Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards over $13 million in Grants for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Resilience

Coastal Conservancy Awards over $13 million in Grants for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Resilience

12/1/2022, Pacific Grove, CA – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved grants for 17 projects, totaling over $13 million, for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience.  Included in the grants approved today were $3.5 million for the Regionally Advancing Living Shorelines in San Francisco Bay Project, $1 million to improve public access at Garrapata State Park in Big Sur, and over a quarter million dollars of voluntary income tax check-off funding for three separate projects to aid in recovery of the southern sea otter.

The Board also approved the Conservancy’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2027.  The plan provides an overall vision for our agency and quantified objectives to measure the effectiveness of our work.

Each year, the Coastal Conservancy issues millions of dollars in grants for projects that restore and protect the California coast, expand public access to it, and enhance its resilience to climate change.  Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  More information on our grants and how to apply can be found on the Grants page of our website (scc.ca.gov/grants).

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $226,300 of Coastal Conservancy and US Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetland Conservation grant funds to the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to prepare designs, environmental analyses, and permit applications for the restoration of tidal wetlands in Wadulh Lagoon on the Mad River Slough on Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $350,000 to Friends of the Dunes to restore 80 acres of dune habitat to increase sea-level rise resiliency on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wadulh Unit on the north spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

3. A grant of up to $482,423 of San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority funding to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team to enable operation through September 2024.
4. A grant of up to $3,500,000 to the San Francisco Estuary Institute, Marin and Golden Gate Audubon Societies, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, San Francisco State University, and additional contractors and grantees for monitoring of existing living shoreline projects, development of regional design and constructability guidance, preparation of permit applications, and preparation of preliminary site designs as part of the Regionally Advancing Living Shorelines in San Francisco Bay Project at ten locations in the Central Bay in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin counties.
5. Authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the City of Oakland to conduct technical feasibility studies and prepare designs for nature-based shoreline enhancement and resilience features to be incorporated into the plans for the Oakland Estuary Park Renovation Project on the Oakland Estuary in the City of Oakland, Alameda County.
6. A grant of up to $2,150,000 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Inc. to steward approximately 177 acres of restored wetlands through engaging the local community to maintain and enhance the wetlands and to implement minor property improvements by repairing and maintaining public access amenities in the Novato Baylands in Marin County.
7. A grant of up to $787,500 to Sonoma Land Trust to acquire the 174-acre Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools Property in Sonoma County for habitat preservation; biodiversity protection; climate resilience; improving wildlife corridors; and public access and tribal cultural uses compatible with natural resource protection.
8. A grant of up to $1,395,800 to the Petaluma River Park Foundation for community engagement, park plan development, specific project designs, and environmental review associated with development of Petaluma River Parkin Petaluma, Sonoma County.

CENTRAL COAST

9. A grant of up to $272,540 to Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy, and University of California at Santa Cruz to implement three separate projects toaid in recovery of the southern sea otter.
10. A grant of up to $300,000 to the Ventana Wildlife Society to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for a group campground and support facilities for outdoor programming within Andrew Molera State Parkin Monterey County.
11. A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to improve the California Coastal Trail by renovating several trailheads and trails, installing new signage and drainage/erosion protection improvements, and removing informal trails, in Garrapata State Park in Big Sur, Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
12. A grant of up to $824,900 to the Cachuma Resource Conservation District and to the Santa Barbara Fire Safe Council for two additional wildfire resilience projects under the Conservancy’s Wildfire Resilience Program – 2022-2023, in Santa Barbara County.
13. A grant of up to $483,600 to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation to use a mobile kiln to sequester carbon by converting non-native invasive tree logs to charcoalat Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County.

SOUTH COAST

14. A grant of up to $250,000 to nonprofit organizations for three community-based restoration projects in coastal wetlands and along coastal stream corridors in the Southern California region, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
15. A grant of up to $530,000 to California Trout Inc. to implement the Santa Margarita River Bridge Replacement and Fish Passage Barrier Removal Project, consisting of removing a box culvert river crossing and replacing it with a bridge that allows fish passage at Sandia Creek Drive in San Diego County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

STATEWIDE

16. A grant of up to $22,000 received from the California Department of Water Resources to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant of $598,000 to Sustainable Conservation for advancing the adoption of programmatic permits to expand the project to include increased outreach to facilitate the use of recently adopted programmatic permits for aquatic habitat restoration and water quality improvement projects throughout California.
17. A grant of up to $50,000 to the Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment to prepare a study of governance and financing options for integrating regional sediment management into sea level rise adaptation planning in California.

