By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the states lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal.

Existing law establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act, which sets forth the states commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the states rich cultural and natural resources. Existing law declares that it is state policy, among other things, to ensure that all Californians have equitable opportunities to safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature, and to prevent and minimize the intentional and unwarranted limitation of sustainable public access to public lands, where appropriate, including, but not limited to, local, regional, state, and federal parks, rivers, lakes, beaches, forests, mountain ranges, deserts, and other natural landscapes. Existing law requires specified state agencies to consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, or grant criteria, or making expenditures, as specified. Existing law requires all state agencies implementing the above-described state policy to do so in a manner consistent with the mission of their agency and that protects the health and safety of the public and conserves natural and cultural resources.

This bill would provide that, to advance and promote environmental, conservation, and public access policies and budget actions, the Governors office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, shall aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in historically underserved urban communities consistent with those initiatives. The bill would encourage decisionmakers, when distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, to consider factors that are unique to urban settings, including, among other things, higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, current or impending loss of parks or greenspace as a result of state or federal infrastructure projects, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site. The bill would encourage regulatory agencies, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the states environmental, conservation, and public access goals. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, to allow allow, to the extent consistent with the funding source, the funding programs authorizing statutes, and the states goals, for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the states goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the states lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal.

Existing law establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act, which sets forth the states commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the states rich cultural and natural resources. Existing law declares that it is state policy, among other things, to ensure that all Californians have equitable opportunities to safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature, and to prevent and minimize the intentional and unwarranted limitation of sustainable public access to public lands, where appropriate, including, but not limited to, local, regional, state, and federal parks, rivers, lakes, beaches, forests, mountain ranges, deserts, and other natural landscapes. Existing law requires specified state agencies to consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, or grant criteria, or making expenditures, as specified. Existing law requires all state agencies implementing the above-described state policy to do so in a manner consistent with the mission of their agency and that protects the health and safety of the public and conserves natural and cultural resources.

This bill would provide that, to advance and promote environmental, conservation, and public access policies and budget actions, the Governors office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, shall aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives. The bill would encourage decisionmakers, when distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, to consider factors that are unique to urban settings, including, among other things, higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, current or impending loss of parks or greenspace as a result of state or federal infrastructure projects, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site. The bill would encourage regulatory agencies, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the states environmental, conservation, and public access goals. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the states goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the states lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal.

Existing law establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act, which sets forth the states commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the states rich cultural and natural resources. Existing law declares that it is state policy, among other things, to ensure that all Californians have equitable opportunities to safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature, and to prevent and minimize the intentional and unwarranted limitation of sustainable public access to public lands, where appropriate, including, but not limited to, local, regional, state, and federal parks, rivers, lakes, beaches, forests, mountain ranges, deserts, and other natural landscapes. Existing law requires specified state agencies to consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, or grant criteria, or making expenditures, as specified. Existing law requires all state agencies implementing the above-described state policy to do so in a manner consistent with the mission of their agency and that protects the health and safety of the public and conserves natural and cultural resources.

This bill would provide that, to advance and promote environmental and conservation environmental, conservation, and public access policies and budget actions, the Governors office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, shall aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, and and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives. The bill would require consideration to include, among other things, encourage decisionmakers, when distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, to consider factors that are unique to urban settings, including, among other things, higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site. The bill would encourage regulatory agencies, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the states environmental, conservation, and public access goals. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, when programming and awarding funds to revise, modify, or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the states goals, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the states goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the states lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal.

This bill would encourage provide that, to advance and promote environmental and conservation policies and budget actions, the Governors office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources towards conservation and restoration goals during future budgetary deliberations, to ensure parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments. The bill would provide that ensuring parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments shall include consideration of, among other things, resources, shall aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, and would require consideration to include, among other things, higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site. The bill would encourage regulatory agencies, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the 30x30 goal. states goals. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, when programming and awarding funds to revise, modify, or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the 30x30 goal, states goals, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the states lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal.

This bill would encourage the Governors office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources towards conservation and restoration goals during future budgetary deliberations, to ensure parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments. The bill would provide that ensuring parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments shall include consideration of, among other things, higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site. The bill would encourage regulatory agencies, including the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the 30x30 goal. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, when programming and awarding funds to revise, modify, or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the 30x30 goal, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

By Executive Order No. N-82-20, Governor Gavin Newsom directed the Natural Resources Agency to combat the biodiversity and climate crises by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and conserving at least 30% of the states lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the goal to conserve 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030. Existing law provides that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of Californias lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 goal.

This bill would encourage the Governors office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources towards conservation and restoration goals during future budgetary deliberations, to ensure parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments. The bill would require state funding agencies, including certain state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, when programming and awarding funds to revise, modify, or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the 30x30 goal, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 2285 (Rendon) - Natural resources: equitable outdoor access: 30x30 goal: urban nature-based projects

Bill Summary:

This bill would direct the Governor's office, state agencies, and the Legislature to aspire to recognize the coequal goals of the state's 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative when distributing resources, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in historically underserved urban communities consistent with those initiatives. Further, the bill would require state funding agencies to allow, to the extent consistent with the funding source, the funding program’s authorizing statutes, and the state’s goals, for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

Fiscal Impact:

• The California Conservation Corps estimates ongoing costs of about $400,000 annually (General Fund or special fund) to support its Career Pathways unit in bridging corps internships and career development programs to careers.
• The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) estimates unknown but potentially significant ongoing cost pressures on Wildlife Conservation Board fund sources. To the extent this bill would require urban nature-based projects to be prioritized over other wildlife projects, it would leave less funding available for wildlife and habitat projects outside of urban areas.
• The Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) and the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) estimate any costs would be minor and absorbable.

Background:

Outdoors for All initiative. This state initiative seeks to expand parks and access to nature in communities with little outdoor space, support programs to connect people who lack access, and foster a sense of belonging for all Californians in the outdoors, among others. The Outdoors for All strategy, released in November 2023, reports progress on equitable outdoor access, summarizes work underway, and identifies additional actions under the initiative. For example, Strategy 1.1.1. prioritizes funding programs for park and open space development in park-poor communities, such as the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. This program targets projects that create or revitalize parks in critically underserved communities. The Outdoors for All strategy notes that creative, multi-benefit approaches to access will conserve and restore the state’s natural landscapes and degraded lands, enhance community well-being and connection, address historic inequities, and activate a more inclusive community of environmental champions.

Access programs. The Legislature and Administration have recently taken action to increase access to state parks. AB 30 (Kalra, Chapter 939, Statutes of 2022) codified the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources. The California State Park Adventure Pass program gives fourth graders and their families a free pass to access selected state parks for a year. The State Library Parks Pass provides state park passes to libraries that may be checked out by library patrons. The Golden Bear Pass makes it easier for families who receive CalWORKs to receive a free annual, vehicle day-use pass valid at over 200 state parks. The Disabled Discount Pass provides a 50 percent discount to people with permanent disabilities for state parks facilities. Further, AB 209 (Limón, Chapter 675, Statutes of 2019) directed the Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) to create an Outdoor Equity Grants Program, which offers funding to connect youth and community groups with the outdoors.

