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.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards $38 million for Coastal Preservation, Restoration, and Public Access

Today, the Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy approved nearly $38 million in grants for coastal restoration, preservation, and public access including $13.4 million for construction, monitoring and modeling of Phase 2 South Bay Salt Pond (SBSP) Restoration Project actions at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Alameda County and $10 million to the County of San Diego to implement the Tijuana River Valley Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project.

The Board also allocated $505,000 to the City of Healdsburg for their Fire Department to conduct wildfire fuel management, create defensible space, and update the management plan for Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space Preserve. This project is expected to get underway at the beginning of July to improve the region’s resilience to wildfire in this fire season.  This is the first project in the Conservancy’s Forest Health and Wildfire Resilience Program to be funded by the early action funding approved by the Legislature and Governor Newsom last month.

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $269,318 to the Yurok Tribe for planning and to prepare designs and permit applications for instream salmonid habitat enhancement projects in the Elk Meadows Cabin reach of lower Prairie Creek, a tributary to Redwood Creek, in Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $413,000 to Save the Redwoods League to construct approximately 4.5 miles of new trails extending the coastal trail on the Shady Dell property near the Usal Beach area of the southern Lost Coast in Mendocino County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
3. A grant of up to $505,000 to the City of Healdsburg for their Fire Department to conduct wildfire fuel management, create defensible space, and update the management plan for Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space Preserve in Sonoma County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. A grant of up to $2,000,000 to The Wildlands Conservancy to acquire approximately 7,480 acres of the Lone Pine Ranch property at the confluence of the Eel River mainstem and North Fork Eel River in Trinity and Mendocino Counties for the purposes of preserving and restoring fish and wildlife habitat, public access and recreation, open space, and natural resource protection.
5. A grant of up to $2,000,000 to the County of Humboldt to complete designs and permits and construct the Humboldt Bay Trail South, a new 4.25 mile stretch of the California Coastal Trail linking the Cities of Arcata and Eureka, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
6. A grant of up to $940,000 to the Smith River Alliance, Inc. to acquire beach, dune, wetland, upland and forested parcels in the vicinity of the Pacific Shores subdivision, adjacent to Lake Earl, Del Norte County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

7. A grant of up to $500,000, including $74,000 in funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to realign and improve the existing trail network at Twin Peaks in San Francisco County, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail alignment, to control erosion, increase public safety, restore native plants, and provide interpretive and directional signs.
8. A grant of up to: 1) $7,605,000 to Ducks Unlimited, Inc. for construction, monitoring and modeling of Phase 2 South Bay Salt Pond (SBSP) Restoration Project actions at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Alameda County; 2) $720,000 of in-lieu fee funds awarded to the Conservancy from the California Department of Transportation for development of the public access trail as part of the Phase 2 project at Ravenswood in San Mateo County; 3) $3,500,000 to the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to conduct studies and prepare designs and a 408 permit application for alterations to flood control facilities at Eden Landing; 4) $460,000 to the Aquatic Science Center for a lead scientist, the SBSP Restoration Project website, and applied studies to support implementation of the SBSP Restoration Project in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties; 5) $385,000 for executive project management of the SBSP Restoration Project; and 6) $800,000 to the California Wildlife Foundation for monitoring and applied studies that facilitate ongoing adaptive management of the SBSP Restoration Project.
9. A grant of up to $950,000, to be reimbursed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, to the California Invasive Plant Council for the planning, management, treatment, monitoring, restoration, and permit compliance activities of the San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project.
10. Amending an existing Project Partnership Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Santa Clara Valley Water District for construction of the Shoreline Project in the City of San José, Santa Clara County

CENTRAL COAST

11. A grant of up to $60,000 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for two new restrooms in Garrapata State Parkin Big Sur, Monterey County.
12. A grant of up to $1,123,000 to the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County for the Integrated Watershed Restoration Program to conduct planning and prepare designs and permit applications for 23 high priority watershed restoration projects in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties.

