HEY. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO
ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE
FOUR, MY APOLOGIES FOR A DELAYED
START, BUT WE HAVE, I'M ON A
COMMITTEE WHILE I'M CHAIRING A
COMMITTEE AT THE AT THE SAME
TIME. AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
OTHER THINGS MOVING AT THE SAME
TIME. THERE MAY BE A TIME WHEN
I'M GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK
IN THIS COMMITTEE TO, ESTABLISH
ISSUES OVER IN THE OTHER
COMMITTEE. SO, AGAIN, MY
APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE FOR ANY
DISRUPTION THAT THAT MIGHT CAUSE
US, TODAY WE'LL BE HEARING FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION THE WILDLIFE,
CONSERVATION BOARD, OUR VARIOUS
STATE CONSERVANCIES, EXPOSITION
PARK AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH
AND WILDLIFE. WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS
THAT WE PLANNED FOR DISCUSSION
FOR EACH PRESENTATION ITEM, I'LL
ASK EACH OF THE WITNESSES IN THE
AGENDA TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES
BEFORE THEY BEGIN THEIR
TESTIMONY. AT THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION ITEMS. MEMBERS OF
THIS SUBCOMMITTEE MAY ASK
QUESTIONS, MAKE COMMENTS, OR
REQUEST A PRESENTATION ON ANY OF
THE 14 NON PRESENTATION ITEMS.
WE WILL NOT BE TAKING A VOTE ON
ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AFTER
ALL THE ITEMS ARE HEARD. WE'LL
TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT. PLEASE
LIMIT YOUR TESTIMONY TO, TO THE
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. IF YOU HAVE
COMMENTS ON SPECIFIC BUDGET
SOLUTIONS NOT RELATED TO
DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE TODAY, PLEASE REFER
TO THE DAILY FILE FOR WHICH
HEARING THE PERTINENT DEPARTMENT
WILL BE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
EACH MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WILL
HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK. THERE
WILL BE NO REMOTE TESTIMONY IN
THIS COMMITTEE, PLEASE TAKE THE
EXTENSIVE ROLE, THAT WE HAVE OF
THIS COMMITTEE. BENNETT HERE.
CONNOLLY. FLORA. PETRIE-NORRIS
WILSON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. SO, WE WOULD, MOVE TO
OUR, FIRST, COMMITTEE,
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION,
GENERAL FUND SOLUTIONS, AND THE
ACCESS PACKAGE. GOOD MORNING
EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO
SEE YOU ALL. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHENEVER
YOU'RE READY. OKAY. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS ARMANDO
QUINTERO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION. AND THROUGH THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE ADMINISTRATION
AND THE LEGISLATURE, THE
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND
EQUITABLE ACCESS ACROSS
CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE OUTDOORS
FOR ALL INITIATIVE, THE ONE TIME
INVESTMENTS IN THE ACCESS
PACKAGE HAVE CREATED SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN BUILD ON
INTERNALLY, AS WE ESTABLISH AND
ADOPT BEST PRACTICES MOVING
FORWARD, I'LL BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT
A FEW OF THE INNOVATIVE PILOT
PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED OVER THE
LAST FEW YEARS. THE FIRST IS THE
STATE LIBRARY PARKS PASS PROGRAM
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FIRST
PARTNERS OFFICE AND THE
CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY. THIS
PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDES A FREE
DAY USE TO OVER 200 STATE PARKS
TO ANY LIBRARY CARD HOLDER,
THERE ARE ROUGHLY 33,000 OF
THESE PASSES IN IN LIBRARIES
ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING IN
LIBRARIES, WHICH ARE ON, IN
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE, QR
CODES ON ALL OF THESE PASSES SO
WE CAN GATHER INFORMATION
THROUGH VOLUNTEER SURVEY
RESPONSES. AND THESE SURVEYS
INDICATE OVERALL SATISFACTION
WITH THE PROGRAM. AND MOST USERS
REPORTED TOTAL ANNUAL INCOMES OF
LESS THAN $60,000 A YEAR. SO WE
KNOW THAT WE'RE HITTING THE
TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THE ACCESS
PROGRAMS. ADDITIONALLY, USERS
WERE GENERALLY INFREQUENT STATE
PARK VISITORS REPORTING THAT,
AND THEN THEY REPORTED THAT
AFTER THEIR, USING THE PASS,
THEY NOW PLAN TO VISIT STATE
PARKS MORE OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR, THE PILOT PROGRAM WILL BE
IN PLACE THROUGH THE END OF THIS
CALENDAR YEAR, AND THE
DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH OUR
PARK PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO
CONTINUE THE PROGRAM WHERE
FEASIBLE. THE SECOND PASS
PROGRAM IS THE GOLDEN BEAR PASS
PROGRAM. AND THIS, GOLDEN BEAR
PASS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1977 AND
PROVIDES FREE ENTRANCE TO STATE
PARKS FOR CALWORKS FAMILIES AND
THOSE ON SSI OR WITH LIMITED
INCOMES UNDER THE PILOT PROGRAM,
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS PARTNERED
WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO DIRECTLY
NOTIFY CALWORKS FAMILIES
REGARDING THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR
THE PASS, AND THE RESULTS OF THE
DIRECT OUTREACH HAVE BEEN REALLY
SUCCESSFUL. THE PROGRAM WENT
FROM ROUGHLY 2500 PARTICIPANTS
ANNUALLY TO OVER 60,000 USERS IN
JUST THREE YEARS. AND I'LL JUST
SAY QUICKLY THAT THE PERSON
RUNNING THIS PROGRAM WHO'S A
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGIST, WHEN I
WAS TALKING TO HER WITH HER ONE
TIME, SAID THAT SHE NEVER
THOUGHT THAT SHE AND THIS ROLE
WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUCH A
POWERFUL, PROGRAM FOR THEIR
CLIENTS. THAT'S A GREAT
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH. 2500 TO
60,000. YEAH. AND, WELL, AND
YES, IT ABSOLUTELY IS, THE
DEPARTMENT IS EXCITED TO BUILD
ON THIS MOMENTUM AS WE CONTINUE
TO OFFER THIS PASS TO NOT ONLY
CALWORKS, INDIVIDUALS, BUT
TRIBAL AND INCOME ELIGIBLE
CALIFORNIANS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. AND FINALLY, THE
DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS ADVENTURE
PASS PROGRAM FOR FOURTH GRADERS.
AND THIS PASS GIVES CALIFORNIA
FOURTH GRADERS AND THEIR
FAMILIES A FREE PASS TO ACCESS
54 SELECTED STATE PARKS, ACROSS
THE STATE, OF COURSE, FOR A FULL
YEAR, THE PROPOSED BUDGET
INCLUDES 2.1 MILLION OF
PROPOSITION 98 FUNDING TO
CONTINUE THE ADVENTURE PASS
PROGRAM FOR FOURTH GRADERS WHO
ARE ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
AND AGAIN, THAT HOW MANY PASSES
DID WE DISTRIBUTE? IT'S LIKE
ROUGHLY 30,000. SO YEAH, ROUGHLY
30,004TH GRADERS TOOK THOSE OUT.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING
THIS YEAR TO REALLY EXPAND THAT
NUMBER BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THAN
30,004TH GRADERS IN CALIFORNIA.
SURE. THE URBAN WATERFRONT
PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WATER
CONNECTION CONNECTIONS
INITIATIVE, OR WCI, IS AN
INITIATIVE WHOSE GOAL IT IS TO
EXPAND INLAND WATER RELATED
OUTDOOR ACCESS TO UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES BY REDUCING BARRIERS
TO OUTDOOR ACCESS, SUCH AS
IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION IN
URBAN AREAS WITH A CONNECTION TO
RIVERS, WATERWAYS AND WATER
SYSTEMS, OR INSTALLING EQUIPMENT
WHERE NEEDED. THE WCI CAN
INCREASE CALIFORNIANS ACCESS TO
THE OUT OF DOORS AND CREATE A
STRONGER SENSE OF BELONGING IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY, WHICH REALLY
IS A PARK. POOR LANDSCAPE OF
CALIFORNIA AND WATERSCAPE OF
CALIFORNIA. THE OUTDOOR EQUITY
GRANTS PROGRAM ENHANCES THE
HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF
CALIFORNIANS BY FOSTERING NEW
EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITIES, SERVICE LEARNING
INITIATIVES, CAREER PATHWAYS,
AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES, ALL AIMED AT
NURTURING A STRONGER BOND WITH
THE NATURAL WORLD. OF THIS
STATE. THE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY
CONCLUDED THE APPLICATION PERIOD
FOR THE REMAINING $50 MILLION OF
FUNDING, AND WE ANTICIPATE
AWARDING THESE GRANTS IN MAY OF
THIS YEAR AND WITH THAT, I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE,
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THIS
COMMITTEE BEFORE TO ADDRESS THE
PROJECTED BUDGET SHORTFALL, THE
ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES GENERAL
FUND SOLUTIONS IN THE NATURAL
RESOURCES AREA AND CLIMATE
BUDGETS WITH SEVERAL
CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND, SUCH AS
CONSIDERING THE CURRENT
AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAM FUNDING
BY FISCAL YEAR, MINIMIZING
DISRUPTIONS FOR PROGRAMS
UNDERWAY, AND THE POTENTIAL
AVAILABILITY TO SHIFT TO OTHER
FUNDS AS WELL AS OTHERS. THE
2021 AND 2022 BUDGETS ALLOCATED
APPROXIMATELY $1.3 BILLION TO
VARIOUS INVESTMENTS AT PARKS
THAT SUPPORT THE
ADMINISTRATION'S OUTDOORS FOR
ALL INITIATIVE, AND THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET INCLUDES
REDUCTIONS TOTALING $37.3
MILLION, WHICH MAINTAINS
APPROXIMATELY 857 MILLION, OR
68% OF ACCESS INVESTMENTS AT
PARKS. SO THE AGENDA ITEM BEFORE
YOU TODAY INCLUDES TWO GENERAL
FUND SOLUTIONS, THE FIRST FOR
THE OUTDOOR EQUITY GRANTS
PROGRAM, THE 2021 AND 2022
BUDGET ACTS ALLOCATED $115
MILLION TO THIS PROGRAM, AND THE
BUDGET INCLUDES A REDUCTION OF
$25 MILLION, WHICH MAINTAINS 90
MILLION, OR 78% OF FUNDING FOR
THIS PROGRAM. AND GIVEN THE $25
MILLION PROPOSED AS A SOLUTION,
WAS DESIGNATED FOR A FUTURE
APPROPRIATION AND BUDGET YEAR.
THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE
PROGRAMMATIC IMPACTS OF THIS
REDUCTION, AND THEN FOR THE
WATERWAYS CONNECTION INITIATIVE,
THE 2021 BUDGET ACT ALLOCATED
$154 MILLION FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES A REDUCTION
OF 12.3 MILLION, WHICH MAINTAINS
142 MILLION, OR 92% OF FUNDING
FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND THE FUNDS
THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR REDUCTION
HAD NOT BEEN ALLOCATED TO A
SPECIFIC PURPOSE. SO THIS WAS
REALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF A
SOLUTION THAT MINIMIZES
DISRUPTIONS FOR PROGRAMS THAT
ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY. HAPPY TO
TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
LAO HELEN KERSTEIN WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE. SO
OUR COMMENTS ON THIS PACKAGE ARE
VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT
BOTH I AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
SHARED WITH YOU OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL WEEKS. SO I'LL TRY TO BE
QUICK. OVERARCHING COMMENT
REALLY, IS THAT WE THINK THAT
THESE ARE ARE REASONABLE
SOLUTIONS IN GENERAL. BUT OF
COURSE, THEY REFLECT THE
GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES. YOU CAN
CHOOSE DIFFERENT ONES. WE
HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
OF AREAS IN THE ACCESS SORT OF
SPACE WHERE THERE COULD BE
ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS OR YOU
COULD REPLACE SOME OF THE
REDUCTIONS WITH WITH THESE. IF
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DOING SO.
ONE IS YOU COULD TAKE A LITTLE
BIT MORE MONEY FROM THE OUTDOOR
EQUITY PROGRAM, BECAUSE THE
ADMINISTRATION IS NOT PROPOSING
TO TAKE THE FULL AMOUNT OF
UNCOMMITTED FUNDS THERE, ANOTHER
OPTION RELATES TO THE NATURAL
RESOURCES RESOURCES AND PARK
PRESERVATION FUND. THAT'S A FUND
THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAD
DEPOSITED $50 MILLION IN A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR SOME
FUTURE CAP OUTLAY PROJECTS FOR
PARKS, AND THERE'S STILL SOME
MONEY THERE THAT HASN'T BEEN
FULLY COMMITTED AT LEAST AS, AS
OF OUR REVIEW IN JANUARY. SO
THOSE ARE A COUPLE AREAS. OF
COURSE, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS
THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE
TALKED TO YOU ABOUT BEFORE,
WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME
UNCOMMITTED FUNDS AS WELL. SO
LOTS OF OPTIONS FOR YOU TO
CONSIDER AND CONTEMPLATE, AND
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT, CAN
THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE AN
IMPLEMENTATION STATUS REPORT ON
THE WATERWAY CONNECTIONS
INITIATIVE? SURE. WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE'VE
ALREADY SELECTED AND THE
PLANNING IS UNDERWAY, AND WE'VE
ALREADY OBLIGATED MANY OF THOSE
FUNDS. AND IT LET ME TAKE A LOOK
AT MY LIST, THE KINDS OF THINGS
THAT WE ARE DOING ARE RECREATION
FACILITY IMPROVEMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. DOING
THINGS LIKE WORKING ON BOAT
LAUNCH, BOAT LAUNCH FACILITY
PROGRAMS, THERE ARE PUBLIC
EDUCATION AND ACCESS GRANTS,
WHICH INCLUDE GRANTS FOR
TRANSPORTATION TO PARKS, THERE
ARE, LIZ, DO YOU WANT TO JUMP IN
HERE ON SOME. YEAH. AND
BASICALLY WE'RE ALSO DOING
SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL
AND THAT IS INVESTING IN THE
GENERAL PLANNING OF CENTRAL
VALLEY PARKS THAT NEED THAT. AND
OF COURSE, THE GENERAL PLANS
WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE AHEAD WITH
SPECIFIC PROJECTS. AND WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY
UNDERWAY. AND IT'S EXCITING
WORK. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE
STATE PARKS HAS BEEN ABLE TO
ACHIEVE THESE SORTS OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. REALLY WHY DOES
THE PROGRAM FOCUS ON INLAND
WATERWAYS OR ACCESS TO INLAND
WATERWAYS? SURE, THERE'S BEEN A
FAIR AMOUNT OF FOCUS ON THE
COAST OF CALIFORNIA, AND
INVESTMENTS IN THE 340 MILES,
WHICH ARE MANAGED BY STATE PARKS
. AND AS WE KNOW, THE STORM
DAMAGE THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS
BEEN PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. THERE'S
A LOT OF ATTENTION OCCURRING ON
THE COAST, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A
MAP OF CALIFORNIA AND IF YOU
LOOK AT STATE PARKS, IT LOOKS
LIKE A NECKLACE, A NECKLACE THAT
GOES ALONG THE COAST AND ALONG
THE INTERIOR OF THE SIERRA
NEVADA AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
WHERE WE HAVE LARGE CITIES.
LARGE LOW INCOME POPULATIONS ARE
REALLY FAIRLY PARK POOR, AND
THOSE AREAS OFFER INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITIES NOT ONLY TO
PROVIDE WATER ACCESS, BUT OTHER
MULTIPLE BENEFIT OPPORTUNITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEWEST STATE
PARKS, WHICH WILL BE OPENING IN
JUST A FEW MONTHS, INCLUDES THE
RECONNECTION OF A 1600 ACRE
FLOODPLAIN THAT'S GOING TO BE
RECHARGING AN AQUIFER. SO WHEN
WE LOOK AT THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LONG TUM
RETURNS FOR THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST
IN TERMS OF RECREATION
OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IN TERMS OF
ENHANCEMENT OF THE RESOURCES IN
CALIFORNIA, NATURAL RESOURCES,
IT'S REALLY QUITE ASTONISHING.
WE'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.
APPRECIATE THE NUMBER ONE, I
APPRECIATE GETTING THESE ANSWERS
ON THE RECORD. AND TO JUST THE
RECOGNITION OF THE EQUITY ISSUES
THERE, SO WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS
DID THE DEPARTMENT FUND WITH THE
$141 MILLION, THAT'S, NOT
PROPOSED FOR REDUCTIONS? AND HAS
ALL THE MONEY BEEN COMMITTED?
