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State Lands Commission seeks $4 million for Bolsa Chica maintenance and a sea‑level rise study
Summary
The State Lands Commission requested roughly $4 million over three years to fund operation and maintenance, including dredging, at the Bolsa Chica Coastal Wetlands and $330,000 for a sea‑level rise adaptation feasibility study.
The California State Lands Commission told the Assembly subcommittee it needs funding to continue annual operation and maintenance at the Bolsa Chica Coastal Wetlands and to study sea‑level–rise adaptation for the site.
"Bolsa Chica Coastal Wetlands is the largest wetlands restoration in Southern California history," Sherry Pemberton, chief of external affairs at the State Lands Commission, said. The commission said it owns more than 1,200 acres of wetlands and that roughly $165 million has been invested in Bolsa Chica to date, including mitigation funds from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The commission said the original mitigation funding is depleted and maintenance needs — particularly dredging to keep the inlet open — are ongoing and essential to preserve habitat.
The commission requested roughly $4 million over the next three fiscal years for operations, maintenance and dredging and $330,000 for a sea‑level rise adaptation feasibility study. Commission staff told the subcommittee Bolsa Chica is uniquely vulnerable because portions of the site sit below mean sea level after historic oil operations and subsidence.
Legislative concerns and questions: members asked whether prior operators or oil interests retain any liability for subsidence or ongoing maintenance; the commission said it would review the acquisition and legal history and provide the committee with information. LAO staff told the committee the request appears to be a state obligation and had no objections to the request.
Why it matters: the commission warned that without maintenance the inlet could close, causing "catastrophic losses to wildlife habitat" and added liability for the state. The requested feasibility study would evaluate adaptation measures to protect habitat, infrastructure and surrounding neighborhoods from flooding.
What’s next: commission staff agreed to provide additional legal and liability information regarding the state's obligations and any prior transfers of liability. The committee indicated it will consider the maintenance request alongside other bond allocations and asked for follow‑up documentation on legal responsibility and long‑term sustainment options.
Speakers quoted in this article addressed Bolsa Chica maintenance and related legal and funding questions.
