The State Controller, our Chair for this year, chaired the Commission’s first meeting of 2026. The staff reports informing the Commission’s actions and the Executive Officer’s Report contain additional information and updates on offshore oil and gas decommissioning projects, the development of a new strategic plan, offshore wind energy development, and much more.
Summary
- Authorized 57 leases for the use of public lands and resources.
- Authorized two bond and rent revisions.
- Authorized four lease assignments.
- Approved two general offshore geophysical survey permits for surveys in state marine waters.
- Approved one non-exclusive geological survey permit involving the San Joaquin River.
Marine Invasive Species Prevention
The Commission amended its Marine Invasive Species Program enforcement regulations to expand its penalty authority to apply to operators who do not comply with ballast water performance standards and biofouling management requirements. The amendments also improve the Commission’s penalty assessment process and are designed to prevent non-compliance and protect state waters from invasive species introductions.
City of Del Mar Bridge Replacement / Public Access Improvements
The Camino Del Mar Bridge Replacement Project is to replace a bridge over the San Dieguito River adjacent to North Beach. The new bridge will have bike lanes, bike lane buffers, and sidewalks, enhancing public access to the coast. The Commission authorized a lease amendment to facilitate the bridge replacement.
Kelp Forest Recovery
Kelp forests are vanishing along California’s coast because of warming waters and heat waves. The Commission issued a lease to the Greater Farallones Association for a kelp restoration project and a hydrodynamics study, including the installation of seven data-collection mooring buoys and study grids. The project is intended to restore resilient kelp habitat by establishing kelp forests along California’s north coast, which improves fishery conditions, ecosystems, and coastal resilience to climate change.
Feather and Yuba Rivers
The Commission issued a lease to the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency to dredge 250,000 cubic yards of sediment at the confluence of the Yuba and Feather rivers. The dredging is necessary to ameliorate sediment that has hampered public safety, limited public access to the rivers, and impeded fish passage. The dredging will occur this summer and take two seasons to complete.
Sand Mining
The Commission authorized leases in the San Francisco Bay and Delta to mine sand, gravel, and rock, and certified an associated Supplemental Environmental Impact Report. The leases are for 10 years. As part of its approval, the Commission imposed the following conditions: royalty audits at years three and six; a review at year three to ensure that the Commission fully realizes the appropriate royalty; that staff provide an informational update in three years on the status of sand mining and the science informing it; and require the lessee to start the lease renewal process, should the applicants wish to renew, at year seven of their 10 year lease.
Future Meetings and Ways to Stay Informed
The Commission’s next public meeting is on April 7, 2026. You can sign up to receive updates about future meetings or follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, X, or YouTube. You can watch a webcast of past meetings on Cal-Span.