WELL, DO YOU WANT TO GET THAT
ONE? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. LIZ
MCGURK, CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT
STATE PARKS. SO YES, ALL OF THE
MONEY HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND
IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO VARIOUS
TYPES OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. THOSE INCLUDE, RECREATION
FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, AND
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, GRANTS, AS
WERE MENTIONED BY THE DIRECTOR
THROUGH OUR BOATING AND
WATERWAYS DIVISION, PUBLIC
EDUCATION AND ACCESS GRANTS,
WHICH ARE BEING DELIVERED
THROUGH OUR PARTNER PARKS
CALIFORNIA. AND THOSE INCLUDE
ALSO TRANSPORTATION GRANTS TO
RECREATIONAL AREAS AND THEN
STATE PARKS PLANNING PROJECTS,
WHICH WILL INCLUDE EXTENSIVE
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT. GREAT. THANK YOU,
AND HOW DOES THE DEPARTMENT
MEASURE SUCCESS? IT'S GOING TO
BE A STEADY DIET OF THOSE
QUESTIONS FROM THE ASSEMBLY. I
MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE SEEING, CERTAINLY WITH THE
PASS PROGRAM IS AND ALSO THE
PASS PROGRAM ITSELF HAS BROUGHT
A LOT MANY MORE PEOPLE TO THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS. AND
COVID ACTUALLY SAW JUST A HUGE
INFLUX OF THE PUBLIC TO THESE
PUBLIC SPACES. AND REALLY SHOWED
US A NEED FOR OFFERING MORE
AREAS TO GO TO DURING COVID.
MANY OF THE PARKS AND PUBLIC
LANDS WERE LITERALLY OVERRUN, SO
THE NEED FOR THESE SPACES, AND I
WOULD EVEN SAY THE NEED FOR
THESE SPACES AND THE CONTINUING
CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE SEEING
WITH CLIMATE, THE CLIMATE CRISIS
AND THE VARIOUS EVENTS THAT ARE
HITTING US, WE REALLY NEED TO
PAY ATTENTION TO LOCAL AREAS
WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND PEACE OF
MIND AND GET SOME PHYSICAL
EXERCISE. WHAT KIND OF INVENTORY
DO YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE AND THOSE RECORDS?
THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER PART OF
SUCCESS IS HOW MUCH ARE YOU
LOWERING YOUR DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE? SURE, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE WE KEEP A PRIORITIZED LIST
OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE
PROJECTS, AND WE TRY TO KEEP
ABOUT A $200 MILLION PACKAGE OF
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS
ONLINE. AND WE LOOK AT THAT
NUMBER AS BEING A NUMBER WHERE
WE CAN ACHIEVE THE COMPLETION OF
THOSE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE
PROJECTS. THE NUMBER FOR THE
TOTAL IS FAIRLY LARGE. AND, I
SORT OF DON'T WANT TO SAY IT OUT
LOUD, BUT I WILL BECAUSE IT
SEEMS INSURMOUNTABLE WHEN YOU
SAY WHEN WE SAY $1 BILLION OF
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. BUT JUST
THIS YEAR YOU'LL BE SEEING IN
THE NEWS, PROJECTS LIKE THE
COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE
PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE. SO
RATHER THAN DOING PIECES OF
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS,
WE ARE COMPLETING ENTIRE
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO
SPEAK WELL TO THE PUBLIC'S
EXPERIENCE OF SEEING HOW THE
STATE IS INVESTING THOSE
DOLLARS. BUT ALWAYS A CHALLENGE
IN THAT DEFERRING SOME
MAINTENANCE SOMETIMES MAKE THAT
MAKES THAT MAINTENANCE COST MUCH
MORE. ABSOLUTELY AND SO I
APPRECIATE THE STRUGGLE OF DO
YOU FINISH ONE PROJECT AND OR DO
YOU MAKE SURE THAT 20 PROJECTS
DON'T THE ROAD DOESN'T
DETERIORATE MORE AND YOU'LL HAVE
THREE TIMES THE EXPENSE WHEN YOU
GET TO IT IS A CONSTANT
CHALLENGE. BUT THAT'S WHY I'M
GLAD WE'RE GETTING IT OUT ON THE
RECORD, BECAUSE, THESE ARE
IMPORTANT RESOURCES AND WILL
BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT
RESOURCES WITH CLIMATE ISSUES
AND EXTREME HEAT ISSUES, ETC.
PRECISELY, AND SO WE SHOULD
RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, A
PREMIER, THE STATE WILL HAVE
PREMIER STATE PARKS OUT THERE
AND PREMIER LOCATIONS FOR
PEOPLE, ACROSS THE STATE TO BE
ABLE TO GET TO. SO THANK YOU FOR
GETTING THAT ON THE RECORD. IN
TERMS OF THE OUTDOOR EQUITY
PROGRAM, CAN YOU PROVIDE AN
IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE ON THE
OUTDOOR EQUITY PROGRAM? SURE, TO
DATE, WE'VE INVESTED ABOUT $57
MILLION IN THAT PROGRAM TO 125
COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA. WE'RE
CURRENTLY REVIEWING 446
APPLICATIONS FOR ROUND TWO
FUNDING, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL
$50 MILLION. AND WE ANTICIPATE
THAT THOSE AWARDS WILL BE
ANNOUNCED THIS NEXT MONTH. AND
SO HOW MUCH FUNDING HAVE YOU
AWARDED AND HOW MUCH FUNDING
REMAINS? 57 HAS BEEN AWARDED
57,000,040 AND 50 MILLION. IT
REMAINS GREAT. OKAY AND YOU GAVE
US A TIMELINE. WHAT ARE SOME
EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT ARE
AWARDED THAT WOULD JUST HELP US
GET ON THE PUBLIC RECORD? SORT
OF, SURE. WHAT'S WHAT'S WHAT'S
THE MISSION OF THIS PROGRAM?
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION
OF THE PROGRAM, I HAVE A FEW
EXAMPLES. ONE OF THEM IS CALLED
THE YOUNG OUTDOOR LEADERS OF
COMUNIDAD. THE LIVE OAK, WHICH
IS ADMINISTERED BY THE FRIENDS
OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PARKS. THIS
PROGRAM IS DEVELOPING FUTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LEADERS
THROUGH DISCOVERING NATURE AND
PREPARING PARTICIPANTS FOR
NATURE TRIPS TO PLACES LIKE
HENRY COWELL, STATE HISTORIC
PARK AND HUMBOLDT REDWOODS STATE
PARK, AND IN ADDITION, THE
MERITO FOUNDATION, LOCATED ON
THE VENTURA COAST, CREATED A
PROGRAM CALLED FROM THE AVENUE
TO THE CHANNEL ISLANDS PROGRAM,
AND THE PROGRAM TEACHES
PARTICIPANTS ABOUT WATER QUALITY
MONITORING, HABITAT RESTORATION,
SENSITIVE HEAT MAPPING, AND
ESTÁN ECOLOGY AT NATURAL AREAS
SUCH AS LEO CARRILLO STATE
BEACH, CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR
AND PLACES LIKE THAT. AND I DO
HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN I WAS IN
EIGHTH GRADE WITH NO ACCESS TO
DOING OUT OF DOOR STUFF, IT WAS
A PROGRAM JUST LIKE THIS WHERE I
FELL IN LOVE WITH THE IDEA OF
BECOMING A MARINE BIOLOGIST. I
JUST I JUST RECENTLY TALKED TO A
GOOD FRIEND WHO THAT'S WHY SHE
BECAME A NATIONAL PARK RANGER.
AGAIN, THE SAME PROGRAM LIKE
THIS. YEAH. GREAT. ALL RIGHT.
HEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK
YOU EVERYBODY, AND YOU'RE SET.
OKAY, GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO GO
TO ISSUE NUMBER TWO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
.
YOU WANT TO SCOOCH THIS WAY? CAN
SHARE THIS WORK? YEAH I KNOW YOU
GET COLD. UNDIGNIFIED. I'M SORRY
. THAT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. AND NOW
I HAVE TO READ MY OWN
HANDWRITING. WHEN YOU'RE READY
TO BEGIN. YOU GUYS GET TO DECIDE
WHO GOES FIRST. OH, MY. DO YOU
WANT ME TO JUST START THE ORDER
THAT WE HAVE? YOU IN HERE? IF
YOU WANT ME TO HELP. OR IS, MR.
CASH, THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
FOR ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE
AND NATURAL RESOURCES? BUT
THAT'S ONLY IF THAT'S HOW YOU
GUYS WANT TO WORK IT OUT. SURE.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE
VARIOUS SMALL CONSERVANCIES OF
THE STATE, THEY RECEIVED SOME
SIGNIFICANT FUNDING FOR WILDLIFE
OR. SORRY, FOR WILDFIRE
RESILIENCE IN THE IN THE LAST
FEW BUDGETS, OF THAT FUNDING,
THEY WERE ABLE TO AWARD 315
PROJECTS FOR $348 MILLION. THE
PROJECTS THEY RANGED FROM
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE
TREATMENTS IN THE LAKE TAHOE
AREA ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE
TAHOE CONSERVANCY, INVASIVE
SPECIES AND FUEL REDUCTION
PROJECTS ALONG HEAVILY TRAVELED
TRAILS IN THE BALDWIN HILLS
TERRITORY. FUNDING FOR A FIRE
ENGINE FOR A NATIVE AMERICAN
BAND IN THE SAN DIEGO
CONSERVANCY TERRITORY FUEL
TREATMENT IN THE SANTA MONICA
MOUNTAINS TERRITORY.
REFORESTATION WITHIN THE DIXIE
FIRE BOUNDARIES, THAT WAS IN THE
SIERRA NEVADA CONSERVANCY
TERRITORY. AND THEN FUELS
REDUCTION AND NATIVE PLANTING
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
COASTAL CONSERVANCY. AND I
REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT HOW,
HOW EFFICIENTLY AND HOW QUICKLY
THE CONSERVANCIES WERE REALLY
ABLE TO GET THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY
OUT THE DOOR. AND KUDOS TO THEM
FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT WAS BASED ON ALL THE STRONG
PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY HAD WITH
ALL THEIR, THEIR LOCAL ENTITIES.
SO AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT
ON TO THE BEFORE YOU PASS IT ON.
SURE. COULD YOU REPEAT THAT
NUMBER, THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS
OR THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT
THEY GOT OUT THE DOOR? OKAY 315
PROJECTS AND $348 MILLION. THERE
WE GO. THE NUMBERS ARE SO CLOSE.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD
THOSE TWO SET. ALL RIGHT. NEXT
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JEN NORRIS
FROM THE WCB. GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR BENNETT. THANK YOU FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH
YOU. I'M JENNIFER NORRIS, THE
VERY PROUD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
FOR OVER 76 YEARS, WCB HAS BEEN
PROTECTING CALIFORNIA'S
BEAUTIFUL NATURAL WORLD THROUGH
THE PROTECTION OF LANDS AND
ACQUISITIONS AND EASEMENTS, AS
WELL AS RESTORING HABITATS AND
PROVIDING WILDLIFE ORIENTED
RECREATION IN EVERY CORNER OF
THE STATE, IN EVERY ECOSYSTEM. I
SHOULD POINT OUT THAT WE ARE
EDGING CLOSER TO PROTECTING OUR
2,000,000TH ACRE, WHICH IS
PRETTY EXCITING. WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE A PARTY AND INVITE YOU, AND
OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS WORK
REALLY CONTRIBUTES TO OUR LARGER
STATEWIDE GOAL OF ACHIEVING 30%
PROTECTED LANDS IN COASTAL
WATERS BY 2030. SO I'M VERY
PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS WORK.
THE FUNDING THAT THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED
TO WCB THROUGH THE CLIMATE
BUDGET WAS A HUGE BOOST TO
NEARING THESE MILESTONES AND WAS
REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE FOR WCB,
AT LEAST IN THIS ERA, ALLOWING
US TO SAY YES TO PROJECTS THAT
PREVIOUSLY WE WOULD HAVE TO SAY
NO TO, USING THESE FUNDS AND
WORKING WITH PARTNERS, WE'VE
IMPLEMENTED HUNDREDS OF
PROJECTS. I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T
TALLIED THEM, BUT IT'S IN THE
MANY HUNDREDS EXPENDING $600
MILLION IN JUST OVER A YEAR.
STAFF HAS BEEN VERY BUSY. SO
THESE ARE PROJECTS LIKE
PERMANENT PROTECTION OF SOME
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND LARGE
PROPERTIES. PROTECTING HABITAT
AT A LARGE SCALE IS ACTUALLY ONE
OF THE BEST WAYS TO PROTECT
SPECIES FROM THE EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMANS. I
WILL NOTE JUST HAVING SPACE FOR
SPECIES TO MOVE AND TO CONNECT
WITH EACH OTHER AND HAVING
RESILIENCE ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE
IS A CRITICAL TOOL. AND WE'RE
DOING THAT VERY WELL. SO
PROJECTS LIKE ROCKS RANCH, WE
WORKED WITH THE LAND TRUST OF
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TO PROTECT
2600 ACRES IN THE GABILAN RANGE.
THIS PROVIDES CRITICAL WILDLIFE
HABITAT AND A KEY PIECE OF THE
LARGER VISION FOR HABITAT
CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS, ALL THE
WAY TO THE COAST. WE ALSO WORK
WITH THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY
TO PROTECT 12,000 ACRES IN
MONTEREY COUNTY, THIS PROJECTS
CALLED RANA CREEK AND THOSE
12,000 ACRES. I WORKED WITH AMY
ON THIS PROJECT, THE ESSELEN
TRIBE OF MONTEREY COUNTY IS
GOING TO CO STEWARD THOSE LANDS,
WHICH IS JUST INCREDIBLE. WE GOT
TO SEE THIS PROPERTY FROM THE
TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND IT JUST
IT'LL JUST BLOW YOUR MIND HOW
MUCH LAND IS PROTECTED THERE. WE
ALSO ADVANCED PROJECTS THAT
BUILD NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND
ADVANCE EQUITY. WE'RE WORKING
WITH OUTWARD BOUND ADVENTURES TO
EMPLOY DISADVANTAGED YOUTH AND
YOUNG ADULTS TO RESTORE HABITAT
AT THE LA ZOO AND ADVANCE CAREER
PATHWAYS, AND WE WORKED WITH 40
ACRE CONSERVATION LEAGUE,
CALIFORNIA'S ONLY BLACK LED LAND
TRUST, TO ACQUIRE 650 ACRES IN
THE PLACER COUNTY IN PLACER
COUNTY FOR INCLUSIVE RECREATION
AND FINALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO
ISSUE SEVERAL SUBSTANTIAL BLOCK
GRANTS, WHICH REALLY LETS US GET
TO A LOT OF OTHER PARTNERS WITH
MANY, MANY SMALLER PROJECTS LIKE
THE ONE TO POINT BLUE
CONSERVATION THAT HAS TO DATE
ISSUED 65 SUB GRANTS, HALF TO
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES FOR
WORKING LANDS CLIMATE PROJECTS.
SO THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE
PLANTING HEDGEROWS, DEVELOPING
POLLINATOR HABITAT AND ON FARM
CARBON PLANS. I THINK WE SHOULD
ALL BE COLLECTIVELY PROUD OF THE
WORK WE WERE ABLE TO DO TO
PROTECT OUR ECOLOGICAL LIFE
SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND OPTIMIZE THE
USE OF NATURAL AND WORKING LANDS
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE
CHANGE. A THRIVING NATURAL WORLD
IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING, AND WCB STANDS READY
TO CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT WORK
AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT. THANK YOU, CHAIR BENNETT,
THANKS FOR HAVING THE COASTAL
CONSERVANCY HERE. AS PART OF
THIS HEARING, I'M AMY HUTZEL,
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE
STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, AND
WE WORK UP AND DOWN THE
CALIFORNIA COAST IN COASTAL
WATERSHEDS IN THE NINE COUNTY
BAY AREA AND IN THE SANTA ANA
RIVER WATERSHED, AND THE 22, 23
AND 2324 BUDGETS. THERE WAS A
$880.5 MILLION FOR SEA LEVEL
RISE IN COASTAL RESILIENCE
THROUGH THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY.
REALLY, IN UNPRECEDENTED
INVESTMENT IN THIS WORK, WE ARE,
WORKING TO PROTECT CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES
AND ECOSYSTEMS ALONG THE
CALIFORNIA COAST. MILLIONS AND
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE RELYING
ON THE COAST, WE'VE GOT PROJECTS
FROM DEL NORTE TO SAN DIEGO. WE
ARE FOLLOWING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
AND OUR PROJECT SELECTION
CRITERIA, AS WELL AS THE STATE
AGENCY SEA LEVEL RISE ACTION
PLAN, THE CONSERVANCY
PRIORITIZES NATURE BASED SEA
LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION. SO REALLY
WORKING WITH NATURE, TO THE
EXTENT THAT WE CAN, WETLANDS
RESTORATION, DUNE RESTORATION,
LIVING SHORELINES AS WELL AS
GRAY GREEN PROJECTS. SO
HORIZONTAL LEVEES, LIVING SEA
WALLS, THAT SORT OF PROJECT.
