WHEREAS, California’s coastal waters, waterfronts, wetlands, harbors, estuaries, bays, ports, marinas, riparian areas, beaches, and agricultural resources are important environmental and economic resources of the state; and

WHEREAS, The coastal economy contributes $96 billion annually to the state; and

WHEREAS, Eighty percent of California’s 38 million residents live and work within 30 miles of the state’s coastline; and

WHEREAS, California ports, fisheries, coastal tourism, and other economically productive uses of the ocean and coastline support jobs for Californians and promote foreign trade; and

WHEREAS, Coastal agriculture contributes substantially to the food supply and is a vital part of the state’s economy; and

WHEREAS, The ecological value of healthy coastal wetlands and other endangered habitats for the fish and wildlife of California is immense; and

WHEREAS, The California coast supports numerous educational, scientific, and research activities; and

WHEREAS, The California coast offers cultural value and scenic resources for public enjoyment and recreation that contribute to the health and well-being of California residents and visitors from around the world; and

WHEREAS, The increasing and competing demands upon coastal lands and waters occasioned by population growth and economic development have resulted in adverse changes to fragile ecological systems and decreased open space for public recreation; and

WHEREAS, An innovative strategy for protecting and enhancing the coast and managing conflicts between development and coastal resource protection has been in effect on a regional scale since 1965 in the San Francisco Bay area and for the entire California coast since 1972; and

WHEREAS, The National Coastal Zone Management Program was authorized by the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1451 et seq.) to balance economic development with the need to preserve, protect, enhance, and restore the nation’s coastal resources; and

WHEREAS, The CZMA promotes coordination between the federal government and the states by encouraging coastal states to prepare coastal management programs that guide both state and federal activities affecting the coast; and

WHEREAS, California’s coastal management program is implemented by various entities within the Natural Resources Agency, including the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the California Coastal Commission, and the State Coastal Conservancy, working together and in partnership with the Ocean Protection Council, the Ocean Science Trust, the State Lands Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other public agencies and nonprofit organizations to carry out CZMA goals; and

WHEREAS, The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, established by the McAteer-Petris Act (Title 7.2 (commencing with Section 66600) of the Government Code) in 1965, plans and regulates activities in and around the San Francisco Bay and the Suisun Marsh; and

WHEREAS, The California Coastal Commission, established by voter initiative in 1972 and on a permanent basis by the Legislature in 1976, cooperates with local governments to manage the conservation and orderly development of coastal resources through a comprehensive planning and regulatory program; and

WHEREAS, The State Coastal Conservancy, established by the Legislature in 1976, complements the work of the two permitting agencies by employing nonregulatory, entrepreneurial techniques and collaboration to implement projects to preserve, protect, and restore public access, natural resources, urban waterfronts, and agricultural lands along the Pacific coast and the San Francisco Bay shoreline and its adjacent counties; and

WHEREAS, These three coastal management agencies, along with other departments of the Natural Resources Agency, are demonstrating leadership in the field of adaptation to climate change and sea level rise, which are increasingly threatening California’s coast and economy; and

WHEREAS, The state’s coastal management agencies collaborate, innovate, and work on behalf of all Californians to safeguard our coast; and

WHEREAS, Public participation is vital to the success of California’s coastal management programs; and

WHEREAS, Protection of coastal resources from the effects of sea level rise can provide valuable public benefits including, but not limited to, flood protection; improved water quality; habitat for fish, shellfish, and wildlife; recreational opportunities; enhanced quality of life; and increased economic opportunities and property values; and

WHEREAS, The state has a responsibility to manage and conserve the public trust in coastal and ocean ecosystems as well as the quality of life in coastal communities for the benefit of current and future generations; now, therefore, be it