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Panel advances bill allowing Coastal Commission to consider blue carbon in mitigation and authorize demonstration projects
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Summary
AB 399 would let the California Coastal Commission include blue carbon sequestration in mitigation decisions and authorize demonstration projects to test or scale such mitigation.
Assemblymember Burner presented AB 399 to authorize the California Coastal Commission to add carbon sequestration considerations for mitigation and to allow blue carbon demonstration projects where feasible.
The author said coastal wetlands and seagrasses can sequester far more carbon per area than many terrestrial systems and argued that the Coastal Commission should be able to require or approve mitigation that recognizes that value. "AB 399 will ensure that blue carbon ecosystems are protected by allowing the California Coastal Commission to require demonstration projects … and will add to the rapidly growing research in the field of blue carbon," the author said.
Supporters included Wildcoast, the Port of San Diego, Sierra Club California and others. Katie O'Donnell of Wildcoast described blue carbon ecosystems as "nature's carbon sponges" and cited preliminary research showing coastal wetlands can store significantly more carbon than inland grasslands.
Opposition or concerns came from business groups including the California Business Properties Association and the California Chamber of Commerce, which urged amendments to limit new authority, fee mechanisms, and ensure accountability. The author and supporters said the measure targets impacts where a nexus exists and would apply mainly to coastal-dependent uses covered under Coastal Act section 30233; the author offered to work with opponents on clarifying language.
The committee voted to refer AB 399 as amended to Appropriations; members signaled interest in technical fixes to address business concerns while retaining the bill's intent to protect blue carbon habitats.