Amy Hutzel Appointed New Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy

The State Coastal Conservancy is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Officer, Amy Hutzel.

Amy Hutzel

Ms. Hutzel previously served as the Conservancy’s Deputy Executive Officer and has been with the agency for over twenty years, during which she has been instrumental in many key projects including the restoration of thousands of acres of former salt ponds in the San Francisco Bay, the creation of the Conservancy’s flagship Explore the Coast and Explore the Coast Overnight grant programs to expand coastal access, and establishing the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority. She also led the development and implementation of many of the Conservancy’s equity-focused initiatives: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines, the ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan, the Beach Wheelchair Grant Program, and the updated Coastal Access Project Standards.

“The State Coastal Conservancy has had a remarkable impact on the California coast in the last 4 decades.” said Ms. Hutzel, “I am honored to take on this role at a time when our work is so essential. Together with the incredible Conservancy staff, I will work to accelerate projects that work with nature to adapt to climate change impacts and increase equitable access to the coast for all Californians.”

“The Coastal Conservancy plays a vital role in achieving the State’s goals for biodiversity, climate resilience, and equitable access to California’s natural wonders. Amy has proven herself as an exceptional leader at the Coastal Conservancy already and I could not be more excited for her to take the reins at this key agency.” said California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot

Each year, the State Coastal Conservancy issues tens of millions of dollars in grants to non-profit organizations, public agencies, and tribes for projects that restore and protect the California coast, increase public access to it, and increase communities’ resilience to climate change. In addition to its annual appropriations from Natural Resource Bonds, on September 23, 2021, Governor Newsom signed a budget bill that includes a total of $500 million for coastal resilience to be appropriated to the Conservancy in Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Executive Officer and staff of the Conservancy also manage the work of the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, which allocates approximately $25 million each year for restoration projects on the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

“We’re thrilled for Amy to serve as the Executive Officer at the Conservancy,” said Doug Bosco, Chair of the State Coastal Conservancy’s Board, “The Board and I know Amy as a dedicated and collaborative leader with an exceptional track record of delivering complex projects. She will bring her energy and enthusiasm to this role, and a clear vision for what this agency can achieve.”

Ms. Hutzel has been with the State Coastal Conservancy for over 20 years, serving as Deputy Executive Officer, Bay Area Program Manager, and Project Manager. Prior to joining the Conservancy, she worked at Save The Bay and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

As Executive Officer, she will work closely with the Boards of the Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, lead the Conservancy’s 70 members of staff, and support hundreds of climate adaptation, public access, and habitat protection and restoration projects throughout the California coast, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in coastal watersheds. Amy lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards $14 million for Coastal Access, Protection, and Restoration

Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized over $14 million in funding for restoration, preservation, and public access to California’s coast and coastal watersheds.

The projects approved included $495,000 to design and permit access amenities and a new ADA-compliant bathroom at Lechuza Beach in Malibu, $755,820 to remove fish barriers and restore habitat on Davy Brown Creek in the Santa Maria River watershed, and $1,721,088 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 45 projects that create coastal experiences for communities facing barriers to coastal access. These 45 grants are part of the Conservancy’s Explore the Coast grant program, which aims to help more Californians, particularly those that have been historically excluded, access and enjoy the coast.

The grants awarded this week will not only enhance the health and accessibility of the California coast, but will help to make it more resilient to the challenges of rising seas and a changing climate.

NORTH COAST

1. Authorization to transfer fee title to nine Conservancy-owned parcels in the Bodega Bay area to the County of Sonoma; approval of the implementation/disposition plans for the property transfer; and authorization to disburse up to $34,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to prepare surveys and Phase 1 environmental site assessments of the parcels.

