Job Posting: Deputy Executive Officer C. E. A.

Press Release: State, Regional Agencies Join Forces to Prepare Bay Area for Sea Level Rise, Increased Flooding

Memorandum Marks Commitment to Coordinated Efforts

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2024… Seven regional and state public agencies have executed a new memorandum of understanding committing each agency to a joint work program to address increased threats of flooding and sea level rise in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region.

The agencies participating in the agreement signed last Friday include the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG); the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; the California State Coastal Conservancy; Caltrans District 4; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC); the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board; and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). The partners’ amplified coordination will be guided by the inter-agency Bay Area Regional Collaborative (BARC). The memorandum is intended to align the partners’ efforts, expertise and core functions to deliver priority, multi-benefit projects to reduce flooding risks in vulnerable communities along the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

“The scale of the Bay Area’s need for projects to adequately adapt to the threats of flooding and sea level rise is vastly greater than the resources available,” explained BARC Chair Jesse Arreguin, who also serves as mayor of Berkeley and as vice president of the ABAG Executive Board. “By working together with a shared purpose, the Bay Area will be in a better position to compete with other metro areas for the limited dollars that are available.”

Through coordinating their respective roles and authorities, the partner agencies aim to:

• Speed implementation of adaptation projects to better prepare communities, businesses, infrastructure, and the environment for the expected impact of flooding and sea level rise.
• Increase the Bay Area’s ability to compete for state and federal grants.
• Help cities, counties and special districts plan and fund climate adaptation projects.
• Build consensus on project priorities through a strategic, data-driven and equitable approach that incorporates local sea level rise adaptation plans.
• Support multi-jurisdiction partnerships to advance multi-benefit projects at scale.
• Create a cooperative environment in which various agencies and municipalities support each other’s goals and support each other’s climate adaptation projects.

“We need unprecedented coordination to prioritize flood risk management projects in the places that need them most,” said ABAG Executive Board President and Napa County Supervisor Belia Ramos. “We must accelerate our pace and plan at a scale commensurate with the threat. This MOU is an important step in documenting how the seven agencies will coordinate in support of the cities, counties, special districts, community-based organizations, and private interests that all have critical roles to play in implementing effective projects.”

“There is a funding gap of at least $110B in green, grey and hybrid solutions to adapt the Bay Area to mid-century sea level rise projections,” noted BCDC Chair Zack Wasserman. “This MOU establishes a structure and process to support coordinated planning, project prioritization, and project delivery to reduce inter-agency and inter-jurisdiction competition for funding.”

California State Coastal Conservancy Executive Officer Amy Hutzel noted that, “Some of the Bay Area region’s most flood-prone areas include under-served communities that lack the resources to plan and build specific flood risk management projects on their own. I’m excited to work with my partner agencies in this coordinated effort to ensure vulnerable communities can implement adaptation projects that make them safer and more resilient to the growing threats of sea level rise, while preserving and enhancing the Bay’s natural resources.”

BARC was created by the state Legislature in 2004 to foster the coordination of the Bay Area’s regional agencies on issues of regional significance. More information may be found on the BARC website.

San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail Implementation Meeting #42 – June 21, 2024, 10am – 12pm

AGENDA
June 21 , 2024
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
VIRTUAL  MEETING

Zoom Meeting Information:

Please join us on Zoom at this link:
https://scc-ca-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcumrqTMrHdeYKO2888Cqs7e8id82p4VD 

Desired Outcomes of Meeting:

• Attendees are informed of Water Trail-related activities, progress, and accomplishments
• Attendees are informed about a new water access audio tour from guest speaker
• Attendees are informed of upcoming signage update effort and provide feedback

Zoom Instructions:

Please register in advance for this meeting at the Zoom link above. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting, including call-in information.

Agenda items may be taken out of sequence at the discretion of the Project Management Team; times are approximate.

Questions regarding this meeting may be addressed to Shalini Kannan, Coastal Conservancy Project Manager, at (510) 286-4167, or shalini.kannan@scc.ca.gov.

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

6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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

9. 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

10. 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.

Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Sacramento – June 6

Meeting Notice

Douglas Bosco (Public Member), Chair

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš (Public Member), Vice Chair

Joy Sterling (Public Member)

Jeremiah Hallisey (Public Member)

Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources; Bryan Cash and Jenn Eckerle (Designated)

Caryl Hart, Coastal Commission Chair; Madeline Cavalieri (Designated)

Joe Stephenshaw, Director, Department of Finance; Michele Perrault (Designated)

Senate Representatives

Benjamin Allen (District 26)

Josh Becker (District 13)

John Laird (District 17)

Assembly Representatives

Gregg Hart (District 37)

Christopher Ward (District 78)

Tina McKinnor (District 61)

Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer

Amy Roach, General Counsel

AGENDA

Agenda update 6/4/2024. Item 3E Exhibit 3, additional letters of support were added.

Hybrid Meeting

DATE: June 06, 2024

TIME: 10:00 A.M

LOCATION:   California Natural Resource Agency, Room 2-302 A-B

715 P Street., Sacramento CA 95814

*Live Spanish interpretation is provided during our Board Meetings on the Zoom teleconference.

*Se proporciona interpretación en español en vivo durante nuestras reuniones de la Junta en la teleconferencia de Zoom.

This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid virtual/in-person format. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency, members of the public can choose to watch the webcast of the meeting or participate in the meeting via Zoom, by telephone, or in person at the location listed above. People attending in person will be required to adhere to the site’s health guidelines, which could include wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.

Members of the public may watch an online webcast of the meeting or join the meeting by internet with Zoom or by telephone with the following steps:

Webcast (Watch Only): To watch the meeting and not provide verbal comments, please view the webcast at this site: https://cal-span.org.  If you do not wish to provide verbal comments, we strongly recommend watching the webcast as this will free up space on the webinar for those who are providing verbal comments. If you intend to make verbal comments, please do not view the webcast, and then switch over to the Zoom webinar or phone to comment, as the webcast will have a time delay and you may miss the opportunity to comment.

Zoom (To Make Comments): In addition to in-person participation, remote participation is available to members of the public via Zoom webinar. To participate via Zoom, you must register for the Zoom Webinar at this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0YlrtptjQaOGcXinw8VbFg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Telephone (To Make Comments): Members of the public can offer verbal comments on agenda items by calling in via telephone. Zoom registration is required. Register for the Zoom Webinar at the link above and you will receive an email with a phone number to dial in by telephone. When the agenda item you want to speak on is being presented, press *9 to “raise your hand” and indicate your interest in making a comment. You will be called upon (using your phone number to identify you) and will be unmuted at the appropriate time.

More information on how to participate and comment verbally on an agenda item or during open public comment can be found here.

1. ROLL CALL

Vote on Remote Participation (as needed)

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of the Conservancy’s April 18, 2024 public meeting.

3. CONSENT ITEMS

A. Consideration and potential to disburse 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.

B. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

D. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

• Addendum: Letters of Support

4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT

A. Progress Report on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work at the Conservancy

B. Presentations on Sea Level Rise in California

C. Sea Level Rise Memorandum of Understanding for San Francisco Bay

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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

6. Consideration and authorization to disburse 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.

CENTRAL COAST

7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

NORTH COAST

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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

9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

Please note: If a closed session is needed, the Conservancy will reconvene in person and on the webcast and zoom webinar to make any reports required by Section 11125.2 of the Government Code.

10. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS

11. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

12. CLOSED SESSION

A. To confer regarding Pappas, et al. v. State Coastal Conservancy, et al., Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Case No. 1417388. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

B. To confer regarding Ballona Wetlands Land Trust v. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, et al. (Environmental Science Associates, Real Party in Interest), Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 22STCP03307. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

C. To confer regarding City of Trinidad v. Tsurai Ancestral Society, et al., Humboldt County Superior Court Case No. DR180684. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

13. ADJOURNMENT

Note:   Agenda items may be taken out of sequence at the discretion of the Conservancy. At any time during the meeting, but prior to the adjournment of the open session of the meeting, the Conservancy may recess or adjourn to closed session to consider personnel matters, prices and terms of real estate transactions, and possible and pending litigation. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to attorney-client privilege and statutory authorization under Government Code Sections 11126(a), (c) (7), and (e).

Any person who has a disability and requires reasonable accommodation to participate in this public meeting should contact Taylor Samuelson no later than five days prior to meeting.

Questions about the meeting or agenda can be directed to Taylor Samuelson at
(510) 286-4182 or Taylor.Samuelson@scc.ca.gov or at the Conservancy:

1515 Clay Street, 10th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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.
11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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

18. 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!

