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

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

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

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

The grants awarded today include:

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

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

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

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Notes to Editors:

The projects approved at today’s meeting were:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Since its founding, the Conservancy has:

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

More information is at scc.ca.gov.

San Francisco Bay Restoration Funding Forum, May 3

Two federal funders of wetland restoration projects have five to ten times their usual levels of funding. If you’re thinking about applying for federal funds but aren’t sure which programs are the best fit for your project, join us for a conversation with the staff who run them and get your questions answered. We will also discuss state and regional funding programs focused on San Francisco Bay restoration.

Join the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority (SFBRA), and San Francisco Bay Joint Venture on May 3rd at from 1-3pm for a virtual forum to learn about funding opportunities for restoration projects in the San Francisco Bay Area!

These funds are focused on habitat restoration but may include green-gray and multi-objective restoration projects.

Come hear brief presentations from the following agencies:

• EPA – two funding programs
• NOAA – four funding programs
• SFBRA and SCC – three funding programs

Following the presentations and a 15-minute panel discussion, we will have breakout rooms with each staff person available for you to visit and ask questions.

RSVP and submit questions at this link(link is external). Please contact Sara Haugen, SFBRA Project Manager, at sara.haugen@scc.ca.gov if you have any questions about registering.

Hosted by EPA, NOAA, SCC, SFBRA, and the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture.

P.S. The SFBJV hosts a funding working group monthly on second Thursdays from 3-4pm. You can find their list of current grant opportunities here(link is external). Contact Nikki Roach, SFBJV Policy and Communications Coordinator, at nroach@sfbayjv.org to learn more.

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

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

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

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

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

NORTH COAST

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

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

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

CENTRAL COAST

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

SOUTH COAST

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

STATEWIDE

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

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Authorized $14.6m for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Climate Resilience

3/24/2022 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved $14.6 million in grants for restoration, protection, public access, and climate resilience along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.

Included in the approvals were $3,420,000 to Save the Redwoods League to acquire conservation easements on 3,862-acres of the Weger Ranch property within the Big River watershed in Mendocino County, and over $7 million to several organizations, including $5,281,709 to the Yurok Tribe, to construct initial public access improvements and visitor amenities for the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project.

The full list of projects approved can be found below:

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

1. A grant of up to $320,000 to the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation to enhance habitat, protect and increase endangered plant species populations, and engage the local community in the restoration and conservation of five vernal pool properties on the Santa Rosa Plain, Sonoma County.
2. A grant of up to $836,400 to Acterra for Climate Resilient Communities to implement the pilot phase of the East Palo Alto Rain Garden Project in the city of East Palo Alto, San Mateo County.
3. A grant of up to $281,087 to California Trout, Inc. to augment the Conservancy’s grant of $196,123, authorized on June 18, 2020 for studies and designs, to prepare revised designs of the Sulphur Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project, Napa County to include bridge replacement.

NORTH COAST

4. A grant of up to $3,420,000 to Save the Redwoods League to acquire conservation easements on 3,862-acres of the Weger Ranch property within the Big River watershed in Mendocino County, for the purposes of natural resource and water quality protection, sustainable forest management and open space preservation.
5. Authorization to disburse funds received by the Conservancy from the Ocean Protection Council, the Wildlife Conservation Board California Riparian Habitat Conservation Program, and Save the Redwoods League to restore approximately 11.5 acres of riparian habitat on lower Prairie Creek as part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Projectat the former Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County, as follows: up to $5,281,709 to the Yurok Tribe and up to $1,320,427 to Caltrout, Inc.; and authorization to disburse up to $794,000 in funds received by the Conservancy from the Wildlife Conservation Board Public Access Program to Save the Redwoods League to construct initial public access improvements and visitor amenities for the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project.