30x30 initiative. To combat the biodiversity crisis in California, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20 in 2020, which adopted a goal to conserve at least 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030. SB 337 (Min, Chapter 392, Statutes of 2023) later codified this goal. In 2022, CNRA released Pathways to 30x30 California: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature (Pathways), which defines the term “conserved” for the purpose of the goal, identifies how many acres of land and coastal waters are already conserved, adopts key objectives and core commitments, identifies strategies to achieve the goal, and establishes an implementation framework to coordinate action across agencies and stakeholders.

According to CNRA’s 2023 progress report, the state has already conserved 24.4% of lands and 16.2% of its coastal waters. To reach the goal, it must conserve approximately 5.6 million more acres of land and approximately 500,000 more acres of coastal waters.

Proposed Law:

This bill would direct the Governor's office, state agencies, and the Legislature to aspire to recognize the coequal goals of the state's 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative when distributing resources, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in historically underserved urban communities consistent with those initiatives. Further, the bill would require state funding agencies to allow, to the extent consistent with the funding source, the funding program’s authorizing statutes, and the state’s goals, for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

Related Legislation:

SB 1402 (Min, 2024) would direct all state agencies, departments, boards, offices, commissions, and conservancies to consider the 30x30 goal when adopting, revising, or establishing plans, policies, and regulations that directly affect land use, management of natural resources, water use and quality, or biodiversity conservation.

AB 2320 (Irwin, 2024) would require the 30x30 progress report to the Legislature to identify key wildlife corridors in the state, connections between large blocks of natural areas and habitats, progress on protecting additional acres of wildlife corridors, and goals for wildlife corridor protection in the next five years.

AB 2440 (Reyes, 2024) would require CNRA, in implementing the strategies to achieve the 30x30 goal, to promote and support partnering state agencies and departments, including the Department of Parks and Recreation, in the acquisition and responsible stewardship of state land.

SB 337 (Min, Chapter 392, Statutes of 2023) codified the goal to conserve at least 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.

AB 30 (Kalra, Chapter 939, Statutes of 2022) codified the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources.

AB 2278 (Kalra, Chapter 349, Statutes of 2022) establishes priorities for implementing the 30x30 goal and requires CNRA to submit an annual report to the Legislature on progress made toward achieving the 30x30 goal.

AB 209 (Limón, Chapter 675, Statutes of 2019) requires the Director of State Parks to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, with the purpose of leveraging both public and private funds to target outdoor access programs for underserved and at-risk youth.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER

Senator Dave Min, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: AB 2285 Hearing Date: June 11, 2024

Subject: Natural resources: equitable outdoor access: 30x30 goal: urban nature-based projects

SUMMARY

This bill would direct the Governor's office, state agencies, and the Legislature to aspire to recognize the coequal goals of the state's 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative when distributing resources, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives. Further, the bill would require state funding agencies to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the state’s goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW

Background

Inequitable access. “Access” embodies both physical (e.g., distance to a park) and social (e.g., language and safety) aspects and varies widely throughout California. The Center for American Progress recently published a report examining ethnic, racial, economic, and other demographic disparities in the current distribution of natural areas in the United States by comparing satellite and census data. The study found that communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in “nature deprived” places, defined as an area that has a higher proportion of natural area lost to human activity, including urban sprawl. The report also found that 70% of low income communities live in nature deprived areas. The report noted that this inequitable distribution is the result of a long history of systemic racism and economic discrimination, including redlining, forced migration, and economic segregation.

These national findings have been reflected at the state level, with research showing that there are unfair park and outdoor access disparities based on race, ethnicity, income, poverty, youth, and access to cars. In Southern California, for instance, children of color disproportionately live in communities of concentrated poverty without enough places to play in parks and schools, and without access to cars or an adequate transit system to reach parks and school fields in other neighborhoods. According to the Trust for Public Land (TPL), one in three Californians do not live within a 10 minute walk to a quality park. According to a recent Hispanic Access Foundation report, 55% of Latinos in California lack access to open space, and significantly fewer acres of green space are present in many Black and Latino neighborhoods when compared to predominantly white neighborhoods.

Historical and continuing inequities, intersecting roadways, less acreage, lack of access to transportation, lack of safety, and physical condition/maintenance of spaces are just some of the barriers to parks and open space access. The COVID-19 pandemic also appears to have exacerbated existing inequities in access to parks and open spaces with lower income and underserved communities experiencing an even greater lack of access.

Benefits of access. Parks and open/green spaces provide numerous benefits to the community, environment, and economy. Use of parks and open spaces is correlated with a number of mental and physical health benefits, including decreased risk of stress, anxiety, and depression, lessened symptoms of ADD/ADHD, as well as reduced risk of psychiatric illness for those with childhood exposure to open/green space.

The American Public Health Association’s policy statement on Improving Health and Wellness through Access to Nature states: “People of all ages and abilities enjoy higher levels of health and well-being when they have nature nearby in parks, gardens, greenways, naturalized schoolyards and playgrounds, and natural landscaping around homes and workplaces. Access to nature has been related to lower levels of mortality and illness, higher levels of outdoor physical activity, restoration from stress, a greater sense of well-being, and greater social capital.”

Parks and open spaces also provide environmental benefits as they can remove pollution and filter air, provide shade to reduce the urban heat island effect, attenuate noise, absorb water as an alternative to storm water control systems, and replenish local groundwater reservoirs.

Parks and open space are also highly valued as economic drivers, as they have been found to increase property values and subsequent tax revenues by as much as 20%, draw new businesses and visitors to cities, and are reported to be among the top amenities sought after for people choosing a place to live.

Outdoors for All initiative. This state initiative seeks to expand parks and access to nature in communities with little outdoor space, support programs to connect people who lack access, and foster a sense of belonging for all Californians in the outdoors, among others. The Outdoors for All strategy, released in November 2023, reports progress on equitable outdoor access, summarizes work underway, and identifies additional actions under the initiative. For example, Strategy 1.1.1. prioritizes funding programs for park and open space development in park-poor communities, such as the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. This program targets projects that create or revitalize parks in critically underserved communities. The Outdoors for All strategy notes that creative, multi-benefit approaches to access will conserve and restore the state’s natural landscapes and degraded lands, enhance community well-being and connection, address historic inequities, and activate a more inclusive community of environmental champions.