WE'RE ALSO REALLY WORKING TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
LESS CAPACITY TO DO THE LONG
TERME SEA LEVEL RISE PLANNING
AND ADAPTATION NECESSARY. AND IN
OUR FIRST, YEAR AND A HALF WITH
THIS FUNDING, OVER 60% OF THE
DOLLARS HAVE GONE TO
SYSTEMICALLY EXCLUDED
COMMUNITIES. WHICH IT'S A
BROADER DEFINITION THAN
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. BUT I
WILL NOT READ THE WHOLE
DEFINITION BECAUSE IT'S LENGTHY,
WE'VE OBLIGATED 487 MILLION OF
THE 880.5 MILLION TO DATE. IT'S
BEEN 208 PROJECTS TOTAL IN THE
LAST ALMOST TWO YEARS, JUST OVER
A YEAR AND A HALF, AND THERE'S
BEEN SIGNIFICANT DEMAND. AND I
WOULD SAY THE RATE AT WHICH
WE'RE MOVING MONEY FORWARD, TO
PROJECTS HAS BEEN REALLY
UNPRECEDENTED FOR OUR AGENCY.
AND, YEAH, OUR STAFF ARE WORKING
REALLY HARD TO GET PROJECTS, TO
OUR BOARD AND GETTING THE FUNDS
OBLIGATED, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT, WE HAVE TO, TO WORK
THROUGH OUR SEQUA, LAND
APPRAISALS, TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. SO WE, YOU KNOW, ARE
MOVING PROJECTS RAPIDLY, BUT
ALSO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE,
HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. I
WOULD SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH
AND WILDLIFE, THE STATUTORY
EXEMPTION FOR RESTORATION
PROJECTS HAS BEEN A HUGE,
ASSISTANCE IN OUR ABILITY TO
MOVE PROJECTS FORWARD. IT
DOESN'T APPLY TO ALL OF OUR
PROJECTS, BUT A NUMBER OF THEM
HAVE MOVED MORE RAPIDLY BECAUSE
OF IT. AND JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF A
PROJECT WE FUNDED, SURFERS POINT
MANAGED RETREAT IN VENTURA
SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WE FUNDED
PHASE ONE AND IT. WE LIKE TO SAY
IT WAS THE FIRST MANAGED RETREAT
PROJECT ON THE WEST COAST, AND
NO ONE HAS DISPROVED THAT YET,
AND THEN RECENTLY WE PROVIDED A
$16.2 MILLION GRANT FOR PHASE
TWO OF THE SURFERS POINT MANAGED
RETREAT, SO THOSE ARE MY
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS. THANK
YOU. I'LL MAKE A JUST THIS
COMMENT ABOUT THE SURFERS POINT
AFTER THE HUGE STORM THAT WE
HAD, I WENT DOWN TO CHECK OUT
HOW WELL THE MANAGED RETREAT
PROGRAM HELD UP, AND IT HELD UP
BEAUTIFULLY. I WAS REALLY
PLEASED, AND SO THERE IS, THERE
IS SOMETHING WE CAN ALL LEARN,
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY LESSONS
WE CAN LEARN FROM, FROM THAT
PROJECT. IF A COMMUNITY IS
WILLING TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN
MANAGED RETREAT, BUT THAT POINT
IN PARTICULAR, IS, IS REALLY
SENSITIVE AND SORT OF IS THE
BEGINNING OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THE
TO THE REST OF THE COASTLINE
RIGHT THERE AND STUFF. SO IT'S A
GREAT PROJECT. IT'S WORKED OUT,
LET'S HOPE WE CAN CONVINCE OTHER
PEOPLE. BUT ALSO KNOWING THE
POLITICS THAT WENT INVOLVED INTO
PULLING OFF THE, THE AGREEMENTS
TO, TO RETREAT, WERE, WERE, TOOK
TOOK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, OF,
OF ENERGY AND COOPERATION, AND
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CHALLENGE
FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD HERE.
ALL RIGHT. GREAT PART OF THE
FINANCE. HI, ERIN CARSON,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. I'LL JUST
PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL
FUND SOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU TODAY,
FOR STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY
AND SOME OF THE OTHER VARIOUS
STATE CONSERVANCIES. SO JUST TO
REVIEW, TO FILL THE $37.9
BILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL, THE
ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES
SOLUTIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING
CRITERIA IN MIND, TO PROTECT
FUNDING FOR THE MOST IMMEDIATE
CLIMATE RISKS, MINIMIZE
DISRUPTIONS FOR PROGRAMS ALREADY
UNDERWAY, AND POTENTIAL
AVAILABILITY TO SHIFT TO OTHER
FUNDS AND POTENTIAL AVAILABILITY
OF FEDERAL FUNDS. PRIORITIZING
INVESTMENTS IN PRIORITY
POPULATIONS, WHICH FACE
DISPROPORTIONATE HARM FROM THE
CLIMATE CRISIS. PROVIDE
EQUITABLE REDUCTIONS ACROSS
CLIMATE CATEGORIES, AND CONSIDER
THÀNH OF THE CURRENT
AVAILABILITY OF PROGRAM FUNDING
BY FISCAL YEAR FOR THE
DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
TODAY. THE 2024 GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET PROPOSES APPROXIMATELY
$737.1 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS AND
$33.5 MILLION IN FUND SHIFTS
ACROSS VARIOUS PROGRAMS. THESE
SOLUTIONS FALL ACROSS, VARIOUS
CATEGORIES OF THE CLIMATE
PACKAGE, SUCH AS WILDFIRE AND
FOREST RESILIENCE. NATURE BASED
SOLUTIONS, WATER AND DROUGHT
RESILIENCE, AND COASTAL
RESILIENCE. SO VARIOUS STATE
CONSERVANCIES ARE IMPACTED BY
ONE GENERAL FUND SOLUTION, WHICH
IS PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.
IMPLEMENTATION IN HIGH RISK
REGIONS. THE 2122 CLIMATE
BUDGET'S ALLOCATED $378 MILLION
FOR VARIOUS STATE CONSERVANCIES
TO IMPLEMENT WILDFIRE RISK
REDUCTION PROJECTS IN HIGH RISK
REGIONS. THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
MAINTAINS $350.3 MILLION, OR
APPROXIMATELY 93% OF FUNDING
ALLOCATED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
ALTHOUGH THE CONSERVANCIES
IMPACTED WILL CONTINUE TO
OVERSEE PROJECTS ALREADY
UNDERWAY, THE SOLUTION WILL
REDUCE FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL
PROJECTS. THE STATE COASTAL
CONSERVANCY HAS THREE GENERAL
FUND SOLUTIONS. THE FIRST IS
COASTAL PROTECTION AND ADAPTION.
THE 21 AND 22 CLIMATE BUDGETS
ALLOCATED $500 MILLION GENERAL
FUND FOR SCC FOR COASTAL
PROTECTION AND ADOPTION
PROJECTS. THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
PROPOSES A REVERSION OF $171.8
MILLION, AND MAINTAINS 154.9
MILLION, OR APPROXIMATELY 31% OF
FUNDING, ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED
FOR THIS PROGRAM, THE NEXT ONE,
THE ADAPTING INFRASTRUCTURE TO
SEA LEVEL RISE, THE 21 AND 22,
CLIMATE BUDGETS ALLOCATED UNDER
$44 MILLION, INCLUDING 37.5
MILLION GRF FOR SCC TO PROTECT
COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND NATURAL
RESOURCES FROM SEA LEVEL RISE.
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSES A
REVERSION OF 62.2 MILLION
GENERAL FUND IN 2324, AND
MAINTAINS 72.3 MILLION, OR
APPROXIMATELY 50% OF FUNDING
ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR THIS
PROGRAM. THE FINAL SOLUTION, THE
2122 BUDGET ACT INCLUDED 420
MILLION GENERAL FUND FOR SCC TO
SUPPORT COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND
ADAPTING TO SEA LEVEL RISE. THE
BUDGET PROPOSES A REVERSION OF
158.7 MILLION AND MAINTAINS
261.3 MILLION, OR APPROXIMATELY
62% OF ORIGINAL FUNDING FOR THIS
PROGRAM. FOR ALL OF THESE
INVESTMENTS, THE PROPOSED
REDUCTIONS WILL ULTIMATELY LIMIT
THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY'S
ABILITY TO LEVERAGE FEDERAL
FUNDING AND REDUCE THE OVERALL
NUMBER AND SIZE OF GRANT AWARDS.
SORRY, DISCOVERY. THE SECOND, MY
FINAL REMARKS. REGARDING THE
ADMINISTRATION'S BROADER
REDUCTION STRATEGY, THE COASTAL
RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS UNDER
STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY AND
OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL WERE
DISPROPORTIONATELY REDUCED
COMPARED TO OTHER CLIMATE
INVESTMENT AREAS BECAUSE THE
FUNDING WAS LARGELY UNCOMMITTED.
THESE PROGRAMS ARE RELATIVELY
NEW AND THEREFORE TAKE TIME TO
SCALE UP BEFORE ANY MONEY CAN BE
AWARDED AND SPENT. STILL, THE
ADMINISTRATION VIEWS COASTAL
RESILIENCE AS A LONG TIME
PRIORITY AND REFLECTS THAT BY
MAINTAINING OVER 50% OF THE $1.3
BILLION IN COASTAL RESILIENCE
FUNDING APPROPRIATED SINCE 2122.
AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE HERE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, DANIEL ROSS JONES WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. IN
ADDITION TO THE SOLUTIONS
ALREADY LISTED, THE WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION BOARD HAS THREE
GENERAL FUND SOLUTIONS. THE
FIRST IS IN WATERSHED CLIMATE
RESILIENCE CASCADES AND HIGH
SIERRA UPPER WATERSHEDS. THE
2021 AND 2022 CLIMATE BUDGETS
ALLOCATED $175 MILLION GENERAL
FUND TO SUPPORT THE ECOLOGICAL
INTEGRITY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY
OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE NATIVE
FORESTS FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT. THE
BUDGET REVERTS 153 MILLION AND
MAINTAINS 21 MILLION, OR
APPROXIMATELY 12% OF FUNDING.
ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR THIS
PROGRAM. WHILE THE REDUCTION
WILL LEAD TO THE BOARD AWARDING
FEWER GRANTS, IT HAS OTHER
FUNDING SOURCES AVAILABLE FOR
THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS,
INCLUDING THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE
ALLOCATION, THE NATURE BASED
SOLUTIONS ALLOCATION, THE
HABITAT CONSERVATION FUND AND
PROPOSITION 68 BOND FUNDING OF
2018. IN ADDITION, THE NEXT
SOLUTION IS WATERSHED CLIMATE
RESILIENCE. LAND ACQUISITIONS
AND HABITAT ENHANCEMENT. THE
2021 AND 2022 CLIMATE BUDGETS
ALLOCATED $159 MILLION. GENERAL
FUND TO PROTECT AND RESTORE
AREAS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. THE BUDGET REVERTS
THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING IN ITS
ENTIRETY, WHILE THE REDUCTION
WILL LEAD TO THE AWARD TO THE
BOARD AWARDING FEWER GRANTS, IT
AGAIN HAS OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
AVAILABLE FOR THESE TYPES OF
PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE SAME
ONES LISTED BEFORE FROM THE
CLIMATE RESILIENCE ALLOCATION,
THE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS
ALLOCATION, THE HABITAT
CONSERVATION FUND AND
PROPOSITION 68 BOND OF 2018.
FUNDING THE THIRD SOLUTION FOR
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
INCLUDES RESOURCE CONSERVATION
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, THE 2021
AND 2022 CLIMATE BUDGETS
ALLOCATED $5 MILLION GENERAL
FUND TO RESTORE TO ENCOURAGE
CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS AND
PLANNING AT A LANDSCAPE LEVEL.
THE BUDGET REVERTS THIS FUNDING
IN ITS ENTIRETY IN RECENT YEARS,
A TOTAL OF FIVE RIVAS DOCUMENTS
HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY BOARD
GRANTS THROUGH PROPOSITION 68
BOND OF 2018. FUNDING AND
EXISTING FUNDING OF $1.6 MILLION
IN THAT ALLOCATION REMAINS
AVAILABLE TO MEET THE
ANTICIPATED FUTURE DEMAND. THE
BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES A FUND
SHIFT IMPACTING THE DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
THAT SOLUTION IS STEWARDSHIP OF
STATE OWNED LANDS. THE 2021 AND
2022 CLIMATE BUDGETS ALLOCATED
$305 MILLION GENERAL FUND TO
BUILD WILDFIRE RESILIENCY AND
STATE PARKS, PRESERVES AND
WILDLIFE REFUGES. THIS FUNDING
INCLUDED $20 MILLION FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION, AND $70 MILLION FOR
THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND
WILDLIFE. THE BUDGET SHIFTS
$34.5 MILLION OF THIS FUNDING TO
THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
FUND, RESULTING IN NO CHANGE IN
THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING ALLOCATED
FOR THIS PROGRAM. THE SOLUTION
REFLECTS THE ABILITY TO SHIFT
THE AVAILABLE UNCOMMITTED
BALANCE TO THE GREENHOUSE GAS
REDUCTION FUND, WHICH
HISTORICALLY HAS FUNDED WILDFIRE
AND FOREST RESILIENCE
ACTIVITIES. THE DEPARTMENT'S DO
NOT FORESEE ANY SIGNIFICANT
PROJECT DELAYS RESULTING FROM
THIS FUND SHIFT. THANK YOU. LEO
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. SONIA
PADDOCK WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. AND AGAIN, I'M
NOT GOING TO REPEAT SOME OF THE
GENERAL COMMENTS THAT OUR OFFICE
HAS BEEN MAKING AND THAT MISS
CHRISTINE MADE EARLIER. BUT I
DID HAVE A COUPLE OF POINTS TO
MAKE ABOUT THE COASTAL
RESILIENCE PACKAGE. SO THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSES TO
PULL BACK, FUNDING OF ABOUT $450
MILLION. AND IN LARGE PART, THIS
IS BECAUSE THAT FUNDING IS
CURRENTLY UNCOMMITTED OR
UNSPENT. AS NOTED EARLIER, BUT
TOGETHER WITH THE REDUCTIONS
THAT WERE APPROVED IN LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET, THIS RESULTS IN A
TOTAL REDUCTION TO THE ORIGINAL
AMOUNT PLANNED FOR COASTAL
RESILIENCE OF ABOUT HALF. AND IF
YOU LOOK ACROSS THE VARIOUS
CLIMATE PACKAGES, THIS IS A
PROPORTIONATELY IT IS
PROPORTIONATELY THE BIGGEST
SHARE THAT'S PROPOSED FOR
REDUCTION. NOW, OF COURSE, IT
MAKES SOME AMOUNT OF SENSE GIVEN
THE CURRENT BUDGET SITUATION, TO
PULL BACK FUNDING THAT HASN'T
BEEN SPENT OR COMMITTED YET,
BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE LESS
DISRUPTIVE. BUT WE WOULD NOTE
THAT, AN INTERESTING SORT OF
DILEMMA IN THIS AREA IS THE FACT
THAT IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT
IT'S THIS MONEY IS NOT SPENT
BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF
PROJECTS OR A LACK OF NEED.
RATHER, LAST YEAR, THIS SAME
FUNDING WAS UP FOR NEGOTIATION
IN THE BUDGET. PROCESS. THE
GOVERNOR HAD PROPOSED CUTTING IT
IN JANUARY OF 2023, OBVIOUSLY
THE IT WOULD WOULD HAVE BEEN
UNWISE FOR THE STATE COASTAL
CONSERVANCY TO MAKE ANY PROMISES
TO GRANTEES ABOUT, FUNDING THAT
MIGHT NOT MATERIALIZE. THE
FUNDING ENDED UP PRESERVED OR
MOST OF THE FUNDING ENDED UP
PRESERVED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET
AGREEMENT, BECAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE VIEWED THE
ACTIVITIES AS IMPORTANT
PRIORITIES, SO AGAIN, GIVEN THE
CURRENT CHALLENGING BUDGET,
ENVIRONMENT, IT AGAIN, IT MAKES
SENSE PROBABLY TO PULL BACK
FUNDING THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT.