SOUTH COAST

13. A grant of up to $1,692,360 to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for design and permitting of the restoration of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Los Angeles County and further authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the Prevention Institute to support broad community engagement in planning for that restoration; and the adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
14. A grant of up to $1,200,000 to Riverside County Regional Park and Open Space District to prepare plans, designs, and environmental documentation for the 3.4-mile segment of the Santa Ana River Trail known as the Rincon to Prado Spillway segment in the County of Riverside.
15. A grant of up to $10,000,000 to the County of San Diego to implement the Tijuana River Valley – Smuggler’s Gulch Improvements Project, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
16. A grant of up to $700,000 to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains to augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $460,000 for planning for the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project at Topanga State Park and Topanga Beach in Los Angeles County.
17. A grant of up to $255,000 for environmental review and community engagement to support the Malibu Coastal Access Public Works Plan for seventeen sites in the City of Malibu.
18. A grant of up to $1,300,000 through one or more contracts to prepare environmental compliance documents and related technical studies for the Ormond Beach Restoration and Public Access Plan.
19. Authorization for the City of Chula Vista to remove use restrictions on 1.86 acres of the Conservancy-funded, City-owned Faivre Street property in the lower Otay River Valley in exchange for the City’s acquisition and restriction of a property of equal size and equal or greater value in the Otay River Valley.

Press Release: First California Coastal Trail Map Will Help Complete the 1,230-Mile-Long Trail

Staff Report: https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2021/5/W6d/W6d-5-2021-report.pdf

Map: https://the-california-coastal-trail-1-coastalcomm.hub.arcgis.com/

Contact: Noaki Schwartz at Noaki.Schwartz@coastal.ca.gov and Taylor Samuelson at Taylor.Samuelson@scc.ca.gov

SAN FRANCISCO _ The Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy released a digital map that for the first time shows the existing sections of the California Coastal Trail, a three-year project that will be critical to completing the rest of the trail.

“What a milestone,” said Coastal Commission Executive Director Jack Ainsworth. “There are currently 875 miles of trail and now we can finally see exactly where they are, so we can eventually bridge those gaps and finish the trail.”

The California Coastal Trail, which has been in the planning since 1975, is a network of trails that will eventually allow the public to traverse the length of California’s 1,230-mile-long coast. The varied trail is not a single pathway but a collection of parallel threads and is about 70 percent complete. The trail takes participants through beaches, along blufftops and hillsides, on footpaths, sidewalks and separated bicycle paths maximizing scenic coastal views. Portions of the trail are accessible on foot, bicycle, wheelchair users and on horsebacks as well.

“The California Coastal Trail is one of the only flagship trails in the country that is accessible to almost everyone,” said Coastal Conservancy Executive Officer Sam Schuchat. “Many Californians have walked a segment or two without even realizing it!  With this map, people can find trail segments easily, as well as public access points to get to the shore.”

The map will be available for free download and has a variety of uses. Members of the public can use the public access points to plan trips and planners can see where the amenities to help determine other segments. Users can also zoom into trail alignments and see details such as pathways and stairs. The online map will allow members of the public and planners to click on and view the length of the segment, the name, which city its located in and who the trail steward of each section is.

Users can also determine which segments are complete and safe to access, which are problematic, which routes are waterfront, which are bike only segments and where there are significant connecting trails. The project was completed with support and information from Caltrans, State Parks and many other state and local agencies.

“This really going to help the public appreciate all their options for accessing the coast,” said Coastal Commission Vice-Chair Donne Brownsey. “Hopefully we will get more people out there on those beautiful trails.”

Coastal Conservancy Awards Nearly $17 Million for Coastal Restoration, Preservation and Public Access

Oakland, CA – Today, the Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy awarded over $16.9 million to 13 projects to protect and restore the California coast and San Francisco Bay, and increase public access to these natural resources.

Among these grant awards were over $4.4 million from the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Grant Program.  This program awards grants of up to $1 million to states based on a national competition and funds significant coastal wetland restoration projects.

The projects approved at the March Board meeting were:

NORTH COAST

1. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $634,823 of which $358,639 is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program to California Trout to implement the Mad River Floodplain and Public Access Enhancement Project along the Mad River, Humboldt County, CA; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
2. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $4,547,520 comprised of $750,000 dollars in Conservancy funds, $1,821,938 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Grant Program funds, and $1,975,582 from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wetlands Restoration for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant Program, to Ducks Unlimited, and for the Conservancy to retain environmental consultants, to conduct the Ocean Ranch Restoration Project near Loleta, Humboldt County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
3. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $307,170 to the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to conduct studies and prepare designs, permit applications, and a management plan for restoration of the Williams Creek watershednear Ferndale, Humboldt County, CA.
4. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $499,070 to the Eel River Recovery Project to conduct planning and prepare plans, designs and environmental compliance documents for water storage and erosion control sites that will enhance summer flows and improve water quality to benefit salmonids in lower Tenmile Creek, a tributary to the South Fork Eel River in Mendocino County.
5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $188,480 to The Buckeye Conservancy to conduct planning and prepare designs, permit applications and environmental review documents for off-channel salmonid rearing habitat restoration along Wood Creek on the Felt Ranch property in Humboldt County.
6. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $979,000 received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and $980,000 received from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to the City of Eureka to augment the Conservancy’s prior authorizations of $2,356,000 for implementation of the Elk River Estuary Restoration Project, a tidal wetland restoration project in Humboldt County.
7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $300,000 received from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to contract for post-construction monitoring of the White Slough Restoration Project in the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge (HBNWR) on Humboldt Bay.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,000,000 to the City of Richmond to construct a 1.25-mile segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail connecting Point Molate Beach Park to the Winehaven Historic District in Contra Costa County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,434,400 to the City of Richmond to augment the Conservancy’s November 19, 2020 grant of $3,000,000 for the final design and implementation of the Terminal Four Wharf Removal Project near Point San Pablo, Contra Costa County.
10. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $2,474,600 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete implementation of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project in Novato, Marin County.

SOUTH COAST

11. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $350,000 to the San Diego Association of Governments to construct the Barrio Logan segment of the Bayshore Bikeway in San Diego County.
12. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $734,730 to the County of Ventura to conduct planning and to prepare designs and environmental documentation for the replacement of the Camino Cielo Bridge over the Ventura River in unincorporated Ventura County.
13. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $433,650 to the City of Hermosa Beach in Los Angeles County to renovate an impervious and deteriorated beach parking lot into a green, multi-benefit parking lot and to prepare final design plans to renovate a second parking lot in the City of Hermosa Beach.
14. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $890,000 to the San Diego Unified Port District to implement and monitor a native oyster living shoreline project at the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve in San Diego County.
15. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $151,869 to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to collect topographical map data, analyze the impacts of sea level rise on rocky intertidal habitat, and identify potential restoration and enhancement areas across San Diego County.
16. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $218,895 to the California Urban Forests Council to implement a multi-benefit urban greening project that will plant approximately 500 trees through educational community events that engage residents in communities across the Upper San Gabriel River Watershed.

CENTRAL COAST

17. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $436,395, including $386,395 awarded to the Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program, to the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District to restore approximately 56 acres of coastal habitat along Los Osos Creek in the lower Morro Bay watershed in San Luis Obispo County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
18. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $360,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to prepare technical analyses, design plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for water quality and public access improvements and habitat restoration at Moran Lake in Santa Cruz County.

The next Conservancy meeting is scheduled for May 27, 2021 and will be held via teleconference.

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.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awarded $7 Million in US Fish and Wildlife Grants

March 1, 2021

Funding for 8 Coastal Wetland Restoration Projects

Oakland, CA – The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it is awarding California State Coastal Conservancy nearly $7 million in grant funding for eight coastal wetland restoration projects.

The grants, which are part of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants Program, will fund restoration projects in 5 coastal counties and the San Francisco Bay, encompassing over 3,000 acres of both urban waterfronts and rural watersheds.

“The Coastal Conservancy and US Fish and Wildlife (Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program) have collaborated successfully for many years on some of the state’s most significant wetland restoration projects, which have helped wildlife populations rebound, created new public access amenities, and prepared parts of our coast for the impacts of climate change.” said Sam Schuchat, Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy, “I am thrilled to have so many projects funded through the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grants Program this year.  These federal dollars are matched by state and local funding, showing that Californians have both the will and the way to restore wetland habitats.”

Wetlands in coastal watersheds are diverse and complex ecosystems that are vital to the nation’s economy and an important part of the nation’s natural heritage. Coastal wetlands in California include both salt marshes in estuaries and freshwater wetlands that extend inland within the coastal drainages. They provide crucial habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife, including breeding grounds, nurseries, shelter and food.

The Conservancy’s projects will directly benefit several federally listed and sensitive species including the California red-legged frog, western pond turtle, Nipomo lupine, legless lizard, coast horned lizard, La Graciosa thistle, California least tern, light-footed Ridgway rail, monarch butterfly, coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and tidewater goby.

