Climate Preparedness, Habitat Resiliency, Resource Enhancement, And Innovation - - CA Public Resources

Section § 80130

This law allocates $443 million for competitive grants to support climate adaptation and resiliency projects. These projects should help communities cope with climate change, enhance coastal and rural economies, boost agricultural viability, improve wildlife habitats, create recreational opportunities, and increase drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention.

The sum of four hundred forty-three million dollars ($443,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, as competitive grants for projects that plan, develop, and implement climate adaptation and resiliency projects. Eligible projects shall improve a community’s ability to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change, improve and protect coastal and rural economies, agricultural viability, wildlife corridors, or habitat, develop future recreational opportunities, or enhance drought tolerance, landscape resilience, and water retention.

climate adaptation projects resiliency projects competitive grants community adaptation coastal economy rural economy agricultural viability wildlife corridors habitat protection recreational opportunities drought tolerance landscape resilience water retention climate change impact California grants

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80131

This law section suggests that when acquiring lands, priority can be given to areas that are awaiting certification as part of local coastal plans.

In implementing Section 80130, special consideration may be given to the acquisition of lands that are in deferred certification areas of local coastal plans.

land acquisition deferred certification local coastal plans priority consideration coastal land management land use planning section 80130 implementation environmental planning certification process coastal zones conservation efforts urban planning zoning regulations property acquisition coastal conservation

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80132

This law allocates funds for various wildlife conservation projects in California. $18 million is available for projects like expanding wildlife corridors, aiding endangered species, and climate adaptation. The Wildlife Conservation Board will prioritize developments that protect wildlife corridors, especially those threatened by urban growth. Additionally, $30 million is dedicated to enhancing connectivity and improving habitats along the Pacific Flyway. The Department of Fish and Wildlife receives $25 million for river and stream restoration, with emphasis on salmon and steelhead in the Klamath-Trinity watershed. Further, $60 million is aimed at infrastructure improvements to aid wildlife passage, with $30 million designated for restoring Southern California steelhead habitats. Another $60 million is set for protecting Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain watersheds. Lastly, $30 million supports improving water conditions for fish and wildlife, particularly in coastal waters.

(a) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, eighteen million dollars ($18,000,000) shall be available to the Wildlife Conservation Board for direct expenditures pursuant to the Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947 (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1300) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code) and for grants for any of the following:

(1) Projects for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, restoration, protection, and expansion of wildlife corridors and open space, including projects to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas. In awarding grants pursuant to this paragraph, the Wildlife Conservation Board shall give priority to projects that protect wildlife corridors, including wildlife corridors threatened by urban development.

(2) Projects for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, restoration, protection, and expansion of habitat that promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species.

(3) Projects to improve climate adaptation and resilience of natural systems.

(4) Projects to protect and improve existing open-space corridors and trail linkages related to utility, transportation, or water infrastructure that provide habitat connectivity and public access or trails.

(5) Projects for wildlife rehabilitation facilities after consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

(6) Projects to control invasive plants or insects that degrade wildlife corridors or habitat linkages, inhibit the recovery of threatened or endangered species, or reduce the climate resilience of a natural system.

(7) Projects to enhance wildlife habitat, recognizing the highly variable habitat needs required by fish and wildlife. Eligible projects include acquisition of water or water rights from willing sellers, acquisition of land that includes water rights or contractual rights to water, short- or long-term water transfers and leases, projects that provide water for fish and wildlife, projects that improve aquatic or riparian habitat conditions, or projects to benefit salmon and steelhead.

(8) Implementation of conservation actions and habitat enhancement actions that measurably advance the conservation objectives of regional conservation investment strategies approved pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1850) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code.

(9) Provision of hunting and other wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities to the public through voluntary agreement with private landowners, including opportunities pursuant to Section 1572 of the Fish and Game Code.