CENTRAL COAST

2. A grant of up to $165,000 to Trout Unlimited to augment an existing Conservancy grant authorized on May 24, 2018, to replace a concrete creek crossing with a fish-friendly box culvert on Cachagua Creek, a tributary to the Carmel River in Monterey County.
3. A grant of up to $216,636 to the Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to conduct invasive plant removal to enhance native riparian habitat on the Santa Clara Riverin Ventura County.
4. A grant of up to $980,000 awarded to the Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under its National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation to augment a Conservancy grant authorized on December 19, 2019 to complete Phase 2 of the Elkhorn Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration Projectin Elkhorn Slough, Monterey County.
5. A grant of up to $212,812 to San Mateo County Harbor District to construct new public restrooms, realign a small segment of the California Coastal Trail, reconfigure the parking lot, and install other visitor-serving amenities at Pillar Point Harboradjacent to Surfer’s Beach in San Mateo County.
6. A grant of up to $100,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to develop a facilities and management plan for public access and natural resource protection for the north coast region of Santa Cruz County.
7. A grant of up to $755,820 to Earth Island Institute to remove two fish barriers, replace them with bridges, and restore habitat on Davy Brown Creek, located in the Santa Maria River watershed, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
8. A grant of up to $825,000 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for the acquisition of three conservation easements on the 7,681-acre Attiyeh Ranchin northern San Luis Obispo County.

SOUTH COAST

13. A grant of up to $200,000 to San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) to enhance and restore 4.6 acres of riparian upland habitatat Ocean Knoll Canyon in the City of Encinitas, San Diego County.
14. A grant of up to $35,780 to Orange County Coastkeeper to conduct monitoring and outreach to protect endangered bird species and associated habitat located near the Santa Ana River Mouthin the cities of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.
15. A grant of up to $180,680 to the Environmental Center of San Diego to prepare environmental assessments, permit applications, and draft engineering designs to provide additional public access at Princess Streetin La Jolla, San Diego.
16. A grant of up to $3,500,000 to augment the Conservancy grant of $4,900,000, 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.
17. A grant of up to $200,000 to the Sierra Health Foundation to work with tribal entities to conduct planning to further tribal access, tribal participation in land management, and land acquisition by tribal entities at multiple sites in Orange County.
18. A grant of up to $330,040 to Amigos de los Rios to implement the Monrovia High School Watershed Discovery Projectin Monrovia, Los Angeles County.
19. Authorization to terminate the Coastal Conservancy’s Calleguas Creek Watershed In-lieu Fee Programby disbursing $2,453,773 million for the purchase of 58.11 jurisdictional wetland and riparian buffer credits from the Santa Paula Creek Mitigation Bank.
20. A grant of up to $495,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to prepare final engineering designs and construction specifications, and prepare and submit permit applications needed to: 1) update and repair existing public beach access amenities, including two beach stairways, and to 2) install new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant public access amenities, including a restroom, at Lechuza Beachin the City of Malibu.
21. A grant of up to $1,342,500 to the Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District for construction of a segment of the Santa Ana River Trailas part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Prado Dam Alcoa Dike construction project, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
22. A grant of up to $310,000 to Coastal Quest to conduct stakeholder outreach and engagement for coastal resiliency planning for state parkson the San Diego County coast.

STATEWIDE

19. $1,721,088 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 45 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast. Participants are drawn from throughout the State and will visit coastal locations from Del Norte County south to San Diego County.

Press Release: State Coastal Conservancy Awards $10.8 Million for Wildfire Resilience in this Fire Season

(Oakland, CA) – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized funding totaling over $10.8 for 33 projects throughout the coast of California to increase the resilience of coastal forests and open space to wildfires.

“These projects will help prepare coastal habitats for catastrophic wildfires by creating fire breaks, clearing debris, removing hazardous trees along fire roads, and other measures intended to slow the spread of wildfire, protect communities, and help forests recover from fire more quickly.” Said Sam Schuchat, Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy. “California has suffered a string of devastating fire seasons; we are one of many state and local agencies working to help us better anticipate, mitigate, and recover from wildfire in the future. Thanks to early action funding appropriated by the Legislature and Governor in April, we’re going to get these projects underway before the worst of this year’s fire season.”

Today’s grants are part of the Conservancy’s Wildfire Resilience Program, which supports local partners to develop and implement projects that improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic fire in areas where people are living near wildlands. The Wildfire Resilience Program also aims to build organizational capacity at the local and regional level to implement forest health and fire risk reduction projects that help prevent isolated fires from becoming wildfires.

More on the Conservancy’s Wildfire Resilience Program can be found here: https://scc.ca.gov/wildfire-resilience-program/

The projects approved at today’s meeting were:

1. A grant of $7,650 to the National Audubon Society to create and maintain defensible space around buildings within Audubon Starr Ranch Sanctuary, located in unincorporated Orange County.

2. A grant of $23,588 to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County to implement prescribed herbivory to reduce fuel loads and create a buffer to prevent wildfire spread in the southern portion of Arroyo Hondo Preservein Santa Barbara County.
3. A grant of $35,000 to the Hoopa Valley Tribe to implement shaded fuel brakes or defensible space projects to protect the homes of approximately 75 vulnerable residents on the Hoopa Valley Tribal Reservation, Humboldt County.
4. A grant of $45,000 to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea to remove hazardous fire fuels in City’s Mission Trail Nature Preserve, Monterey County.
5. A grant of $47,721 to the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency for eucalyptus removal and weed abatement in a high fire hazard severity zone at Davidson Ranch Reserve, in Santa Clara County.
6. A grant of $75,000 to the Trinity County Resource Conservation District to implement fuel reduction projects on Bureau of Land Management property in the community of Lewiston, Trinity County.
7. A grant of $100,000 to the City of Santa Cruz to undertake vegetation management to reduce fire risk at two open space areas at Arroyo Seco Canyon and DeLaveaga Park.
8. A grant of $115,000 to the Cazadero Community Services District to acquire a Brush Chipper, skid steer bucket loader and supplies for use in vegetation management activities, and to undertake such activities, to decrease the risk of wildfire in the vicinity of Cazadero, Sonoma County.
9. A grant of $120,000 to the Carpinteria-SummerlandFire Protection District for a multi-pronged wildfire hazard fuels reduction project in the Carpinteria-Summerland area of Santa Barbara County.
10. A grant of $130,000 to the City of Pacifica and $67,500 to the City of Brisbane for the North County Fire Authority to implement two wildfire fuel reduction projects in the wildland urban interface in northern San Mateo County, including vegetation management along public roadways in City of Brisbane and a community chipper program in the City of Pacifica.
11. A grant of $144,000 to the City of Mill Valley to reduce fuels build up, create defensible space along the Blithedale Ridge Fire Road and perform fire-related public outreach in the vicinity of the Blithedale Summit Open Space Preserve,Mill Valley, Marin County.
12. A grant of $150,000 to Sonoma Land Trust to conduct wildfire risk reduction activities on the Little Black Mountain Preserve, Laufenberg Ranch, Pole Mountain Preserve, and Live Oaks Ranchproperties in Sonoma County.
13. A grant of $150,000 to LandPaths to conduct approximately 60 acres of fuels reduction and burn area restoration on the Bohemia Ecological Preserve, Riddell Preserve, Rancho Mark West Preserve, and Ocean Song Preserve properties in Sonoma County.
14. A grant of $194,400 to Woodside Fire Protection Districtfor fuel reduction management practices and invasive plant removal in San Mateo County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
15. A grant of $197,621 to Mendocino County to implement the Mendocino County Fuels Reduction Capacity Building Projectin Mendocino County.
16. A grant of $200,000 to San Lorenzo Valley Water Districtfor vegetation management to reduce fire risk to critical infrastructure on land owned and operated by the District in Santa Cruz County.
17. A grant of $209,800 to The Wildlands Conservancy to undertake fuels reduction and vegetation management on the Jenner Headlands Preserve, Sonoma County.
18. A grant of $250,000 to the Pala Band of Mission Indians to implement a hazardous fuels reduction project within a wildland urban interface on the Pala Band of Mission Indians’ Reservationin San Diego County.
19. A grant of $290,600 to the East Bay Regional Park District to expand on-going fuel treatments and fuel breaks and conduct biological surveys on East Bay Regional Park lands, specifically in two recommended treatment areas: Tilden Regional Park – TI002a and Wildcat Canyon Regional Park – WC005.

20. A grant of $277,166 to the Sonoma County Water Agency to conduct wildfire resilience activities at Spring Lake Regional Park, Sonoma County.

21. A grant of $345,650 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to conduct wildfire resilience activities consisting of shaded fuel breaks at Shiloh Ranch Regional Park and prescribed grazing at Taylor Mountain Regional Parkand Open Space Preserve, Sonoma County.