Access programs. The Legislature and Administration have recently taken action to increase access to state parks. AB 30 (Kalra, Chapter 939, Statutes of 2022) codified the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources. The California State Park Adventure Pass program gives fourth graders and their families a free pass to access selected state parks for a year. The State Library Parks Pass provides state park passes to libraries that may be checked out by library patrons. The Golden Bear Pass makes it easier for families who receive CalWORKs to receive a free annual, vehicle day-use pass valid at over 200 state parks. The Disabled Discount Pass provides a 50 percent discount to people with permanent disabilities for state parks facilities. Further, AB 209 (Limón, Chapter 675, Statutes of 2019) directed the Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) to create an Outdoor Equity Grants Program, which offers funding to connect youth and community groups with the outdoors.

30x30 initiative. To combat the biodiversity crisis in California, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20 in 2020, which adopted a goal to conserve at least 30% of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030. SB 337 (Min, Chapter 392, Statutes of 2023) later codified this goal. In 2022, CNRA released Pathways to 30x30 California: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature (Pathways), which defines the term “conserved” for the purpose of the goal, identifies how many acres of land and coastal waters are already conserved, adopts key objectives and core commitments, identifies strategies to achieve the goal, and establishes an implementation framework to coordinate action across agencies and stakeholders.

According to CNRA’s 2023 progress report, the state has already conserved 24.4% of lands and 16.2% of its coastal waters. To reach the goal, it must conserve approximately 5.6 million more acres of land and approximately 500,000 more acres of coastal waters.

Existing law:

1. Declares that it is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. This is known as the 30x30 goal. Public Resources Code (PRC) §71450.
2. Directs the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to prioritize certain actions in implementing specified pathways to achieve the 30x30 goal, including prioritizing efforts that enhance equitable public access to nature. PRC §71451.
3. Establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act, which declares that it is an established policy of the state to:
   1. Ensure that all Californians have equitable opportunities to safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature.
   2. Maximize public access to public lands, including the state’s cultural and natural resources, in a sustainable manner, where appropriate, with a special emphasis on creating and promoting opportunities for people and communities that face disproportionate barriers to access, as specified.
   3. Prevent and minimize the intentional and unwarranted limitation of sustainable public access to public lands, as specified. PRC §1002.
4. Directs all relevant state agencies, as specified, to consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the state policy in (3) when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, or grant criteria, or making expenditures, to the extent the policies, regulations, grant criteria, or expenditures are not in conflict with an appropriation. PRC §1002.

PROPOSED LAW

This bill would:

1. Direct the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, to aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives in order to advance and promote environmental, conservation, and public access policies and budget actions.
2. Encourage decision-makers, when distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All, to consider factors that are unique to urban settings, as specified.
3. Encourage regulatory agencies, like the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the state’s environmental, conservation, and public access goals.
4. Require state funding agencies, like the state’s conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the state’s goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.
5. Make codified findings and declarations, including to summarize the priorities identified for the Outdoors for All initiative in the November 2023 report, “Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature.”
6. Make uncodified findings and declarations, including to state the Legislature’s intent to:
   1. Codify the priorities identified in the November 2023 report of the Outdoors for All initiative, “Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature.”
   2. Encourage the Governor’s administration and the Legislature, when distributing resources, to further the goals of Outdoors for All by considering maximizing benefits toward urban nature-based investments.
   3. Require state funding entities when programming and awarding funds to revise, modify, or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the state’s goals, to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT

According to the author, “California has committed to protecting and preserving our natural lands, but it’s critically important we’re not leaving our densely populated, underserved communities behind in our conservation efforts. By encouraging California to prioritize greening and restoration of lands in heavily urbanized areas alongside our conservation efforts for natural and rural land, we can ensure we’re taking a comprehensive approach to environmental protection that will protect vulnerable communities and provide greater access to nature across California.”

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION

None received.

COMMENTS

Need for the bill. This bill seeks to maximize investments in urban communities consistent with the Outdoors for All and 30x30 initiatives. It is worth noting that the state has established and funded programs and projects to green urban areas and create new and improve existing parks in urban areas. This includes the Urban Greening and Urban and Community Forestry Programs, both of which have prioritized investments in disadvantaged and critically underserved communities.

The state’s conservancies located in urban areas have also contributed to this effort. For example, the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy invested $1.5 million in the Colorado Lagoon Open Channel Improvement Project, which includes tree planting and other amenities to contribute to recreational benefits. Further, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy invested $8.3 million in the River Wilderness Park (RWP) to serve as a trailhead at the northern terminus of the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, which stretches approximately 38 miles through the Los Angeles Basin and to the ocean—linking many of the region’s most underserved communities to dynamic open spaces. Construction of the RWP will include walking paths, river overlooks, extension of the San Gabriel River Bike trail, and public amenities (interpretive features, restrooms, play areas, and concessions).

Another recent example is Banning Ranch, which includes 387 acres of lowlands and coastal bluffs in West Newport Beach. This $97 million acquisition was finalized in December 2023 by the Trust for Public Land and made possible by funding from many partners, including CNRA, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a large gift from the Randall Family. Over the next several years, Banning Ranch will undergo substantial clean up and limited restoration to convert former oil fields into a coastal park that can be opened to the public.

It is worth noting that the Outdoors for All and 30x30 initiatives are not mutually exclusive; rather, they are complementary. For example, Pathways adopts expanding access to nature as a key objective of the 30x30 initiative. Further, this document identifies a strategy to “explore land repurposing and remediation to address historical land use incompatibility such as fossil fuel extraction and polluting industries near low-income communities, particularly in degraded urban landscapes.” Additionally, the 30x30 progress report released in 2023 notes that “By increasing both the variety and accessibility of outdoor recreation, California’s 30x30 initiative is working to enable everyone in California to enjoy and connect with nature. Seizing opportunities to expand conservation that also increase access has been a priority over the past year and will remain so going forward. The Outdoors for All strategy will guide this facet of its 30x30 work.”

According to materials provided by the author, there is still a significant need for additional investments in urban areas. Specifically, maps depicting progress toward the 30x30 goal show that conserved areas are all generally located outside of disadvantaged, urbanized communities. Indeed, much of the Los Angeles region, including Southeast LA County and East LA, show no conserved lands and no opportunities for new conservation. This is also true for more challenged Bay Area communities, such as Oakland, Richmond, and San Leandro. Instead, these areas host many degraded lands that could be remediated and re-purposed for public parks and greenspace.

Further, the California Park & Recreation Society notes in a May 31, 2024, letter of support that “The Statewide Park Program, administered by California State Parks Office of Grants and Local Assistance, has underwritten over $1.2 billion in project funding in distressed, park poor communities throughout California since 2010. This important lending shows the credence for the sorts of investments envisioned in this bill. While this is indeed a robust investment in the parks and greening space, the demand for these funds generally runs nearly ten times higher than what is available through each grant round.”