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 Public Meeting in Oakland – April 18

Meeting Notice

Douglas Bosco (Public Member), Chair
Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš (Public Member), Vice Chair
Joy Sterling (Public Member)
Jeremiah Hallisey (Public Member)
Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources; Bryan Cash and Jenn Eckerle (Designated)
Caryl Hart, Coastal Commission Chair; Madeline Cavalieri (Designated)
Joe Stephenshaw, Director, Department of Finance; Michele Perrault (Designated)

Senate Representatives
Benjamin Allen (District 26)
Josh Becker (District 13)
John Laird (District 17)

Assembly Representatives
Gregg Hart (District 37)
Christopher Ward (District 78)
Tina McKinnor (District 61)

Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer
Amy Roach, General Counsel

AGENDA

Agenda updated 4/5/2024 8:50 AM, Item 15 has been postponed.
Hybrid Meeting
DATE: April 18, 2024
TIME: 10:00 A.M
LOCATION: Elihu M Harris State Building Auditorium – 1st Floor
1515 Clay St., Auditorium, Oakland CA 94612

*Live Spanish interpretation is provided during our Board Meetings on the Zoom teleconference.

*Se proporciona interpretación en español en vivo durante nuestras reuniones de la Junta en la teleconferencia de Zoom.

This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid virtual/in-person format. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency, members of the public can choose to watch the webcast of the meeting or participate in the meeting via Zoom, by telephone, or in person at the location listed above. People attending in person will be required to adhere to the site’s health guidelines, which could include wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.
Members of the public may watch an online webcast of the meeting or join the meeting by internet with Zoom or by telephone with the following steps:

Webcast (Watch Only): To watch the meeting and not provide verbal comments, please view the webcast at this site: https://cal-span.org.  If you do not wish to provide verbal comments, we strongly recommend watching the webcast as this will free up space on the webinar for those who are providing verbal comments. If you intend to make verbal comments, please do not view the webcast, and then switch over to the Zoom webinar or phone to comment, as the webcast will have a time delay and you may miss the opportunity to comment.

Zoom (To Make Comments): In addition to in-person participation, remote participation is available to members of the public via Zoom webinar. To participate via Zoom, you must register for the Zoom Webinar at this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gV2ml0DqTFKpSxBxtFDKtQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Telephone (To Make Comments): Members of the public can offer verbal comments on agenda items by calling in via telephone. Zoom registration is required. Register for the Zoom Webinar at the link above and you will receive an email with a phone number to dial in by telephone. When the agenda item you want to speak on is being presented, press *9 to “raise your hand” and indicate your interest in making a comment. You will be called upon (using your phone number to identify you) and will be unmuted at the appropriate time.

More information on how to participate and comment verbally on an agenda item or during open public comment can be found here.

1. ROLL CALL

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of the Conservancy’s February 15, 2024 public meeting.

3. CONSENT ITEMS

A. Consideration and potential authorization to disburse 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 Baylands in Marin County.

B. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $150,000 to TreePeople and the Inland Empire Waterkeeper for each of their Explore the River 2024 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the Santa Ana River.

D. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $24,000 to augment an existing grant to Friends of the Dunes to continue interim management of the 356-acre Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Complex on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.

E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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 Greenway in the City of Petaluma, Sonoma County.

F. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $311,900 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to undertake the San Francisco Bay State of the Birds 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.

4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT

A. Tribute to Julia Elkin, former Project Manager at the Coastal Conservancy

B. Strategic Plan Progress Report

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

6. Consideration and possible authorization to support implementation of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project in 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.

7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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 Project in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,683,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 1,402-acres of Stonier Ranch for the protection of open space, wildlife corridors, viewsheds, natural resources, and grazing lands, in Santa Clara County.

CENTRAL COAST

9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

10. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $650,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to undertake the Santa Cruz Coastal Lagoons & East Cliff Drive Resiliency Study consisting 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.

11. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

12. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

13. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

NORTH COAST

14. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

WILDFIRE RESILENCE

15. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,970,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to initiate a Tribal Workforce Fellowship Program, which includes classroom and hands-on training of three cohorts of participants to conduct on-the-ground wildfire resilience activities on tribal and regional park lands in Sonoma County. [POSTPONED]

16. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 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.

17. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,089,749 to the County of Humboldt and the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District for two mapping projects that will develop critical data layers for north and central coast wildfire resilience planning.

18. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS

19. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Please note: If a closed session is needed, the Conservancy will reconvene in person and on the webcast and zoom webinar to make any reports required by Section 11125.2 of the Government Code.

