overall quality of life in our communities.