California Rangeland, Grazing Land, and Grassland Protection Program.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify how the $90 million will be divided among different projects or landowners, leaving this detail uncertain.

California Rangeland Protection Program

This law provides $90 million in bond funds to the Wildlife Conservation Board for grants to protect California's rangelands, grazing lands, and grasslands through conservation easements.

What This Bill Does

• Appropriates $90 million from Proposition 4 bond funds to the Wildlife Conservation Board for grants under the California Rangeland, Grazing Land, and Grassland Protection Program.
• Grants are awarded to eligible entities to acquire conservation easements on privately owned land that supports food and fiber production and ecosystem services such as wildfire fuel reduction, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat, and scenic open space.
• Requires grantees to use the grant funds by June 30, 2029, to purchase and record conservation easements properly.
• Authorizes the Wildlife Conservation Board to partner with certified land trusts from the USDA.

Who It Names or Affects

• Landowners who own rangeland, grazing land, or grassland in California
• Nonprofit organizations that help protect natural areas
• State and local agencies involved in conservation efforts

Terms To Know

Conservation easement

A legal agreement where a landowner agrees to limit certain uses of their property to protect its natural features.

Wildlife Conservation Board

An agency that helps protect wildlife and natural habitats in California.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the $90 million will be divided among different projects or landowners.
• It is unclear which specific certified land trusts from the USDA will partner with the Wildlife Conservation Board.
• Details on how conservation easements are recorded and enforced are not provided in this law.

Official Summary Text

AB 2627, as introduced, Hart.
California Rangeland, Grazing Land, and Grassland Protection Program.
Existing law establishes the California Rangeland, Grazing Land, and Grassland Protection Program to protect California’s rangeland, grazing land, and grasslands through the use of conservation easements, for specified purposes. Existing law authorizes, under the program, funds to be expended by the Wildlife Conservation Board for the acquisition of conservation easements over qualified property, as defined, and authorizes the board to make grants of funds to a state agency, local public agency, or nonprofit organization for the acquisition of conservation easements over qualified property.
The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, approved by the voters as Proposition 4 at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000
pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands, park creation and outdoor access, and clean air programs. The act makes available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, $870,000,000 to the board for grant programs to protect and enhance fish and wildlife resources and habitat and achieve the state’s biodiversity, public access, and conservation goals.
This bill would appropriate, from the above-described bond funds made available to the board, $90,000,000 to the board to award under the program as grants to eligible entities, as defined, to acquire conservation easements on privately owned qualified property that supports food and fiber production and ecosystem services, including
wildfire fuel reduction, groundwater recharge, wildlife habitat, and scenic open space. The bill would require, on or before June 30, 2029, a grantee to expend the grant funds to acquire a conservation easement and record the conservation easement. The bill would authorize the board to partner with, and receive funds from, land trusts that are certified by the United States Department of Agriculture, as provided.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF