In a joint letter this week, RCRC and CSAC expressed concerns about Assembly Bill 3030, as amended on July 21, 2020. Authored by Assembly Member Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), AB 3030 articulates conservation goals of the state, including the protection of 30 percent of land and water resources by 2030. To the extent that this accelerates additional land and water resources being placed in public ownership, it raises the concern that property tax receipts would be further reduced in the impacted counties, thereby reducing General Fund revenues for those local jurisdictions. A number of RCRC/CSAC counties are already over 90 percent publicly-owned.
Along with the financial concern, RCRC and CSAC expressed that adding to the conservation goals requires an up-to-date inventory of lands currently held in state and federal ownership, in order to understand the biodiversity needs and how best to augment them. Establishing a baseline would allow for development of appropriate metrics to achieve improvements. These efforts require the designation of a lead agency, most suitably the California Natural Resources Agency, to manage the implementation and be responsible for achieving the goals of the legislation. Additionally, there is a need to ensure proper stewardship of the lands, including the visitor facilities that service the lands, in order to avoid degradation of our natural resources.
Presently, it is unclear how current land and water conservation program criteria are incorporated in the measure. Additional information is also needed about state funding requirements. RCRC and CSAC have requested the author’s consideration of amendments to address all of these concerns. Read the joint letter here.