Committee amendments. Should the bill move forward, the Committee may wish to consider adopting the following minor and technical amendments:

• The bill includes intent language, which, after multiple rounds of amendments in the Assembly, no longer matches the bill’s text. Strike this intent language and insert new intent language to guide interpretation of the bill. This new language comes from the author. [See Amendment 1]
• The bill directs the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, to the extent practical, to maximize investments in urban communities consistent with the 30x30 and Outdoors for All initiatives. The author’s stated intent is to maximize investments in historically underserved urban communities, not urban communities generally. Clarify this in the bill. [See Amendment 2]
• The bill requires state funding agencies, as specified, to allow urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the state’s goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds. Limit this direction to funding projects that are consistent with the relevant funding source and the relevant funding program’s authorizing statutes. [See Amendment 3]

Related legislation.

SB 1402 (Min, 2024) would direct all state agencies, departments, boards, offices, commissions, and conservancies to consider the 30x30 goal when adopting, revising, or establishing plans, policies, and regulations that directly affect land use, management of natural resources, water use and quality, or biodiversity conservation. This bill is pending in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

AB 2320 (Irwin, 2024) would require the 30x30 progress report to the Legislature to identify key wildlife corridors in the state, connections between large blocks of natural areas and habitats, progress on protecting additional acres of wildlife corridors, and goals for wildlife corridor protection in the next five years. This bill is pending review in this Committee.

AB 2440 (Reyes, 2024) would require CNRA, in implementing the strategies to achieve the 30x30 goal, to promote and support partnering state agencies and departments, including the Department of Parks and Recreation, in the acquisition and responsible stewardship of state land. This bill is pending review in this Committee.

SB 337 (Min, Chapter 392, Statutes of 2023) codified the goal to conserve at least 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.

AB 30 (Kalra, Chapter 939, Statutes of 2022) codified the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources.

AB 2278 (Kalra, Chapter 349, Statutes of 2022) establishes priorities for implementing the 30x30 goal and requires CNRA to submit an annual report to the Legislature on progress made toward achieving the 30x30 goal.

AB 209 (Limón, Chapter 675, Statutes of 2019) requires the Director of State Parks to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, with the purpose of leveraging both public and private funds to target outdoor access programs for underserved and at-risk youth.

SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT 1

In Section 1, strike subdivisions (b) and (c) and replace with new subdivision (b), as follows:

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature, in order to promote equity in the allocation of resources and investments in nature-based solutions, particularly in California's marginalized and historically underserved communities, that the Legislature, Governor, and state agencies and departments charged with the distribution of state and federal funds creatively strive to reintroduce nature through land restoration and land healing interventions for the greening of California's most nature-deficient communities.

AMENDMENT 2

In proposed PRC §1004 in Section 2, amend subdivision (b) as follows:

(b) (1) To advance and promote environmental, conservation, and public access policies and budget actions, the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, shall aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal, as defined in Section 71450, and Outdoors for All and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in historically underserved urban communities consistent with those initiatives.

AMENDMENT 3

In proposed PRC §1004 in Section 2, amend subdivision (d) as follows:

(d) State funding agencies, including, but not limited to, the conservancies established pursuant to Sections 31100, 32320, 32510, 32555, 32602, 32633, 33200, and 33501 of this code and Section 66906 of the Government Code and the Wildlife Conservation Board, shall allow, to the extent consistent with the funding source, the funding program’s authorizing statutes, and the state’s goals, urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the state’s goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

SUPPORT

Bear Yuba Land Trust
California Alliance for Golf
California Park & Recreation Society
City of Pico Rivera
County of Nevada

County of Placer
Eastern Sierra Land Trust
Feather River Land Trust
Junior Philanthropists Foundation
Placer Land Trust
Sierra Business Council

Sierra County Land Trust
Sierra Foothill Conservancy
Sierra Nevada Alliance
Southern California Golf Association
Truckee Donner Land Trust

OPPOSITION

None Received

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 2285

Author:(Rendon)

As Amended Ver:April 15, 2024

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Encourages the Governor's office, state agencies, and the Legislature to recognize the coequal goals of the state's 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative when distributing resources, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.

Major Provisions

1. Codifies the November 2023 report of the Outdoors for All initiative, "Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature," priorities to achieve the goals of the Outdoors for All initiative.
2. Requires the Governor's office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, to aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal, Outdoors for All, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.
3. Encourages decision makers to consider factors that are unique to urban settings.
4. Encourages regulatory agencies to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the state's environmental, conservation, and public access goals.
5. Requires specified state funding agencies to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the state's goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

COMMENTS

Outdoor access provides people a plethora of physical, mental, and emotional benefits, but it is not equitably accessible in all communities. The Outdoors for All initiative is intended to expand parks and nature access in communities with little outdoor space, supporting programs to connect people who lack access. For instance, in Los Angeles (LA) County, communities with the fewest parks often have the environmental burdens, i.e., most pollutants and other stressors that directly impact public health and well-being.

According to the author, maps that show where land has been conserved toward 30x30 goals show that it is nearly all outside of disadvantaged, urbanized communities. Indeed, much of the LA region, including Southeast LA County, and East LA show no conserved lands. This is also true for more challenged Bay Area communities, such as Oakland, Richmond, and San Leandro.

AB 2285 requires state funding agencies to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds. While nothing in current law prohibits these investments, this bill would expressly prioritize them.

According to the Author

California has committed to protecting and preserving our natural lands, but it's critically important we're not leaving our densely populated, underserved communities behind in our conservation efforts. By encouraging California to prioritize greening and restoration of lands in heavily urbanized areas alongside our conservation efforts for natural and rural land, we can ensure we're taking a comprehensive approach to environmental protection that will protect vulnerable communities and provide greater access to nature across California.

Arguments in Support

The California Park & Recreation Society writes that AB 2285 institutionalizes the findings of the Outdoors for All report and seeks to direct state funding entities to appropriately amend existing grant guidelines, or include in prospective guidelines, considerations to ensure that urban nature-based projects on distressed, underutilized, or degraded lands are eligible to receive funding.

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, this bill will result in cost pressure of an unknown, but potentially significant amount, possibly in the tens of millions of dollars (General Fund, special fund such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, or bond funds), for state agencies to maximize investments in urban communities consistent with 30x30 and Outdoors for All, consider factors unique to urban settings when making funding decisions, work with local communities to restore degraded lands to help meet the state's environmental, conservation, and public access goals, and increase funding for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands. In addition, some state agencies may have the necessary resources, staffing, and program infrastructure to meet the goals and objectives of this bill while others may not.

