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RCA staff warns state cuts and presses Congress for Section 6 land-acquisition funding
Summary
RCA staff told the board that Governor Newsom's budget proposal would eliminate 164 vacant CDFW positions, risking permit and enforcement capacity needed to implement the MSHCP, and described RCA advocacy for SB 1250 and federal requests to boost Section 6 funding for land acquisition.
Andrew, RCA staff member, told the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority on May 4 that Governor Gavin Newsom's January budget proposal would permanently eliminate 164 vacant positions at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), a change that could affect permitting and program support for the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP).
The update outlined that the Joint Legislative Budget Committee opposes cutting 77 of those positions—including three tied to Endangered Species Act permitting, 12 for streambed and lake alteration activities, and positions for oil-spill prevention and wildlife enforcement—and warned that the positions nevertheless remain at risk as the budget process continues. "If filled, these positions would support permitting activities related to implementation of the MSHCP," Andrew said.
Why it matters: The RCA relies on state and federal permitting and enforcement capacity to implement habitat conservation commitments. Andrew said RCA, in coordination with the California HCP Coalition, provided comments supporting preservation of those roles during an Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing and that staff will continue to monitor and advocate as the process moves through the Legislature.
Andrew also described state and federal advocacy on connectivity and funding. He said RCA submitted a letter of support for Senate Bill 1250 by Sen. Dave Cortese, which seeks to include wildlife connectivity in routine transportation planning. On the federal side, RCA requested two programmatic increases for the Section 6 HCP land-acquisition program: an annual authorization of $100,000,000 (up from current appropriation levels Andrew cited at $26,000,000) and a $10,000,000 discretionary allocation above FY2026 levels targeted to HCPs with federal commitments. Andrew said the requests build on prior appropriations language asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to meet commitments to large programmatic HCPs such as the MSHCP and that staff will keep the board apprised as appropriations work proceeds.
Board members responded that securing federal and state support remains difficult but important for long-term conservation. RCA staff said they will continue meetings with congressional offices and the Department of the Interior to press the requests and report back to the board.
