Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis chaired the June meeting. The staff reports informing the Commission’s actions and the Executive Officer’s Report contain additional information about meeting actions and updates on offshore oil and gas decommissioning and wind energy, the Tijuana River transboundary pollution crisis, climate change and sea level rise preparedness, and much more.
The Commission also announced that it has appointed Dr. Matthew Dumlao, Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, as its new Executive Officer.
Summary
- Authorized 35 leases for the use of public lands and resources.
- Authorized one geophysical survey permit and one geological survey permit.
- Authorized seven bond or rent revisions and five lease amendments.
Abandoned Vessel Removal
Staff briefed the Commission about its abandoned vessel removal program and a recently concluded removal project in the Delta that is the largest single-site commercial abandoned vessel abatement and site restoration action in the Commission’s history. Staff introduced its abandoned vessel removal program staff team and highlighted its progress in the past few years, including removing or facilitating the removal of nearly 20 abandoned commercial vessels in California waterways. Staff highlighted the need for a stable funding source to continue this important work, and the Commission urged staff to try to secure funding to keep the program afloat. The Commission also authorized staff to remove and dispose of a 120-foot long abandoned sunken barge in the Delta that staff identified in a recent abandoned vessel inventory.
Enhanced Public Access: San Joaquin River
The Commission approved an Agreement that will create a 50-foot wide and nearly 5,000-feet-long easement for public access along the San Joaquin River. The public access easement will help the San Joaquin River Conservancy eventually create a new river trail for the public. Fig Garden Investments, LLC, the party to this agreement, will deposit $451,980 in the Commission’s Kapiloff Land Bank Fund as part of the agreement. The Commission can use these funds to acquire or facilitate additional public access in the future.
Highway 101: Eel River Bridge
The Commission issued a permit to Caltrans to improve public safety by seismically retrofitting a bridge that has recently experienced multiple earthquakes. The Commission also authorized Caltrans to decommission and replace a natural gas pipeline under the Eel River to accommodate the bridge retrofit.
Future Meetings and Ways to Stay Informed
The Commission’s next public meeting is on August 21. You can You can sign up to receive updates about future meetings or follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, X, and YouTube. You can watch a webcast of past meetings on Cal-Span