The sum of one billion two hundred million dollars ($1,200,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the protection of California’s biodiversity and to protect nature and restore landscape health to achieve California’s climate change goals.
Chapter 6Protect Biodiversity and Accelerating Nature-Based Climate Solutions
Section § 93000
This law section states that $1.2 billion can be allocated by the California Legislature towards protecting the state's biodiversity. The funds are also for enhancing nature's resilience and restoring landscapes to support California's climate change efforts.
biodiversity protection landscape restoration climate change goals nature resilience funding allocation California Legislature appropriation environmental protection ecosystem health natural resource management ecosystem restoration sustainable landscapes conservation funding California nature biodiversity enhancement climate resilience
Section § 93010
This section details that a substantial amount of money, $870 million, is designated for the Wildlife Conservation Board. This money will support various programs to protect and improve fish and wildlife habitats, aligned with California's biodiversity and conservation goals. The funds can be used for projects like acquiring land, restoring habitats, conserving grazing lands, wetlands, and desert areas, and promoting climate resilience. They will also support specific efforts like rescuing monarch butterflies and pollinators. Importantly, the funds aren't intended to replace environmental compliance obligations but can be used to enhance conservation efforts.
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a) Of the funds made available by Section 93000, eight hundred seventy million dollars ($870,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Wildlife Conservation Board for grant programs to protect and enhance fish and wildlife
resources and habitat and achieve the state’s biodiversity, public access, and conservation goals. Eligible programs include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(1)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(1) Land acquisition.
(2)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(2) Habitat enhancement and restoration.
(3)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(3) Rangeland, grazing land, and grassland protection.
(4)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(4) Inland wetland conservation.
(5)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(5) Ecosystem restoration on agricultural lands.
(6)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(6) Climate adaptation and resiliency.
(7)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(7) Monarch butterfly and pollinator rescue.
(8)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(8) Desert conservation.
(9)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(9) Oak woodland conservation.
(10)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(a)(10) Purposes of reimbursing the General Fund, pursuant to the Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Act of 2000 (Division 28 (commencing with Section 37000)).
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 93010(b) Funding made available pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be used to reduce or offset environmental mitigation or
compliance obligations otherwise required, but may be used as part of a funding partnership to enhance, expand, or augment conservation efforts required by mitigation. Nothing in this subdivision authorizes the expenditure of bond funds for voluntary agreements as described in Section 80114.
Wildlife Conservation Board funding fish and wildlife resources biodiversity goals public access enhancement conservation programs land acquisition habitat restoration rangeland protection inland wetland conservation climate adaptation pollinator rescue desert conservation oak woodland conservation Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit environmental mitigation funding
Section § 93020
This law allocates $320 million from Section 93000 funds for projects that reduce climate change risks and improve public access. These funds are distributed among various conservancies, with specific amounts designated for each:
1. Baldwin Hills - $48 million.
2. California Tahoe - $29 million.
3. Coachella Valley Mountains - $11 million.
4. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta - $29 million.
5. San Diego River - $48 million.
6. San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains - $48 million.
7. San Joaquin River - $11 million.
8. Santa Monica Mountains - $48 million.
9. Sierra Nevada - $48 million.
Additionally, up to 5% of these funds can be used to enhance community access for disadvantaged communities through projects involving transportation, education, resource interpretation, multilingual services, and more.
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a) Of the funds made available by Section 93000, three hundred twenty million dollars ($320,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to reduce the risks of climate change impacts upon communities, fish and wildlife, and natural
resources, and increase public access, and shall be allocated in accordance with the following schedule:
(1)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(1) Baldwin Hills Conservancy,
forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000).
(2)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(2) California Tahoe Conservancy, twenty-nine million dollars ($29,000,000).
(3)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(3) Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy,
eleven million dollars ($11,000,000).
(4)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(4) Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy,
twenty-nine million dollars ($29,000,000).
(5)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(5) San Diego River Conservancy, forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000).
(6)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(6) San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy,
forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000).
(7)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(7) San Joaquin River Conservancy, eleven million dollars ($11,000,000).
(8)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(8) Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000).
(9)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(a)(9) Sierra Nevada Conservancy,
forty-eight million dollars ($48,000,000).
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b) Up to 5 percent of the funds made available pursuant to this section may be allocated for community access projects that benefit disadvantaged communities, severely disadvantaged communities, and vulnerable populations and that include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(1) Transportation.
(2)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(2) Physical activity programming.
(3)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(3) Resource interpretation.
(4)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(4) Multilingual translation.
(5)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(5) Natural science.
(6)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(6) Workforce development and career pathways.
(7)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(7) Education.
(8)CA Public Resources Code § 93020(b)(8) Communication related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other outdoor pursuits.
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Section § 93030
This law states that $180 million from a specified fund is designated for the Wildlife Conservation Board. The purpose is to improve habitat connectivity by creating wildlife crossings and corridors. Part of this fund, $80 million, will specifically establish the San Andreas Corridor Program to protect and restore wildlife corridors along the inner Coast Ranges and the San Andreas Fault.
Of the funds made available by Section 93010, one hundred eighty million dollars ($180,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Wildlife Conservation Board for projects to improve habitat connectivity and establish wildlife crossings and corridors, including eighty million dollars ($80,000,000) to establish the San Andreas Corridor Program for the protection and restoration of wildlife corridors along the inner Coast Ranges and the San Andreas Fault.
Wildlife Conservation Board habitat connectivity wildlife crossings wildlife corridors San Andreas Corridor Program inner Coast Ranges San Andreas Fault conservation funding wildlife protection restoration projects Legislature appropriation environmental conservation
Section § 93040
This law states that out of the funds provided by Section 93000, $10 million is allocated to the Natural Resources Agency. However, the Legislature must appropriate these funds specifically for the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program.
Of the funds made available by Section 93000, ten million dollars ($10,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Natural Resources Agency for the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program.
Natural Resources Agency Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program fund allocation Legislature appropriation environmental funding Section 93000 funds tribal environmental programs nature-based solutions resource management environmental conservation tribal initiatives project funding government appropriation California Legislature natural resources
Section § 93050
This section states that $22 million is allocated to the Wildlife Conservation Board, which will be used for projects aimed at adapting to climate change. The goal is to protect and improve the health and resilience of the southern Ballona Creek Watershed. The funds will be available once the state Legislature approves them.
Of the funds made available by Section 93010, twenty two million dollars ($22,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation of the Legislature, to the Wildlife Conservation Board for projects for climate change adaptation improvements to protect, conserve, and restore the health and resilience of the southern Ballona Creek Watershed.
Wildlife Conservation Board climate change adaptation Ballona Creek Watershed funding allocation environmental projects natural resource protection watershed resilience conservation funding ecosystem restoration state legislature appropriation
Section § 93060
This law says that any projects that receive funding under this chapter must align with various California environmental policies and strategies. These include guidelines from the Wildlife Conservation Board and several climate change and land management plans aimed at carbon neutrality and climate adaptation.
Projects funded pursuant to this chapter shall be consistent with the policies and guidelines established by the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Pathways to 30x30 strategy, the Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, California’s 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality, and the California Climate Adaptation Strategy, if applicable.
Wildlife Conservation Board Pathways to 30x30 strategy Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy California's 2022 Scoping Plan Carbon Neutrality California Climate Adaptation Strategy funded projects consistency with policies environmental guidelines climate change strategy land management climate adaptation carbon reduction sustainable projects eco-friendly laws
