Coastal Conservancy Awards Grants for Climate Resilience, Public Access, and Habitat Restoration

6/7/2024 – Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized grants for climate resilience, public coastal access, and habitat restoration along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.

The grants awarded were:

NORTH COAST

  1. A grant of up to $100,000 to the Yurok Tribe to undertake the Prairie Creek at Elk Meadow Cabins Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of removing invasive plants and installing large wood features in an approximately 3,000-foot reach of lower Prairie Creek in Humboldt County.
  2. A grant of up to $130,000 to the County of Del Norte to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant of $96,000 to assess the feasibility of expanding camping opportunities and to develop a park improvement plan for Clifford Kamph Memorial Park, the northern gateway to the California Coastal Trail, in Del Norte County; and authorization to expand the project scope to include preparation of designs, engineering, and environmental analysis of improvements identified in the park improvement plan.
  3. A grant of up to $500,000 to the Town of Fairfax to acquire the approximately 100-acre Wall Property in Marin County for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources, wildlife habitat, open space, California Native American tribal cultural resources, and compatible public access.
  4. A grant of up to $650,000 to the Elk Valley Rancheria to prepare the South Beach Sea Level Rise and Connectivity Feasibility Study, which will develop and evaluate alternatives for how best to prevent future flooding of a vulnerable section of Highway 101 adjacent to Crescent City, while improving public access to South Beach and protecting the Crescent City Marsh in Del Norte County.
  5. A grant of up to $999,335, of which $792,575 are funds received from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to the Tomales Bay Watershed Council Foundation to implement the Chicken Ranch Beach Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of restoring approximately one acre of tidal wetlands to enhance water quality and improve wildlife habitat at Chicken Ranch Beach on Tomales Bay, near Inverness, Marin County.

 

 CENTRAL COAST

  1. A grant of up to $160,000 to the Santa Cruz Hostel Society to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on September 22, 2022 to plan and implement renovations to the Santa Cruz Hostel in the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County.
  2. A grant of up to $278,300 to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to undertake the San Luis Obispo Land Conservancy Wildfire Resilience Project, consisting of purchasing equipment for annual wildfire fuel reduction and road maintenance work within three preserves in San Luis Obispo County.
  3. A grant of up to $800,000 to the City of Marina to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for improvements to a California Coastal Trail trailhead and coastal access point at Fort Ord Dunes State Park, Monterey County.

 

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

  1. A grant of up to $3,400,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and up to $1,000,000 of grant funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team for a second five-year period.  The funds may be disbursed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

SOUTH COAST

  1. A grant of up to $1,643,344 to the City of Oceanside to undertake the Loma Alta Slough Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of the enhancement of 5.8 acres of coastal wetlands in the City of Oceanside in San Diego County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The Board also approved a Sea Level Rise Memorandum of Understanding for San Francisco Bay.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards over $40 million for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience

Oakland, CA (4/18/2024) – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved grants totaling over $40 million for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience.

Among the grants awarded today are:

  • A grant of up to $6,000,000 to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to undertake the North Coast Wildfire Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program, which will provide grants to public entities and nonprofit organizations for planning, community outreach, environmental review, permitting, and implementation of projects that will increase wildfire resilience
  • A grant of up to $3,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to undertake the Tidewater Day Use Area Expansion Project to expand the Tidewater Day Use Area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline in Oakland, Alameda County.
  • A grant of up to $6,000,000 to the Big Sur Land Trust to undertake the Carr Lake Restoration and Park Construction Project Phase 2, which will restore 66 acres of wetland and upland habitat and construction of public access improvements at Carr Lake in Salinas, Monterey County.

The full list of grants can be found below.

Humboldt County

  1. A grant of up to $24,000 to augment an existing grant to Friends of the Dunesto continue interim management of the 356-acre Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Complex on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.
  2. A grant of up to $6,000,000 to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to undertake the North Coast Wildfire Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program, which will provide grants to public entities and nonprofit organizations for planning, community outreach, environmental review, permitting, and implementation of projects that will increase wildfire resilience through improved management of natural lands and open space, increased collaboration among land managers, and capacity building in northern California’s coastal and coastal watershed counties.

 

Del Norte, Siskiyou, Modoc, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, San Benito, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties

  1. A grant of up to $1,089,749 to the County of Humboldt and the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation Districtfor two mapping projects that will develop critical data layers for north and central coast wildfire resilience planning.

 

Mendocino County

  1. A grant of up to $1,811,600 to The Nature Conservancy to undertake the South Fork Ten Mile River Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of restoration and enhancement of instream and floodplain salmonid habitat at four sites totaling four acres along the South Fork Ten Mile River in Mendocino County.

 

Marin County

  1. A grant of up to $2,500,000 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to augment the Conservancy grant of $2,150,000 to provide an additional two years of stewarding approximately 177 acres of restored wetlands through engaging the local community to maintain and enhance the wetlands and implementing minor property improvements by repairing and maintaining public access amenities in the Novato Baylandsin Marin County.

 

Sonoma County

  1. A grant of up to $435,000 to the Friends of the Petaluma River to conduct preliminary planning, including community engagement, baseline assessments and feasibility studies, and draft conceptual design for a segment of the proposed urban greenway known as the Petaluma River Greenwayin the City of Petaluma, Sonoma County.

 

San Francisco Bay Area

  1. A grant of up to $311,900 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to undertake the San Francisco Bay State of theBirds Dynamic Report Project, which consists of developing a website that provides updated analyses of bird species populations that serve as indicators of San Francisco Bay habitat quality.

 

Alameda County

  1. A grant of up to $3,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to undertake the Tidewater Day Use Area Expansion Project, consisting of constructing public access amenities and park features on eight acres of former industrial land to expand the Tidewater Day Use Area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline in Oakland, Alameda County.

 

Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties

  1. A grant of 1) up to $2,200,000 to Ducks Unlimited to restore tidal marsh and enhance managed ponds; 2) up to $410,000 to the California Wildlife Foundation to implement monitoring and project outreach; 3) up to $150,000 to the Aquatic Science Center to manage the lead scientist and website; and 4) up to $240,000 for executive project management as part of Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Projectin Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.