22. A grant of $575,000 to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District to conduct wildfire resilience activities at Saddle Mountain Open Space Preserve, Sonoma County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
23. A grant of $1,078,684 to the Napa County Resource Conservation District for wildfire resilience activities at Linda Falls Preserve, Pacific Union College Demonstration and Experimental Forest, Suscol Intertribal Council’s Suskol House Land, and Moore Creek Park, Napa County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
24. A grant of $299,253 to the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indiansto reduce fire-fuels created by the 2019 Kincade Fire and restore approximately 57 acres of the Rancheria in Sonoma County, and adoption of findings pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.
25. A grant of $414,000 to the City of Healdsburg for its Fire Department to conduct wildfire fuel management and control line treatments on three open space preserves (Healdsburg Ridge, Callahan and Fitch Mountain) adjacent to the City of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
26. A grant of $1,000,000 to Save the Redwoods League to conduct forest restoration treatments to improve forest health and wildfire resiliency in the Greater Prairie Creek Watershed within Redwood National and State Parks, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

27. A grant of $1,000,000 to the Marin Municipal Water District to implement vegetation management projects identified in the Biodiversity, Fire, and Fuels Integrated Plan (BFFIP) in the Mount Tamalpais Watershed, and to reduce ladder fuels in the Marin County Parks Blithedale Summit Preserve, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
28. A grant of $396,000 to Santa Barbara County for a community defensible space project in the San Antonio Creekarea of Santa Barbara County.
29. A grant of $400,000 to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to reduce wildland vegetation fuels, remove fire prone invasive species, and expand shaded fuel break areas through their Wildland Fire Resiliency Program in up to 11 preserves in San Mateo County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
30. A grant of $1,000,000 to San Mateo Resource Conservation District to establish a shaded fuel break and remove hazardous trees along fire roads within Quarry Parkin El Granada, San Mateo County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

31. A grant of $317,071 to the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabelto reduce fire fuels in undeveloped woodlands and open spaces and create defensible space around buildings, water systems, and roadways on Iipay Nation trust lands.
32. A grant of $661,367 to the Urban Corps of San Diego to conduct fuel modification for wildfire resilience in open space in the City of Chula Vista and in seven San Diego County preserves; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
33. A grant of $581,500 to North East Trees for the Flat Top Park Fire Resilienceproject in the City of Los Angeles.

FY ’22 Request for Partnership Proposals/Letters of Interest for the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program

NOTE:

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

1. a) This is NOT the official NCWC call for applications.
2. b) Projects hoping to receive NCWC 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 NCWC criteria, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to  avra.heller@scc.ca.gov by 5 PM PST on March 11^th, 2021 (see further details below).

The California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) seeks partners for joint applications to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 round of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) National Coastal Wetlands Conservation (NCWC) Grant 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 NCWC grant funds to its partners to implement projects.  While federal agencies can’t receive NCWC grant funds, NCWC-funded projects can be implemented on federal lands.

If your project is selected by the Conservancy during this initial proposal phase, the Conservancy will work with you to prepare a NCWC grant 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 process. The deadline to submit NCWC proposals to the USFWS for FY 2022 will be June 25, 2021.  If projects are awarded a NCWC grant, funding should be available for implementation by late Spring / early Summer of 2022. USFWS will need to review and approve all project-related environmental compliance requirements before making funding available. A full description of the NCWC 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 a small amount (~15%) of the grant for biological surveys or monitoring, planning and permitting if those activities are closely tied to implementation. Projects should be ready for implementation in Summer 2022 or 2023.  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 of the required match, but project partners providing their own match will increase the Conservancy’s capacity to carry out more projects.  The NCWC 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 Applicants: Non-federal public agencies, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive Costal Conservancy pass-through funding. To be eligible, a nonprofit organization must qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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 2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), is not yet posted, but last year’s NOFO (which will have very similar terms) is available here as a reference: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=324653.

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 avra.heller@scc.ca.gov. The letter should include the following information:

1) 1-2 sentence summary of the proposed project,

2) location of the project and its relevance to NCWC’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 the potential match funding (the most competitive applications provide at least 33% of the total project costs as 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 March 11^th 2021.

Questions? Questions about the application process and potential projects may be directed to Avra Heller, External Grants Manager, 510-286-1212, avra.heller@scc.ca.gov

Request for Proposals – Proposition 68 San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program Climate Adaptation Funds

The Coastal Conservancy announces its Request for Proposals for projects that plan, develop, and implement climate adaption and resiliency projects in the nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area.  Pre-applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, beginning January 1, 2021 until further notice via the Grants Page of the Conservancy’s website.