CENTRAL COAST

6. A grant of up to $500,000 to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to acquire 644-acres of the Johnston Ranch property for natural resource protection and restoration, open space, compatible agricultural preservation, and public access, located adjacent to the City of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County.
7. A grant of up to $530,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to construct an all-access trail and improvements to associated visitor-serving amenities at Antonelli Pond in Santa Cruz County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
8. A grant of up to $2,934,892 to San Mateo County to construct public access improvements and visitor-serving amenities at Tunitas Creek Beach in San Mateo County, of which $2,174,892 will derive from remaining unexpended funds from a Conservancy grant authorized on March 14, 2019 for the acquisition and planning of the project, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SOUTH COAST

9. Authorization to (1) disburse up to $500,000 to hire contractors to develop and implement participation from tribal communities, community groups, and residents of the greater Los Angeles region to assist in planning the Ballona Wetlands Restoration project; and (2) disburse up to $53,000 to the Friends of Ballona Wetlands to restore disturbed riparian habitat at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Los Angeles County.

San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail Implementation Meeting #40 – March 4, 2022, 10am – 12pm

AGENDA
March 4, 2022
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING

ZOOM Meeting Information:

For live, online viewing of meeting, go to this address:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85177518646?pwd=TGo5N3J4MjBlbDBrN1ZIdCtrNXNVUT09 
Meeting ID: 851 7751 8646
Passcode: 090570

To participate remotely by telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 851 7751 8646
Passcode: 090570

Desired Outcomes of Meeting:

• Attendees are informed of Water Trail-related activities, progress, and accomplishments
• After receiving Advisory Committee guidance, Project Management Team makes consensus-based decisions on National Park Service representative nomination for the Advisory Committee
• Attendees informed of Hudeman Slough Boat Launch improvements and water access planning
• After receiving Advisory Committee guidance, Project Management Team makes consensus-based decisions on the designation of Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline

Time       Agenda Item

10:00       Welcome, Introductions, Agenda Review, and Meeting Ground Rules

10:10        Updates and Announcements from Water Trail Staff, Project Management Team, and                                                            Advisory Committee Members

10:50       Nomination – National Park Service Advisory Committee Representative

• • Introduction of National Park Service nominee
  • Discussion with Advisory Committee
  • Public comments
  • Advisory Committee consensus guidance to Project Management Team
  • Project Management Team discussion and decision on nominee

11:00       Hudeman Slough Public Fishing Access and Boat Launching Facility Project Planning Update

11:20       Trailhead Designation Consideration: Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline (Eckley Pier)

• • Presentation and Site Description review
  • Discussion with Advisory Committee
  • Public comments
  • Advisory Committee consensus guidance to Project Management Team on trailhead designation
  • Project Management Team discussion and decision on conditional designation

11:50        Public Comments

12:00       Adjourn

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 Avra Heller, Coastal Conservancy Project Manager, at (510) 286-1212, or avra.heller@scc.ca.gov.

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Board Approves $12.6 million for Coastal Restoration, Protection and Public Access 

12/2/2021 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved over $12.6 million in grants for coastal restoration, protection and public access.

Included in the approvals were over $10 million to the City of Fullerton to acquire a 13.7-acre property in the West Coyote Hills area of north Orange County for open space, habitat protection, watershed management, and public access, $120,000 to Mycelium Youth Network for up to four priority climate adaptation projects to be implemented at Metwest High School in Oakland, and $52,000 of voluntary tax check-off funding to Sea Otter Savvy to implement a project to aid in recovery of the southern sea otter.

The full list of project approved can be found below:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $242,000 to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to complete the final phase of the Hawk Hill Access Improvements Project within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area at Hawk Hill, Marin County.
2. A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the Marin Resource Conservation District to plan and implement carbon farming projects that improve soil productivity, water sustainability and greenhouse gas sequestration for agriculture and watershed resiliency on ranches in western Marin County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
3. A grant of up to $300,000 to the Yurok Tribe to enhance salmonid habitat in Hunter and McGarvey Creeks, tributaries to the lower Klamath River in Del Norte County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

SF BAY

4. A grant of up to $120,000 to Mycelium Youth Network to identify and plan up to four priority climate adaptation projects to be implemented at Metwest High School.

CENTRAL COAST

5. A grant of up to $52,000 to Sea Otter Savvy to implement a project to aid in recovery of the southern sea otter, consisting of conducting an educational outreach and community engagement program on responsible viewing of wild sea otters to reduce sea otter disturbance in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties.
6. A grant of up to $60,000 to augment an existing Conservancy authorization of $400,230 for consultant services to facilitate development of a contemporary Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program, in Santa Barbara County.
7. A grant of up to $300,000 to the County of San Luis Obispo to renovate the Veteran’s Hall and construct adjacent access facilities in the town of Cayucos.

