The Newsom administration has released draft plans for conserving land under a 30x30 initiative and climate strategies for natural and working lands. Yet Assemblymem Steve Bennett of Ventura and other lawmakers struggled for details this week on how agencies will implement the plans.
“If we're shooting blanks,” said Bennett, “we can't really help the administration.”
As chair of a budget subcommittee reviewing the funding proposals, Asm. Richard Bloom of Santa Monica expressed his frustration in evaluating more than $2 billion for a climate resilience package “without having at least a hint of where [the administration] wants to go with this.”
The package would include $768 million for multibenefit and nature-based solutions, $600 million for sea level rise and $500 million for extreme heat programs, involving more than 20 state agencies.
Bennett, however, recognized this familiar push-pull always exists to a certain degree between the two branches, especially early in the budget season.