The State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) is a State agency established in 1976 to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, help people access and enjoy the outdoors, and sustain local economies and agriculture. Under its authority to work in the nine bay area counties and to address climate change, the Conservancy seeks to support planning, implementation, and technical assistance for projects that carry out the Conservancy’s Strategic Plan while also helping improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change, including very hot weather, drought, flood, wildfire, and sea level rise.

In June 2018, California voters approved Proposition 68, a bond funding measure that allocated funds to the Conservancy’s San Francisco Bay Area Program for climate change adaptation. (Prop 68 added Division 45 to the Public Resources Code; the specific section is 80133(b)). This grant round will award competitive grants for projects that plan, develop, and implement climate adaption and resiliency projects.

Eligible projects will be consistent with the Conservancy’s Strategic Plan and will plan, develop, or implement actions to help natural resources or human communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. Eligible projects shall improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change; improve and protect coastal and rural economies, agricultural viability, wildlife corridors, or habitat; develop future recreational opportunities; or enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention. Projects could include, for example, land conservation for wildlife corridors, enhancement of bay area agriculture to increase carbon sequestration or protect farmworkers from extreme heat, or urban greening. Projects that use natural infrastructure and provide multiple benefits will be prioritized.

Further information can be found below:

• REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – Proposition 68 San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program Climate Adaptation Funds
• Proposition 68 Grant Guidelines for the San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program Climate Adaptation Funds (“Prop 68 SF Bay Climate Funds”)
• Prop 68 Bay Climate Ready Application (only submit a full application upon invitation)

Coastal Conservancy Adopts Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines; Awards $7.8 Million for Coastal Restoration, Preservation and Public Access

Oakland, CA – This week, the Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy unanimously adopted guidelines for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) and awarded $7.8 million to 13 projects to protect and restore the California coast and San Francisco Bay, and increase public access to these natural resources.

The JEDI Guidelines will steer the approach the Conservancy takes to addressing injustices and inequities, and how we will prioritize this in our work going forward.

“These guidelines, which were developed over the course of a year with input from many community based stakeholders, center equity and inclusion within the work of the Conservancy.” said Amy Hutzel, Deputy Executive Officer, “We know there is still much work to be done to create equitable access to the environmental, social, and economic benefits of California’s coast and coastal watersheds. The JEDI guidelines are the framework for us to put these values into action.”

The projects approved at the September Board meeting were:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of $979,000 to the City of Eureka to augment the Conservancy’s prior authorizations of $1,377,000 for implementation of theElk River Estuary Restoration Project, a tidal wetland restoration project in Humboldt County.
2. Adoption of the Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; approval of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project, which includes the Prairie Creek Restoration Project; and authorization to disburse up to $1,239,800 to Save the Redwoods League to construct elements of the Prairie Creek Restoration Project, including a 2-acre pond, and approximately 3 acres of upland habitat.
3. A grant of $84,250 to Audubon Canyon Ranch to restore native coastal prairie habitat and mitigate fire risk on the Martin Griffin Preserve, in Marin County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. Authorization to substitute Friends of the Dunes as the interim fee owner of the 356-acre Samoa Dunes and Wetland Complexand disburse up to $30,000 to Friends of the Dunes to provide interim management of the 356-acre Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Complex in Humboldt County, CA.
5. Authorization to revise the project scope for the Indian Creek Habitat Connectivity and Restoration Project, previously authorized for Conservancy funding on September 29, 2016, to prepare final designs and restore approximately 3,000 linear feet of salmonid habitat between the upper and lower reaches of Indian Creek,a tributary to the Trinity River in Trinity County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

6. A grant of $875,591 for scientific studies to evaluate impacts fromsand mining in San Francisco Bay and Suisun Bay.
7. A grant of $1,000,000 for the Rumrill Complete Green Streets Project, which will reduce water pollution from stormwater runoff, encourage active transportation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide carbon storage along the Rumrill Boulevard corridor in the City of San Pablo, Contra Costa County.
8. A grant of $75,000 to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancyfor planning to facilitate completion of two trail segments identified as regional priorities, and adoption of findings pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.

