In July 2018, the Open Space Authority’s Board of Directors voted to endorse Proposition 3. Proposition 3 would authorize $8.8 billion in general obligation bonds for state and local parks, environmental protection and restoration projects, water infrastructure projects, and flood protection projects. The Water Supply and Water Quality Act of 2018 will appear on the November 2018 statewide ballot.
Proposition 3 includes grant funding for watershed and open space projects for which the Authority would apply. These funds could help facilitate the completion of the following Authority projects:
- Coyote Valley: land acquisitions
- North Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve: land acquisitions and conservation easements
- Santa Cruz Mountains: land acquisitions and restoration
Specific Environmental Funding Allocations for the Bay Area
- $500,000,000 for flood management, including $200,000,000 to the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority for wetlands restoration, and $300,000,000 to the Department of Water Resources and the Central Valley Flood Board for surface flood control projects throughout the state.
- $100,000,000 to the San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program of the Coastal Conservancy for the protection and restoration of watersheds.
- $70,000,000 to the California Natural Resources Agency for California River Parkways and an additional $10,000,000 to the Coastal Conservancy specifically for the Guadalupe River Parkway.
- $300,000,000 to the Wildlife Conservation Board for land acquisitions, protection and restoration of oak woodlands, and Natural Community Conservation Plans (NCCP’s) where these lands contribute to capture of surface and/or groundwater.
- $60,000,000 to the Department of Conservation for watershed restoration and conservation projects on agricultural lands, rangelands, managed wetlands, and forested lands.
- $20,000,000 to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for grants for urban forestry projects.
- $20,000,000 to the Department of Parks and Recreation for projects that provide access to rivers for non-motorized recreation, and for grants to eligible entities as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 86166 for this purpose.
- $100,000,000 to the Wildlife Conservation Board to improve the quality of public and private rangelands, wildlands, meadows, wetlands, riparian areas and aquatic areas for the purpose of increasing groundwater recharge and water supply from those lands.
For complete information on Proposition 3, visit the Ballotpedia website here.