BUT WE JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT
THAT THE NEED REMAINS. PROJECTS
ARE YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY
PROJECTS THAT WOULD, I'M SURE,
BE AVAILABLE FOR THAT FUNDING,
SECONDLY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
A COUPLE OF POINTS ABOUT FUNDING
FOR THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
BOARD, AND I WOULD START WITH
THE CAVEAT THAT THESE COMMENTS
ARE NOT MEANT TO BE ANY SORT OF
COMMENTARY ON THE MERITS OF THE
PROGRAM. RATHER, WE GET TO BE
THE DOWNER. WE GET TO TALK ABOUT
THE REALITY OF THE CURRENT
BUDGET SITUATION. SO YOU ENJOY
THAT ROLE? NO, I REALLY, REALLY
DO NOT ENJOY THIS ROLE. BUT
THANK YOU. WE JUST WANTED TO
POINT OUT THAT, SO THE EARLY
ACTION PACKAGE THAT'S BEING, OR
THE EARLY ACTION AGREEMENT
THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING
CONSIDERED BY THE LEGISLATURE,
WOULD INCLUDE, RATHER THAN
PULLING BACK THE AMOUNTS THAT
THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED FOR
WATERSHED CLIMATE RESILIENCE
WOULD PULL BACK ABOUT 200
MILLION, AND IT WOULD ALSO GIVE
THE ADMINISTRATION THE AUTHORITY
TO FREEZE SPENDING IN OTHER
AREAS. SO THE REASON I BRING
THIS UP IS IF THE LEGISLATURE
DOES NEED ADDITIONAL BUDGET
SOLUTIONS, GIVEN THE VERY
SIGNIFICANT DEFICIT, THERE IS
THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
WATERSHED CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
AND WE THINK THERE'S PROBABLY
AROUND ANOTHER 200 MILLION IN IN
THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
AREA FOR, NATURAL AND WORKING
LANDS FOR PROTECTING WILDLIFE
FROM CHANGING CONDITIONS AND
ALSO FOR STREAM FLOW ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAMS, HOWEVER, IF THE
ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T LIKE IF
YOU NEEDED TO USE THAT, CAPTURE
THAT SAVINGS, IF THE
ADMINISTRATION DID NOT CHOOSE TO
FREEZE THE SPENDING, THE
LEGISLATURE WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO
ACT PRETTY QUICKLY IF IT DID
WANT TO PULL BACK ANY OF THAT
FUNDING GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD IS
STILL ACTIVELY REVIEWING
PROPOSALS AND MAKING AWARDS, I
THINK THE NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING
FOR THEM IS MAYBE IN JUNE, MAY
IN MAY. YEAH. SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WELL, ONE REPEATEDLY I TRY
TO SAY IT, BUT THE ASSEMBLY
REALLY APPRECIATES THE ROLE THAT
THE LAW OFFICE PLAYS. AND WHILE
I JUST ABOUT ENJOYING THAT, IT
IS AN ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL ROLE.
WE NEED SOMEBODY TO GIVE
COUNTERBALANCING VIEWS AND
OPTIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE AS WE
MOVE FORWARD. AND I APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION'S REPRESENTATIVES
HAVE ALWAYS HANDLED THAT VERY
PROFESSIONALLY. THEY RECOGNIZE
THAT YOUR ROLE AND SO THAT'S THE
BEST WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
GET THESE CONVERSATIONS OUT
THERE. AND WE DON'T NEED
DEFENSIVENESS AT A TIME LIKE
THIS. WE NEED CLARITY. AND THEN
WE NEED TO JUST MAKE RATIONAL
DECISIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE
SECOND THING, I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU POINTING OUT
ABOUT COASTAL RESILIENCE AND HOW
THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN, YOU
KNOW, PUSHING FOR THAT AND THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS POTENTIALLY
HAS SOME DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT
LEVEL OF CONCERN OR PRIORITY
WITH, WITH, WITH THAT, BASED ON
SORT OF OUR, OUR, DIFFERING
AMOUNTS THAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW,
WANTED TO, TO PUT INTO THAT. I
DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT
OUT, IMPORTANT TO GET SAID THAT,
IF WE ONLY MAKE, AND I'M NOT
SAYING WE DO ONLY BUT YOU
EXAGGERATE TO MAKE YOUR POINT.
THAT'S WHAT WE OFTENTIMES ALL
TRY TO DO. BUT IF WE ONLY MAKE
OR THE PRIMARY THING WE LOOK AT
IS, OH, IF THE MONEY'S
REMAINING, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD
CUT, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
MEAN THAT WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS
BASED ON OUR VALUES IN TERMS OF
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, AND
TRYING TO SQUARE THOSE TWO
THINGS IS DIFFICULT TO DO WHEN
YOU'RE IN THIS SITUATION. BUT AT
LEAST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE
CALLING IT OUT PUBLICLY AND WE,
AS THE LEGISLATURE IS, IS ASKING
FOR, AND WE HAVE A TENTATIVE
AGREEMENT ON A FREEZE OF THIS
ONE TIME SPENDING SO THAT WE
DON'T HAVE TO ACT REALLY QUICK
BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID THE MONEY
IS GOING TO GET SPENT. SO I HOPE
THAT IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT
COMPROMISE THAT WE MADE WITH THE
GOVERNOR ON THE FREEZE, THAT
THAT THAT SPIRIT WILL BE
RECOGNIZED DURING THIS NEXT, TWO
MONTH PERIOD WHILE WE'RE TRYING
TO ALL COME TOGETHER ON WHAT THE
ACTUAL CUTS WILL BE. SO I WANTED
TO GET THAT PUBLICLY STATED
ALSO. SO THANKS FOR POINTING
THAT OUT. THE OTHER THING I WANT
TO POINT OUT BEFORE I START INTO
THE QUESTIONS AND THE QUESTIONS
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC,
WE SHARE THESE QUESTIONS WITH
THEM IN ADVANCE SO THAT BECAUSE
WE WANT TO GET THESE ANSWERS OUT
, YOU KNOW, IN THE PUBLIC. AND
SO I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.
SO I'LL BE LOOKING FOR, FAIRLY
DIRECT, YOU KNOW, QUICK ANSWERS
AND PARTIALLY WE'RE ABLE TO DO
THAT BECAUSE I APPRECIATE THAT
THE ADMINISTRATOR, THÀNH, HAS
BEEN MORE WILLING THIS YEAR OR
IS JUST MORE SENSITIVE THIS YEAR
TO IDENTIFYING WHY YOU HAVE MADE
THE CUTS THAT YOU'VE MADE. IT'S
REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO HEAR,
WELL, WE DID THIS FOR THIS
REASON. WE DID THIS. WE MADE
THIS ANALYSIS AND I THINK THAT'S
VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THE PUBLIC
TO HEAR. ALSO REALLY APPROPRIATE
FOR WE AND THE ASSEMBLY TO HEAR
AND GET THAT ON THE RECORD. SO
ENCOURAGE AS MUCH OF THAT AS
POSSIBLE IF YOU'LL TAKE THAT
BACK, PARTICULARLY TO DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE PEOPLE, TO EVERYBODY
ELSE AS THEY'RE GETTING READY TO
MAKE THEIR PRESENTATIONS, AT
LEAST IN THIS SUBCATEGORY, WE,
WE GREATLY VALUE HEARING, YOU
KNOW, A FEW LINES ABOUT WHY THAT
WAS PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE AND
STUFF. AND SO WITH THAT, THE
COASTAL CONSERVANCY IN GENERALLY
THE CAN THE STATE COASTAL
CONSERVANCY DESCRIBE VIBE EACH
OF THE SEA LEVEL RISE PROGRAM
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CONFUSIONS I HAVE. WE
HAVE COASTAL RESILIENCY ACTS AND
COASTAL RESILIENCY. AND THEY'RE
THEY'RE SORT OF VAGUE
DEFINITIONS. I KNOW THEY'RE
ABOUT COASTAL RESILIENCY, THAT
WE WOULD BE GREATLY HELPED IF WE
WOULD KNOW. WHAT IS YOUR
DISTINCTION BETWEEN THESE THESE
PROGRAMS? SO I'VE GOT CAN YOU
JUST BASICALLY YOU KNOW, WHAT'S
THAT DISTINCTION. LET'S FOCUS ON
THAT QUESTION FIRST. AND THEN
I'LL GET TO THE OTHER QUESTIONS.
RIGHT. AND I WOULD SAY, AND I
THINK THIS KIND OF ANSWERS THE
SECOND QUESTION TOO. THERE'S A
LOT OF OVERLAP. OH GO AHEAD. NO
NO NO. GO AHEAD. SORRY THERE'S A
LOT OF OVERLAP BETWEEN THE THREE
PROGRAMS. AND WE HAVE A SINGLE,
OPEN ONGOING CALL FOR, GRANT
APPLICATIONS, SO WE DO NOT HAVE
SEPARATE GRANT PROGRAMS FOR THE
THREE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES,
ANY, POTENTIAL, GRANTEE
APPLICANT, INTERESTED IN
APPLYING FOR THE FUNDS, SUBMITS
A PROPOSAL TO THE COASTAL
CONSERVANCY, AND THEN WE INVITE,
FULL APPLICATIONS THAT MEET OUR
PRIORITIES, AND WE MATCH THE
APPLICATION TO THE APPROPRIATE
FUNDING SOURCE. BUT THE THREE
PROGRAMS, IN SHORT, THE COASTAL
RESILIENCE, IS FUNDING,
OBVIOUSLY COASTAL RESILIENCE AND
ADAPTATION PROJECTS TO HELP
COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND NATURAL
AREAS ADAPT TO THE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE BROADLY. SO IT'S
NOT JUST SEA LEVEL RISE, IT'S
BROAD CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON
THE COAST, THE SECOND, PROGRAM
ARE PROJECTS ADAPTING PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE TO SEA LEVEL RISE
SPECIFICALLY. YEAH. AND THEN THE
THIRD ARE PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS
SEA LEVEL RISE WITH A FOCUS ON
USING NATURE BASED ADAPTATION
STRATEGIES. SO YOU CAN THERE'S A
VENN DIAGRAM, AND THERE'S A LOT
OF OVERLAP. SO THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN, THE INFRASTRUCTURE ONE
AND THE FIRST ONE YOU
IDENTIFIED, WHICH IS BROAD
BASED. COULD YOU MEAN AN
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT COULD
ALSO FALL UNDER THE FIRST
CATEGORY? AND DO YOU SOMETIMES
DO THAT? YOU SAY, HEY, WE'VE
ALREADY TAPPED THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCOUNT. AND SO
WE'RE NOW GOING TO TAP THE OTHER
ACCOUNT. WHAT WE TRY TO DO AND
AT THIS POINT, ALL OF THE
FUNDING FOR THOSE THREE PROGRAMS
THAT IS PROTECTED OR REMAINING
HAS BEEN ENCUMBERED. SO WE'RE
NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE. BUT WHAT
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS, IS,
SPEND OR OBLIGATE THE FUNDS THAT
ARE MOST SPECIFIC. SO IF A
PROJECT IS, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE, NATURE AND SEA
LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION, THEN WE
WOULD FIRST GO TO, YOU KNOW,
THAT SPECIFIC PROGRAM, THE
BROADEST PROGRAM IS THE COASTAL
RESILIENCE, YOU KNOW, HELPING
COMMUNITIES ADAPT TO CLIMATE
CHANGE BROADLY. SO WE'VE TRIED
TO USE THAT PROGRAM, FOR
PROJECTS THAT DON'T FIT IN THE
OTHER TWO AND, USING IT, I LAST,
BECAUSE IT CAN FUND THE WIDEST
ARRAY OF THINGS. OKAY. THANK
YOU, AND SO, SO, ROUGH IDEA OF
THE ENTITIES APPLYING. HOW MUCH
ARE YOU GETTING? YOU KNOW,
APPLICATIONS FROM PUBLIC VERSUS
PRIVATE, ETC. YEAH SO TRIBES,
NONPROFIT ENTITIES AND PUBLIC
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CAN APPLY. I
I DO NOT HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF
WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY FUNDED AMONG
AMONG THOSE. SO PRIVATE
ORGANIZATIONS CANNOT APPLY
PRIVATE. NO, NO. OKAY. THANK
YOU, CAN THE CONSERVANCY PROVIDE
AN IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE ON THE
GRANTS IT'S ADMINISTERED? K¾T.
YES. SO, AS I TALKED ABOUT IN
THE IN MY INTRODUCTION, THÀNH,
WE RECEIVED 880.5 MILLION IN
THESE THREE PROGRAMS. WE'VE
OBLIGATED CLOSE TO 488 MILLION,
WHICH IS THE AMOUNT REMAINING,
AND APPROVED 208 PROJECTS, WITH
THOSE FUNDS, AND I'M GOING TO
INTERRUPT YOU THERE AND MOVE ON.
YEAH. DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN
BETWEEN HOW MANY OF THEM ARE
PLANNING AND HOW MANY OF THEM
ARE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION? NO,
BUT I COULD GET THAT TO YOU. I
WOULD SAY IT'S, PROBABLY A
PRETTY SIMILAR NUMBER OF GRANTS
THAT ARE PLANNING VERSUS
IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THE DOLLAR
AMOUNTS ARE MUCH GREATER FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION. IF YOU COULD GET
THAT FOR US AND PROVIDE IT TO
CHRISTINE, I'D APPRECIATE THAT.
AND DOES THE CONSERVANCY HAVE
ANY UPDATES ON THE FEDERAL
GRANTS THAT YOU'VE APPLIED FOR?
YES WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD
APPLYING FOR FEDERAL GRANTS,
JUST IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE'VE
APPLIED FOR 11 GRANTS, WE'VE
BEEN AWARDED SIX GRANTS SO FAR,
TOTALING $30 MILLION, SO WE'RE
AWAITING WORD ON ANOTHER FIVE
GRANTS, THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT
WE'VE APPLIED FOR IS, 150. WELL,
LET'S JUST SAY ABOUT 200 MILLION
WE'VE APPLIED FOR. WE HAVE TWO
VERY LARGE GRANT APPLICATIONS IN
ONE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WETLANDS RESTORATION AND ONE FOR
WETLAND RESTORATION IN SAN
FRANCISCO BAY. THOSE ARE EACH
$75 MILLION APPLICATIONS. AND WE
WILL LEARN THIS SUMMER. GREAT.
THANKS. AND THE FINAL QUESTION,
SAME QUESTION THAT I'VE ASKED.
ALSO, HOW DO YOU TRACK SUCCESS,
IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE
PROGRAMS? YEAH. WELL, WE WAIT
FOR A STORM AND THEN YOU GO AND
VISIT THE PROJECT, AND REPORT
BACK. NO. SO DO I HAVE TO TRAVEL
ALL AROUND THE STATE AFTER? YES,
UP AND DOWN THE COAST, SO I
WOULD SAY WE, ACTIVELY MONITOR
OUR PROJECTS AT THIS POINT, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE AWARDED THESE
GRANTS. MOST OF THESE PROJECTS,
ARE NOT YET IMPLEMENTED OR
COMPLETED, BUT OUR PROJECT STAFF
ARE, ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF
PROJECTS. AND THEN WE ARE
MONITORING THEM, FOR
IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING FOR
20 YEARS, AFTER COMPLETION OF
THE PROJECT, WE'RE ALSO VERY
ENGAGED. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
THE PROJECT BY PROJECT
MONITORING. BUT I THINK PROBABLY
MORE ESSENTIAL IS STATEWIDE AND
REGIONAL COORDINATION AND, AND
PLANNING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SEA
LEVEL RISE. SO IN MANY PARTS OF
THE CALIFORNIA COAST, THERE ARE
COLLABORATIVE LIVES, AT THE
REGIONAL OR SUBREGIONAL LEVEL
WHO ARE LOOKING AT, WHAT ARE THE
PROJECTED IMPACTS OF SEA LEVEL
RISE, WHAT IS THE PROJECTED COST
TO ADAPT TO SEA LEVEL RISE, AND
HOW ARE WE DOING? AND I THINK
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, ROLE FOR
THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY TO
SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE FOR, FOR
EVERYBODY HERE TALKING ABOUT SEA
LEVEL RISE, WE WILL HAVE MORE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, THIS ISSUE
BECAUSE IT'S A BIG, IMPORTANT
ISSUE AND YET IT'S A VAGUE ISSUE
. WHAT DO YOU MEAN ABOUT
RESILIENCY AND ALL OF THAT ONE
PIECE OF INFORMATION IN GENERAL
THE LAO HAS IDENTIFIED. BUT I'D
LIKE TO SORT OF GET IT BACK ON
EVERYBODY'S RADAR SCREEN. AND
RE-IDENTIFY IT. WHERE WERE WE
BEFORE THE SURPLUS IN TERMS OF
COASTAL RESILIENCE PROGRAMS?
WHERE DID WE GO AND WHERE WILL
WE BE AFTER THESE CUTS SO THAT
WE DON'T JUST SEE THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE PEAK AND WHERE WE
ARE, BUT WE ALSO SEE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRE SURPLUS
AND CURRENT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING
I HOPE YOU'LL YOU'LL HELP US
MAKE SURE WE HAVE CLEAR
IDENTIFICATION BECAUSE THAT IS
SOMETHING WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO
BE CONSTANTLY A PIECE OF
INFORMATION. WE'LL HAVE TO BE
CONSTANTLY EVALUATING WITH THE
LEGISLATURE AS WE MOVE FORWARD
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE,
TO THE CONSERVATION BOARD, AND,
BY THE WAY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING
ELSE ON CONSERVANCY THAT WE
DIDN'T COVER? NO, BUT THEY ARE
ON THEIR LAST BILL FOR ELECTIONS
. THEY'RE JUST STARTING IT. YES.
ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO TRY TO
GET YOU GUYS DONE, BUT, SO CAN
THE BOARD PROVIDE IMPLEMENTATION
UPDATE ON ITS PROGRAMS TO
PROTECT WILDLIFE FROM CHANGING
CONDITIONS? OTHER THAN WHAT
YOU'VE ALREADY SAID IN YOUR
INTRODUCTION, IS THERE ANYTHING
ELSE THERE? SURE. JUST JUST
BASICALLY, WE GOT $318 MILLION
IN FUNDING OVER THREE YEARS.
WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED 248
MILLION, TO PROTECT WILDLIFE.
OKAY, THE LAO NOTES THE PROGRAM
HAS $100 MILLION OF UNCOMMITTED
FUNDS. WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR
THOSE FUNDS TO BE COMMITTED? OUR
CURRENT ESTIMATE IS WE HAVE
ABOUT 70.1 MILLION REMAINING. WE
HAVE PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE
FOR MAY, AUGUST, AND NOVEMBER,
AND ALL THAT MONEY WILL BE,
COMMITTED BY THAT TIME. SO WE
EXPECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR,
ALL THE ALL THE GENERAL FUND
MONEY WOULD BE SPENT. AND WILL
YOU INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE OF HOW
THE ADMINISTRATION'S COMMITMENT
ON FREEZING UNSPENT MONEY WILL
APPLY TO THESE PROGRAMS?
ABSOLUTELY. SURE. GREAT. THANK
YOU. AND IF YOU CAN COMMUNICATE
THAT WITH CHRISTINE, WE'D
APPRECIATE THAT. SURE, AND THEN,
CAN YOU PROVIDE WHAT'S THE
IMPACT IF WE DON'T COMMIT TO
THESE PROGRAMS, RIGHT. YEAH. I
MEAN, I TALKED TO MY
INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF NATURE TO ALL OF
THESE HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITIES
ACROSS THE STATE. BUT, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE WE HAVE EASILY 100 HIGH
QUALITY PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE
IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTY, AND
THOSE PROJECTS WOULD EITHER HAVE
TO FIND ALTERNATIVE FUNDING OR
NOT BE IMPLEMENTED. THANK YOU,
AND THEN THERE'S 102 MILLION, IS
THIS A DIFFERENT. IT IS
DIFFERENT. YEAH. THE 102 MILLION
IN OVERALL UNCOMMITTED FUNDS,
ACROSS, THE PROGRAM. SO OF THOSE
102 MILLION OF JUST OVERALL
UNCOMMITTED FUNDS, WHAT PROGRAMS
HAVE THE UNCOMMITTED FUNDS AND
HOW MUCH OF THE FUNDING IS
UNCOMMITTED BY PROGRAM? AND IF
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW,
YOU CAN IF YOU COULD GET THAT.
YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO KNOW
WHAT WE'RE ASKING ABOUT. SO FOR
THE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS
MONEY, WE HAVE 42 MILLION
REMAINING, BUT THE REMAINDER IS
THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE 70.1 THAT
DANIEL MENTIONED EARLIER, AND
THEN ABOUT 102 MILLION LEFT IN
STREAMFLOW. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, AND
IF I COULD GO BACK JUST
CONSERVANCIES OVERALL, THE HOW
DOES A POT OF FUNDING DIFFER
FROM THE OTHER FIRE RESILIENCE
AND VEGETATION FUNDING? AND I'M
TALKING ABOUT, PROJECT
IMPLEMENTATION AND THE HIGH RISK
REGIONS ALLOCATION. AND THAT'S
MY FINAL QUESTION, BRIAN CASH,
WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES
AGENCY. SO THIS POT OF FUNDING
FOCUSED ON WILDFIRE RESILIENCE
PROJECTS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES
OF THE SPECIFIC CONSERVANCIES IS
MOST OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS ARE
STATEWIDE. SO THIS GAVE THE
CONSERVANCIES A REAL OPPORTUNITY
TO FOCUS AND TO WORK WITH THEIR
LOCAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS
TO FUND PROJECTS THAT THEY
REALLY HADN'T HAD A TON OF
FUNDING FOR, IN THE IN THE PAST.
SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THIS
IS ONE OF THE DAYS I MOST ENJOY
BEING THE BUDGET CHAIR OF THIS
PART OF THE BUDGET BECAUSE THE
COMBINATION OF PARKS AND DEALING
WITH CONSERVANCIES AND WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION BOARD, I MEAN, THIS
IS ALL A POSITIVE STUFF. AND
IT'S A SHAME THAT WE HAVE TO CUT
FUNDING FOR IN THESE AREAS, BUT
YOU'RE BLESSED TO GET TO WORK IN
THESE AREAS. AND BY COMPARISON
TO WHAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
GET TO SPEND THEIR TIME ON,
YOU'RE FORTUNATE. AND CALIFORNIA
NEEDS GREAT PROFESSIONALS TRYING
TO DO A GREAT JOB IN THIS AREA.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND IT
WILL. JUST LIKE WITH PARKS, THIS
WILL BECOME AN INCREASINGLY
IMPORTANT AS CLIMATE CHANGE HITS
AND WE NEED MORE AND MORE
NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS OUT THERE.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A
SHORT BREAK. EVERYBODY. I HAVE
TO GO VOTE, AND, IN ANOTHER
COMMITTEE, AND WE WILL I WILL BE
BACK AS PROMPTLY AS I CAN. THANK
YOU.
WE'LL CALL THIS. WE'LL CALL THIS
MEETING BACK TO ORDER. AND,
ISSUE THREE, EXPOSITION PARK AND
VARIOUS PROPOSALS FOR EXPOSITION
PARK. CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE
SOUTHEAST. UNDERGROUND PARKING
STRUCTURE.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN BENNET.
I'M ANDRE AMBRIZ FROM EXPOSITION
PARK, THE GENERAL MANAGER. GREAT
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL LET
YOU BEGIN. OKAY. THANK YOU. I
THOUGHT I'D JUST GIVE, SOME
BACKGROUND AND SOME HISTORY
ABOUT EXPOSITION PARK. I'M NOT
SURE IF YOU'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO
VISIT, BUT, OF COURSE, WE
WELCOME YOU AT ANY POINT. OH,
WONDERFUL. THEN YOU'RE FAMILIAR
WITH THE SIZE, THE SCOPE OF THE
PARK. IT'S JUST A LITTLE HISTORY
ABOUT EXPOSITION PARK. IT WAS
ESTABLISHED IN THE LATE 1880S,
SO WE ARE A MORE THAN 140 YEAR
OLD STATE PROPERTY. I'M NOT SURE
IF WE ARE THE OLDEST, BUT I
THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE. WE'RE
160 ACRE STATE PROPERTY JUST
ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN LA IN THE
SOUTH LA NEIGHBORHOOD AND
COMMUNITY. WE SERVE NOT ONLY
GLOBAL TOURISTS AND VISITORS IN
THE MILLIONS, BUT WE ALSO SERVE
LOCAL COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. THE
LOCAL SURROUNDING AREA IS ONE OF
THE MOST PARK POOR COMMUNITIES
IN THE STATE. IT RANKS 96TH
PERCENTILE IN POVERTY RATES. IT
ALSO RATES AT 91ST IN PM 2.5
RECORDED IN THE LOCAL AREA. SO
WHILE WE SERVE, OF COURSE, THE
INTEREST AND THE EXPLORATIONS OF
GLOBAL VISITORS VISITING OUR
DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, WE ALSO
REALLY DO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE
PUBLIC AS A PUBLIC STATE
INSTITUTION, WE HAVE WORLD CLASS
MUSEUMS. WE HAVE LEADING
ENTERTAINMENT VENUES AND SPORTS
FACILITIES. WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER, AND
WE HAVE OUR OUTDOOR LAWNS AND
GARDENS. WE HAVE TWO STATE
PARKS, THE CALIFORNIA AFRICAN
AMERICAN MUSEUM AND THE
CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER, WHICH
IS HOME TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE
ENDEAVOR. WE ALSO HAVE THE NEW
AND INCOMING LUCAS MUSEUM, WHICH
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HOST AND
OPEN IN 2025. SO BEGINNING THIS
SUMMER WITH THE EXTENSION AND
THE OPENING OF THE NATURAL
HISTORY MUSEUM FROM LA COUNTY'S,
NEW ANNEX THAT THEY ARE
CREATING, WE ARE EXPECTING
MILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL VISITORS
TO THE PARK. SO TO MEET THAT
NEED, WE ARE EXPANDING OUR
OPERATIONS. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
INTERESTS AND DEMANDS OF THE
PUBLIC AGAIN, FOR THE GREEN
SPACES THAT WE DO PROVIDE AND
ALSO THE CULTURAL ART AND
ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION THAT
WE ARE IN THE CITY. SO WITH THAT
, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT OUR TWO
PROPOSALS UPON YOU. GREAT. WE
HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT WE'LL
DO IT AFTER WE HEAR THE REST OF
THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
LIZ, YOUR DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE,
NOTHING TO ADD HERE FOR
QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. LEO
HELEN, CHRISTINE, AGAIN WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE. SO
WE HAVEN'T RAISED ANY CONCERNS
WITH THE CAPACITY BUILDING
PROPOSAL. THAT'S THE STAFFING
PROPOSAL. AND WE DO HAVE SOME
COMMENTS ON THE PARKING
STRUCTURE PROPOSAL. WE WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS REALLY A
KEY DECISION POINT FOR THE
LEGISLATURE REGARDING THIS
PROJECT. SO LAST YEAR, THE
LEGISLATURE APPROVED THE
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA, SORT OF
THE INITIAL PHASE OF GETTING THE
DESIGN WORK DONE FOR THAT
PROJECT. BUT THIS YEAR, WHAT'S
COMING BEFORE YOU IS THE BULK OF
THE MONEY, ABOUT $350 MILLION OF
LEASE REVENUE BONDS FOR THE
ACTUAL DESIGN BUILD, WHICH IS
REALLY THE FINAL DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT, WE
THINK JUST GIVEN THE CONDITION
OF THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT
IT'S DETERIORATED OVER THE LAST
YEAR AND ALSO THAT THE SPECIAL
FUND THAT THAT SUPPORTS EXPO
PARK, BASED ON OUR REVIEW, LOOKS
UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THE COST OF REPAYING THE
PROBABLY THE BULK OF THOSE
BONDS, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THE LEGISLATURE IS STILL
COMFORTABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD,
AND IT STILL REMAINS A REALLY
HIGH PRIORITY FOR YOU BECAUSE
THE DEBT SERVICE, YOU KNOW,
WON'T BE INSIGNIFICANT, WE THINK
PROBABLY AROUND $25 MILLION A
YEAR OVER ABOUT 25 YEAR PERIOD,
IF THE PROJECT DOES CONTINUE TO
BE A PRIORITY, YOU ALSO HAVE TWO
OPTIONS. SO WE JUST WANT TO
WANTED TO OUTLINE THOSE QUICKLY.
ONE IS YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD
WITH THE FULL SCOPE THAT'S
PROPOSED, WHICH IS WHICH IS A
PARKING STRUCTURE, THAT
BASICALLY WOULD REPLACE SURFACE
PARKING. SO YOU'D GET MAYBE IT'S
UNCLEAR EXACTLY, BUT MAYBE ABOUT
120 OR 135. I THINK. SORRY, A
NEW SPOTS. BUT THERE'S SOME
UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL
DOING THE DESIGN PHASE THERE, SO
YOU'D GET SOME NEW SPOTS. NOT A
TON. MOSTLY YOU WOULD JUST
REPLACE WHAT'S NOT A GREAT FUN
PARKING STRUCTURE WITH MORE
GREEN SPACE AND A AND AN
UNDERGROUND STRUCTURE. BUT YOU'D
ALSO DO, ADD A HEADQUARTERS
BUILDING AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
THOSE COMPONENTS WEREN'T SUPER
CLEAR TO THE LEGISLATURE WHEN
YOU TOOK ACTION LAST YEAR,
BECAUSE IT WASN'T CALLED OUT IN
THE IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL. SO
ANOTHER OPTION IS YOU COULD
THINK ABOUT WHAT DO YOU WANT TO
DO THE FULL SCOPE, OR DO YOU
WANT TO DOWN SCOPE IT A LITTLE
BIT TO, TO SAVE SOME SOME COSTS.
SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OPTIONS WE
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE
LEGISLATURE. HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
THANK YOU, SO, WHY DON'T WE GET
TO THIS QUESTION? WHY DON'T YOU
DO AN EXPLANATION OF THE OF THE
PROPOSAL? THE ISSUE WITH THE
PARKS AND THE AND THE
ADDITIONAL. SURE THE, SOUTHEAST
UNDERGROUND PARKING PROPOSAL.
GREAT. HAPPY TO, SO WITH OUR,
LARGE AMOUNT OF VISITORS, WE
CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE AROUND 5000
PARKING SPACES ON SITE AT THE
PROPERTY. AGAIN, WE HOST
MILLIONS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR.
WE ARE LUCKY IN THAT WE ARE A
SITE. THE ONLY SITE IN LA CITY
THAT HAS TWO METRO STATIONS
DIRECTLY ON SITE. SO IF THERE
ISN'T AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE
DEMAND OF PARKING, WHICH IS VERY
OFTEN, WE DO OFTEN ENCOURAGE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS
ALSO A MORE AFFORDABLE ESTÁ
SERGEANT, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU
CAN DO WITH THAT FEEDBACK? THANK
YOU, SO WE ARE EXCITED TO. SEEMS
LIKE IT'S GONE, SERGEANT. YEAH,
YEAH. OKAY WE ARE EXCITED TO
CONTINUE PROVIDING, VARIOUS
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS INTO THE
PARK THAT WILL INCREASE THE
AMOUNT OF VISITORS TO
ACCOMMODATE THAT, OUR INTEREST
IS TO BUILD AN UNDERGROUND
PARKING STRUCTURE, WHICH WOULD
BE MULTI-LAYERED AND TO PROVIDE
A NEW GREEN SPACE. AT MINIMUM,
IT WOULD PROVIDE ABOUT SIX ACRES
OF GREEN SPACE TO THIS
INCREDIBLY PARK, POOR COMMUNITY
IN HIGH NEED. ADDITIONALLY BE
ADJACENT TO THE SITE. WE HAD
ENVISIONED FROM THE INCEPTION OF
THE PROPOSAL, ALL. GO AHEAD, WE
HAD ENVISIONED FROM THE
INCEPTION OF THE PROPOSAL, WHICH
WAS ADOPTED IN THE MASTER PLAN
OF 2020 AND ADJACENT
HEADQUARTERS AND COMMUNITY
CENTER. IT WAS NAMED A DIFFERENT
VERSION WE OPERATE. WE HAD IT
NAMED AS THE OPERATION CENTER.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD REALLY
CONSIST OF WOULD BE A SPACE FOR
THE PUBLIC TO IDENTIFY A STATE
FACILITY THAT'S ON SITE. SO IT
WOULD PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY
RESOURCES. IT WOULD PROVIDE A
LOST AND FOUND, IT WOULD PROVIDE
PUBLIC RESTROOMS. IT WOULD
PROVIDE A DESTINATION AND
MEETING LOCATION. CURRENTLY, THE
STATE DOES NOT HAVE ANY OFFICIAL
DIRECT VISIBLE REPRESENTATION ON
SITE. AND WITH THE INCREASE OF
VISITORS THAT WE ARE EXPECTING,
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC HAS A
VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF
WHERE THEY CAN GO TO MEET
SERVICES AGAIN WITH THE
INCREASED VISITORS. SO WITH 5000
PARKING SPACES, 100, HOW MANY
MORE PARKING SPACES DO YOU
THINK? GREAT QUESTION. THANK
YOU, THE DIRECT LOT AND THE SITE
CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 1300
SPACES AT THE VERY BARE MINIMUM,
WE WOULD BE MEETING THE NEED OF
1500. I AM EXTREMELY CONFIDENT
THAT ONCE WE HAVE OUR DESIGN
CONSTRUCT OR DESIGN BID FIRM
COME IN, THEY WILL PROVIDE US A
VISIONING OF EXCEEDING THAT
NUMBER BY A SIGNIFICANT RATE
BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE
PHASE OF JUST THE CRITERIA TO
UNDERSTAND AND THE FUNCTIONALITY
AND THE NEED OF THAT SPACE, WE
DON'T YET HAVE THE DESIGNS YET
THAT WILL COME IN THIS NEXT
PHASE IN 2025, BUT I'M
ANTICIPATING A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER ABOVE THAT 1500, BECAUSE
FOR EVERY SPACE THAT WE PROVIDE,
IT PROVIDES REVENUE BACK TO THE
STATE. AND THAT IS REALLY THE
KEY HERE. NOT ONLY ARE WE
PROVIDING THE SERVICE TO THE
PUBLIC TO MEET THE DEMAND, BUT
WE ARE PROVIDING A RETURN TO THE
STATE. OUR EXPOSITION PARK
IMPROVEMENT FUND, OF WHICH 70%
IS FUNDED AND RESOURCED BY
PARKING, IS OUR MAIN SOURCE OF
REVENUE. WE DON'T CONSISTENTLY
RECEIVE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL
FUND. WE ARE A SELF-SUFFICIENT
SPECIAL FUND AND WE RELY ON OUR
PARKING. SO WITH INCREASED
PARKING, WE ARE GOING TO NOT
ONLY INCREASE THE OPERATIONAL
RESOURCES BUT MEET THE DEMANDS
FOR THE PUBLIC. DO YOU
ANTICIPATE INCREASED PER PER
PARKING SPOT COLLECTIONS FROM
THE UNDERGROUND PARKING RELATIVE
TO THE CURRENT? YOU KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE COLLECTING FROM THE
CURRENT PARKING SPOTS, DO YOU
MEAN A PARKING RATE ADJUSTMENT
FROM CURRENT? YES WE DO.