CENTRAL COAST

9. Authorization to transfer fee title to five Conservancy-owned parcels adjacent to Hidden Beach County Parkto the County of Santa Cruz and approval of the disposition plan for the property transfer; and authorization to disburse up to $35,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for a new restroom at Hidden Beach County Park.
10. A grant of $600,000 to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for the acquisition of a conservation easement on the 717-acre Nicholson Ranchin northern San Luis Obispo County.
11. A grant of $50,000 to the City of Santa Barbara to conduct community outreach and prepare conceptual designs to redevelop Ambassador Parkinto a park that celebrates the cultural heritage of the Chumash native people in Santa Barbara County.

SOUTH COAST

12. A grant of $2,460,000 to acquire the 44-acre Newland Marshproperty in Huntington Beach from the California Department of Transportation, and to transfer the property to the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy.
13. A grant of $346,000 to the County of San Diego to prepare a feasibility plan for a California Coastal Trail crossing of the Tijuana River in Tijuana River Valley Regional Park in San Diego County.
14. Authorization to disburse up to $86,500 to the Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association to augment the prior grant to develop studies, designs, and engineering, and to expand the scope of the project to include final designs and permitting for the San Diego Bay Native Oyster Living Shoreline Projectin the County of San Diego. This authorization will augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized funding of $313,953 for the Project.

The next Conservancy meeting is scheduled for November 19, 2020 and will be held via teleconference

Coastal Conservancy Awards Nearly $18 Million for Coastal Restoration, Preservation and Public Access

Board approves funding for land acquisitions, accessways, wharf repairs

Oakland, CA – Today, the Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy awarded $17.9 million to 18 projects to protect and restore the California coast and San Francisco Bay, and increase public access to these natural resources.

Among these grants was $5 million to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to acquire the 235-acre Sobrato South property for protection of open space and wildlife habitat in the Coyote Valley of San Jose.  The Board also authorized nearly $3 million to the Riverside County Regional Parks and Open Space District for construction of a multiuse trail segment as part of the Hamner Avenue Bridge construction project in the City of Norco, and nearly $2 million to the City of Capitola to renovate and expand the Capitola wharf.  Over $250,000 was awarded to the Environmental Health Coalition to fund the Barrio Logan Climate Resiliency Community project, a planning project consisting of preparation of two plans that address climate change impacts and bolster adaptation planning efforts in Barrio Logan, a severely disadvantaged community in San Diego.

The projects approved at the June Board meeting were:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $640,000 to California Trout, Inc. to restore fish passage and enhance habitat on Cochran Creek, a tributary to Fay Slough on Humboldt Bay, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
2. A grant of up to $500,000 to the Sonoma County Regional Parks to acquire approximately 515 acres in the Dutch Bill Creekwatershed, a tributary to the Russian River, to protect open space, habitat, natural floodplain and water quality, and to provide an opportunity to develop a future regional parkway with recreational trails.
3. A grant of up to $196,123 to California Trout, Inc. to conduct studies and prepare engineering designs for the Sulphur Creek Fish Passage Improvement Projectto remove a fish passage barrier on Sulphur Creek, in St Helena, Napa County.
4. A grant of up to $96,000 to the County of Del Norte to assess the feasibility of expanding camping opportunities and develop a park improvement plan for Clifford Kamph Memorial Park, the northern gateway to the California Coastal Trail, in Del Norte County.
5. A grant of up to $94,371 to the Moat Creek Managing Agency to design, permit, and construct accessibility improvements at the Moat Creek Beach public accesswayand to maintain the accessway for three years, at Moat Creek in Mendocino County.
6. A grant of up to $150,000 to the City of Crescent City to construct a new section of the California Coastal Trailconnecting the Crescent City Harbor with Crescent City’s Beachfront Park in Del Norte County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

7. A grant of up to $5,000,000 to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to acquire the approximately 235-acre Sobrato South property for protection of open space, natural floodplain, wildlife habitat, biological resources, and agriculture; natural resource restoration; and compatible public access, as part of a larger Coyote Valley open space acquisitioneffort in the City of San Jose in Santa Clara County.
8. A grant of up to $83,000 to the City of San José to prepare a plan and environmental review documents for a 1.4 mile segment of the Five Wounds Trail, which is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, within Santa Clara County.
9. A grant of up to $800,000 to the California Invasive Plant Council to implement the planning, management, treatment, monitoring, and restoration activities of the San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project.

