State Coastal Conservancy awards four local coastal protection projects funds

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The State Coastal Conservancy Board authorized nearly $78 million for 34 separate projects along the California Coast including four on the Southern Central Coast.

All of these projects revolve around restoring coastal lands, increasing coastal resilience to climate change and wildfires, and improving public access.

“Our California coast is under growing threat from climate change and we must respond accordingly,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “This historic amount of grant funding will empower partners to protect communities and restore natural systems along our coast."

Two of those projects are in San Luis Obispo County:

• A grant of up to $1,261,472 was awarded to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Program to restore around 45 acres of coastal wetland and dune scrub habitat at the Black Lake Ecological Area
• A grant up to $910,000 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to acquire a conservation easement over the 736 acre Warren Ranch located in the upper San Simeon and Santa Rosa Creek watersheds

One of those projects is up to $2,680,000 for the City of Santa Barbara to prepare technical studies, feasibility reports, and community outreach for adapting waterfront areas that are at-risk due to sea level rise as well as prepare conceptual designs and environmental review documents for wastewater relocation and broader water system infrastructure within the city limits.

One of the largest project awards is a grant up to $16,200,000 to the City of San Buenaventura (Ventura) to construct Phase 2 of the Surfers Point Managed Retreat Project, a sea level rise adaptation project that relocates existing infrastructure landward and restores beach dune habitat in their place.

The State Coastal Conservancy was established in 1976 to protect and improve natural lands and waterways. The organization is a non-regulatory agency that supports projects that protect coastal resources.

For more information, visit scc.ca.gov.