 

Santa Clara County

  1. A grant of up to $1,683,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 1,402-acres of Stonier Ranchfor the protection of open space, wildlife corridors, viewsheds, natural resources, and grazing lands, in Santa Clara County.
  2. Funding to support implementation of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Projectin the community of Alviso, City of San José, Santa Clara County by: 1) disbursing up to $2,571,700 to San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory for revegetation and three years of maintenance on 17 acres of the Reaches 1-3 levee; and 2) disbursing up to $7,428,300 to Santa Clara Valley Water District for Reaches 4-5 levee construction.

 

Santa Cruz County

  1. A grant of up to $650,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to undertake the Santa Cruz Coastal Lagoons & East Cliff Drive Resiliency Studyconsisting of a technical feasibility study of nature-based adaptation strategies to increase resilience to sea level rise for the three coastal lagoons (Schwan Lagoon, Corcoran Lagoon, and Moran Lagoon) along East Cliff Drive in central Santa Cruz County.

 

Monterey County

  1. A grant of up to $6,000,000 to the Big Sur Land Trust to undertake the Carr Lake Restoration and Park Construction Project Phase 2, consisting of restoration of 66 acres of wetland and upland habitat and construction of public access improvements at Carr Lake in Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

 

Santa Barbara County

  1. A grant of up to $425,000 to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on May 5, 2022 and September 14, 2023, for the purpose of contracting for services to prepare environmental review documents, a cultural and tribal resource survey, and a property appraisal for the Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program, in Santa Barbara County.
  2. A grant of up to $1,620,000 to the City of Carpinteria to undertake the Carpinteria Living Shoreline Planning project, consisting of community engagement and preparation of plans, designs, technical analyses, and environmental review documents for a living shoreline solution along Carpinteria City Beach to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise and climate change-driven coastal hazards in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County.
  3. A grant of up to $1,200,000 to the County of Santa Barbara Flood Control District to develop the Santa Barbara County Sediment Management Program for southern Santa Barbara County, which consists of a program for redirecting ongoing sediment management to support beach-enhancement, living shoreline, and other sea level rise adaptation projects; including conducting community and tribal engagement and technical and feasibility studies to inform the Program; and preparing environmental review documents and permit applications for the Program, in southern Santa Barbara County.
  4. A grant of up to $950,000 to Resilient Cities Catalyst to prepare the Goleta Slough Area Coastal Resilience Adaptation Plan, consisting of a plan for priority nature-based sea level rise adaptation projects for the Goleta Slough area to enhance ecological and community coastal resilience in Santa Barbara County, including conducting community engagement, capacity building, and technical studies to inform the Plan.

 

Santa Ana County

  1. A grant of up to $150,000 to TreePeople and the Inland Empire Waterkeeper for each of their Explore the River 2024 projectsthat facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the Santa Ana River.

 

Sea Otter Recovery Grants RFP Now Open!

Picture of sea otter

Help Save Sea Otters at Tax Time

The California State Coastal Conservancy announces the availability of grants to public agencies, tribes and nonprofit organizations for projects that facilitate the recovery of the southern sea otter along California’s coasts.

The California Sea Otter Fund is one of the state’s tax check-off funds that allows taxpayers to voluntarily contribute to the recovery of California’s sea otter population. The Conservancy receives approximately 50% of the revenues for “competitive grants and contracts to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for research, science, protection, projects, or programs related to the Federal Sea Otter Recovery Plan or improving the nearshore ocean ecosystem.”

Conservancy grants funded by the California Sea Otter Fund can be used for a variety of activities related to southern sea otter recovery and improving the nearshore ecosystem.

Conservancy priority for the funding is for projects that advance the evaluation of sea otter reintroduction as a potential recovery strategy for southern sea otters in California. This may include activities such as conducting biological and socioeconomic studies, stakeholder engagement, risk and impact analyses, baseline assessments, and other research and planning.

Other projects that plan, implement, or conducted research related to other critical recovery actions of the Federal Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan will be considered as a second priority.

This year the Conservancy anticipates approximately $179,260 available for projects that meet the fund’s objectives.

The deadline for applications is July 15, 2024.

Learn more about the grant program and how to apply in the RFP here. (Word Download)

Learn more about the Conservancy’s Sea Otter Recovery Grants here.

 

Coastal Conservancy Awards Grants for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Climate Resilience

2/15/2024 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized a number of grants to restore, protect, and expand access to the California coast.  Grants approved included:

      • A grant of an amount not to exceed $35,000,000 to The Nature Conservancy to complete permitting and implement the first phase of the Ormond Beach Restoration Public Access Plan, which consists of restoration and public access improvements on approximately 230 acres at the eastern side of Ormond Beach and management of the wetlands.
      • Authorization to disburse up to $30,000,000 to the Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association to implement the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II, Phase I, consisting of restoring 85 acres of wetlands and associated habitats and enhancing public access at the Tijuana River estuary in San Diego County.
      • Authorization to disburse up to $16,000,000, including $10,000,000 in grant funds from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District to implement the Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project, a multi-benefit floodplain restoration project along approximately 1-mile of the lower Carmel River in Monterey County.
      • Authorization to disburse up to $8,000,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to acquire the 247-acre Beach Ranch property at the Pajaro River Estuary in Santa Cruz County for nature-based sea level rise adaptation, natural resource protection and restoration, compatible agricultural use, California Native American tribal access, and public access. The proposed acquisition will be a model for how coastal agricultural communities can proactively adapt to climate change.

A full list of the projects approved at today’s meeting is below.

Del Norte County

  • The Smith River Alliance Inc. was awarded up to $1,500,000 to implement cultural resource protections and construct 1.25 miles of the California Coastal Trail, new restrooms, interpretive signage, and other improvements to the main trailhead parking area at Point Saint Georgein Del Norte County.
  • The Smith River Alliance was awarded up to $1,300,000, of which $500,000 is to conduct pre-acquisition planning activities and minor clean-up actions for beach, dune, wetland, upland, and forested parcels within and in the vicinity of thePacific Shores Subdivision, adjacent to the Lake Earl Wildlife Area in Del Norte County, and $800,000 is to acquire those same parcels.