CENTRAL COAST

10. A grant of up to $1,900,000 to the City of Capitola to renovate and expand the Capitola Wharfin Santa Cruz County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
11. A grant of up to $1 million of funds granted to the Conservancy by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District to prepare a habitat restoration and enhancement  plan, environmental impact analyses, and permit applications for the restoration and enhancement of floodplain habitat on the Carmel River at the Rancho Cañada unitof the Palo Corona Regional Park in Monterey County.
12. A grant of up to $100,000 to the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County to plan, design, conduct environmental analyses, and prepare grant and permit applications to remove a fish passage barrier on Cachagua Creekby replacing a concrete ford with a bridge at the Weston-Champagne Property.

SOUTH COAST

13. A grant of up to $2,965,000 to the Riverside County Regional Parks and Open Space District for construction of a segment of trail and two access ramps for the Santa Ana River Trail as part of the Hamner Avenue Bridgeconstruction project in the City of Norco in Riverside County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
14. A grant of up to $544,000 to the City of Santa Ana for final design and restoration of the Santa Ana River Parkway Triangle Parkalong the Santa Ana River Trail in the City of Santa Ana, Orange County.
15. A grant of up to $254,530 to the Environmental Health Coalition for a project that increases climate resiliency in the Barrio Logan community by developing a proposed Barrio Logan Community Plan Update and preparing a preliminary plan for the Boston Linear Park in San Diego, CA.
16. A grant of up to $500,000 to the City of Imperial Beach to prepare a Sediment Management Work Plan and Monitoring Program for the Tijuana River Valleyin San Diego County.
17. A grant of up to $250,000 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $250,000 to prepare a restoration plan and conduct environmental review for the Nelson Sloan Quarry Restoration Projectin the Tijuana River Valley region of San Diego County.
18. A grant of up to $2,900,000, provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation, to augment the Conservancy grant of $2,000,000 authorized on February 6, 2020, to the Crystal Cove Conservancy to restore 17 historic cottages on North Beach of the Crystal Cove Historic Districtat Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County.

Notes to Editors:

The 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:

• Funded 2,400 projects along the California coastline and in the San Francisco Bay.
• Protected 390,000 acres of coastal lands through acquisition of fee title and conservation easements.
• Restored 33,000 acres of habitat.
• Built 200 new coastal accessway and 210 miles of new trails.
• Put $1.3 billion to work for conservation projects, and leveraged far more from federal, local government, and private sources.

Working with the Conservancy during Coronavirus Precautions

A message from our Executive Officer, Sam Schuchat:

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

NOTE:

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

1. a) This is NOT the official NCWC call for applications.
2. b) Projects hoping to receive NCWC 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 NCWC criteria, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to avra.heller@scc.ca.gov by 5 PM PST on March 2^nd, 2020 (see further details below).

The California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) seeks partners for joint applications to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 round of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) National Coastal Wetlands Conservation (NCWC) Grant 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 NCWC grant funds to its partners to implement projects.  While federal agencies can’t receive NCWC grant funds, NCWC-funded projects can be implemented on federal lands.

If your project is selected by the Conservancy during this initial proposal phase, the Conservancy will work with you to prepare a NCWC grant 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 process. The deadline to submit NCWC proposals to the USFWS for FY 2021 has not been set, but is expected to be in late June 2020.  If projects are awarded a NCWC grant, funding will be available for implementation as early as Spring 2021.  USFWS will need to meet its project-related environmental compliance requirements before making funding available. A full description of the NCWC 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 a small amount (~15%) of the grant for biological surveys or monitoring, planning and permitting if those activities are closely tied to implementation. Projects should be ready for implementation in Summer 2021 or 2022.  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 of the required match, but project partners providing their own match will increase the Conservancy’s capacity to carry out more projects.  The NCWC 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.

More information about NCWC grants, including last year’s FY 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity, is available here: https://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants/. Please again note that the FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the NCWC program has not yet been released, but it is anticipated to be very similar to last year’s document.

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 avra.heller@scc.ca.gov, by 5 PM PST on March 2^nd, 2020.

The letter should include the following information:

1) 1-2 sentence summary of proposed project,

2) location of the project and its relevance to NCWC’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.

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 Avra Heller, External Grants Manager, 510-286-1212, avra.heller@scc.ca.gov