CURRENTLY, OUR RATES ARE $15 FOR
A DAILY RATE AND $18 FOR A
SPECIAL EVENT. THAT BEING SAID
TO THE PUBLIC, THEY MAY RECEIVE
A DIFFERENT RATE IN THE FUTURE.
ONCE WE WORK WITH OUR SPECIAL
VENDORS FOR PARKING, WE ARE
CURRENTLY REEVALUATING THOSE
COSTS TO ENSURE THAT, AT
MINIMUM, WE WILL MEET
OPERATIONAL NEEDS. SO THAT MEANS
THAT ONCE WE DO POTENTIALLY
INCREASE THAT PARKING RATE, WE
ARE GOING TO RECEIVE MORE
REVENUE BACK TO THE STATE FOR
OUR OPERATIONS. WITH 5000
PARKING SPOTS POTENTIALLY
INCREASING BY 200, MAYBE MORE,
VERY MUCH MORE EXPECTED. DOING
THIS PRIMARILY FOR THE PARKING.
ARE YOU DOING THIS PRIMARILY SO
THAT WE HAVE THE SIX ACRES OF
GREEN SPACE AND WE HAVE THE
ABOVE GROUND FACILITIES AND THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING IS MORE A
WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE SIX ACRES
OF GREEN SPACE AND THE AND THE
ABOVE GROUND STUFF MORE THAN IT
IS AN EXPANSION OF PARKING. IS
THAT AN ACCURATE? BECAUSE IF YOU
REALLY WERE JUST TRYING TO
EXPAND PARKING, YOU'D JUST BUILD
A DOUBLE DECKER PARKING
STRUCTURE UP ABOVE THAT. THAT'S
EXACTLY RIGHT, CHAIRMAN. THAT'S
EXACTLY RIGHT. SO OKAY, THAT'S
WHAT I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON.
YES. GREAT, SO THE HEALTH OF THE
EXPOSITION PARK IMPROVEMENT
FUND, IF WE CAN MOVE FAIRLY
QUICKLY WITH THAT, CERTAINLY THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROJECTS THE
FUND HAS A HEALTHY ENDING FUND
BALANCE OF ABOUT 8.3 MILLION AND
2425 TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING
OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES AND
MEET THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF
THE PARK. AND THAT BALANCE DOES
INCORPORATE THE EXPO PARK
BUILDING PROPOSAL, WHICH, AS THE
GENERAL MANAGER HAS SPOKEN TO,
WILL ENHANCE THE PARK'S REVENUE
GENERATION. GREAT AND YOU'VE
ALREADY MENTIONED THAT IT'S,
PARKING IS THE PRIMARY, BUT
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD IN TERMS OF
HOW REVENUE IS GENERATED FOR THE
FUND? NO. SO IT'S ALMOST ALL
PARKING. AROUND 70% IS PARKING.
THE REST ARE THROUGH FACILITY
RENTALS AND THROUGH LEASE
AGREEMENT PAYMENTS THAT WE HAVE
WITH THE ENTITIES ON SITE. YES.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE AN
OPERATING DEFICIT RIGHT NOW. SO
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET FUND
CONDITION DOES SHOW A SLIGHT
OPERATING DEFICIT WITH
EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING REVENUES
BY ABOUT $960,000 IN THE BUDGET
YEAR. BUT WE WOULD NOTE THAT THE
FUND CONDITION IS REALLY OUR
MOST CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE FOR
REVENUES, AND IT ASSUMES FULL
EXPENDITURES THAT AUTHORIZED
LEVELS. SO THAT IMBALANCE IS
LIKELY OVERSTATED. WE TYPICALLY
ESTIMATE REVENUES TO REMAIN
RELATIVELY STABLE, BUT IT'S NOT
UNCOMMON. UNCOMMON FOR ACTUAL
REVENUES TO COME IN QUITE A BIT
HIGHER IN FOR DEPARTMENTS TO
ACHIEVE NATURAL SAVINGS. SO WE
ARE CAREFULLY MONITORING ACTUAL
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. BUT
THE STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE DOES
NOT RAISE A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN
FOR US AT THIS TIME. AND YOU
HAVE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS COMING
ON. CAN THE FUNDS SUPPORT THOSE
ADDITIONAL? YES. THESE POSITIONS
WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
EVENTS HELD AT THE PARK, WHICH
IN TURN GENERATES ADDITIONAL
REVENUE TO SUPPORT THE POSITIONS
ON AN ONGOING BASIS? AND HOW
ABOUT THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE GPH
AND THE EXPO PARK IMPROVEMENT
FUND FOR THE DEBT SERVICE
PAYMENTS? KNEW WE WERE GOING TO
GET YOU IN HERE SOMETIME. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR DAVID JENSEN,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. THE
PERCENTAGES FROM THE GENERAL
FUND AND THE EXPOSITION PARK
IMPROVEMENT FUND WILL VARY FROM
YEAR TO YEAR. AS PART OF THE
ANNUAL BUDGET CYCLE, THE USE OF
LEASE REVENUE BONDS TO FINANCE
THIS PROJECT ALLOWS FOR A DEGREE
OF FLEXIBILITY IN DETERMINING
WHICH FUND SOURCE WILL BE USED
TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE. AS THE
APPROPRIATIONS ARE REVISED AND
SUBMITTED ANNUALLY BY THE
ADMINISTRATION TO THE
LEGISLATURE FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION AND IN TIMES OF
LIMITED GENERAL FUND
AVAILABILITY, THE EXPOSITION
PARK IMPROVEMENT FUND MAY
PROVIDE FOR A GREATER SHARE OF
THE DEBT SERVICE TO REDUCE
RELIANCE ON THE GENERAL FUND.
OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU,
ESTIMATED COST OF THE DEBT
SERVICE PAYMENTS PER YEAR FOR
THE UNDERGROUND PARKING
STRUCTURE. I THINK LAO WAS
SUGGESTING UP TO $25 MILLION. DO
YOU AGREE WITH THAT FIGURE? YES.
THE ADMINISTRATION FINDS THAT
PROPOSAL A REASONABLE. WE WOULD
LIKE TO NOTE THAT THEY CANNOT BE
PRECISELY CALCULATED UNTIL THE
BOND SALE OCCURS, SINCE THE
EXACT TERMS OF THE BOND WON'T BE
DETERMINED UNTIL THE TIME OF ITS
SALE. ALL RIGHT. WE WON'T HOLD
YOU DOWN TO THE PENNY. THEN
APPRECIATE WHAT? WHEN WILL THE
DEBT SERVICE BEGIN? IF THE
PROJECT MOVES FORWARD? SO DEBT
SERVICE PAYMENTS ON CAPITAL
OUTLAY PROJECTS CANNOT
TECHNICALLY BEGIN UNTIL THE
FACILITY IS DEEMED USABLE OR
INHABITABLE, TYPICALLY BEGINNING
ABOUT THREE YEARS AFTER THE
PHASE IS APPROVED. AND SO FOR
THIS PROJECT, THE PAYMENTS WOULD
BEGIN STARTING IN JUNE 2027 OR
LATER. AFTER THE PARKING
STRUCTURE IS DEEMED FUNCTIONAL
AND GENERATING REVENUE. AND
WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF DELAYING
THE PROJECT? DEFER TO THE
DEPARTMENT ON THAT ON THE
ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT. SO ONE
THING THAT I DID WANT TO NOTE,
AND WHY WE ARE EXPECTING SO MANY
ADDITIONAL VISITORS, IS WE ARE
EXCITED TO HOST THE 2028 OLYMPIC
AND PARALYMPIC GAMES AT
EXPOSITION PARK. IN DOING SO, WE
WILL BECOME THE ONLY LANDMARK IN
HISTORY TO HOLD THREE OLYMPIADS.
THAT REALLY PUTS US IN A UNIQUE
AND EXCITING POSITION ON BEHALF
OF THE STATE TO WELCOME MILLIONS
OF VISITORS. WITH THE BACKDROP
OF OUR CULTURAL AND ART
INSTITUTIONS. GIVEN THAT
INCREASE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
OR THAT NOTABLE EVENT THAT WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
THIS FACILITY PREPARED TO NOT
ONLY, AGAIN ACCOMMODATE THE
VISITORS, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY
GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE
THROUGH THE RENTAL OF THE
FACILITY THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO
CREATE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING CONFERENCE
MEETING SPACES THAT WE WILL BE
BE ABLE TO OFFER TO THE IOC AND
THEN ALSO TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT
LÀ 28 TO RENT AND SEE OUR RETURN
TO THE STATE AS WELL. OKAY THE
ANCIENT GREEKS WOULD PROBABLY
DISAGREE WITH YOU ABOUT BEING
THE ONLY FACILITY IN HISTORY TO
HOST MODERN HISTORY. YES. THERE
YOU GO. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
EXPECTED TO VISIT THE PARK,
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
6 TO 8 MILLION VISITORS ON AN
ANNUAL BASIS. I'M EXPECTING THAT
NUMBER TO INCREASE AT MINIMUM,
AROUND 2.5 MILLION. JUST WITH
THE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THROUGH
THREE ACTIVE SITES UNDER
CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY ON
CAMPUS. THAT WILL BE OPEN IN THE
NEXT TWO YEARS, WITH THE
OLYMPICS, WE'RE EXPECTING MANY,
MANY MILLIONS MORE TO THE PARK,
WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
IT IS THE ONLY STATE PROPERTY
THAT WILL BE ENGAGED IN THE
OLYMPICS, SO IT REALLY DOES PUT,
NOT ONLY EXPOSITION PARK, BUT
CALIFORNIA IN A UNIQUE POSITION.
GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE
YOU NEED? GREAT. THANK YOU GUYS
ALL VERY MUCH. WE'LL MOVE ON TO
ISSUE FOUR VERY MUCH. DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND RECREATION. THE
MALAKOFF DIGGING STATE HISTORIC
PARK, MINE REMEDIATION
IMPLEMENTATION.
WE DON'T HAVE A CAST OF
THOUSANDS. FINALLY. HERE? JUST
JUST JUST BY MYSELF TODAY. ALL
RIGHTY. GOOD, GOOD. GOOD
MORNING. CHAIR. COULD YOU MOVE
THAT MICROPHONE? YEAH, YEAH.
GOOD MORNING. CHAIR, BRIAN D¯ÚI,
I'M THE ASSISTANT DEPUTY
DIRECTOR FOR FACILITIES AND
DEVELOPMENT FOR CALIFORNIA STATE
PARKS. AND TODAY, I'D LIKE TO
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE
PROJECT AT MALAKOFF DIGGINS
STATE HISTORIC PARK. AND WILL
ALSO ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THE QUESTIONS NOTED IN THE
AGENDA AS PART OF THE
PRESENTATION, BUT NOT
NECESSARILY IN THE SAME ORDER.
OKAY, SO TO PROVIDE, INITIAL A
PROJECT SUMMARY, WE'RE
REQUESTING, 6 MILLION GENERAL
FUND IN THE BUDGET YEAR AND 1.5
MILLION GENERAL FUND IN 25, 26,
26, 27 TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO
ADDRESS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
ONGOING IMPACTS CAUSED BY LEGACY
MINING ACTIVITIES AT THIS PARK
AND HELP THE DEPARTMENT COMPLY
WITH THE CLEAN WATER ACT, AS
WELL AS CENTRAL VALLEY REGIONAL
WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD
DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS. I KNOW
WE'VE BEEN SPENT A LOT OF TIME
THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT CUTS,
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING
SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY RIGHT NOW.
SO I WANT TO EXPLAIN HOW WHY
THIS IS SUCH A CRITICAL PROJECT,
GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON
LEGACY MINES WITHIN STATE PARKS.
ACCORDING TO AN INVENTORY AND
ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL
ABANDONED MINES ON STATE OWNED
PROPERTY COMPLETED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION IN
2009, STATE PARKS HAS 149
HISTORIC MINE SITES CONTAINING
MORE THAN 33,500 INDIVIDUAL
FEATURES. RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH
THESE SITES FALL INTO TWO
GENERAL CATEGORIES PHYSICAL
HAZARDS, SUCH AS PEOPLE AND
ANIMALS FALLING IN ABANDONED
MINE SHAFTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL
HAZARDS, WHICH INCLUDE THE
PRESENCE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS SUCH
AS MERCURY, ARSENIC, OTHER HEAVY
METALS THAT CAN LEACH OUT AND
IMPACT THE GROUNDWATER AND
SURFACE WATER. MALAKOFF DIGGINS
IS ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S MOST
ICONIC AND HIGHEST RISK SITES,
PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE SITE'S
HISTORY AND GEOLOGICAL FEATURES,
INCLUDING HIGHLY EROSIVE SOILS,
PRESENCE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS IN
THE SOIL, AND ITS LOCATION
WITHIN THE WATERSHED. OTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL MINE REMEDIATIONS
PROJECTS INCLUDE EMPIRE MINE
STATE HISTORIC PARK AND MOUNT
DIABLO STATE HISTORIC STATE
PARK, WHICH ARE BOTH STILL
ONGOING PROJECTS, AND
PLUMAS-EUREKA STATE HISTORIC
PARK AND BODIE STATE HISTORIC
PARK, WHICH HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE
ABOUT THE FUNDING HISTORY FOR
THIS PROJECT. SINCE 2016, THE
STATE PARKS HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL
OF 11.7 MILLION FOR REMEDIATION
COSTS FOR MALAKOFF DIGGINS. THIS
FUNDING HAS BEEN USED FOR
VARIOUS ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING
ANNUAL PERMITTING, MONITORING,
SAMPLING, PURSUANT TO REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS, ANNUAL SEDIMENT
REMEDIATION AND MAINTENANCE,
WATERSHED ASSESSMENTS, NATURAL
AND CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEYS,
AND MAPPING. WE HAVE RED LEGGED
FROG YELLOW LEGGED FROGS THAT
ARE NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED, WHAT
ENGINEERING EVALUATIONS OPTIONS
ANALYSIS. WE'VE DONE SOME PILOT
PROJECTS SUCH AS BRUSH BOXES AND
BERMS, TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF SOME OF THESE APPROACHES THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE USING. WE'VE,
DONE PUBLIC OUTREACH
COORDINATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS,
DESIGN PROJECT SPECIFICATION,
PERMIT COORDINATION, AND PREPARE
WORK FOR THE TRAIL, RELOCATION
FOR THE FOR THE PROJECT TO
START. WHEN POSSIBLE, THE
DEPARTMENT TRIES TO SEEK
COMPENSATION FROM RESPONSIBLE
PARTIES TO COVER ALL OR A
PORTION OF THESE COSTS TO
REMEDIATE LEGACY MINES. I HAD
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, EMPIRE
MINE. IN THAT CASE, WE HAVE,
ANOTHER PARTY THAT WE WERE ABLE
TO OBTAIN SOME OF THE FUNDING
FOR REMEDIATION AT THAT SITE.
HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE, THE
MINING COMPANY THAT CAUSED THESE
CONDITIONS IS NO LONGER IN
EXISTENCE. IT'S I BELIEVE THEY
WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN 1908 OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO A WHILE
AGO, AND WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY
OF THE PARTIES THAT COULD BE
HELD LIABLE. STATE PARKS HAS
CONSIDERED ALL KNOWN FUND
SOURCES THAT MIGHT BE A VIABLE
ALTERNATIVE AND DETERMINE THE
GENERAL FUND WAS MOST
APPROPRIATE, I CAN I CAN PAUSE
HERE, I BELIEVE, I'LL DEFER TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AS TO,
THE GENERAL FUND USE FOR THIS
PROJECT. MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT,
AS YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION
HAD A VERY HIGH BAR FOR
PROPOSING NEW GENERAL FUND AND
WE BELIEVE THIS PROPOSAL MEETS
THAT HIGH BAR. THANK YOU. WE
DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH
THE PROPOSAL. GREAT THANK YOU.
WHY DON'T WE GO TO MY QUESTIONS?
ALL RIGHT. OKAY, BECAUSE OF THE
FIRST QUESTION I HAD WAS OTHER
FUND SOURCES, AND SO YOU'VE
ADDRESSED THAT, BUT, ANYTHING
ELSE? YOU SAID YOU'VE LOOKED AT
LOTS OF OTHER FUND SOURCES.