Humboldt County

  • The Mattole Restoration Council was awarded up to $800,000 to for the acquisition of the approximately 83-acre North Fork Mattole propertyon the North Fork of the Mattole River in Humboldt County, and preparation of baseline conditions and environmental assessment reports for the property. The property will be acquired for habitat conservation and restoration, California Native American tribal and public access and recreation, open space, and potentially a public-serving facility that will facilitate climate resilience, access to, and enjoyment of the natural resources of the property.
  • The Humboldt County Resource Conservation District was awarded up to $1,368,606, a portion of which was granted to the Coastal Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to implement the Wadulh Lagoon Restoration Project, consisting of restoring 62.1 acres of coastal wetland and riparian habitat by lowering and removing dikes and excavating channels in Wadulh Lagoon on the Mad River Slough on Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.
  • The City of Eureka was awarded up to $1,090,000 to prepare the City of Eureka Coastal Access and Resilience Planto protect and enhance existing and future use of the Eureka waterfront for ecological, recreational, and commercial purposes, and to prepare conceptual designs and environmental review for four sea level rise adaptation projects identified in the Plan.
  • The Wildlands Conservancy was awarded up to $315,150 to prepare a public access plan, preliminary designs, and environmental review for lower cost overnight accommodations and a new section of the California Coastal Trail on the Seawood Cape Preservein Humboldt County.

Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties

  • The Conservancy authorized spending up to $2,963,050 of funds appropriated to the Conservancy for the Great Redwood Trailfor engineering and environmental services, planning and design, public outreach, organizational development, advancement of the railbanking process, technical support, interim staffing support for the Great Redwood Trail Agency, and other costs and services as may be required for the advancement of the trail in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties.

Mendocino County

  • The Mendocino Land Trust was awarded up to $41,000 to operate and maintain public access improvements at Moat Creek Beachand along the Moat Creek segment of the California Coastal Trail in Mendocino County.
  • The Noyo Center for Marine Science was awarded up to $400,000 for their Marine Ecosystem Resiliency Project, consisting of 1) conducting studies and preparing conceptual designs for sea level rise adaptation of their Marine Field Station building, dock, and associated infrastructure, 2) preparing 60% designs for retrofitting the Field Station building and replacing its dock, 3) preparing environmental review documents and permit applications for the dock replacement, and 4) implementing aquaculture programs to restore the nearshore kelp forest ecosystem at their Marine Field Station located at Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County.
  • The Yurok Tribe was awarded up to $1,500,000 to construct 0.68 miles of the California Coastal Trail and replace culverts onLibby Creek, a tributary to Prairie Creek, as part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project, at the former 125-acre Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County.

Mendocino and Sonoma Counties

  • The Redwood Coast Land Conservancy was awarded up to $1,660,000 to prepare designs, environmental compliance documents, and permit applications for establishing 2.6 miles of new public access trails and related public access amenities, including 0.75 miles of the California Coastal Trail, and restoring 4 acres of upland habitat for the Mill Bend Preserveat the mouth of the Gualala River in Mendocino and Sonoma counties.

Sonoma County

  • The Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District was awarded up to $470,900 to construct upgrades to the potable water treatment facility and its water source for the Alliance Redwood Conference Grounds and the communities of Camp Meeker and Occidental and to reduce surface water diversions and increase dry season flows for salmonids in Dutch Bill Creekin Sonoma County, and the adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
  • The Sonoma Land Trust was awarded up to $1,241,200 to plan for ecological restoration of 337 acres of baylands and alluvial fan in the Tolay Creek Baylandsin Sonoma County by conducting community engagement, preparing preliminary designs and environmental compliance documents, and developing a permitting strategy.
  • Sonoma County Regional Parks was awarded up to $600,000 to acquire approximately 20 acres of non-active railway corridor to complete acquisition of ownership of lands needed to enable future construction of the Sonoma Schellville Trail, Sonoma County.

Solano County

  • The Solano Resource Conservation District was awarded up to $1,143,500 to restore 19 acres of upland habitat and install a half-acre demonstration garden, 670-foot long trail, outdoor education area, two kiosks, and interpretive signs at Lake Solano Parkin Solano County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Solano and Napa Counties

  • The Conservancy (1) entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for cost sharing the incremental cost of placing dredged sediment from the Petaluma River at Cullinan Ranch; and (2) authorized disbursing up to $313,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the non-federal share of the incremental cost of placing dredged sediment from the Petaluma River at Cullinan Ranchwithin the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Solano and Napa Counties.

Alameda County

  • The East Bay Regional Park District was awarded up to $120,000 to prepare designs and environmental review documents for park improvements on an approximately three-acre upland area located between Powell Street and San Francisco Bay, east of Emeryville Fire Station No. 34, within McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, in the City of Emeryville, Alameda County.

Contra Costa County

  • The John Muir Land Trust was awarded up to $1,230,000 to acquire the approximately 100-acre Kenneth Gerlack Preserve Propertyin Contra Costa County for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural and scenic resources and wildlife corridors; and, to the extent compatible with the aforementioned purposes: public access, including a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, and California Native American tribal cultural uses.

San Francisco County

  • San Francisco Recreation and Park Department was awarded up to $5,500,000 to implement the India Basin Waterfront Park Phase 3: Shoreline Park Redevelopment project, consisting of the redevelopment of the India Basin Shoreline Park into a mixed-use community park with improved public access and recreation amenities, enhanced habitat, and climate resiliency in the City and County of San Francisco, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

San Mateo County

  • The Coastside Land Trust was awarded up to $3,377,389 to construct priority components of Phase 2 of the Wavecrest Coastal Access Project, which are: at least 1 mile of Coastal Trail, a trailhead with a parking lot and restroom, and a beach stairway at the Wavecrest property in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Santa Clara County

  • Valley Water was awarded up to $5,000,000 dollars for the restoration of 40 acres of mudflat and shallow water habitat in Pond A4to benefit shorebirds, enhance recreation, and facilitate future tidal wetland restoration along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay in Santa Clara County.

