June 20, 2025
The Honorable Monique Limon
Chair, Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
1021 O Street, Room 3220
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 996 (Pellerin) Public Resources: sea level rise plans.
Notice of SUPPORT (As Amended May 23, 2025)
Dear Senator Limon,
The League of California Cities (Cal Cities), the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), and the following cities and counties are pleased to support AB 996 (Pellerin), which would provide local governments tools as they develop plans that incorporate the best available science to mitigate and adapt to impacts of sea level rise.
In 2023, SB 272 (Laird) was chaptered into law, which requires coastal and bay cities and counties to develop sea level rise plans by 2034 and receive approval from the state in both the bay area and the coastal zone. Bay jurisdictions are tasked with developing sub-regional shoreline adaptation plans for approval by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and coastal jurisdictions are required to incorporate the sea level rise plan into their local coastal programs (LCPs) for approval by the California Coastal Commission (Commission). For the coastal cities and counties, their LCPs are comprised of a Land Use Plan and Implementation Plan and when they receive certification from the Commission, the local government retains its permitting authority for coastal development permits (CDPs).
AB 996 would provide supportive tools for local governments in the development of a sea level rise plan. The bill would provide that existing sea level rise information or plans Attachment 2
that a local government has prepared may satisfy one or all of the components of the sea level rise plans. Some coastal cities and counties have done extensive work to assess sea level rise vulnerability. This provision would clarify that a local government does not need to do duplicative planning, if the existing materials can satisfy the sea level rise plan requirements. The bill would also create an early consultation process for the cities and counties in the coastal zone to engage and consult with the Commission, about the preparation of new or amended LCPs to ensure formal submission of sea level rise plan materials are sufficient for a complete review. Early consultation is intended to provide enhanced communication between the Commission and local governments and provides opportunity for the Commission to written recommendations to local governments to ensure an efficient and timely submission and approval processes.
For these reasons, Cal Cities, CSAC, and the following cities and counties support AB 996 (Pellerin) and respectfully requests your ‘aye’ vote when the bill is heard in committee. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the sponsor of the bill, Cal Cities Environmental Quality Legislative Advocate Melissa Sparks-Kranz at [email protected] at 916-658-8232.
Sincerely,
League of California Cities (sponsor)
California State Association of Counties
City of Arcata
City of San Rafael
City of Pismo Beach
City of Suisun City
City of Petaluma
City of Santa Barbara
City of South San Francisco
City of Milpitas
City of Mountain View
City of Fairfield
City of Benicia
City of Sunnyvale
The Town of Corte Madera
City of Pacifica
City of Redondo Beach
City of Newark
City of Long Beach
City of Carlsbad
City of Manhattan Beach
City of Marina
City of Santa Cruz
cc: The Honorable Gail Pellerin
Members, Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
Attachment 2