COULD YOU JUST GIVE US A QUICK
EXAMPLE OF, BESIDES HOLDING
PRIVATE ENTITIES LIABLE, WHAT
OTHER FUND SOURCES YOU'VE LOOKED
AT? YEAH YEAH. SO WE'VE WORKED
CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION AND, OVER THE
YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE,
IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF, OF
ABANDONED MINE SITES AND IN SOME
CASES, A LOT OF CASES, PHYSICAL
HAZARDS, OTHER, ENVIRONMENTAL.
AND THERE'S SOME LIMITED FUNDING
AVAILABLE FOR SOME OF THESE,
PHYSICAL HAZARD SITES WHERE
WE'RE CLOSED OFF MINESHAFTS, PUT
FENCING AROUND AND OTHERWISE,
KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THESE
DANGEROUS AREAS. BUT THOSE,
THOSE FUNDING SOURCES ARE PRETTY
LIMITED. AND NOT OF THE
MAGNITUDE OR THE SORTS THAT WE
COULD USE FOR, SOMETHING OF
THIS, OF THIS MAGNITUDE. OKAY,
AND THEN WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE
IMPACTED BY THE RUN OFF THAT
RUNS INTO THE SOUTH FORK YUBA
RIVER FROM THIS? YEAH, YEAH. SO
THE PROJECT STARTS THE PIT AT
MALAKOFF DIGGINS, IT FLOWS INTO,
HUMBUG CREEK VIA THE HILLER
TUNNEL. THE HUMBUG CREEK FLOWS
INTO THE SOUTH FORK OF THE YUBA
RIVER, WHICH FLOWS INTO THE
SACRAMENTO RIVER IN THE DELTA
AND SAN FRANCISCO BAY. SO ALL OF
THOSE ENVIRONMENTS AND, AND,
COMMUNITIES ALONG THE PATH WOULD
BE AFFECTED TO SOME, SOME, SOME
DEGREE. HOW MANY OTHER SITES DO
YOU HAVE REMEDIATION OF,
HISTORIC MINING SITES. IS YOUR
DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR.
YEAH, WE HAVE WE SEE HERE AND
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE THOSE
ARE THE, THE ONES I MENTIONED
EARLIER. EMPIRE MINE, MOUNT
DIABLO, PLUMAS-EUREKA. AND
BODIE, THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE
ACTIVE REMEDIATION SITES. AND
WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE
IMPACT IF THIS FUNDING IS
DELAYED? YEAH. SO IF IT'S IF
IT'S THE DELAYED SO FAR, WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO AVOID WATERBOARD
PENALTIES AND FINES, LARGELY
BECAUSE OF THE PROGRESS AND
EFFORTS WE'VE MADE TO IMPROVE
WATER QUALITY OVER THE YEARS.
THE CURRENT, DISCHARGE PERMIT
EXPIRES IN 2027, AND ALL RENEWAL
OPTIONS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED. THE
NEXT PHASE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS
ARE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE
COMPLIANCE WITH DISCHARGE LIMITS
FOR COPPER, ZINC, NICKEL AND
MERCURY, AND IF CONSTRUCTED
BEFORE THE CURRENT PERMIT
EXPIRES. WHILE THE PROJECT IS
NOT EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE THE
MINIMUM WATER QUALITY
REQUIREMENTS FOR SEDIMENT, THE
INITIAL PROJECT WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT
OF SEDIMENT COMING IN. COMING
OUT OF THE PIT. IF THIS PROJECT
IS DELAYED A YEAR OR MORE, IT
WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE
DEPARTMENT TO ACHIEVE
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE BY THE
2027 DEADLINE, WHICH COULD
RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES
FOR THE DEPARTMENT. BUT
MOREOVER, BESIDES THE PENALTIES,
THE WATER QUALITY ISSUES AND
HEALTH RISKS WILL PERSIST UNTIL
THIS SOURCE IS ADDRESSED.
THANKS, FINAL QUESTION, SIMILAR
TO THE ORPHAN OIL WELLS, WAS
THERE ANY FUNDING SET ASIDE BY
THESE VARIOUS MINING COMPANIES
SO THAT WHEN THEY WENT OUT OF
BUSINESS AND WENT BANKRUPT, ETC?
SET ASIDE, CAN YOU GIVE US JUST
WHAT THE WHAT THE HISTORY WAS
DID WAS, WAS THAT JUST NOT DONE
BACK THEN? WAS IT DONE? BUT THE
OBVIOUSLY THE FUNDS SET ASIDE
WOULD BE COMPLETELY INSUFFICIENT
UNLESS THEY WERE INVESTED IN,
HIGH TECH STOCK, YOU KNOW, ALL
THIS TIME, BUT CAN YOU JUST FILL
US IN IN TERMS OF THAT FOR
FUTURE REMEDIATION AND LONG
TERME RESTORATION? SURE. I'M AN
ATTEMPT TO KIND OF GO MY WAY
BACK MACHINE AND BACK TO THE
START OF THIS, IN THE, LATE MID
TO LATE 1800S, HYDRO HYDRAULIC
MINING IN THIS AREA, EXPLODED.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE SITES
THAT REALLY CAUSED A LOT OF,
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
DOWNSTREAM COMMUNITIES,
INCLUDING, YUBA CITY. AND AS A
RESULT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SAU
DECISION AND A NUMBER OF OTHER,
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND, AND
REGULATIONS WERE PASSED AFTER
THIS TIME. UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE
TIME, THIS WAS FAIRLY NEW. AND
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND PROGRAMS
LIKE SETTING ASIDE FUNDING FOR
FUTURE, WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. AND
THIS COMPANY WENT OUT OF
BUSINESS. AND, YOU KNOW, BEFORE
1910, I BELIEVE. AND SO JUST
IT'S A IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN
WITH ALL THE OTHER MINES THAT
YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAME
THING. IT'S THE SAME STORY.
RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, EACH ONE'S
EACH ONE'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE
I SAID FOR MALAKOFF, I'M SORRY
FOR EMPIRE MINE. THERE WAS A
MINING COMPANY. THEY WERE IN
BUSINESS MUCH, MUCH LONGER. AND
THEY THEY HAD A SUBSIDIARY THAT
WAS STILL IN BUSINESS. AND SO
WE'RE ABLE TO GO, GO AFTER THEM,
GREAT. GOOD ALL RIGHTY. ANYTHING
ELSE YOU NEED TO COVER IN THIS
HEARING? THANK YOU ALL VERY
MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND
WE'RE NOW OPEN THIS UP FOR,
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO HAVE
ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK. YOU MAY
BEGIN. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR.
AND, CHRISTINE. JENNIFER
FAIRING, ON BEHALF OF OCEAN
CONSERVANCY OCEANA AND THE
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM, WE ARE
PART OF A LARGE COALITION THAT'S
DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
NEARLY 50% CUT THAT'S PROPOSED
FOR THE STATE'S COASTAL
RESILIENCE PROGRAMS. AS WE'VE
HEARD, THERE IS AN URGENT
ONGOING, EVEN ACCELERATED NEED
TO ADDRESS SEA LEVEL RISE AND
NATURE BASED ADAPTATION. AND IT
WOULD BE A HUGE MISTAKE TO
RETREAT. NOW, WE DO APPRECIATE
THE CENTRAL COAST CAUCUS FOR
VOICING THE SAME CONCERNS, IT'S
NOT JUST THE COAST AND OCEAN.
HOWEVER. THE PROPOSED CUTS TO
THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
JEOPARDIZE THE ABILITY OF THE
STATE TO ACHIEVE OUR 30 BY 30
CLIMATE SMART, NATURAL AND
WORKING LANDS OBJECTIVES AND
OTHER INITIATIVES. WE VOICED A
LOT OF LEGISLATORS, AND THE
ADMINISTRATION VOICED A LOT OF
SUPPORT FOR AROUND CROSSING AND
CONNECTIVITY FOR WILDLIFE. SO WE
CONTINUE. WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO
HAVE VOICED THESE SUPPORT FOR
THESE COMMITMENTS AND THEN
RETREAT WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING
THEM, AND WE JUST WON'T GET THE
OUTCOMES WE'RE PURSUING, I'LL
JUST CLOSE BY SAYING THE CLIMATE
CRISIS REALLY DEMANDS A BOTH AND
COMMITMENT FROM THE LEGISLATURE,
THE GOVERNOR AND THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA. THESE PROPOSED CUTS
SHOULD BE REJECTED. AND WE NEED
A CLIMATE BOND LIKE THE ONE
BACKED BY 150 ORGANIZATIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MR. CHAIR. AND STAFF.
ISABELLA GONZALEZ, POTTER WITH
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, TNC
WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
ASSEMBLY, SENATE AND
ADMINISTRATION FOR PROTECTING A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE
NATURAL RESOURCES AND NATURE
BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
INVESTMENTS IN THE EARLY ACTION
AGREEMENT REACHED LAST WEEK. WE
ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE
PROTECTION OF IMPORTANT FUNDING
TO THE STATE, COASTAL
CONSERVANCY AND OCEAN PROTECTION
COUNCIL IN THE COASTAL
RESILIENCE PACKAGE. WE HAD MAJOR
CONCERNS, AS HAD BEEN OUTLINED
BY PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HERE TODAY,
GIVEN THAT THE CURRENT NATURAL
RESOURCES BUDGET IS LESS THAN 3%
OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, TNC
CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR
CLIMATE BOND. GIVEN THE CRITICAL
NEED FOR FUNDING. AS THE LAW
STATES, WE HAVE A BOND DEBT
CAPACITY OF AROUND 25 TO 28
BILLION. IF WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL
CAPACITY, THAT WOULD KEEP OUR
SERVICE DEBT RATIO ABOUT 5.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. KIM DELFINO, ON BEHALF
OF DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE,
AUDUBON CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT
SOCIETY, CAL TROUT, TROUT
UNLIMITED, MOJAVE DESERT LAND
TRUST, SIERRA SONOMA LAND TRUST,
SIERRA FUND, SIERRA INSTITUTE,
AND SIERRA FOREST LEGACY. I
WOULD ALIGN THEY I KNOW, I KNOW
MY I WOULD LIKE TO ALIGN MY
COMMENTS WITH THOSE MADE BY MISS
FEARING. SHE SAID IT VERY WELL
AND I ALSO WOULD AGREE 100% WITH
THE POINT YOU MADE EARLIER THAT
LOOKING AT OUR VALUES, RATHER
THAN LOOKING AT EXPEDIENCY, Kò
AND EFFECTIVENESS THAN IS REALLY
WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING WHEN
WE'RE LOOKING AT REDUCTIONS. THE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD HAS
LOTS OF PROJECTS IN FRONT OF IT.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPENT A
LOT OF YEARS BRINGING THOSE
PROJECTS TO THE BOARD, INVESTED
A LOT OF MONEY. IF WE CUT THE
MONEY OFF NOW, WE'RE STRANDING
THEIR COSTS AND WE'RE LEAVING
CALIFORNIA POORER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, PAUL
MASON WITH PACIFIC FOREST TRUST.
I WILL AGREE WITH EVERYTHING
SAID PREVIOUSLY AND JUST REALLY
HIGHLIGHT I APPRECIATED THE LAO
CALLING OUT THAT THAT IT'S A
REAL PROBLEM WHEN WE WHIPSAW
BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MONEY
AVAILABLE AND KNOW IT'S NOT
AVAILABLE, IT'S AVAILABLE, IT'S
NOT AVAILABLE. THAT MAKES IT
REALLY HARD TO BRING LARGE,
COMPLEX PROJECTS TO FRUITION. SO
IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL THAT WE
HAVE A COMMITMENT AND WE STICK
WITH IT. FRANKLY, A BOND IS
GOING TO BE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF
GETTING THERE, GIVEN THE
INSTABILITY IN OUR BUDGET
SITUATION. I ALSO WANT TO FLAG
THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF
PROJECTS, LIKE JUST WAITING FOR
THAT BOARD MEETING OVER THE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD IN
OTHER PLACES AND PULLING THE
CARPET OUT AT THIS POINT. LIKE
FOR EXAMPLE, MY ORGANIZATION HAS
A VERY LARGE PROJECT ON THE
PROBABLY THE MAY BOARD MEETING,
MAYBE THE ONE FOLLOWING THAT. IF
WE DON'T FUND THAT, NOT ONLY DO
WE LOSE THE PROJECT IN YEARS OF
WORK, WE ALSO LOSE MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S
ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED. SO
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FUNDING
THE PROJECTS THAT ARE LIKE AT
THE JUST ADD MONEY STAGE, IT'S
GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO,
CHAIR BENNETT AND STAFF NICHOLAS
MAZZOTTI, ON BEHALF OF EAST BAY
REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT
MID-PENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN
SPACE DISTRICT, THE LAND TRUST
OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY,
SEMPERVIRENS FUND, SAVE THE
REDWOODS LEAGUE, AND THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION, ALL EXPRESSING
STRONG CONCERN AROUND THE
PROPOSED CUTS TO THE STATE
COASTAL CONSERVANCY, AND OPC. AS
MENTIONED EARLIER, THESE DOLLARS
WERE ALSO ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.
LAST YEAR, WHICH SEVERELY
LIMITED THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS
THAT THE AGENCY COULD FUND.
DESPITE THE INCONSISTENT STATE
INVESTMENT, THERE'S NO STORAGE
SHORTAGE OF COASTAL PROJECTS
THAT THESE DOLLARS CAN SUPPORT
ONCE THE FUNDING IS FULLY
AVAILABLE TO COMMIT, WHILE THESE
INVESTMENTS IN COASTAL
RESILIENCE WE'VE SEEN OVER THE
PAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN
HISTORIC, WE NEED CONSISTENT
FUNDING TO SEEK HISTORIC FLOW.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND STAFF. TASHA
NEWMAN ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF LAND
TRUSTS AND THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF RESOURCE
CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, WE'D
LIKE TO ALIGN OUR COMMENTS WITH
THOSE THAT WENT BEFORE WITH
REGARD TO COASTAL CONSERVANCY
CUTS, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
BOARD, AND THE NEED FOR A BOND.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO GET ON RECORD
IN SAYING THAT, THE ABILITY FOR
THE ADMINISTRATION TO KIND OF
FREEZE FUNDS AT ANY POINT IS
VERY CONCERNING. I ALSO LIKE TO
MENTION THAT, THE CONSERVANCY'S
FUNDING FOR WILDFIRE PREVENTION
WORK, AS BRIAN CASH NOTED, THAT
IS VERY IMPORTANT FUNDING. IT'S
A LITTLE BIT TO THESE REGIONAL
CONSERVANCIES THAT CAN GET A LOT
DONE WITH THAT FUNDING. SO WE'D
LIKE TO URGE YOU TO PROTECT THAT
WILDFIRE FUNDING AT
CONSERVANCIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR BENNETT
, BEN MCHUGH FROM OUTDOOR
OUTREACH IN SAN DIEGO. AND WE'RE
ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF
STATE PARK PLUS YOU HAVE STATE
PARKS, OUTDOOR EQUITY GRANT
PROGRAM. AND WE'RE INCREDIBLY
GRATEFUL FOR STATE PARKS FOR
BEING SO INNOVATIVE WITH THIS
PROGRAM. THAT GOES REALLY BEYOND
KIND OF A NICE TO HAVE THAT'S
OFTEN PARKS ARE SEEN THROUGH
THAT LENS, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY
MEETING CRITICAL COMMUNITY
NEEDS. AND I THINK THE ONLY WAY
FOR YOU TO REALLY SEE THAT IS TO
HEAR A COUPLE OF THE STORIES
FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT WE
HEAR EVERY DAY, ONE IS FROM
RELATED TO THE CATASTROPHIC
FLOODS WE'VE HAD IN SAN DIEGO,
ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO IS,
YOU KNOW, STAYING IN A SHELTER
AT HER HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM,
MENTIONED TO US THAT SHE WAS
ABLE TO SUPPORT HER YOUNGER
BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE SHE
KNEW HOW TO CAMP, BECAUSE SHE
WENT CAMPING OUT AT ANZA-BORREGO
STATE DESERT PARK WITH US,
ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS A
VICTIM OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND
AFRAID TO GO HOME, FOUND HER
HERE AND NOW. MOMENT ON SAN
DIEGO BAY ON THE WATER, SEEING
THE RIPPLES IN THE WATER AND THE
PELICANS FLYING BY AND I JUST
REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE TRY TO MAINTAIN THIS FUNDING
FOR THIS PROGRAM AND CONTINUE
IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS
FOR INSPIRING US. GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR AND STAFF, ABIGAIL
SCHMIDT, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
FOUNDATION, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
A PROGRAM THAT DIRECTOR QUINTERO
MENTIONED IN HIS COMMENTS
EARLIER TODAY. THAT'S THE STATE
PARKS LIBRARY PASS PROGRAM,
WHICH HAS BEEN WILDLY
SUCCESSFUL. IT HAS ALLOWED A
HUGE NUMBER OF LOW INCOME
INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS THEIR
STATE PARKS, WHICH WE KNOW HAS A
HAS A REALLY POSITIVE IMPACT.