Santa Cruz County

  • Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission was awarded up to $600,000 for the North Coast Rail Trail – Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Segment 5 project, consisting of construction of 7.5 miles of dedicated bicycle and pedestrian trail and associated amenities between Wilder Ranch State Park and Davenport on the north coast of Santa Cruz County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
  • The City of Santa Cruz was awarded up to $6,893,700 to construct improvements in the East Parking Lot and wave crash zone areas of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharfin the City of Santa Cruz and to further the planning for future improvements for increased resiliency to the effects of climate change and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
  • The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County was awarded up to $8,000,000 to acquire the 247-acre Beach Ranch property at the Pajaro River Estuaryin Santa Cruz County for nature-based sea level rise adaptation, natural resource protection and restoration, compatible agricultural use, California Native American tribal access, and public access.

Monterey County

  • The Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District was awarded up to $16,000,000, including $10,000,000 in grant funds from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to implement the Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project, a multi-benefit floodplain restoration project along approximately 1-mile of the lower Carmel Riverin Monterey County.
  • The City of Sand City was awarded $473,500 to prepare trail alignment and restoration plans, designs, permit applications, and environmental documentation for a 0.7-mile segment of the Coastal Trail in Sand City, County of Monterey.

San Luis Obispo County

  • The Conservancy authorized disbursing up to $5,000,000 for consultant services including resource assessments, planning, public outreach, and other services as may be required related to planning for the conservation of the 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands.
  • The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County was awarded up to $2,500,000 to acquire a conservation easement over the 27,512-acre Camatta Ranchin eastern San Luis Obispo County to protect water quality and water supply, natural resources, wildlife habitat, scenic open space, and agriculture including cattle grazing compatible with such uses.

Ventura County

  • The County of Ventura was awarded up to $4,600,000 to augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $358,000 for pre-construction activities associated with the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Projectby adding additional tasks to support and inform environmental compliance and programmatic design planning, and to conduct community engagement in Ventura County.
  • The County of Ventura was awarded up to $3,200,000 to (1) augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $379,350 to conduct planning and to develop design criteria, preliminary design plans, and alternatives refinement for improvements to the Robles Diversion and Fish Passage Facility, and (2)was authorized to conduct additional studies and modeling, develop 10% design plans for two alternatives, and provide funding directly to the Casitas Municipal Water District to work on this project, in Ventura County.
  • The Conservancy authorized 1) an amount not to exceed $1,270,551 to augment a contract for preliminary design, including preparation of more detailed designs, engineering, and permitting for the Ormond Beach Restoration and Public Access Project (OBRAP), and 2) a grant of an amount not to exceed $35,000,000 to The Nature Conservancy to complete permitting and implement the first phase of the OBPRAP, which consists of restoration and public access improvements on approximately 280 acres at the eastern side of Ormond Beachand management of the wetlands.

Los Angeles County

  • The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains was awarded up to $646,100 to augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $1,629,550 for planning for theTopanga Lagoon Restoration Project at Topanga State Park and Topanga Beach in Los Angeles County.
  • The Conservancy approved a land swap involving the transfer of a five-acre parcel owned byLos Cerritos Wetlands Authority to Los Cerritos Wetlands, LLC in exchange for a 150-acre parcel for purposes of natural resource and wetland protection and restoration, open space, and public access that is compatible with those purposes, in the City of Long Beach, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Orange County

  • The City of Santa Ana was awarded up to $2,807,000 to enhance and restore the 2.66-acre Santiago Park Main Street entranceby constructing site amenities such as lighting, Santiago Creek viewing decks, and landscape improvements, and separating the pedestrian walkway and bike trails to allow for safe recreation.

San Bernardino County

  • The County of San Bernardino was awarded up to $6,800,000 to prepare final designs, acquire rights-of-way, and construct a 3.9-mile segment of the Santa Ana River Trailin San Bernardino County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

San Diego County

  • The Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation was awarded up to $850,000 dollars to develop feasible strategies, concepts, and preliminary engineering designs of nature-based solutions to build resiliency to sea level rise and coastal hazards for a 0.6-mile section of Torrey Pines State Beach, including the Torrey Pines South Beach Parking Lot, and the adjacent public parking along Highway 101 in San Diego County.
  • The Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association was awarded up to $30,000,000 to implement the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II, Phase I, consisting of restoring 85 acres of wetlands and associated habitats and enhancing public access at the Tijuana River estuary in San Diego County.

Statewide

  • Public Media Group of Southern California was awarded up to $100,000 to develop multimedia content documenting the Coastal Stories Grant Program, produce and host a webpage, and conduct outreach to reach a broad audience.

 

 

 

 

Diablo Canyon Lands RFQ

The California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) is seeking qualifications for contractors to assist SCC and its state and local agency partners, tribes, and community groups to plan for future land conservation and public and tribal uses of the roughly 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands surrounding the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County. The total amount of funds disbursed under this contract shall not exceed $5,000,000 (five million dollars). Execution of the contract is contingent on SCC board approval that is expected to occur at its next meeting on February 15, 2024. The staff report can be found here.

 

The lands are currently owned by PG&E, or one of its subsidiaries, but are expected to transfer into other ownership as part of the long-term power plant decommissioning.

 

The scope of this contract is to:

1) Obtain and review existing conditions data and information and prepare a variety of studies and analyses needed to inventory, characterize, and map the locations of the property’s significant natural, biological, cultural, and tribal resources; topography; geology; hazards; and other relevant property attributes;

2) assist SCC in conducting an extensive tribal partnership program;

3) conduct a robust community engagement program;

4) assist SCC as needed to facilitate the long-term ownership, management, and public access to the DCL including identification of potential trail routes, trailheads, parking, restrooms, and camping areas;

5) work in collaboration with SCC to prepare easements for conservation, cultural resource protection, and public access;  and

6) provide other technical assistance as needed.

 

The information gathered through the technical studies, tribal partnerships and community engagement will inform the subsequent preparation of one or more conservation, cultural resource protection, and public access easements by the selected contractor in close coordination with SCC, its local and state agency partners, the local community and tribes.  The contract will require the development and implementation of robust programs for tribal partnership and community engagement.

 

The contract duration is expected to be three (3) years but could extend up to five (5) years.

 

SCC’s process of selection for this proposal will follow SCC’s environmental services contracting process, in which SCC solicits a list of contractors referenced by area of specialization, evaluates applications, and then makes a final decision based on demonstrated competence and qualifications. SCC will negotiate and manage this contract.