VOTES

ASM NATURAL RESOURCES: 11-0-0

YES: Bryan, Flora, Bauer-Kahan, Friedman, Hoover, Kalra, Mathis, Muratsuchi, Pellerin, Wicks, Wood

ASM WATER, PARKS, AND WILDLIFE: 14-0-1

YES: Papan, Addis, Alanis, Alvarez, Bennett, Bonta, Gallagher, Davies, Garcia, Hart, Luz Rivas, Schiavo, Villapudua, Weber

ABS, ABST OR NV: Mathis

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0

YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Jim Patterson, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua

UPDATED

VERSION: April 15, 2024

CONSULTANT: Paige Brokaw / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092 FN: 0003024

Date of Hearing: May 1, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2285

Author:(Rendon) – As Amended Ver:April 15, 2024

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill, among other things, encourages the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature to recognize the coequal goals of the state’s 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative when distributing resources, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.

Specifically, this bill, among other things:

1. Codifies the priorities to achieve the goals of the Outdoors for All initiative as provided in the California Natural Resources Agency’s (CNRA) November 2023 report “Outdoors for All: Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature.”
2. Requires the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, to aspire to recognize the coequal goals of the state’s 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.
3. Encourages decisionmakers, when distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal and Outdoors for All initiative, to consider factors that are unique to urban settings, as specified.
4. Encourages regulatory agencies, such as the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the state’s environmental, conservation, and public access goals.
5. Requires state funding agencies, including specified state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands that are consistent with the state’s goals to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Cost pressure of an unknown, but potentially significant amount, possibly in the tens of millions of dollars (General Fund, special fund such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, or bond funds), for state agencies to maximize investments in urban communities consistent with 30x30 and Outdoors for All, consider factors unique to urban settings when making funding decisions, work with local communities to restore degraded lands to help meet the state’s environmental, conservation, and public access goals, and increase funding for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands. As discussed below, many of the state’s existing grant programs fund the types of projects described by this bill; however, to the extent administering agencies view this bill as prioritizing urban nature-based projects over other types of projects, there may be less funding available for wildlife, habitat, park, open space, and other projects outside of urban areas.

In addition, some state agencies may have the necessary resources, staffing, and program infrastructure to meet the goals and objectives of this bill while others may not. For example, the San Diego River Conservancy (SDRC) estimates ongoing annual costs of approximately $214,000 for one new position to implement this bill (General Fund or bond funds). SDRC is one of the smallest agencies in the state, employing only three staff members. SDRC contends that while other state conservancies may be able to absorb the workload associated with this bill, this is not the case for SDRC. For example, the conservancy makes grant decisions based on guidelines that do not currently discuss or consider factors that are unique to urban settings. If SDRC were to include these factors, it contends it would need to solicit input from stakeholders and local urban areas and revise and modify its program guidelines.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years.

COMMENTS:

1) Purpose. According to the author:

California has committed to protecting and preserving our natural lands, but it’s critically important we’re not leaving our densely populated, underserved communities behind in our conservation efforts. By encouraging California to prioritize greening and restoration of lands in heavily urbanized areas alongside our conservation efforts for natural and rural land, we can ensure we’re taking a comprehensive approach to environmental protection that will protect vulnerable communities and provide greater access to nature across California.

2) Background.

Outdoors for All. A history of discriminatory policies and exclusionary zoning in the state have led to long-term disinvestment, fewer parks and outdoor spaces, and less coastal access for many communities. The administration’s Outdoors for All initiative is intended to expand parks and nature access in communities with little outdoor space.

30x30. In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20, which establishes a state goal of conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. The 30x30 goal was codified by SB 337 (Min), Chapter 392, Statutes of 2023. The May 2023 “30x30 Annual Progress Report” recognizes that the Outdoors for All initiative is a companion strategy to 30x30.

Investments in Urban Communities. In March 2024, the Secretary of the Interior announced $58.3 million in federal funding for states from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program to increase equitable outdoors access for underserved communities.

Similarly, the state funds a number of programs to increase green space and outdoor access in urban areas, including the urban forestry program and green schoolyards program administered by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; the urban greening program administered by CNRA; the statewide park development and community revitalization grant program, outdoor equity grants program, land and water conservation fund, habitat conservation fund, recreational trails program, various park pass programs, and other programs administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation; and loans and grants offered by DTSC for environmental cleanup. In response to a multibillion budget deficit, the Governor’s fiscal year 2024-25 budget proposes reductions, delays, and fund shifts for some of these programs, including the outdoor equity grants program and the urban greening program.

According to the California Park and Recreation Society, while the statewide park program has provided approximately $1.2 billion to create new parks and recreation opportunities in underserved communities across the state, “the demand for these funds generally runs nearly ten times higher than what is available through each grant round.”

Analysis Prepared by: Nikita Koraddi / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 9, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS, AND WILDLIFE

Diane Papan, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2285 (

Author:Rendon) – As Amended Ver:March 21, 2024

SUBJECT: Natural resources: equitable outdoor access: 30x30 goal: urban nature-based projects

SUMMARY: Encourages the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal (conserving at least 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030) and Outdoors for All when distributing resources, and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives. Specifically, this bill:

1. Codifies the priorities to achieve the goals of the Outdoors for All initiative as provided in the November 2023 report “Outdoors for All: Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature.”
2. Encourages the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, to recognize the coequal goals of 30x30 and to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.
3. States that consideration should include higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the use and rehabilitation of degraded lands and brownfield sites for conservation projects, the proximity to populations lacking park and greenspace access with programming interests and uses preferred within urban outdoor recreation spaces, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site.
4. Encourages regulatory agencies, such as the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy to meet the state’s goals.
5. Requires state funding agencies, including the state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board, when programming and awarding funds to revise, to modify or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the 30x30 goal to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) within the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and vests State Parks with control of the state park system. State Parks is responsible for administering and managing the state park system for the use and enjoyment of the public, protecting this system from damage, and preserving the peace [Public Resources Code (PRC) §§501, 5001, 5003, and 5008].
2. Establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act and sets forth the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful and sustainable access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources (PRC § 1000).
3. Codifies the 30x30 goal (PRC § 71450).
4. Requires CNRA, in implementing actions to achieve the 30x30 goal, to prioritize specified actions. Requires the Secretary of CNRA to prepare and submit, beginning on or before March 31, 2024, an annual report to the Legislature on the progress made during the prior calendar year toward achieving that goal, as provided (PRC §§ 71451–71452).
5. Creates, under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), a "Superfund" to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites, as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Provides the United States Environmental Protection Agency with the authority to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup (42 United States Code § 9601 et seq.).
6. Directs DTSC to implement CERCLA through the state’s Hazardous Substance Account Act (Health & Safety Code § 78000, et seq.).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill is keyed fiscal.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose of this bill. This bill codifies the strategy described in the November 2023 report Outdoors for All: Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature and encourages the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature to maximize investment in urban communities, to the extent practical, to accomplish both 30x30 and Outdoors for All goals. According to the author, “California has committed to protecting and preserving our natural lands, but it’s critically important we’re not leaving our densely populated, underserved communities behind in our conservation efforts. By encouraging California to prioritize greening and restoration of lands in heavily urbanized areas alongside our conservation efforts for natural and rural land, we can ensure we’re taking a comprehensive approach to environmental protection that will protect vulnerable communities and provide greater access to nature across California.”
2. Background. Spending time outdoors is understood to benefit mental and physical health, but outdoor access is not equitably distributed to all communities. A history of discriminatory policies and exclusionary zoning have led to long-term disinvestment, fewer parks and outdoor spaces, and less coastal access for many communities. The practice of redlining led to neighborhoods with far fewer trees and parks and more paved surfaces that for lower-income residents and communities of color. The Outdoors for All initiative is intended to expand access to parks and nature for communities with little outdoor space.