IT'S AN EASY TO SUPPORT PROGRAM.
IT ONLY NEEDS A COUPLE MILLION
DOLLARS TO CONTINUE FORWARD. AND
SO WE ASK FOR THAT TO BE
RESTORED. VERY SMALL PORTION OF
THE BUDGET THAT HAS A REALLY
HUGE IMPACT ON MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE. I ALSO WANT TO COMMENT
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANNING
COALITION, JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT WCB HAS ROLLED OUT A HUGE
AMOUNT OF FUNDING IN A VERY
SHORT TIME, AND THE PROPOSED
CUTS TO THEIR, HABITAT AND LAND
ACQUISITION PROGRAM WOULD REALLY
SLOW THAT DOWN. SO WE WOULD WE
WOULD LIKE TO PUSH BACK AGAINST
THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE COMMENT. MY NAME IS
SHARON MOOSA AND I'M HERE WITH
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY AS WELL
AS WITH THE PARKS NOW COALITION,
WHICH IS A DECADE OLD COALITION
OF OVER 30 CALIFORNIA BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
DEDICATED TO ACCESS, TO
INCREASING ACCESS TO PARKS AND
NATURAL SPACES. WE REALLY WANT
TO SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE THE
LEGISLATURE'S LEADERSHIP IN
REDUCING FUNDING CUTS TO PARKS,
URBAN FORESTRY AND GREENING AND
OUTDOOR ACCESS DURING LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, BUT
WE HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO
RELY ON THE LEGISLATURE AND THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE TO ENSURE FUNDING
IS MAINTAINED FOR THESE CRITICAL
PURPOSES AND URGE THE
LEGISLATURE TO REJECT ADDITIONAL
CUTS OR REVERSIONS, TO THE
OUTDOOR EQUITY GRANT PROGRAM.
BECAUSE OF THE PROPOSED CUTS, WE
ARE DISAPPOINTED TO SEE $25
MILLION POTENTIALLY BEING
REVERTED FROM THE FY 23 TO 24
FUNDING PROGRAMS, AND TO SEE
THAT PROGRAMS THAT ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR ARE
BEING CONSIDERED TO BE REMOVED.
WE ASK THE LEGISLATURE TO PUSH
BACK ON THESE PROPOSED CUTS.
SINCE THE OUTDOOR EQUITY PROGRAM
GRANT CANNOT BE FUNDED THROUGH
OTHER TYPES OF SUPPLEMENTAL BOND
MEASURES, WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE
FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT
CALIFORNIA STATE VALUES,
PRIORITIES, AND COMMITMENTS TO
NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE
RESILIENCY AND OUR DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. HI. MY
NAME IS MIRA MANICKAM SHIRLEY.
I'M HERE FROM OAKLAND
REPRESENTING PARKS NOW AND
SPECIFICALLY THE FRIENDS OF SAN
ANTONIO PARK IN OAKLAND, WHICH
IS A COALITION COMMITTED TO
REVITALIZING OUR PARK TO SERVE
THE RESIDENTS OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD WHO ARE PRIMARILY
WHICH IS A PRIMARILY WORKING
CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD OF COLOR. OUR
PARK IS THE ONLY GREEN SPACE FOR
MILES. THE CITY HAS NOT FUNDED
PROGRAMS IN IT FOR OVER A
DECADE, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
EXPERIENCES EXTREMELY HIGH
LEVELS OF GUN VIOLENCE, SEX
TRAFFICKING, AND RESIDENTS FEEL
CONSTANT PRESSURE OF
DISPLACEMENT. WE BELIEVE THAT A
REVITALIZED PARK CAN CHANGE
THIS, AND WE HAVE A COMMUNITY
VISION FOR A SAFE, VIBRANT PARK
THAT IS A HUB FOR PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES. HOWEVER, TO DO THAT,
WE NEED PROGRAMING AND THE
OUTDOOR EQUITY GRANT, WHICH
SUPPORTS PROGRAMS THAT BRING
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THE PARK
AND TO BROADER GREEN SPACES
AROUND US. TRIBE IS A NONPROFIT
IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAS DONE
THIS AND STANDS TO BENEFIT
GREATLY FROM THE OUTDOOR EQUITY
PROGRAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR. THE FOLLOWING. SPEAKERS
WILL SPEAK ABOUT THEIR,
EXPERIENCES WITH TRIBE AND WHY
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO FUND THAT
PROGRAM. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS BRIANNA. YOU CAN PULL IT DOWN
. SORRY, I'M LIKE FIVE FOOT ONE.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BRIANNA
ANGULO. I'M A MOTHER OF FOUR
BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN FROM OAKLAND,
CALIFORNIA, A NONPROFIT CALLED
TRIBE AND SAN ANTONIO PARK.
BEFORE BECOMING INVOLVED WITH
TRIBE, MY FAMILY FACED
CHALLENGES ACCESSING SUITABLE
PARKS, LEAVING US DEMOTIVATED
AND EXHAUSTED BY LONG DRIVES IN
SEARCH OF SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR
OUR CHILDREN TO PLAY. FOR YEARS,
I DID NOT GO TO SAN ANTONIO PARK
BECAUSE IT FELT UNSAFE. NOW I'M
A PART OF TRIBE PARENT GROUP
THAT HELPS KEEP THE PARK CLEAN
AND ORGANIZES PROGRAMS AND LOCAL
FAMILIES. WE ARE NOW WORKING TO
ENSURE THAT A NEW PLAYGROUND IS
BUILT IN SAN ANTONIO PARK. LIKE
OTHER, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE
STATE IS CUTTING FUNDS LIKE
OUTDOOR EQUITY PROGRAM THAT
SUPPORTS GROUPS LIKE TRIBE. I
URGE YOU TO CONTINUE THIS FUND
THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT PROGRAM
THAT OTHERS SUPPORT, PARKS THE
WELL-BEING AND DEVELOP OF OUR
YOUTH INVESTING INFRASTRUCTURE
AND PROGRAMS THEY NEED TO
SUCCEED. DO NOT CUT THE OUTDOOR
EQUITY. MOST KIDS WHO NEVER
STEPPED OUT OF OAKLAND AND FROM
TROUBLED HOMES TRIBE IS ALL THEY
KNOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU. MY NAME IS GRACIELA
CARRILLO. SOY UNA MADRE MAYA,
MA'AM. A ME ME GUSTA MUCHO LOS
PARQUES I MUCHAS PLANTAS ANIMALS
. MUCHA GENTE. ME SIENTO COMO EN
EL HABIENDO. CUANDO ESTABAN ME
TIERRA NATAL E VISTO MUCHAS
VIOLENCIA EN LOS PARQUES. YO
TENGO UNA NINA DE TRES ANOS. NO
ES MUY BUENO PARA C¯ ESTÉ EN EL
PARQUE. HAY MUCHAS DELINCUENCIA
SI TUVIMOS QUÊ BUSCAR OTROS
PARKS COMO EN ORINDA, PORQUE NO
ES MUY PELIGROSO. QUEREMOS
PARQUES CON MAS SEGURIDAD IN
OAKLAND Y MAS APOYO A TRIBE PARA
QUÊ JUNTOS, PODEMOS CREAR PARKS
BRILLANTES Y PROSPEROUS PARA
NUESTROS HIJOS E HIJOS PARA
TODOS, POR FAVOR APOYA EL
PROGRAMA DE EDAD A LA LIBRE.
GRACIAS, GRACIAS. HI, MY NAME IS
HENRY AND MY NAME IS GRACIELA
CARRILLO. I'M AN INDIGENOUS
WOMAN, MAYA, WOMAN FROM
GUATEMALA. I'D LIKE TO GO TO
PARKS A LOT BECAUSE THERE'S MANY
PLANTS, ANIMALS, TREES AND
PEOPLE. AND I FEEL LIKE I WAS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN I WAS IN MY
HOMELAND. BUT I HAVE SEEN A LOT
OF VIOLENCE IN THE PARKS. I HAVE
A THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND
IT'S NOT VERY GOOD FOR MY
DAUGHTER TO BE IN THE PARK
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CRIME.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR OTHER
PARKS, LIKE IN ORINDA OR
LAFAYETTE, BECAUSE THE PARKS IN
OAKLAND ARE VERY DANGEROUS. WE
WANT SAFER PARKS IN OUR CITIES
AND MORE SUPPORT FOR OUR
PROGRAMS LIKE THRIVE. SO THAT
TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE BRIGHT,
THRIVING PARKS FOR OUR SONS AND
DAUGHTERS AND FOR EVERYONE.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE OUTDOOR
EQUITY PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. HI, I'M KAREN
HAIDA, AND I'M ALSO A TRIBE. AND
I JUST WANTED TO SAY WE'RE SO
APPRECIATIVE THAT THE OUTDOOR,
THE EXPLORE THE COAST PROGRAM
EXISTS. WE'VE BEEN GRANTEE OF
THAT PROGRAM THIS YEAR, AND WE
TAKE YOUTH FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RIGHT AROUND SAN ANTONIO PARK,
WHICH IS THE HIGHEST,
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTED BY VIOLENT
CRIME IN OAKLAND RIGHT NOW. WE
TAKE UPWARDS OF 100 YOUTH EVERY
THIS YEAR, BUT EVERY YEAR. BUT
THIS YEAR, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S
REALLY HAPPENING WITH EXPLORE
THAT GOES. WE TAKE THEM TO SEE
THE OCEAN FOR THE VERY FIRST
TIME, AND IT'S REALLY POWERFUL.
IT'S SO TRANSFORMATIVE TO SEE
YOUTH WHO ONLY KNOW KIND OF THE
SURVIVAL MODE AND THE POLITICS
OF THE BLOCK AND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THEM TO TAKE
THEM OUT, TO SEE THE OCEAN FOR
THE VERY FIRST TIME AND TO JUST
SEE THAT THERE'S A WHOLE WORLD
OUT THERE OUTSIDE OF OAKLAND,
AND JUST THE PERSPECTIVE THAT IT
GIVES. AND IT'S REALLY IT'S
AMAZING JUST SEEING THE
TRANSFORMATION THAT HAPPENS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANKS SO KEEP IT GOING. HELLO.
OKAY. HELLO. MY NAME IS DAN
HUANG. I USED TO LIVE IN THE
MAINLAND AND MOVED TO CALIFORNIA
EIGHT YEARS AGO. I LIVE IN
OAKLAND AND NOW I'M THREE KIDS.
MOTHER, I RECEIVE FOOD FROM TÔI
SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE
PANDEMIC AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO
THEM. I JOINED THE CHAI FAMILY
AS A PARENT LEADER AND AT EVENT
WE VISIT. WE RECENTLY WENT TO
SAN ANTONIO PARK, A PARK WITH AN
OUTDOOR SETTING THAT RELAXED ME.
THEY ARE LARGE GRASS AREAS, 200
YEARS OLD, TREE AND WIRE WALKWAY
FOR ELDER PEOPLE CAN WALK AND DO
EXERCISE. THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM
FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY HERE ALL
DAY, BUT THE PARKS AMENITY NO
LONGER APPEARS TO MY KIDS. ALSO,
SAFETY COMMENTS ARE FORCED ME TO
TAKE MY KIDS FARTHER AWAY FROM
THE PARK TO PLAY. I DON'T WANT
MY CARS. I DON'T WANT MY CAR
TIES TO STALLING OR BREAK
WINDOWS TO THE BROKEN. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
I'M SORRY YOUR TIME IS UP. OKAY
HOLA. MI NOMBRE ES JUDY KAMATA.
SOY DE GUATEMALA Y ANOS VIVIENDO
IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. SOY
ESTOY AQUI PARA DEFENDER LOS
FONDOS PARA LOS PARQUES,
ESPECIALMENTE PARA EL PROGRAMA
DE CUIDADO DE LA LIBRE EN LO
PERSONAL EN LOS ANOS ANTERIORES
CUANDO SALIA POR EL PARQUE CON
MIS HIJOS, MUCHAS COSAS MAL, POR
EJEMPLO, A MUCHOS ALREDEDOR DEL
PARQUE PERSONAS FIRMANDO TOMANDO
ALCOHOL PERSONAS PELEANDO EN EL
AREA DE LOS NINOS. TODO ESTO
CAUSA MUCHO MIEDO A LOS NINOS
PARA IR AL PARQUE. AHORA ME DI
CUENTA A ORGANIZACIONES QUÊ
HACEN EL ESFUERZO PARA PREVENIR
TODO LO MENCIONADO ARRIBA. UNA
DE ESTAS ORGANIZACIONES ES ESTÁ
ORGANIZANDO ESTA ORGANIZACIONES
OCUPA DE QUÊ EL PARQUE ESTÉ
LIMPIO SEGURO DESDE C¯ ESTADO
CONTRA VISTO QUÊ REDUCIDO LA
GRAN CANTIDAD DE PERSONAS C¯
FUMAN TOMAN ALCOHOL,
ESPECIALMENTE EN EL AREA DE LOS
NINOS. POR ULTIMO SOY PARTE DEL
GRUPO DE PADRE LIDER Y AYUDA A
MANTENER EL PARQUE LIMPIO Y
AHORA ME SIENTO SEGURA Y QUIERO
QUÊ TODO SE SIENTAN SEGUROS
TAMBIÉN YO GRACIAS. I'M GOING TO
INTERPRET. MY NAME IS EUREKA
MATA. I'M FROM GUATEMALA AND
HAVE BEEN LIVING IN OAKLAND FOR
THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. I'M HERE
TO ADVOCATE FOR PARK FUNDING,
ESPECIALLY THE OUTDOOR EQUITY
PROGRAM. PERSONALLY IN PREVIOUS
YEARS WHEN I WENT TO THE PARK
WITH MY DAUGHTERS, I SAW A LOT
OF THINGS. THINGS WRONG IN THE
PARK. FOR EXAMPLE, LOTS OF POOP
AROUND THE PARK, PEOPLE SMOKING,
DRINKING ALCOHOL, AND PEOPLE
FIGHTING IN THE CHILDREN'S AREA.
NOW I REALIZE THERE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE AN
EFFORT TO PREVENT EVERYTHING
MENTIONED ABOVE, AND ONE OF
THESE ORGANIZATIONS IS THRIVE.
I'VE SEEN THAT A LARGE NUMBERS
OF PEOPLE WHO SMOKE AND DRINK
ALCOHOL. ALCOHOL HAS REDUCED,
ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN'S AREA.
LASTLY, I'M PART OF THE PARENT
LEADER GROUP AND HELPED AND
HELPED TO KEEP THE PARK CLEAN.
AND I FEEL SAFE AND I WANT
EVERYONE TO FEEL SAFE. I URGE
YOU TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE
OUTDOOR EQUITY PROGRAM. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. LAST BUT NOT
LEAST. HI, MY NAME IS TAMIYA. 11
YEARS AGO I MADE THE JOURNEY
FROM NORTH AFRICA TO CALIFORNIA,
SPECIFICALLY TO OAKLAND.
VIOLENCE, CRIMES AND THEFT SEEM
TO BE INCREASINGLY COMMON
OCCURRENCE. CASTING A SHADOW
OVER THE COMMUNITY I HAVE GROWN
TO LOVE. AS A PARENT OF
BEAUTIFUL GIRL, I WANTED TO
PROVIDE MY CHILD WITH THE BEST
UPBRINGING POSSIBLE. THAT MEANS
FINDING SAFE, NURTURING
ENVIRONMENTS FOR HER TO THRIVE.
I START TAKING HER OUTDOOR TO
TWO PARKS, BUT WHAT I WITNESSED
IS ANYTHING BUT CHILD FRIENDLY.
THE PARK, OVERRUN BY INDIVIDUALS
ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES, THE
SPACE INTENDED FOR INNOCENT PLAY
WHERE DRUG USE AND A PROFANITY
LADEN CONVERSATION. IT WAS A
HARSH REALITY CHECKING THAT LEFT
ME FEELING TORN BETWEEN WANTING
TO KEEP MY CHILD SAFE AND WANTED
TO ENSURE HER HOLISTIC
DEVELOPMENT. AS A RESULT, WE ARE
FORCED TO LIMIT OUR, OUR
OUTINGS, SACRIFICE OUR HAPPINESS
FOR SAKE OF SAFETY. FATE
INTERVENED IN A FORM OF A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, TRIBE,
AT SAN ANTONIO PARK, WHOSE
MISSION ALIGNED WITH MY OWN
VALUE. I WITNESSED THEIR
TRANSFORMATIONAL WORK. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY, I APPRECIATE IT,
APPRECIATE ALL THE PEOPLE FROM
TRIBE WHO TRAVELED HERE TO MAKE
THOSE COMMENTS HERE TODAY. AND,
YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE
PROGRAM YOU HAVE THERE. AND GOOD
LUCK AS THIS ALL MOVES FORWARD.
AND WITH THIS BEING THE END OF
OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE'RE GOING
TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING. THANK
YOU