Coastal Conservancy Awards nearly $40 million in Grants for Coastal Access, Protection, and Climate Resilience

2/3/2022 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved nearly $40 million in grants for restoration, protection, public access, and climate resilience along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and Santa Ana River.

Included in the approvals were $21 million from State Parks to be awarded to the Crystal Cove Conservancy for the restoration of historic cottages that expand lower cost overnight accommodation on the Orange County coast, $4,250,000 to the County of Monterey to construct the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project and $8 million to the San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District to develop plans, designs, environmental review documents, and permit applications for a sea level rise and flood resilience project along Millbrae-Burlingame shoreline.

The full list of project approved can be found below:

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

1. A grant of up to $555,000 to San Francisco Estuary Institute to prepare designs, design recommendations, and/or guidance documents for the Sunset Natural Resilience Project, six urban greening, wildlife connectivity corridor, and dune restoration projects in the western portion of the City and County of San Francisco.
2. A grant of up $8,000,000 to the San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District to develop plans, designs, environmental review documents, and permit applications for a sea level rise and flood resilience project along Millbrae-Burlingame shoreline, and to conduct regional planning and coordination activities throughout San Mateo County.
3. Authorization for the Association of Bay Area Governments to disburse up to $300,000 of previously-granted Conservancy funds in the following manner: up to $150,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to construct 1.25 miles of the San Francisco Bay Trail from the San Rafael Bridge Trail landing to the City of Richmond’s Historic Winehaven District, and up to $150,000 to the City of Richmond to construct a connected 1.25 miles of San Francisco Bay Trail from the Winehaven Historic District to Point Molate Beach Park, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. Authorization to amend the Feasibility Cost Share Agreement authorized by the Coastal Conservancy on August 22, 2019 with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Santa Clara Valley Water District for a federal feasibility study for the Santa Clara County shoreline between San Francisquito Creek and Guadalupe River.

CENTRAL COAST

5. A grant of up to $4,250,000 to the County of Monterey to construct the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project in Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SOUTH COAST

6. A grant of up to $35,000 to Inland Empire Waterkeeper to provide approximately 350 students a free week-long educational and recreational outdoor summer camp at Martha McLean-Anza Narrows Park and Hidden Valley Nature Center and Wildlife Area in Riverside County.
7. A grant of up to $21,000,000 provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation to augment the Conservancy grant of $8,400,000 previously authorized to the Crystal Cove Conservancy to restore 17 historic cottages on North Beach of the Crystal Cove Historic District at Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County.
8. A grant of up to $5,000,000 to the City of Anaheim to prepare preliminary plans, designs, permit applications, and environmental documentation for the OC River Walk, a project to improve and enhance a portion of the Santa Ana River in the County of Orange, including reconfiguring and vegetating the river bank and creating new trail connections.
9. A grant of up to $404,633 to one state agency, two non-profit organizations, and one Joint Powers Authority to develop a regional wetland monitoring program for the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project.