20. CLOSED SESSION
A. To confer regarding Pappas, et al. v. State Coastal Conservancy, et al., Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Case No. 1417388. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

B. To confer regarding Grassroots Coalition, et al. v. California State Coastal Conservancy, et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 21STCP02237. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

C. To confer regarding Ballona Wetlands Land Trust v. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, et al. (Environmental Science Associates, Real Party in Interest), Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 22STCP03307. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

D. To confer regarding City of Trinidad v. Tsurai Ancestral Society, et al., Humboldt County Superior Court Case No. DR180684. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

21. ADJOURNMENT

Note: Agenda items may be taken out of sequence at the discretion of the Conservancy. At any time during the meeting, but prior to the adjournment of the open session of the meeting, the Conservancy may recess or adjourn to closed session to consider personnel matters, prices and terms of real estate transactions, and possible and pending litigation. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to attorney-client privilege and statutory authorization under Government Code Sections 11126(a), (c) (7), and (e).
Any person who has a disability and requires reasonable accommodation to participate in this public meeting should contact Taylor Samuelson no later than five days prior to meeting.
Questions about the meeting or agenda can be directed to Taylor Samuelson at
(510) 286-4182 or Taylor.Samuelson@scc.ca.gov or at the Conservancy:
1515 Clay Street, 10th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612

Request for Partnership Proposals/Letters of Interest for the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program FY 2025

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. This is NOT the official NCWCG call for applications. 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 you wish to work with the Coastal Conservancy to manage and administer a potential future grant, please read the following announcement.

If you feel your project fits the NCWCG criteria, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to bryce.keyes@scc.ca.gov by 11:59 PM on Monday, April 15^th, 2024.

The California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy) seeks partners for joint applications to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 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.

Grant Award Amount: The NCWCG program 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 request up to 30% of the grant, combined, for biological surveys, monitoring, planning, and permitting if those activities are closely tied to implementation.

Eligible Project Activities:

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
3. A combination of acquisition, restoration, and management

Ineligible Project Activities:

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
9. Projects providing less than 20 years of conservation benefits

Important Dates: Projects should be ready for implementation in Summer 2025 or 2026. Project timeline can span as much as 5 years. Grant funding for approved awards will generally be available by Spring 2025.

Match: The NCWCG 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 additional projects. The NCWCG program also prioritizes projects that involve multiple partners providing a cash or in-kind contribution. Some pre-award costs may be considered as match.

Eligibility: Only seven designated state agencies, including the Conservancy, are eligible to apply for NCWCG in California. However, the Conservancy can work in partnership with state and local agencies, tribes, and certain non-profits to develop and submit NCWCG proposals. The Conservancy can pass through NCWCG funds to its partners, as subrecipients, to implement projects. Partners for NCWCG must be non-federal public agencies, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations. To be eligible, a nonprofit organization must qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. While federal agencies can’t receive NCWCG funds, NCWCG-funded projects can be implemented on federal lands by a subrecipient.

Project Selection Process: 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 USFWS selects proposals for award through a merit-based, national competitive review and ranking process. The deadline for the Conservancy to submit NCWCG proposals to the USFWS for FY 2025 will be June 21, 2024. Selected projects are generally awarded 6-8 months after the application is submitted. If projects are awarded a NCWCG, funding should be available in late Spring of 2025. USFWS will need to review and meet all project-related environmental compliance requirements before making funding available.

Letter of Interest: To indicate your interest in partnering with the Conservancy on a NCWCG proposal, please submit a brief (~2-4 page) letter of interest via email to Mrs. Bryce Keyes at Bryce.Keyes@scc.ca.gov. Letters of Interest must be received by 11:59 PM on Monday, April 15^th, 2024.

A full description of the NCWCG program can be found on Grants.gov, linked here, or you can search the funding opportunity number on Grants.gov (F25AS00004). If you are interested in submitting a letter of interest to the Conservancy, it is recommended that you review the Criteria in NCWCG’s Full Announcement to ensure that your project is a good fit.

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 goal to restore, enhance, or manage coastal wetlands ecosystems
3. Description of the need for the project
4. Description of the proposed project activities 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
8. List of potential project partners and their roles in the project
9. List the approximate acreage of the project area and the acreage of coastal wetlands within the project area
10. Attach a map showing the project area

Questions? Questions about potential projects and the application process may be directed to Bryce Keyes, External Grants Manager: bryce.keyes@scc.ca.gov.

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.