The Outdoors for All: Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature report has several strategies regarding urban and/or park-poor communities including:

Develop, improve, and maintain local and regional outdoor spaces, which includes: (1) prioritize funding programs for park and open space development in park-poor communities such as the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program, and the Urban Waterways Program; (2) create priorities for park-poor communities within existing funding sources for open space acquisition, development, enhancement, and/or maintenance; and (3) assist local and regional entities to bring federal investments to California for outdoor space renovation and acquisition, especially in underserved communities.

30x30. In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20, which establishes a state goal of conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. The 30x30 goal is intended to help conserve state lands and coastal waters through voluntary, collaborative action with partners across the state to meet three objectives: conserve and restore biodiversity, expand access to nature, and mitigate and build resilience to climate change. As of May 2023, the state has conserved 24.4% of lands and 16.2% of coastal waters for 30x30.

CNRA released Pathways to 30x30 California Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature in April 2022, which describes the key objectives and core commitments that are a part of California’s 30x30 conservation framework; defines conservation for the purpose of California’s 30x30 initiative and establishes a current baseline of conserved areas; outlines strategic actions necessary to achieve 30x30; and, introduces CA Nature, a suite of publicly available applications to identify conservation opportunities and track our collective progress.

30x30 for All? The 30x30 Annual Progress Report (May 2023) recognizes that Outdoors for All initiative is a companion strategy to 30x30:

By increasing both the variety and accessibility of outdoor recreation, California’s 30x30 initiative is working to enable everyone in California to enjoy and connect with nature. Seizing opportunities to expand conservation that also increase access has been a priority over the past year and will remain so going forward. The Outdoors for All strategy will guide this facet of its 30x30 work.

The 2022 Pathways to 30x30 report acknowledges that conservation is best achieved when acquired areas can meet all three objectives (i.e., conservation, access, and resilience), but that not every acquisition will be able serve all three objectives.

The 2022 Pathways to 30x30 report lists several conservation priorities to expand access to nature, including to protect and restore natural areas and connections within and near urban and rural communities that have barriers of access to nature and to increase access points and trails within existing natural areas including coastal areas and urban rivers. Several pathways to 30x30 mention environmental remediation, including to “identify and prioritize acquisition of degraded landscapes and waterways most important to protecting biodiversity.” Work is underway on that effort through funding for restoration projects with improved information expected from the State Wildlife Action Plan scheduled to be released in 2025. Additional pathways in the report focus on degraded environments, including:

• Explore land repurposing and remediation to address historical land use incompatibility such as fossil fuel extraction and polluting industries near low-income communities, particularly in degraded urban landscapes.
• Prioritize coastal habitats and degraded seascapes for restoration through science-based assessment.

Investments in urban nature-based investments. Parks, open spaces, recreation facilities, trails, and gardens are essential community infrastructure, but, as mentioned, not all communities have access to these resources. In Los Angeles (LA) County, communities with the fewest parks often have the environmental burdens (i.e., most pollutants and other stressors that directly impact public health and well-being). In LA, people of color account for 84% of the population living in areas with highest environmental burdens. Over time, some areas of the county have to acquire and protect natural lands as well as the restoration of degraded areas, such as brownfields, landfills, and oil fields. There is a special focus on lower-income communities of color, in which vulnerable populations and environmental burdens are concentrated.

In southern California, the LA County 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus identifies priority areas for environmental conservation and restoration to form the basis of a local 30x30 strategy. This assessment reimagines conservation to include both traditional efforts to acquire and protect natural lands as well as the restoration of degraded areas, such as brownfields, landfills, and oil fields. There is a special focus on lower-income communities of color, in which vulnerable populations and environmental burdens are concentrated.

Specific actions already taken to further 30x30 in urbanized areas include the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy investment of $1.5 million in the Colorado Lagoon Open Channel Improvement Project to remove a 900 foot long culvert that runs through Marina Vista Park and replace it with a shallow earthen channel, reintroducing full tidal connectivity between Colorado Lagoon and Alamitos Bay to create 3.35 acres of new subtidal habitat and enhance 17.28 acres of existing marsh habitat at Colorado Lagoon. The project includes tree planting and other amenities to contribute to recreational benefits.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy also invested $8.3 million in the River Wilderness Park (RWP) to serve as a trailhead at the northern terminus of the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, which stretches approximately 38 miles through the Los Angeles Basin and to the ocean—linking many of the region’s most underserved communities to dynamic open spaces. Construction of the RWP will include walking paths, river overlooks, extension of the San Gabriel River Bike trail, and public amenities (interpretive features, restrooms, play areas, and concessions).

Funding urban projects. California has various programs for creating more green space in urbanized areas. Last year, nearly $30 million was awarded through the Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention’s (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program for sustainable urban forest projects. These projects help local communities create green spaces, increase long-term benefits for surrounding communities, protect communities from extreme heat, and advance urban forest management. CAL FIRE is also in the process of awarding $117 million for green schoolyards. Other examples include the Urban Greening Program administered by CNRA, the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program administered by State Parks, and loans and grants offered by DTSC for environmental cleanup.

Restoration. These programs are important for improving the quality of life in our urban environments, but they are not necessarily investing in the restoration of degraded areas to create new open space. Restoration of degraded lands is typically costly, complicated, and requires time and commitment. Mapping where environmental benefits and burdens are concentrated is a critical step in reversing policies, systems, and norms that have led to pervasive open space inequities in our most diverse communities.

The 30x30 progress report notes that last year, a $97 million acquisition was finalized by the Trust for Public Land and made possible by funding from the state and other sources to secure Banning Ranch, 387 acres of lowlands and coastal bluffs in West Newport Beach near where the Santa Ana River meets the Pacific Ocean. Over the next several years, Banning Ranch will undergo substantial clean up and limited restoration to convert former oil fields into a coastal park that can be opened to the public.

This bill requires state funding agencies to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds. While nothing in current law or the Governor’s EO prohibits these investments, this bill would expressly prioritize them.