“The importance of the work proposed, and the quality of the applications developed by the Coastal Conservancy and its partners resulted in a high level of success in the Fiscal Year 2021 round of selections.” said Paul Souza, Regional Director of the California-Great Basin Region of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The projects selected for funding are:

• Project: Black Lake Ecological Area Habitat Restoration
  Partner: Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
  Location: San Luis Obispo County
  Award: $587,409

• Project: Elkhorn Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration-Phase 3,
  Partner: Elkhorn Slough Foundation and Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
  Location: Monterey County
  Award: $1,000,000

• Project: Elk River Estuary Restoration-Area 2 North,
  Partner: City of Eureka
  Location: Humboldt County
  Award: $1,000,000

• Project: Mad River Floodplain Restoration and Public Access
  Partner: McKinleyville Community Services District and Cal Trout
  Location: Humboldt County
  Award: $ 376,754

• Project: Loma Alta Slough Wetlands Enhancement
  Partner: City of Oceanside
  Location: San Diego County
  Award: $1,000,000

• Project: Ormand Beach Wetlands Restoration Phase 2
  Partner: The Nature Conservancy
  Location: Ventura County
  Award: $1,000,000

• Project: San Francisco Bay Coastal Wetland Revegetation-Phase 2,
  Location: San Francisco Bay
  Award: $1,000,000

• Project: San Diego Bay Native Oyster Living Shoreline
  Partner: Port of San Diego
  Location: San Diego County
  Award: $960,533

The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service and funded by taxes or import duties collected from the sale of recreational fishing equipment, boats, electric motors and motorboat and small engine fuels under the authority of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act.

The Service awards grants of up to $1 million to states based on a national competition, which enables states to determine and address their highest conservation priorities in coastal areas. Since 1992, the Service has awarded more than $400 million in grants under the program.

Notes to Editors:

The Coastal Conservancy is a California 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.

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

Coastal Conservancy awards $2.4 million for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Protection

On January 21, 2021, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy awarded nearly $2.4 million in grants to protects and restore the California coast and coastal watersheds, and increase public access to these resources.

Klamath River, Photo: Kristi Kirschner

The grants included $130,000 to fill data gaps in the Conservation Lands Network through citizen science data collection events in severely disadvantaged communities, $30,000 to the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District to provide low-income youth and their family members with environmental education and recreational access to sites in the Santa Ana River watershed, and $273,337 to the Resighini Rancheria to create a conceptual restoration plan for the Resighini Rancheria property and preliminary designs for several sites within the property to restore fisheries and wetlands on the lower Klamath River in Del Norte County.

A full list of grants awarded is below.

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $400,000 to California Trout, Inc. to conduct planning activities for anadromous fish habitat enhancement and flood reduction in the lower Elk River Watershed, Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $279,491 to the Scott River Watershed Council to prepare environmental studies, designs and draft permit applications for restoration of a 2.27 mile reach of the Scott Rivernear Callahan, Siskiyou County.
3. A grant of up to $341,607 to the Mid Klamath Watershed Council to conduct studies, prepare designs and permit applications, and conduct environmental review to reconnect floodplain to the Klamath River at Horse Trough Springsto benefit salmonids in Siskiyou County.
4. A grant of up to $273,337 to the Resighini Rancheria to create a conceptual restoration plan for the Resighini Rancheria property and preliminary designs for several sites within the property to restore fisheries and wetlands on the lower Klamath River in Del Norte County.
5. A grant of up to $170,575 to the Mattole Salmon Group to develop design documents for approximately 165 instream habitat enhancement projects in 9 tributaries to the mid Mattole River in Humboldt County and to prepare environmental compliance documents for selected high-priority reaches.
6. A grant of up to $245,000 to the Salmonid Restoration Federation to prepare design and environmental compliance documents for an off-stream water storage pond and associated infrastructure on Marshall Ranchto enhance summer flows to benefit salmonids in the Redwood Creek watershed, a tributary to the South Fork Eel River in Humboldt County.
7. A grant of up to $199,525 to the Northwest California Resource Conservation and Development Council to construct the McKinney Creek Fish Passage Improvement Projecton McKinney Creek, Siskiyou County, CA.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

8. A grant of up to $130,000 to Bay Area Open Space Council to fill data gaps in the Conservation Lands Networkthrough citizen science data collection events in severely disadvantaged communities.
9. A grant of up to $140,000 to the City of San José for habitat restoration and re-construction of the Coyote Creek Trail Singleton Road Crossingin Santa Clara County.

