Diablo Canyon Lands Conservation Planning
The California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) is working with state and local agency partners, tribes, and community groups to plan for future land conservation and public and tribal uses of the roughly 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands (DCL) surrounding the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) in San Luis Obispo county. The lands are currently owned by PG&E, or one of its subsidiaries, but are expected to transfer into other ownership as part of the long-term DCPP decommissioning.
The DCL is located between Avila Beach and Montaña De Oro State Park and features 14 miles of coastline, native grasslands, oak woodlands, pine forests, tide pools, and significant cultural and tribal resources. There is a high level of community interest in what the eventual outcome will be for future use and ownership of both the power plant property and the surrounding lands. In 2000, over 75 percent of voters in San Luis Obispo County approved an advisory ballot measure calling for the protection of the DCL and public access to the land upon the plant’s closure, and in 2021 a coalition of community groups and local agencies prepared a framework for the conservation of, and public access to, the DCL.
Beginning in 2025, SCC and community partners will be embarking on a process to plan for future land conservation and public and tribal uses of the DCL in collaboration with tribes, states and local agencies, and community groups. The project includes the preparation of technical assessments of the property’s significant natural, biological, and cultural resources, topography, geology, hazards, and other relevant property attributes, and identification of potential trail routes based on these assessments.
The project also includes conducting extensive tribal consultation and a robust community engagement program to guide the community in developing plans for the long-term ownership, use, and management of the DCL.
It is expected the project will take up to five years to complete given the scope of work and the need to provide the community and tribes with adequate time to fully participate in the planning process
About the DCL
Located between Avila Beach and Montaña De Oro State Park, the approximate 12,000-acre DCL have for the past four decades served as a buffer to the DCPP operations. The largely undeveloped coastal lands feature 14 miles of shoreline featuring an exceptionally rich marine environment with unusually biodiverse and intact tide pools.
The area is characterized by an expansive coastal plain that sweeps back from the ocean and curves up precipitous terrain to peaks above 1,500 feet. Lower elevations feature some of the finest undisturbed native coastal prairie grasslands with purple needle grass and fescue found anywhere on the California coast. Expanses of oak woodlands, pine forests, and riparian corridors provide a variety of diverse wildlife habitats. In addition to the federally-listed South-Central California coast steelhead and California red-legged frog found along Coon Creek, several species of special concern are known to occur on the DCL including the western burrowing owl, San Diego desert woodrat, and American badger.
The area also contains significant cultural resources including historic Native American village sites, cultural landscapes, cultural material, cemeteries, and artifacts. The DCL area has been documented as part of the ancestral homelands of the Northern Chumash for over 10,000 years.
The DCL is made up of multiple parcels with different owners and levels of public access. North Ranch is on roughly 4,600 acres owned by PG&E. PG&E manages public access at the Point Buchon Trail that is accessed through Montaña de Oro State Park. South Ranch is on roughly 5,000 acres owned by Eureka Energy, a subsidiary of PG&E, and leased to PG&E. Docent-led public access is available on the South Ranch via the Pecho Coast Trail that starts at the Point San Luis Lighthouse. Located between Avila Beach and Port San Luis with South Ranch to the West and the Irish Hills to the North, Wild Cherry Canyon extends over roughly 2,400 acres owned by Eureka Energy. Parcel P is a 600-acre site owned by Eureka Energy where the power plant and its ancillary facilities are located. Planning for the future use and development of Parcel P will be led by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (“GOBiz”), and is not included in this project.
Next Steps
SCC, community partners, and the Alta consultant team will begin public outreach in early 2025. To stay up to date, sign up for our mailing list here.
Resources
SCC Staff Recommendation (2024)
Diablo Canyon Lands Objective Summary
Friends of Diablo Canyon Lands Conservation Framework (2021)
SB-846 Diablo Canyon powerplant: extension of operations.(2021-2022)
How to Stay Involved