1. Proposed committee amendments. Brownfield site remediation is not expressly an element of either 30x30 or Outdoors for all. Further, to improve clarity and better align this bill with intent of Outdoors for All and 30x30 initiatives the committee may wish to amend the bill as follows:

PRC 1004. (b) (1) To advance and promote environmental, and conservation, and public access policies and budget actions, the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources, shall aspire to recognize the coequal goals and benefits of the 30x30 goal, as defined in Section 71450, and Outdoors for All and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.

(2) In distributing resources to achieve the goals and benefits of 30x30 and Outdoors for All, decision makers are encouraged to consider factors that are more unique to urban settings such as Consideration shall include higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the use and rehabilitation of degraded lands and brownfield sites for conservation projects, the proximity to populations lacking park and greenspace access with programming interests and uses preferred within urban outdoor recreation spaces, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local park needs assessment plans, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site.

(c) Regulatory agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, are encouraged to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable strategy for meeting the state’s environmental, conservation, and public access goals.

(d) State funding agencies, including, but not limited to, the conservancies established pursuant to Sections 31100, 32320, 32510, 32555, 32602, 32633, 33200, and 33501 of this code and Section 66906 of the Government Code and the Wildlife Conservation Board, shall, when programming and awarding funds to revise, modify, or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the state’s goals, allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands, that are consistent with state goals, to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

1. Arguments in support. Two golf organizations write in support of this bill say that it will “longstanding imbalance in public investment in the parks, open spaces, and recreational offerings in these park-poor, underserved communities”
2. Double referral. This bill was also referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and passed that committee 15–0 on consent on March 19, 2024.
3. Related legislation. AB 2440 (Reyes) of the current legislative session requires CNRA, in implementing the strategies to achieve the 30x30 goal, to promote and support partnering state agencies and departments, including State Parks, in the acquisition and responsible stewardship of state land. AB 2440 passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee (vote 11–0) on March 20, 2024 and is set for hearing in this Committee.

AB 30 (Kalra), Chapter 939, Statutes of 2022, established the Equitable Outdoor Access Act.

AB 2278 (Kalra), Chapter 349, Statutes of 2022, requires CNRA to annually report to the Legislature the progress made toward accomplishing the 30x30 goal.

AB 3030 (Kalra) of 2020 would have established new land, water, and ocean protection goals, including to protect thirty percent of the state’s land areas and water by 2030. AB 3030 was held in Senate Appropriations Committee.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Alliance for Golf
Southern California Golf Association

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Stephanie Mitchell / W., P., & W. / (916) 319-2096

Date of Hearing: March 19, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Isaac G. Bryan, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2285 (

Author:Rendon) – As Amended Ver:March 11, 2024

SUBJECT: Environmental protection: 30x30 goal: urban nature-based investments: parity.

SUMMARY: Encourages the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources towards conservation and restoration goals during future budgetary deliberations, to ensure parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments and requires state funding agencies to amend guidelines as necessary to meet the goal of conserving at least 30% of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 (30x30) to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Directs California Natural Resources Agency (NRA) to combat the biodiversity and climate crisis by, among other things, establishing the California Biodiversity Collaborative and establishing the 30x30 goal. (Executive Order (EO) No. N-82-20)
2. Codifies the 30x30 goal. (Public Resources Code (PRC) 71450)
3. Requires NRA, in implementing actions to achieve the 30x30 goal, to prioritize specified actions. Requires the Secretary of NRA to prepare and submit, beginning on or before March 31, 2024, an annual report to the Legislature on the progress made during the prior calendar year toward achieving that goal, as provided. (PRC 71451-71452)
4. Establishes the Equitable Outdoor Access Act and sets forth the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful and sustainable access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources. (PRC 1000)
5. Creates, under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), a "Superfund" to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites, as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Provides the United States Environmental Protection Agency with the authority to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup. (42 United States Code (USC) 9601, et seq.)
6. Directs the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to implement CERCLA through the state’s Hazardous Substance Account Act. (Health & Safety Code 78000, et seq.)

THIS BILL:

1. Codifies the November 2023 report of the Outdoors for All initiative, “Providing Equitable Access to Parks and Nature,” priorities to achieve the goals of the Outdoors for All initiative.
2. Encourages the Governor’s office, state agencies, and the Legislature, when distributing resources towards conservation and restoration goals during future budgetary deliberations, to ensure parity in allocations toward urban nature-based investments.
3. States that urban nature-based investment parity shall include consideration of higher land value acquisition and development costs per acre, the use and rehabilitation of degraded lands and brownfield sites for conservation projects, the proximity to populations lacking park and greenspace access with programming interests and uses preferred within urban outdoor recreation spaces, the acute health needs of a local population due to historic lack of greenspace access and development externalities, local Park Needs Assessment plans, and the availability of mobility options near a proposed land conservation site.
4. Encourages regulatory agencies, such as DTSC, to work with local communities to restore degraded lands that could contribute to a more equitable 30x30 strategy.
5. Requires state funding agencies, including, but not limited to, the state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), when programming and awarding funds to revise, to modify or amend guidelines as necessary to meet the 30x30 goal to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement:

California has committed to protecting and preserving our natural lands, but it’s critically important we’re not leaving our densely populated, underserved communities behind in our conservation efforts. By encouraging California to prioritize greening and restoration of lands in heavily urbanized areas alongside our conservation efforts for natural and rural land, we can ensure we’re taking a comprehensive approach to environmental protection that will protect vulnerable communities and provide greater access to nature across California.

1. 30x30. In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20 which establishes a state goal of conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 – known as 30x30. The 30x30 goal is intended to help conserve our lands and coastal waters through voluntary, collaborative action with partners across the state to meet three objectives: conserve and restore biodiversity, expand access to nature, and mitigate and build resilience to climate change. The 30x30 goal was codified by SB 337 (Min), Chapter 392, Statutes of 2023. California’s 30x30 commitment is part of a global effort to increase biodiversity conservation, including in the United States. In January of 2021, the Biden administration issued an Executive Order on tackling the climate crisis and committed the United States to 30x30 through its America the Beautiful initiative.

NRA released Pathways to 30x30 California in April 2022, which describes the key objectives and core commitments that are a part of California’s 30x30 conservation framework; defines conservation for the purpose of California’s 30x30 initiative and establishes a current baseline of conserved areas; outlines strategic actions necessary to achieve 30x30; and, introduces CA Nature, a suite of publicly available applications to identify conservation opportunities and track our collective progress.

As of May 2023, the state has conserved 24.4% of lands and 16.2% of coastal waters for 30x30, adding approximately 631,000 acres to lands conserved over the past year and identifying concrete strategies to strengthen conservation in coastal waters. California’s strategy to conserve an additional six million acres of land and half a million acres of coastal waters is organized into ten pathways that are specific state actions that will help achieve 30x30.

1. Outdoors for All. The Outdoors for All initiative is intended to expand parks and nature access in communities with little outdoor space, supporting programs to connect people who lack access.

