Updates from the June 4, 2024 Council Meeting

The June 4, 2024 Ocean Protection Council (OPC) meeting included investments and informational updates on all four of the Council’s strategic plan goals to address climate change, advance equity, conserve marine biodiversity, and support a sustainable blue economy. Key actions included adoption of updated science and policy guidance to build resilience to sea level rise across California’s coast, as well as investments in sea level rise adaptation planning and implementation projects and efforts to address potential impacts from offshore wind development in California.

During the meeting, the Council unanimously passed several significant action items supporting OPC’s strategic goals: 

2024 Science and Policy Update for the State’s Sea Level Rise Guidance: Adoption of updated science and policy recommendations that will help California coastal communities and ecosystems build resilience to the impacts of sea level rise.
Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program: Up to $5,614,785 to seven local entities to support sea level rise adaption planning and implementation through OPC’s Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program.
Offshore Wind: Up to $397,000 to the California Fishermen’s Resiliency Association to support continued engagement by fishermen to inform offshore wind development, and up to $500,000 to Merkel and Associates to conduct high-resolution surveys and develop a model for eelgrass habitat in Humboldt Bay, providing important data to support habitat protection and inform offshore wind port development.

The meeting also included informational items highlighting the following:

Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Grant Program: OPC announced $1 million in awards through California’s Tribal Nature-Based Solutions (TNBS) Program to Kai Poma, a tribal non-profit representing 3 tribes, and to the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini (ytt) Northern Chumash Nonprofit representing the ytt Northern Chumash Tribe in support of tribal stewardship projects on California’s coast.  
30×30 Decision-Making Framework for Coastal Waters: The release of the draft decision-making framework for evaluating candidate 30×30 conservation areas in coastal waters, informed by the 30×30 Technical Advisory Panel, will launch a 120-day public comment period concurrent with a 120-day tribal consultation period.
Status Update on Offshore Wind Development in California: This item included an overview of the draft Assembly Bill 525 Strategic Plan for Offshore Wind Development and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s leasing process.

At the meeting, Executive Director Jenn Eckerle welcomed one new staff member, Katie Cieri, OPC’s Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Program Manager, who had previously served as one of OPC’s 2023 Sea Grant Fellows. Director Eckerle also thanked Yi-Hui Wang for her contributions and expertise on OPC’s offshore wind efforts over the last two years. Read the Executive Director’s Report for other program updates and relevant coastal and ocean-related bills tracked by OPC staff during the recent legislative session.

View the full June agenda and associated documents on the meeting webpage. The recording is also available:

The next OPC Quarterly Public Meeting is Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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