 SOUTH COAST

8. A grant of up to $66,000 to Nature Collective to remove invasive plant species on 14.5 acres of coastal wetlands at the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve in San Diego County.
9. A grant of up to $379,350 to the County of Ventura to conduct planning and to develop design criteria, preliminary design plans and alternatives refinement for improvements to the Robles Diversion and Fish Passage Facility in unincorporated Ventura County.
10. A grant of up to $10,134,450 to the City of Fullerton to acquire a 13.7-acre property in the West Coyote Hills area of north Orange County for open space, habitat protection, watershed management, and public access.

San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail Implementation Meeting #39 – December 10, 2021

Meeting summary can be found here.

AGENDA
December 10, 2021
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING

ZOOM Meeting Information:
For live, online viewing of meeting, go to this address:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/96517077363?pwd=N1NVR0NUQklvSUJEUXErSElVNmdPdz09
Passcode: 869321

To participate remotely by telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 965 1707 7363
Passcode: 869321

Desired Outcomes of Meeting:

• Attendees are informed of Water Trail-related activities, progress, and accomplishments
• Attendees informed of Petaluma River water access and parks projects
• Attendees discuss reducing barriers to accessing the Water Trail
• After receiving Advisory Committee guidance, Project Management Team makes consensus-based decisions on amendments to the Water Trail Implementation Charter

Time       Agenda Item
10:00      Welcome, Introductions, Agenda Review, and Meeting Ground Rules
10:10       Updates and Announcements from Water Trail Staff, Project Management Team, and                                                            Advisory Committee Members, 2022 Meeting Dates
10:50       McNear Peninsula / Petaluma River Access Planning Update
11:10        Reducing Barriers to Access Planning
11:35        Proposed amendments to the Water Trail Implementation Charter – Staff Memo

• • Presentation of proposed Charter amendments
  • Discussion with Advisory Committee
  • Public comments
  • Advisory Committee consensus guidance to Project Management Team on Charter amendments

11:50        Public Comments
12:00       Adjourn

Project Management Team discussion and decision on amendments

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 Avra Heller, Coastal Conservancy Project Manager, at (510) 286-1212, or avra.heller@scc.ca.gov.

Amy Hutzel Appointed New Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy

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

Amy Hutzel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coastal Stories Grant Program Launched to Support Inclusive Storytelling about the California Coast

The Coastal Conservancy has launched a new grant program that intends to make the outdoors more inclusive and welcoming for all Californians by fostering representation of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and other historically excluded groups in outdoor spaces – through storytelling.

Our Coastal Stories Grant Program seeks to fund projects that plan, develop, and implement storytelling installations or materials (such as murals, signage, monuments, or guides) that represent communities and voices that have been historically excluded in the storytelling of California’s coast and publicly accessible lands. These communities may include but are not limited to BIPOC people, people with disabilities, immigrant communities, low-income communities, and other historically excluded communities.

All projects must present a story connected to publicly-accessible outdoors spaces within our jurisdiction,  in a way that will reach the public. We encourage proposals for projects that are community-led, that show strong community and landowner partnerships, and that use creative forms of historical, ecological, and cultural storytelling.

Learn more here.

San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail Implementation Meeting #38 – September 10, 2021

Meeting summary can be found here

AGENDA
September 10, 2021
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING

ZOOM Meeting Information:
For live, online viewing of meeting, go to this address:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/96517077363?pwd=N1NVR0NUQklvSUJEUXErSElVNmdPdz09
Passcode: 869321

To participate remotely by telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 965 1707 7363
Passcode: 869321

Desired Outcomes of Meeting:

• Attendees are informed of Water Trail-related activities, progress, and accomplishments.
• Attendees discuss Water Trail implementation priorities
• Attendees informed of water access planning for the Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project
• Attendees informed of Great Delta Trail Master Plan and water trail opportunities

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 Avra Heller, Coastal Conservancy Project Manager, at (510) 286-1212, or avra.heller@scc.ca.gov.

Any person who has a disability and requires reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting should contact Avra Heller (contact information above) no later than five days prior to the meeting.