Spending time outdoors directly benefits mental and physical health. It improves mood and happiness, lowers stress, and strengthens people’s sense of meaning. Research shows that people who visit outdoor spaces for 30 minutes or more during a week have lower rates of depression and high blood pressure. Access to outdoor spaces also facilitates exercise, which improves long-term physical health. Many healthcare professionals recognize these benefits, and in some places have started to issue medical prescriptions to spend time in nature to improve health outcomes.

Outdoor access is not equitably distributed to all communities. A history of discriminatory policies and exclusionary zoning have led to long-term disinvestment, fewer parks and outdoor spaces, and less coastal access for many communities. The practice of redlining led to neighborhoods with far fewer trees and parks that provide shade and clean the air for lower-income residents and communities of color. Instead, these neighborhoods have more paved surfaces that absorb and radiate heat. During extreme heat events some cities experience differences of up to 12 degrees between formally red- and green-lined areas.

Establishing welcoming places where all people feel safe and have a sense of belonging is essential to building an Outdoors for All. AB 30 (Kalra), Chapter 939, Statutes of 2022 codified the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources.

Outdoors for All also furthers two other NRA priorities, Nature Based Solutions and 30x30, by investing in California’s public lands and natural resources. Tying it all together, Pathways to 30x30 Annual Progress Report (May 2023) notes,

By increasing both the variety and accessibility of outdoor recreation, California’s 30x30 initiative is working to enable everyone in California to enjoy and connect with nature. Seizing opportunities to expand conservation that also increase access has been a priority over the past year and will remain so going forward. The Outdoors for All strategy will guide this facet of its 30x30 work.

1. Investments in urban nature-based investments. Parks, open spaces, recreation facilities, trails, and gardens are essential community infrastructure, but, as mentioned, not all communities have access to these resources. In Los Angeles (LA) County, communities with the fewest parks often have the environmental burdens, i.e., most pollutants and other stressors that directly impact public health and well-being. In LA, people of color account for 84% of the population living in areas with highest environmental burdens. Over time, some areas of the county have accrued significant environmental burdens as the result of historic land development practices, natural resource extraction and consumption, industrial operations, transportation projects, energy production and other impacts of urbanization.

The LA County 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus identifies priority areas for environmental conservation and restoration to form the basis of a local 30x30 strategy. This assessment reimagines conservation to include both traditional efforts to acquire and protect natural lands as well as the restoration of degraded areas, such as brownfields, landfills, and oil fields. There is a special focus on lower-income communities of color, in which vulnerable populations and environmental burdens are concentrated.

The May 2023 Pathways to 30x30 California Annual Progress Report to the Legislature lists as one of the pathways to 30x30, “identify and prioritize acquisition of degraded landscapes and waterways most important to protecting biodiversity.” Work is underway on that effort through funding for restoration projects with improved information expected from the State Wildlife Action Plan scheduled to be released in 2025.

Specific actions already taken to further 30x30 in urbanized areas include the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy investment of $1.5 million in the Colorado Lagoon Open Channel Improvement Project to remove a 900 foot long culvert that runs through Marina Vista Park and replace it with a shallow earthen channel, reintroducing full tidal connectivity between Colorado Lagoon and Alamitos Bay to create 3.35 acres of new subtidal habitat and enhance 17.28 acres of existing marsh habitat at Colorado Lagoon. The project includes tree planting and other amenities to contribute to recreational benefits.

SMMC also invested $8.3 million in the River Wilderness Park (RWP) to serve as a trailhead at the northern terminus of the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, which stretches approximately 38 miles through the Los Angeles Basin and to the ocean—linking many of the region’s most underserved communities to dynamic open spaces. Construction of the RWP will include walking paths, river overlooks, extension of the San Gabriel River Bike trail, and public amenities (interpretive features, restrooms, play areas, and concessions).

The author indicates/believes there could be additional urban investments. According to the author, maps that show where land has been conserved toward 30x30 goals show that it is nearly all outside of disadvantaged, urbanized communities. Indeed, much of the Los Angeles region, including Southeast LA County, and East LA show no conserved lands. This is also true for more challenged Bay Area communities, such as Oakland, Richmond, and San Leandro.

1. Revising funding guidelines. California has various programs for creating more green space in urbanized areas. Last year, nearly $30 million was awarded through the Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention’s (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program for sustainable urban forest projects. These projects help local communities create green spaces, increase long-term benefits for surrounding communities, protect communities from extreme heat, and advance urban forest management. CAL FIRE is also in the process of awarding $117 million for green schoolyards. These programs are important for providing improving the quality of life in our urban environments, but they are not necessarily investing in the restoration of degraded areas to create new open space.

Restoration of degraded lands is typically costly, complicated, and requires time and commitment. Mapping where environmental benefits and burdens are concentrated is a critical step in reversing policies, systems, and norms that have led to pervasive open space inequities in our most diverse communities.

The 30x30 progress report notes that last year, a $97 million acquisition was finalized by the Trust for Public Land and made possible by funding from the state and other sources to secure Banning Ranch, a 387 acres of lowlands and coastal bluffs in West Newport Beach near where the Santa Ana River meets the Pacific Ocean. Over the next several years, Banning Ranch will undergo substantial clean up and limited restoration to convert former oil fields into a coastal park that can be opened to the public.

AB 2285 requires state funding agencies to allow for urban nature-based projects on degraded lands to be eligible and competitive for state funds. While nothing in current law or the Governor’s EO prohibits these investments, this bill would expressly prioritize them.

1. Committee amendments. While investments in urban environments are already occurring under 30x30, encouraging parity in funding to urban projects may not harmonize with the overarching mission of 30x30.

Giving greater consideration to urban areas as it relates to investments furthering Outdoor Access for All, however, fits more appropriately with the findings and intent of the bill.

Therefore, the Committee may wish to consider amending the bill to do the following:

• 1. Move the operative language in Sec. 2 of the bill from the 30x30 statute to the Outdoors for All statute.
  2. Require the state to recognize the co-equal goals and benefits of 30x30 and Outdoors for All and, to the extent practical, maximize investment in urban communities consistent with those initiatives.
  3. Conform the findings and declarations to the changes described above.

1. Double referral. This bill has also been referred to the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee.
2. Related legislation:

AB 2320 (Irwin) requires the NRA annual report to the Legislature on progress made to achieve the 30x30 goal to include the identification of key wildlife corridors in the state, connections between large blocks of natural areas and habitats, progress on protecting additional acres of wildlife corridors, and goals for wildlife corridor protection in the next five years. This bill has been referred to the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee.

AB 2440 (Reyes) requires NRA, in implementing the strategies to achieve the 30x30 goal, to promote and support partnering state agencies and departments, including the Department of Parks and Recreation, in the acquisition and responsible stewardship of state land. This bill has also been referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

1. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Park & Recreation Society
Southern California Golf Association

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Paige Brokaw / NAT. RES. /