The passage of the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002 made $940 million available to the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) for purposes described below.  Applications for project funding are accepted on a continuous basis.  The Board meets every three months for the purpose of considering proposals.  Meetings are held in February, May, August and November, unless otherwise specified.

The specific breakdown of funding from the Bond Act for WCB is as follows:

Eligible Recipients:  Federal, state, and local governmental agencies, and non-profit conservation organizations.

Eligible Projects:  Acquisition of fee or conservation easements by the Board or for grants to protect regional water quality, protect and enhance fish and wildlife habitat, and to assist local public agencies in improving regional water supply reliability.

Note:  All funding available under this category has either been allocated by WCB or appropriated by the Legislature.  There is no available funding remaining under this category

Eligible Recipients:  Federal, state, and local governmental agencies, and non-profit conservation organizations.

Eligible Projects:  Acquisition, protection and restoration of land and water resources necessary to meet state obligation for regulatory requirements related to California's allocation of water supplies from the Colorado River.  Funds cannot be used for regulatory mitigation obligations of private parties.

Note:  These funds must be appropriated by the Legislature. Approximately $37.4 million has already been appropriated and approved by the WCB under this category.

Eligible Recipients:  Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Baldwin Hills Conservancy, State Coastal Conservancy, other state, federal, and local governmental agencies, and non-profit conservation organizations.

Eligible Projects:  Acquisition, protection and restoration of coastal wetlands, upland areas adjacent to coastal wetlands, and coastal watershed lands.  Subject lands must be in or adjacent to urban areas.

Eligible projects are limited to:

(1) Acquisition, protection and restoration of coastal wetlands:

• Listed for protection in the Southern California Coastal Wetlands Inventory as of January 1, 2001;
• Located within the coastal zone;
• Other wetlands connected and proximate to coastal wetlands;
• Uplands areas adjacent and proximate to coastal wetlands; or
• Listed for protection in the San Francisco Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Report and upland areas adjacent to the identified wetlands.

(2) Acquisition, protection and restoration of coastal watershed and adjacent lands located in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.  Projects within Santa Monica Mountains Zone or Baldwin Hills area shall be funded via grants to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or the Baldwin Hills Conservancy.

• A minimum of $300,000,000 of the $750 million shall be expended within Los Angeles and Ventura counties.  Priority shall be given to acquisition of 100 acres of upland mesa areas, including wetlands, adjacent to the Bolsa Chica wetlands in Orange County.
• No more than $200,000,000 of the $750 million may be expended for projects in the San Francisco Bay area and may be expended via a grant to the State Coastal Conservancy.

Note:  These funds are continuously appropriated.   The $300 million minimum funding requirement for Los Angeles and Ventura County was accomplished by the WCB in 2003. The major projects of note included the Ahmanson Ranch and Ballona Wetlands  acquisitions.   For the Bay Area funds approximately $169.2 million has already been approved and allocated by the WCB for projects, including $40 million in grants to the State Coastal Conservancy.

Of the remaining $250,000,000 that was not specifically allocated under this category, approximately $180 million has been approved for projects. The WCB has received and is currently evaluating a substantial number of new projects to be funded with the remainder of these funds. The WCB will continue to accept and consider new project proposals until all funds are exhausted.

The figures and information provided above are current as of December 1, 2007.  For more information on proposal and applications, return to home page and click on appropriate program, or contact the Wildlife Conservation Board at (916) 445-8448.