 

The SCC is a non-regulatory state agency that works to preserve, improve, and restore the natural resources, agricultural lands, watersheds, urban waterfronts, public access and recreation along the Pacific coast and the San Francisco Bay shoreline and its adjacent counties.

 

The RFQ documents can be found here. 

A webinar on the RFQ was held on 2/20/2024. A recording can be found here.

Q&A on the RFP are at the bottom of this page.

 

Respondents to this Request for Qualifications must submit the information requested below electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format to tim.duff@scc.ca.gov on or before 5:00 p.m. on March 15, 2024

Q&A

  1. Do you require bidders to demonstrate a good faith effort to include DVBEs in their submission?

We do not require that bidders demonstrate a good faith effort to include DVBEs.  However, if they are a DVBE or have a DVBE subcontractor doing  3% or more of the work, we will grant them a preference in the evaluation process.

Press Release: State Coastal Conservancy Announces Awards for Coastal Resilience, Public Access, Restoration, and Storytelling

San Luis Obispo – This week, the California State Coastal Conservancy announced more than $39 million in funding for projects to improve public access, climate resilience, habitat values, and inclusion at the coast.

 

“The Coastal Conservancy’s vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future Californians. To achieve this, we fund projects that support the coast’s natural resources, projects that prepare the coast for the challenges of a changing climate, and projects that help more people enjoy the coast.” said Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy.

 

Among the awards were several projects that will expand the Californians’ ability to access and enjoy the coast:

  • $1,104,736 was awarded to eight non-profit organizations for Coastal Stories projectsthat will create storytelling installations, murals, or interpretive materials that represent diverse communities’ perspectives that historically have been excluded from narratives of California’s coast and publicly accessible lands. This is the second round of funding through the Conservancy’s Coastal Stories grant program.

 

  • The Big Sur Land Trust was awarded $2,750,000 to acquire the 84-acre Hiss Parcelin the City of Monterey for natural resource conservation, California Native American tribal cultural resource conservation, habitat connectivity, California Native American tribal access, and public access.

 

  • Orange County Coastkeeper was awarded $250,000 for the Beach and Coast Accessibility Program to provide grants to nonprofits, public entities, and tribes for beach wheelchairs and other equipment to increase accessibility to California’s beaches and coast in coastal counties statewide.

 

The awarded projects are as follows:

 

Del Norte County

  • The Family Resource Center of the Redwoods was awarded $260,100 to construct a direct-to-consumer fish processing and sales facility, consisting of a filet station, restroom, and storefront, at the Crescent City Harborin Del Norte County.
  • The Elk Valley Rancheria was awarded $725,000 to for the acquisition of the 9.19-acre Bush parcel on Crescent Beach, south of Crescent City, in Del Norte County, for preparation of a plan for that property for wildlife habitat enhancement and public access, and for removal of invasive species on the property.  The property will be acquired for protecting open space, protecting public and tribal access, protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat, and sea level rise adaptation measures, including measures to protect nearby roads and highways, consistent with open space and habitat protection.

Humboldt County

  • The County of Humboldt was awarded $693,700 to develop a coastal resilience planning framework, conduct community and tribal engagement, complete a sea level rise and flood vulnerability assessment and an adaptation feasibility analysis, and prepare conceptual designs and preliminary engineering plans for sea level rise adaptation projects for the communities of King Salmon and Fields Landing.
  • The Mattole Salmon Group was awarded $2,250,000 to reconnect Lower Bear Creek to the middle slough of the Mattole River Estuary, in part by elevating road infrastructure, to address critical habitat needs for endangered salmonids and improve resilience to climate change and sea level rise in Humboldt County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Mendocino County

  • The City of Willits was awarded $3,813,000 to implement the Willits Rail with Trail Project, consisting of construction of a 1.6-mile trail between East Hill Road and East Commercial Street in the City of Willits, Mendocino County that will eventually become part of the Great Redwood Trail, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
  • CalWild was awarded $250,000 for preparation of a community plan and conceptual project designs to ameliorate changes resulting from the potential decommissioning and removal of the Potter Valley Projecthydroelectric facility.
  • The City of Point Arena was awarded $485,000 to prepare the Arena Cove Harbor Access and Resilience Plan, which will include plans, designs, and environmental review for a variety of improvements to protect and enhance existing and future use of the Point Arena Pier, Harbor, and Cove for commercial and recreational purposes.

Marin County

  • The Marin County Open Space District was awarded $1,504,990 of Coastal Conservancy and US Fish and Wildlife Service funds to implement the Bolinas Lagoon Wye Resiliency Project, which will reduce localized flooding and increase resilience to sea level rise and which consists of restoring 20 acres of tidal and riparian wetlands and returning Lewis Gulch Creek to its historic floodplain by, in part, removing and elevating roads at the northern end of Bolinas Lagoon in Marin County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Napa County

San Francisco County

  • The San Francisco Estuary Institute was awarded $446,400 to for the Mapping Yelamu’s Historical Landscape project, consisting of conducting an ecological and ethnographic study of San Francisco in partnership with the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone and development of cultural and ecological landscape maps that can be used for interpretive programs and capital project planning.

 

  • The Port of San Francisco was awarded $7,800,000 to for the Southern Embarcadero Resilience and Enhancement Project, consisting of developing plans and engineering designs to adapt shoreline infrastructure to sea level rise, improve public access amenities, and include green-gray infrastructure opportunities, for a 0.6-mile stretch of the southern Embarcadero waterfront in San Francisco.

San Mateo County

  • The San Mateo Resource Conservation District was awarded $813,500 to conduct community outreach and prepare technical studies, preliminary design plans, and environmental review and permit documents for the relocation of public sewer infrastructure away from an eroding coastal bluff in the Montara community.

Monterey County

  • The Big Sur Land Trust was awarded $2,750,000 to acquire the 84-acre Hiss Parcelin the City of Monterey for natural resource conservation, California Native American tribal cultural resource conservation, habitat connectivity, California Native American tribal access, and public access.

San Luis Obispo County

  • The Cayucos Land Conservancy was awarded $1,500,000 to acquire and transfer to San Luis Obispo County 748 acres of land for addition to Toro Creek County Parklocated between Morro Bay and Cayucos.

