Ocean Protection Council Meeting – September 30, 2025 – Teleconference and Public Forum
OPC Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hybrid Meeting
California Natural Resources Agency Headquarters Auditorium
715 P Street, Sacramento, California 95814
Please register to join the meeting via Zoom or by phone.
OPC is committed to ensuring our public meetings are accessible. Members of the public can participate by providing written and oral comment on Council matters. For public participation in OPC virtual meetings, view the instructions and see below.
This is a hybrid meeting. Councilmembers Alexis Jackson, Assemblymember Dawn Addis, and Senator Ben Allen are scheduled to participate remotely, consistent with Government Code section 11123.5.
Agenda
Print Agenda (PDF)
Webcast Recording (YouTube)
Summary
1. Welcome, Introductions, and Council Member Updates
Secretary Crowfoot, Council Chair
2. Update from Executive Director
Jenn Eckerle, Executive Director
3. Update from the Science Advisor
Liz Whiteman, Ph.D., Executive Director, Ocean Science Trust
4. Informational Item: 2025 Summer Internship Program
OPC Summer Interns: Kiani Baetsle, Anne Larson, Kate Robinson, Paige Thionnet, and Jacob Wagner
Advancing Strategic Plan Goal 1: Safeguard Coastal and Marine Ecosystems and Communities in the Face of Climate Change
5. Informational and Action Items: Sea Level Rise Adaptation
(Strategic Plan Objective 1.1: Build Resiliency to Sea-Level Rise, Coastal Storms, Erosion, and Flooding)
5a. Informational Item: San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan
Danielle Flanagan, Climate Adaptation Planning Specialist, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
Justine Kimball, Ph.D., Senior Climate Change Program Manager
5b. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds for the Senate Bill 1 (SB 1)
Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program
Megan Williams, Coastal Resilience Program Manager
5c. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Competitive Solicitation for Track 2 Implementation Projects under the SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program
Olivia Won, Coastal Resilience Sea Grant Fellow
6. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds for Competitive Solicitation for Research Related to Ocean Acidification, Hypoxia, and Harmful Algal Blooms
(Strategic Plan Objective 1.2 Minimize Causes and Impacts of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia)
Kyla Kelly, Ph.D., Water Quality Program Manager
Advancing Strategic Plan Goal 2: Advance Equity Across Ocean and Coastal Policies and Actions
7. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds for Tribal and Environmental Justice Small Grants
(Strategic Plan Objective 2.1: Enhance Engagement with Tribes; Objective 2.2: Enhance Engagement with Underserved Communities)
Maria Rodriguez, Climate and Environmental Justice Program Manager
Hallie Brown, Biodiversity Sea Grant Fellow
Advancing Strategic Plan Goal 3: Enhance Coastal and Marine Biodiversity
8. Informational Item: Evaluation Criteria for 30×30 Conservation Areas in California’s Coastal Waters
(Strategic Plan Objective 3.1: Protect and Restore Coastal and Marine Ecosystems)
Michael Esgro, Senior Biodiversity Program Manager
9. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds for Sunflower Sea Star Reintroduction
(Strategic Plan Objective 3.1: Protect and Restore Coastal and Marine Ecosystems; Objective 3.2: Restore and Protect Kelp Ecosystems)
Pike Spector, Biodiversity Program Manager
Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items & Meeting Close
10. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
11. Arrangements for Next Meeting and Adjournment
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
CNRA Auditorium and Zoom participation available.
Notes: Agenda items may be re-ordered at the discretion of the Council Chair.
Providing Public Comment:
Written Comments: Written comments should be sent to COPCpublic@resources.ca.gov by 12:00 p.m. on September 29, 2025. Please include the item number in the email subject line. If you are writing with a general comment, please include a brief title for your comment.
Oral Comments: For each item on the agenda and at the end of the public meeting on non-agenda items, the OPC Chair will ask whether there are any requests for public comment. If you are participating via Zoom and want to provide oral comments on a specific agenda item, you will need to “Raise your hand” during the Zoom meeting. *If calling into the meeting from a telephone, you can use “Pound (#) 2” to raise/ lower your hand.
Once your hand is raised and it is your turn to speak, the meeting facilitator will unmute you, announce your name, and you will be able to make your public comment to the Council. *Depending on how you have called in, you may also need to unmute yourself.
A speaker’s time allotment for a specific agenda item is at the discretion of the Chair but generally limited to two minutes. It is strongly recommended, though not required, that public comments be submitted in writing beforehand so they can be distributed to all Council members for review prior to the meeting. After your public comment, your hand will be lowered and you will be placed back on mute.
Questions about the meeting or agenda can be directed to Kaitlyn Kalua, Deputy Director, Kaitlyn.Kalua@resources.ca.gov.
Any person who has a disability and requires accommodation to participate in this council meeting should contact Ms. Kalua no later than five days prior to the meeting.