Governor Signs Sen. Blakespear’s Legislation to Protect Habitat Conservation Fund

SB 427 preserves the Habitat Conservation Fund for another 10 years

SACRAMENTO – Legislation by Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, to extend funding to acquire, restore and enhance wildlife habitats across the state was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday.  

The legislation, SB 427, pushes the sunset date from July 1, 2030, to July 1, 2035, for the Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF), which was established under Proposition 117, the California Wildlife Protection Act passed by voters in June 1990. 

To date, the fund has protected more than 1.2 million acres of wildlife habitat throughout the state, including valuable territory and projects in San Diego and Orange counties. 

“I thank Gov. Newsom for signing SB 427 and ensuring California continues to fund preserving open spaces and wildlife habitat,” Sen. Blakespear said. “The Habitat Conservation Fund has been instrumental in protecting California’s diverse and beautiful environment, and it deserves to be extended.”

The program has funded hundreds of projects. They include the world’s largest wildlife crossing over Highway 101 in Agoura Hills, a new trails gateway into Redwood National and State Parks and an ancestral land-return project in San Bernardino County. 

The Wildlife Conservation Board has allocated $13.9 million in HCF money in Senate District 38 for projects since 1990, including $1.9 million for habitat linkages along Lusardi Creek in San Diego County, $2.2 million for the acquisition of 134 acres along Buena Vista Creek in Carlsbad and Oceanside and $1.3 million for the Trabuco Creek Fish Passage Project in south Orange County. Cities, counties and any regional park or open-space district are eligible to apply for these funds. 

Prop 117 directed $30 million to be transferred annually from the state’s General Fund into the conservation fund until 2020. In 2019, the Legislature and Governor extended the fund until 2030. The money is distributed by the Wildlife Conservation Board. 

In recent years, however, state budgetary pressures have led lawmakers to consider discontinuing the fund. Last year, the Governor initially recommended ending the General Fund transfers to the HCF six years early, but Sen. Blakespear fought the proposal and helped keep the fund intact.    

The legislation is co-sponsored by Audubon California and the National Wildlife Federation, and supported by the Planning and Conservation League and more than 90 other organizations. 

"Audubon California would like to thank Senator Blakespear for her leadership in ensuring the Habitat Conservation Fund continues to fund projects in California," said Mike Lynes, Director of Policy for Audubon California. "Since voters approved the HCF, it has been a vital and important tool in protecting California's biodiversity for future generations. We look forward to our continued partnership with the Legislature, and hope we build off the success of this year for future sessions."

“California voters in 1990 had no way of knowing just how prescient their support for creation of the Habitat Conservation Fund was when they voted yes on Prop 117,” said Beth Pratt, Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation. “Since that time, more than a billion dollars has been invested to protect more than 1.2 million acres of wildlife habitat, restoring critical ecosystems, open spaces, wildlife corridors, as well as improving public access to more than 350 local and regional parks projects across California. The Habitat Conservation Fund has a proven track record that we are glad will now continue until 2035. We are grateful to Senator Blakespear for her commitment to pursuing this important funding, which will continue to have an impact for generations. And we are thankful to Governor Newsom for signing SB 427 and his dedication to preserving California’s natural world.”

Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern San Diego County and part of southern Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website.

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