Los Angeles County

  • The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy was awarded $5,000,000 to for habitat restoration and conservationconsisting of restoration of 342 acres through the removal of 325 acres of invasive plant species and planting of 17 acres of native butterfly habitat, creation of a native seed bank, and reconstruction of a butterfly rearing facility, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Riverside County

  • The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District was awarded $1,300,000 to augment the Conservancy’s existing grant of $2,300,000 for preparation of design, engineering, and other documentation needed for environmental review for a 1.5-mile Santa Ana River Trailsegment that is adjacent to the Green River Golf Course and connects to the Orange County line in the County of Riverside.

Orange County

 

  • Orange County Coastkeeper was awarded $250,000 for the Beach and Coast Accessibility Program to provide grants to nonprofits, public entities, and tribes for beach wheelchairs and other equipment to increase accessibility to California’s beaches and coast in coastal counties statewide.

San Diego County

  • The City of Encinitas was awarded $300,000 for the Connected Coastlines Encinitas project, consisting of installing a 4G private mesh network to increase communications capabilities for fire and marine safety personnel across 3.5 miles of Encinitas coastline.
  • The City of San Diego was awarded $325,000 to conduct a feasibility study for the repair of the beach access stairway and potential improvements to the scenic overlook and parking area located adjacent to 5990 West Camino De La Costain the La Jolla neighborhood in the City of San Diego.
  • The City of San Diego was awarded $1,072,000 to conduct community and tribal engagement and prepare engineering and design plans for nature-based solutions to sea level rise at three locations in the city of San Diego, in connection with preparing the City’s Coastal Resilience Master Plan.
  • The Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation was awarded $2,268,100 to conduct outreach and prepare engineering designs and permit applications to relocate parking facilities to preserve public access to North Torrey Pines State Beachin San Diego County.

Statewide

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News Release: State Coastal Conservancy Awards $78 Million for Climate Resilience, Public Access, Habitat Restoration and Wildfire Resilience

(Sacramento, CA) – Today (6/1/2023), the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized funding totaling nearly $78 million for 34 projects to protect and restore coastal lands, increase coastal resilience to climate change, improve public access to the coast, and reduce the impact of wildfire on coastal lands.

“Our California coast is under growing threat from climate change and we must respond accordingly,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “This historic amount of grant funding will empower partners to protect communities and restore natural systems along our coast. I’m particularly excited about funding that enables tribal governments to lead these stewardship efforts. I’m focused on helping these important projects get done as quickly as possible.”

“Thanks to California’s historic investment in the state’s natural resources, today we have been able to support many resilience, natural resource, and public access projects.” said Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy. “These projects range from Del Norte County to the Tijuana River Estuary and represent some of the largest grants the Conservancy has made in the last decade.  The urgency and importance of preparing our coast for the challenges of climate change has never been more evident. This level of funding will enable our partners to make substantial headway towards our vision of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future Californians.”

The grants awarded today include:

  • $16,200,000 to the City of San Buenaventura (Ventura) to construct Phase 2 of the Surfers Point Managed Retreat Project, a sea level rise adaptation project that relocates existing infrastructure landward and restores beach dune habitat.
  • Over $8 million to 13 Wildfire Resilience projects that will reduce fuel loads, create fuel breaks, conduct prescribed fires, and support wildfire resilience planning.
  • $4,500,000 to the Hoopa Valley Tribe to acquire approximately 10,300 acres in the Klamath River watershed to protect and restore water quality, anadromous fish habitat, wildlife habitat, wildlife connectivity, and forest health, and for tribal and public access.
  • $10,673,555 in funding from the Conservancy and NOAA to restore approximately 15.9 acres of riparian habitat on lower Prairie Creek as part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project in Humboldt County. Of this funding, up to $8,496,000 will go to the Yurok Tribe for the implementation of this project and to plan for the continuation of similar restoration activities upstream in Prairie Creek and its tributaries.

 

“It has been many years since we have been able to authorize such a large amount of funding. It’s a testament to the importance the Legislature and Governor have placed on protecting and restoring the state’s natural treasures, and making sure they are available to all Californians to enjoy.” said Douglas Bosco, Chair of the Conservancy’s Board.

“SCC’s funding to support the Hoopa Valley Tribe in reacquiring 10,300 acres of their ancestral lands is a positive example of addressing historical wrongs and building meaningful partnerships with the original stewards of the land to pursue our shared climate and restoration goals,” said California Natural Resources Agency Deputy Secretary for Tribal Affairs Geneva E.B. Thompson.

 

####

Notes to Editors:

 

The projects approved at today’s meeting were:

  1. A grant of up to $711,000 for preparation of final designs, obtaining permits, and conducting project management support as an augmentation and expansion of the Conservancy’s grant, previously authorized on June 18, 2020, for planning and permitting for the restoration and enhancement of floodplain habitat on theCarmel River at the Rancho Cañada unit of the Palo Corona Regional Park in Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

 

  1. A grant of up to $2,000,000 to the County of Monterey to augment the Conservancy’s grant, previously authorized on February 3, 2022, to construct the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project in Monterey County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $426,017 to Ducks Unlimited to augment the Conservancy’s grant, previously authorized on March 25, 2021, for construction of the Ocean Ranch Restoration Projectfor project modifications including installing a new culvert and access road, conducting storm damage repair and increasing project resilience to future storms, installing new fencing and gates to manage public access, and preparing and installing interpretive signage and materials at the Ocean Ranch Unit of the Eel River Wildlife Area near Loleta in Humboldt County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $60,000 to the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc. to conduct a geologic study of the Point Arena Bluff underlying the Point Arena Lighthouseto assess the site’s resilience to future storms and the overall safety of the Point Arena Lighthouse, in Mendocino County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $406,900 to the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County to replace a concrete ford with a bridge spanning Cachagua Creek to improve fish passage in the upper Carmel River watershed, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

 

  1. A grant of $1,347,257 received by the Conservancy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Save the Redwoods League to augment the Conservancy’s grant, authorized on March 24, 2022, of $6,602,136 to the Yurok Tribe and California Trout, Inc. to restore approximately 11.5 acres of riparian habitat on lower Prairie Creekas part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project at the former Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County, as follows: $1,097,257 to the Yurok Tribe and $250,000 to California Trout, Inc.

