This section names the law as the California Coastal Act of 1976.

This section highlights the importance of California's coastal zone as a valuable and fragile natural resource that requires lasting protection. It emphasizes the need to maintain ecological balance to benefit public safety, health, and welfare by safeguarding property and natural resources. Additionally, the law recognizes that well-planned development is crucial for the economic and social well-being of residents, particularly those working in coastal areas.

This law states that even though infrastructure like power plants, refineries, and ports can negatively impact coastal resources and access, it's sometimes necessary to build them in coastal areas. This helps protect both inland and coastal resources and supports organized economic growth in the state.

This section acknowledges that offshore wind energy is crucial for California's renewable energy goals, but it also brings potential impacts on coastal and ocean resources that aren't yet fully clear. There is an urgent need to develop offshore wind facilities quickly due to the climate crisis, but this should be done in a way that protects ocean and coastal areas as much as possible.

California aims to be a leader in renewable energy by using science-based monitoring, working with affected communities, and ensuring fair workforce practices, all while minimizing environmental impacts.

This section outlines California's goals for its coastal areas. First, it aims to protect and improve the quality of coastal environments and resources. Second, it supports careful use and conservation of these resources, keeping social and economic needs in mind. Third, it seeks to increase public access to coastal areas while respecting private property rights. Fourth, it gives priority to developments that need the coast. Fifth, it encourages cooperative planning between state and local bodies for beneficial uses in the coastal region. Lastly, it focuses on addressing and minimizing the impacts of sea level rise on coastal zones.

The California Legislature acknowledges that a detailed study of the state's coastal areas was conducted by the California Coastal Zone Conservation Commission. This involved input from government bodies, private entities, and the general public. The study resulted in a plan aiming to conserve and manage the coastal resources effectively.

The plan includes recommendations that need legislative action, with some needing immediate implementation and others requiring further examination.

This law requires all public and federal agencies to follow the rules outlined in this division, as long as it's possible under federal law, regulations, or the U.S. Constitution.

The law emphasizes the importance of relying on local governments for land use planning and enforcement to address local needs effectively. It calls for significant state involvement in federal activities that impact California's coastal resources. This involvement ensures that both regional and national interests are protected, maintaining the coast's productivity and economic health. It aims to prevent future public costs and decline in quality of life resulting from resource misuse. To achieve these goals, the law suggests continued management through a state coastal commission, coordinating many agencies' activities in the coastal zone.

This section of the law makes it clear that nothing in this division stops cities or counties in California from adding their own regulations about land, water use, or activities that could harm coastal resources, as long as they don’t conflict with existing laws. It also affirms their power to handle nuisances.

Additionally, it allows the Attorney General to take legal action against harmful activities affecting coastal resources. Finally, it preserves the rights of individuals to seek relief from private nuisances.

This law clarifies that local governments in California cannot be forced or authorized to use any powers that they don't already have, unless those powers are specifically given to them by other rules or the state Constitution, particularly as mentioned in Section 30519. It ensures that local governments operate within their existing legal boundaries unless explicitly directed otherwise.

This law emphasizes the importance of involving the public in decisions about coastal planning, conservation, and development. It highlights that successful coastal management relies on public understanding and support, and encourages widespread public participation in these processes.

This law emphasizes the importance of incorporating scientific recommendations in coastal planning and development decisions. It highlights that the commission responsible for these decisions should develop expertise in relevant scientific fields and collaborate with scientists and academics. Key issues include coastal erosion, marine biodiversity, and sea level rise, among others.

This law states that local governments in California must still comply with both state and federal laws about providing housing for low- and moderate-income individuals. It also confirms that they must fulfill any requirements to provide replacement housing or relocation benefits, as well as any other housing-related obligations that current or future laws may enforce.

This law acknowledges that sometimes different policies within the coastal resources division might conflict with each other. When this happens, the resolution should favor the protection of important coastal resources overall. For instance, prioritizing policies that encourage development near urban areas might sometimes be more beneficial than strictly conserving specific wildlife habitats.

This law establishes California’s coastal zone management program, aligning it with federal guidelines set by the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. While federal lands are generally excluded from this management zone, California maintains its authority and rights over these areas as allowed by federal and state laws. Essentially, California can manage its coastal resources within federal guidelines but retains autonomy on certain federal lands.

This section means that the division it's part of should be interpreted in a way that best achieves its goals. In other words, if there's any uncertainty about what the rules mean, they should be understood in the most effective way to fulfill the division's intended purposes.

This law section ensures that when a government body in California makes decisions about permits, they can't take or damage private property for public use without compensating the owner fairly. It doesn’t change any existing property rights under state or federal laws.

This section states that the commission is not allowed to evaluate how local governments apply Section 65590 of the Government Code to developments. Furthermore, applicants or local governments do not need to provide proof of compliance with that section when seeking a coastal development permit. However, for certain coastal development permit applications, the commission can request information about the local government's compliance status with Section 65590 only to determine the timing for its decisions.

This law highlights the importance of education in fostering environmental responsibility among the citizens of California. The commission is tasked with implementing a public education program that informs and involves schools, youth groups, and the public about conserving coastal and ocean resources. Programs like Adopt-A-Beach are emphasized for promoting volunteer efforts.

The commission must collaborate with other agencies to share information effectively, seek funding from various sources, and may utilize grants without listing them in their budget. They are also encouraged to use interns to assist their staff and ensure these programs are inclusive and educationally beneficial. An annual progress report must be submitted to the Legislature.

This law states that when it comes to government programs related to environmental justice, no one in California should face discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. It ensures everyone gets fair access to benefits provided by state-funded programs working under this law.