(b) In implementing this section, the Wildlife Conservation Board may provide matching grants for incentives to landowners for conservation actions on private lands or use of voluntary habitat credit exchange mechanisms. A matching grant shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the incentive program.

(c) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) shall be available for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, restoration, protection, and expansion of wildlife corridors and open space to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas and to protect and restore habitat associated with the Pacific Flyway. In awarding grants pursuant to this subdivision, priority may be given to projects that protect wildlife corridors. Of the amount described in this subdivision, ten million dollars ($10,000,000) shall be available for the California Waterfowl Habitat Program.

(d) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, not less than twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for projects to restore rivers and streams in support of fisheries and wildlife, including, but not limited to, reconnection of rivers with their flood plains, riparian and side-channel habitat restoration activities described in subdivision (b) of Section 79737 of the Water Code, and restoration and protection of upper watershed forests and meadow systems that are important for fish and wildlife resources. Subdivision (f) of Section 79738 of the Water Code applies to this subdivision. Of the amount available pursuant to this subdivision, at least five million dollars ($5,000,000) shall be available for restoration projects in the Klamath-Trinity watershed for the benefit of salmon and steelhead. Priority shall be given to projects supported by multistakeholder public or private partnerships, or both, using a science-based approach and measurable objectives to guide identification, design, and implementation of regional actions to benefit salmon and steelhead.

(e)

(1) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, not less than sixty million dollars ($60,000,000) shall be available to the Wildlife Conservation Board for construction, repair, modification, or removal of transportation or water resources infrastructure to improve wildlife or fish passage.

(2) Of the amount subject to paragraph (1), at least thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for restoration of Southern California Steelhead habitat consistent with the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan. Projects that remove significant barriers to steelhead migration and include other habitat restoration and associated infrastructure improvements shall be the highest priority.

(f) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, not less than sixty million dollars ($60,000,000) shall be available to the Wildlife Conservation Board for the protection, restoration, and improvement of upper watershed lands in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains, including forest lands, meadows, wetlands, chaparral, and riparian habitat, in order to protect and improve water supply and water quality, improve forest health, reduce wildfire danger, mitigate the effects of wildfires on water quality and supply, increase flood protection, or to protect or restore riparian or aquatic resources.

(g) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, at least thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Fish and Wildlife to improve conditions for fish and wildlife in streams, rivers, wildlife refuges, wetland habitat areas, and estuaries. Eligible projects include acquisition of water from willing sellers, acquisition of land that includes water rights or contractual rights to water, short- or long-term water transfers or leases, provision of water for fish and wildlife, or improvement of aquatic or riparian habitat conditions. In implementing this section, the Department of Fish and Wildlife may provide grants under the Fisheries Restoration Grant Program with priority given to coastal waters.

(h) The Wildlife Conservation Board shall update its strategic master plan that identifies priorities and specific criteria for selecting projects pursuant to subdivision (a).

(i) Activities funded pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the state’s climate adaptation strategy, as provided in Section 71153, and the statewide objectives provided in Section 71154.

wildlife conservation funding Wildlife Conservation Board wildlife corridors habitat connectivity endangered species recovery climate adaptation Pacific Flyway river restoration Klamath-Trinity watershed steelhead habitat Sierra Nevada watersheds water supply improvement forest health wildfire mitigation coastal water restoration

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80133

This law allocates 40 million dollars to the California Ocean Protection Trust Fund to help coastal communities adapt to climate change. This includes projects like fighting ocean acidification, dealing with rising sea levels, and protecting habitats. Some of these funds, specifically 35%, are designated for the San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program. Another 12% is set aside for a conservation program at West Coyote Hills. The rest will be used as specified by another section of the law.

(a) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, forty million dollars ($40,000,000) shall be available for deposit into the California Ocean Protection Trust Fund, established pursuant to Section 35650, for projects that assist coastal communities, including those reliant on commercial fisheries, with adaptation to climate change, including projects that address ocean acidification, sea level rise, or habitat restoration and protection, including, but not limited to, the protection of coastal habitat associated with the Pacific Flyway.

