(Sacramento) − The California State Lands Commission announced today that it adopted its five year strategic plan on December 18, 2015. The Plan, the culmination of robust stakeholder input and collaboration, will guide the Commission’s stewardship of public lands and resources, including meeting challenges such as adapting to sea-level rise, addressing climate change, and promoting public access.
“This strategic plan ensures that today’s decisions are made with an eye to the future. It leverages technology, invites renewable energy development, and outlines an investment plan for the School Land Bank Fund, said Lt. Governor and Commission Chair Gavin Newsom. “Perhaps most importantly, it incorporates the impacts of sea-level rise and climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and litter and marine debris within its future project analyses and reviews.”
This strategic plan positions the Commission as a leader in land and resource management, prioritizing transparency within the Commission’s practices and operations, and setting the highest levels of safety and environmental protection for the resources under its jurisdiction. It also calls for leveraging technology to increase public engagement and to be more efficient and responsive in all facets of its work.
“This plan is truly stakeholder driven; it is a living document that will guide the Commission’s work through 2020,” said State Controller and Commission Member Betty Yee, who will chair the Commission in even-numbered years. “The integration of technology and emphasis on partnerships are critical elements of this plan, and it is a plan we can be proud of.”
The Commission manages hundreds of thousands of acres of state-owned lands and resources. Its primary functions are to issue leases for use of these lands and resources, as well as to prevent oil spills at offshore platforms and marine oil terminals and protect state waters from marine invasive species introductions. This plan enables the Commission to adapt to emerging challenges, while creating a meaningful and rich framework to effectuate state policy goals, promote public access, and enforce the protections of the Public Trust Doctrine.
The Commission and its staff are committed to rolling up their sleeves and diligently working to implement the goals and strategies in this strategic plan, continuing to be a model of effective, nimble government, providing the highest levels of stewardship and transparency, and embracing public engagement. The Commission’s Strategic Plan is available on its website at www.slc.ca.gov.
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