 

  1. A grant of up to $2,960,900 to the City of Berkeley to conduct technical studies, prepared preliminary engineering, and prepare a draft environmental review document for the Berkeley Pier and Water Transportation Project in Alameda County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $10,940,911 to Ducks Unlimited, which includes $3,940,911 in funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to restore tidal marsh and enhance managed ponds as part of Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Projectin Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.

 

  1. A grant of up to $1,500,000 to Sonoma Land Trust to acquire the 654-acre McCormick Ranch Property for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural and scenic resources, including wildlife corridors and habitat, wetland and water resources, and landscape resilience related to climate change; and providing open space, public access, recreational use, and Tribal and indigenous cultural uses compatible with natural resource protection in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma and Napa Counties.

 

  1. A grant of up to $5,500,000 to California Trout, Inc. for the acquisition of the 175-acre Prior Ranch and development of restoration designs, CEQA materials and permit applications for the Elk River Habitat Restoration Project in Humboldt County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $4,500,000 to the Hoopa Valley Tribe to acquire approximately 10,300 acres of real property known as the Pine Creek Tract, in the Klamath River watershed, to protect and restore water quality, anadromous fish habitat, wildlife habitat, wildlife connectivity, and forest health, and for tribal and public access compatible with natural resource protection.

 

  1. A grant of up to $6,961,872 of funds from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and up to $3,711,683 of Conservancy funds as follows: up to $8,025,640 to the Yurok Tribe and up to $2,177,555  to California Trout, Inc. to restore approximately 15.9 acres of riparian habitat on lower Prairie Creekas part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project at the former Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County, and $470,360 to the Yurok Tribe to plan for the continuation of similar restoration activities upstream in Prairie Creek and its tributaries.

 

  1. A grant of up to $1,261,472, including $696,600 in Conservancy funds and $564,872 awarded to the Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program, to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to restore approximately 45 acres of coastal wetland and dune scrub habitat at the Black Lake Ecological Area in San Luis Obispo County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $2,000,000 to the Wildlands Conservancy to acquire 11,692 acres of the Rana Creek Ranch in upper Carmel Valley to protect water quality, natural resources, wildlife habitat, scenic open space, and compatible agriculture including cattle grazing, and for public and tribal access compatible with such uses.

 

  1. A grant of up to $910,000 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to acquire a conservation easement over the 736-acre Warren Ranch located in the upper San Simeon and Santa Rosa Creek watersheds to protect natural resources, water quality, anadromous fish habitat, wildlife habitat, scenic open space, and compatible agriculture including cattle grazing within these coastal watersheds

 

  1. A grant of up to $2,680,000 to the City of Santa Barbara to prepare technical studies and feasibility reports and to conduct community outreach for adapting waterfront areas at-risk to sea level rise; and to prepare conceptual designs and environmental review documents for relocation of wastewater and water system infrastructure in the City of Santa Barbara.

 

  1. A grant of up to $1,090,000, including $970,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to conduct pre-acquisition activities, coordinate with landowners and key stakeholders, acquire a conservation easement over 24 acres of agricultural land, and prepare conceptual designs for floodplain restoration and coastal access along Tembladero Slough, between Castroville and Salinas River State Beach.

 

  1. A grant of up to $864,000 to the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County to lead the Scotts Creek Technical Advisory Committee and provide technical assistance to Caltrans on preparation of environmental review and permit applications for the Scott Creek Coastal Resiliency project, consisting of restoration of approximately 25 acres of Scott Creek Lagoon and marsh and replacement of the Highway 1 bridge at Scott Creek Lagoon in Santa Cruz County

 

  1. A grant of up to $575,000 to the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy to prepare designs, permit applications, and environmental review for restoring 44.8 acres of degraded wetlands at Newland Marshin Huntington Beach, Orange County.

 

  1. A grant of up to $16,200,000 to the City of San Buenaventura (Ventura) to construct Phase 2 of the Surfers Point Managed Retreat Project, a sea level rise adaptation project that relocates existing infrastructure landward and restores beach dune habitat, in Ventura.

 

  1. A grant of up to $3,192,500 to the Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association to develop final design plans, to conduct pre-restoration monitoring, and to apply for permits for the first phase of the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II in San Diego County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

 

  • Grants totaling $4,983,994 to a Tribe, four nonprofit organizations, three resource conservation districts, and the Regents of the University of California for nine wildfire resilience projects.

 

  1. A grant of up to $449,900 to the Wildlands Conservancy for fuel reduction, vegetation management, and installation of grazing infrastructure on 796 acres on Jenner Headlands Preserve, Jenner, Sonoma County.
  2. A grant of up to $989,300 to Russian Riverkeeper to implement the Healdsburg Arundo Removal Project, which consists of removing invasive Arundo donax along 5 miles of the Russian River to reduce fire risk to Fitch Mountain and Healdsburg in Sonoma County.
  3. A grant of up to $515,200 to the Pepperwood Foundation to reconstruct fire-damaged grazing infrastructure and conduct vegetation management, including forest thinning, prescribed burns, and grazing to reduce wildfire risk at the Pepperwood Preservein Sonoma County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
  4. A grant of up to $1,150,000 to remove dead and dying trees along a ten-mile stretch of road that is also a fuel break and processing the wood into a charcoal product at the San Vicente Redwoods Preservein Santa Cruz County.

 

The State Coastal Conservancy is a state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast. The Conservancy is a non-regulatory agency that supports projects to protect coastal resources and increase opportunities for the public to enjoy the coast.

 

Since its founding, the Conservancy has:

  • Completed over 4,000 projects along the California coastline and in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Conserved over 390,000 acres of coastal lands.
  • Restored over 33,000 acres of habitat.
  • Installed over 200 new coastal accessways.
  • Built 210 miles of new trails.
  • Put over $1.8 billion to work for conservation projects.

 

More information is at scc.ca.gov.

 

 

Central Coast California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force Regional Meeting – Register by May 1!

Join the Coastal Conservancy in person at The Cocoanut Grove on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk or remotely via Zoom for the Central Coast Regional Meeting of the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force on May 11 and 12. Registration closes May 1!

Hosted by the California State Coastal Conservancy and San Mateo Resource Conservation District, discussions will focus on the unique landscapes and land management issues of California’s Central Coast. The meeting will open with a Resource Fair to showcase local organizations at work in the Central Coast region. Field tours will be offered on May 12. We look forward to connecting, committing to action, and collaborating on real solutions to the daunting challenges facing our landscapes and communities.

Learn more and register here.

Regional meeting image

Rana Creek Ranch Acquisition

The State Coastal Conservancy will consider at its June 1, 2023 meeting an award of grant funding of up to $2,000,000 to the Wildlands Conservancy to acquire 11,692 acres of the Rana Creek Ranch. The purpose of the acquisition is to protect water quality, natural resources, wildlife habitat, scenic open space, and compatible agriculture including cattle grazing, and for public and tribal access compatible with such uses.

Section 5096.501 of Chapter 1.695 of the California Public Resources Code defines a “major acquisition” as one for which one or more state agencies will together spend more than $15 million to acquire land for specified purposes. The law requires a state agency contributing to a major acquisition to post on a public-facing Website certain documents related to the transaction, including an independent appraisal review, a  “project justification”, and other environmental documents as appropriate no later than 30 days before consideration and action to award funding. The following information is intended to comply with these requirements.

June 2023 Staff Recommendation

Rana Creek Ranch Appraisal Review

Request for Partnership Proposals/Letters of Interest for the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program FY 2024

NOTE:

This is a call-for preproposals for projects who would like to partner with the California State Coastal Conservancy to apply for US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program funding.

  1. a) This is NOT the official NCWC call for applications.
  2. b) Projects hoping to receive NCWCG funding are NOT required to apply through the Coastal Conservancy. As stated below, there are six other state agencies who are also designated to apply for these funds for the projects in California. However, should a project wish to work with the Coastal Conservancy to manage and administer a potential future grant, please read the following announcement, and if you feel your project fits the NCWCG criteria, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to gerwein@scc.ca.gov by 5 PM PST on Friday, April 14th, 2023 (see further details below).

 

The California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) seeks partners for joint applications to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 round of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program for coastal wetlands acquisition and/or restoration projects on the California coast or along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Only seven designated state agencies, including the Conservancy, are eligible to apply for NCWC grants in California. However, the Conservancy can work in partnership with state and local agencies, tribes, and certain non-profits to develop and submit NCWC proposals.  The Conservancy can pass through NCWCG funds to its partners, as subrecipients, to implement projects.  While federal agencies can’t receive NCWCG funds, NCWCG-funded projects can be implemented on federal lands by a subrecipient. A full description of the NCWCG program can be found here:  https://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants/.

NCWC provides grants of up to $1,000,000 for the protection and/or restoration of coastal wetlands.  Grants are for project implementation, although it is permissible to utilize no more than 30%, combined, for biological surveys or monitoring, planning, and permitting if those activities are closely tied to implementation. Projects should be ready for implementation in Summer 2024 or 2025.  Projects will be more competitive if the project area is primarily made up of jurisdictional wetlands. The NCWC grant program requires a non-federal match of at least 25% of the total project cost, consisting of either cash or in-kind contributions, and additional points are awarded for match of up to 33% of the total project cost.  The Conservancy may be able to provide some or all the required match, but project partners providing their own match will increase the Conservancy’s capacity to carry out additional projects.  The NCWCG program also prioritizes projects that involve multiple partners providing a cash or in-kind contribution. All projects must ensure long-term (at least 20 years) conservation of coastal resources.

Eligible Activities include:

  1. Acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., conservation easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetlands ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation;
  2. Restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems; or
  3. A combination of acquisition, restoration, and management.

Ineligible Activities include, but are not limited to:

  1. Projects that primarily benefit navigation, irrigation, flood control, or mariculture;
  2. Acquisition, restoration, enhancement or management of lands required as the result of a regulatory or decision-making process to mitigate habitat losses;
  3. Creation of wetlands where wetlands did not previously exist;
  4. Enforcement of fish and wildlife laws and regulations, except when necessary for the accomplishment of approved project purposes;
  5. Research;
  6. Planning as a primary project focus;
  7. Operations and maintenance, including long-term invasive species management;
  8. Acquisition and/or restoration of upper portions of watersheds where benefits to the coastal wetlands ecosystem are not significant and direct; and
  9. Projects providing less than 20 years of conservation benefits.

 

This year’s FY 2024 Notice of Funding Announcement (NOAO), is available here as reference:  https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html, funding opportunity Number: F24AS00005.

 

If your project is selected by the Conservancy during this initial proposal phase, the Conservancy will work with you to prepare a NCWCG proposal, which may or may not be awarded funding by the USFWS. The Conservancy will not award state funding grants directly through this solicitation.  The USFWS selects proposals for award through a merit-based, national competitive review and ranking process. The deadline to submit NCWC proposals to the USFWS for FY 2024 will be June 23, 2023.  Selected projects are generally awarded 6-8 months after the application is submitted. If projects are awarded a NCWCG, funding should be available for implementation in late Spring of 2024. 

 

USFWS will need to review and meet all project-related environmental compliance requirements before making funding available. A full description of the NCWCG program can be found here:  https://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants/.

 

Letter of Interest Submittal:

To indicate your interest in partnering with the Conservancy on a NCWC proposal, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to joel.gerwein@scc.ca.gov. The letter should include the following information:

1) 1-2 sentence summary of proposed project,

2) location of the project and its relevance to NCWCG’s coastal wetland restoration goals,

3) description of the need for the project,

4) description of the proposed project and how it addresses the need,

5) estimated project cost and description of potential match,

6) approximate timeline for project implementation (include information of the status of project design and environmental review for restoration projects),

7) indicate whether you have a willing seller for acquisition projects, and

8) list of potential project partners and their roles in the project.  Include a map showing the project area and providing the approximate acreage of the project area and acreage of coastal wetlands within the project area.

Letters of Interest must be received by 5 PM PST on Friday, April 14th 2023.

 

Eligible Applicants: Non-federal public agencies, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations are eligible for funding. To be eligible, a nonprofit organization must qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Questions? Questions about the application process and potential projects may be directed to Joel Gerwein, External Grants Manager, 510-286-4170, joel.gerwein@scc.ca.gov

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