CENTRAL COAST

10. A grant of up to $55,000 to the Peninsula Open Space Trust to repair and restore two bridges along the Cowell-Purisima Coastal Trail, south of Half Moon Bay, in coastal San Mateo County.

SOUTH COAST

11. A grant of up to $131,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to operate and maintain open public accessways and assist with planning for the removal of encroachments on access easements to Escondido Beachin Malibu, Los Angeles County.
12. A grant of up to $30,000 to Inland Empire Resource Conservation District to provide low-income youth and their family members with environmental education and recreational access to sites in the Santa Ana River watershed in the vicinity of Redlands, CA.

Call for Applications to Serve on the California State Coastal Conservancy’s Explore the Coast Advisory Board

***Application Due January 22, 2021***

Background

California’s ocean, coast, and beaches have long been recognized and used as spaces of joy, relaxation, and healing. The State Coastal Conservancy’s Explore the Coast (ETC) grant program seeks to provide coastal experiences for people and communities who face challenges or barriers to accessing or enjoying the coast (“ETC Priority Communities”). ETC Priority Communities include lower-income individuals and households, people with disabilities, people of color, immigrant communities, foster youth, and others. Over the past seven years, this program has distributed over $6.4 million through nearly 218 ETC grants throughout California to connect more people to state’s spectacular coast. Through these grants, tens of thousands of Californians have been able to experience the coast, often for the first time.

Photo: Viva Verde

The Advisory Board

To better achieve ETC program’s goals, the Conservancy created an Explore the Coast Advisory board. Our goal is that through the ETC Advisory Board, we will improve the ETC grant program by harnessing diverse stakeholders’ insights and experience and will share decision-making power with the communities served by the program. The Advisory Board began in 2019, and we are soliciting applications for new Advisory Board members that would serve at least one two-year term. Advisory Board members are invited, but not required, to serve for two terms in a row (total of four years).

Each year, the Coastal Conservancy allocates hundreds of thousands of dollars to programs that connect ETC Priority Communities to the coast.  Our aim is to equitably distribute this funding and maximize the impact of every dollar spent.  To better achieve these goals, the ETC Advisory Board advises Conservancy staff on the application process, review of applications, and ongoing administration of the grant program.

The work of the Advisory Board includes the following:

• Reviewing ETC grant applications, and providing guidance on project selection
• Providing recommendations on how Coastal Conservancy staff can better communicate future Explore the Coast grant opportunities to a broader audience, and provide technical assistance for applicants
• Reviewing and commenting on the grant materials and selection criteria for future grant rounds to help the ETC program better achieve its goals.

Time Commitment

We are asking Advisory Board Members to commit to at least one two-year term on the board. Each year, the level of commitment over the course of the year is roughly as follows:

• Participate in three 2-hour planning phone calls (including an initial orientation call)
• Spend approximately 10 hours of personal time reviewing grant applications prior to the review meeting
• Participate in-person at a full day application review and program assessment meeting. While in-person participation is preferred, if an advisory board member cannot participate in person, arrangements will be made for them to participate by phone or zoom.

The Coastal Conservancy will reimburse travel costs* to attend the application review meeting. The Coastal Conservancy will offer an annual stipend of $350 to Advisory Board members who need financial assistance to participate.

Eligibility

To avoid a conflict of interest, Advisory Board members cannot be employees or board members of current or prospective Explore the Coast grant recipient organizations. Advisory Board members that have another form of close relationship with an ETC grantee will be asked to recuse themselves from discussion of that organization’s application(s).

Desired Qualifications

Coastal Conservancy staff seek Advisory Board members from across California who reflect the state’s diversity (including racial, ethnic, income, gender, language, and physical ability diversity), and with expertise in the following areas:

• Designing and implementing culturally relevant programming for populations that may face barriers to accessing the coast (including communities of color, Native American communities, low-income communities, or persons with physical disabilities)
• Outdoor recreation
• Environmental education or youth leadership programs
• Environmental equity
• Community engagement
• Monitoring and evaluation of non-profit programming

To Apply:

If interested, please fill out this linked application by January 22, 2021. Please be aware that your submittal will be a public record subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act.

If you have questions about the ETC Advisory Board and would like more information to help you decide whether to apply, please contact Avra Heller, Project Specialist, at Avra.Heller@scc.ca.gov.

CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE APPLICATION

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.