(b) Thirty-five percent of the amount available pursuant to this section shall be available to the San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program (Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 31160) of Division 21).

(c) Twelve percent of the amount available pursuant to this section shall be available to the State Coastal Conservancy to fund a conservation program at West Coyote Hills.

(d) The remainder of the amount available pursuant to this section shall be available pursuant to Section 31113.

California Ocean Protection Trust Fund coastal community adaptation climate change projects ocean acidification sea level rise habitat restoration Pacific Flyway San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program West Coyote Hills conservation State Coastal Conservancy environmental protection funding coastal habitat protection climate change funding California coastal projects

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80134

This law allocates $30 million for innovative farming and ranching practices in California that help adapt to climate change by improving soil health, capturing carbon, enhancing habitats, and increasing water retention. Of this amount, $10 million is specifically for grants by the Department of Food and Agriculture to promote practices on farms and ranches that benefit soil health, carbon sequestration, and water quality, among other areas.

The remaining $20 million is designated for the Department of Conservation to protect and enhance working lands and riparian corridors through conservation easements and other actions, including projects under the California Farmland Conservancy Program. Additionally, up to half of this $20 million can be used for watershed restoration on agricultural lands.

(a) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) shall be available to plan, develop, and implement innovative farm and ranch management practices and protections that improve climate adaptation and resiliency by improving the soil health, carbon sequestration, and habitat of California’s farm and ranch lands and affiliated habitat, including working lands, open space, or riparian corridors, and that increase water retention and absorption, habitat values, species protection, and economic viability to reduce development pressure.

(b) Of the amount subject to this section, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Food and Agriculture for grants to promote practices on farms and ranches that improve agricultural and open-space soil health, carbon soil sequestration, erosion control, water quality, and water retention.

(c)

(1) Of the amount subject to this section, the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Conservation to protect, restore, or enhance working lands and riparian corridors through conservation easements or other conservation actions, including actions pursuant to Section 9084 and the California Farmland Conservancy Program (Division 10.2 (commencing with Section 10200)).

(2) Up to fifty percent of the funds available pursuant to this subdivision may be allocated to the Department of Conservation for watershed restoration and conservation projects on agricultural lands pursuant to Section 9084.

innovative farm practices climate adaptation soil health carbon sequestration habitat improvement water retention Department of Food and Agriculture grants erosion control water quality Department of Conservation conservation easements California Farmland Conservancy Program riparian corridors watershed restoration land conservation

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80135

This law section allocates $50 million to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for forest restoration projects aimed at promoting forest health and resilience against wildfires and climate change. This can include activities like reducing hazardous fuels, rehabilitating watersheds after fires, conducting controlled burns, and acquiring conservation lands.

A minimum of 30% of these funds must support urban forestry projects, with 50% of that portion going to expand programs in under-served communities to ensure geographic balance.

Additionally, half of the total funds are to be directed to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to manage projects for the Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program, with potential funding allocations to the California Tahoe Conservancy for projects within their area.

(a) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, except as provided in subdivision (c), for projects that provide ecological restoration of forests. Projects may include, but are not limited to, forest restoration activities that include hazardous fuel reduction, postfire watershed rehabilitation, prescribed or managed burns, acquisition of forest conservation easements or fee interests, and forest management practices that promote forest resilience to severe wildfire, climate change, and other disturbances. The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection shall achieve geographic balance with the moneys allocated pursuant to this section and may, where appropriate, include activities on lands owned by the United States.

(b) Not less than 30 percent of the amount available pursuant to this section shall be allocated for urban forestry projects pursuant to Section 4799.12. The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection shall allocate no less than 50 percent of the moneys allocated pursuant to this subdivision for the expansion of the urban forestry program to previously underserved local entities in order to achieve geographic balance.

(c) Of the amount subject to this section, 50 percent shall be allocated directly to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to administer projects pursuant to this section for purposes of implementing the Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program. For purposes of this section, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy may allocate funds to the California Tahoe Conservancy for projects within the jurisdiction of the California Tahoe Conservancy.

forest restoration hazardous fuel reduction urban forestry Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement prescribed burns fire resilience climate change adaptation postfire watershed rehabilitation forest conservation easements Sierra Nevada Conservancy California Tahoe Conservancy geographic balance underserved communities forest management practices ecological restoration projects

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80136

From the funds specified in Section 80130, $40 million is allocated to the California Conservation Corps. This money is for projects that improve parks, restore watersheds, reduce fuel loads, manage compost and food waste, and other conservation tasks. At least half of this amount must go to grants for local community conservation corps.

Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, forty million dollars ($40,000,000) shall be available to the California Conservation Corps for projects to rehabilitate or improve local and state parks, restore watersheds and riparian zones, regional and community-level fuel load reduction, compost application and food waste management, resources conservation and restoration projects, and for facility or equipment acquisition, development, restoration, and rehabilitation. Not less than 50 percent of the amount available pursuant to this section shall be allocated for grants to certified local community conservation corps, as defined in Section 14507.5.

California Conservation Corps park rehabilitation watershed restoration riparian zones fuel load reduction compost application food waste management resources conservation facility acquisition equipment development community conservation grants local community conservation corps

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)

Section § 80137

This law allocates $60 million from the available budget to the Natural Resources Agency for grants. These grants are meant for local agencies, nonprofit or nongovernmental land conservation groups, and Native American tribes in California. The funds can be used for projects that restore and protect Native American, natural, and historic resources; convert old fossil fuel power plants into protected open spaces and parks; and enhance visitor experiences through science centers in urban areas.

Additionally, the money supports projects improving parks, tourism, or natural resources, especially where there's no state conservancy. It also promotes developing community venues, visitor centers celebrating California's ethnic communities, and educational attractions like aquariums. Finally, $20 million is specifically set aside for green infrastructure benefiting disadvantaged communities.

(a) Of the amount made available pursuant to Section 80130, sixty million dollars ($60,000,000) shall be made available to the Natural Resources Agency for competitive grants to local agencies, nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental land conservation organizations, federally recognized Native American tribes, or nonfederally recognized California Native American tribes listed on the California Tribal Consultation List maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, to do any of the following:

(1) Restore, protect, and acquire Native American, natural, cultural, and historic resources within the state.

(2) Convert and repurpose properties or parts of properties that served as the site of a fossil fuel powerplant that had been retired on the effective date of this division, or were scheduled to be retired prior to January 1, 2021, to create permanently protected open space, tourism, and park opportunities through fee title or conservation easements.

(3) Enhance visitor experiences through development, expansion, and improvement of science centers operated by foundations or other nonprofit organizations in heavily urbanized areas.

(4) Enhance park, water, and natural resource values through improved recreation, tourism, and natural resource investments in those areas of the state not within the jurisdiction of a state conservancy.

(5) Promote, develop, and improve any of the following:

(A) Community, civic, or athletic venues.

(B) Cultural or visitor centers that recognize that contributions of California’s ethnic communities or celebrate the unique traditions of these communities, including those of Asian and Hispanic descent.

(C) Visitor centers or nonprofit aquariums that educate the public about natural landscapes, aquatic species, or wildlife migratory patterns.

(b) Of the amount subject to this section, twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) shall be available for multibenefit green infrastructure investments in or benefiting disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged communities.

Natural Resources Agency grants local agencies funding nonprofit organization funding Native American tribe grants historic resource protection fossil fuel plant conversion open space creation urban science centers community venues development cultural centers ethnic community recognition visitor centers green infrastructure disadvantaged communities park and tourism enhancement

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 852, Sec. 3. Approved in Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, election.)