CALIFORNIA: Lieutenant governor will head State Lands Commission
Anne C. Mulkern, E&E reporter
Greenwire: Monday, February 23, 2015
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is the new chairman of the State Lands Commission.
Democrat Newsom, who earlier this month announced he's exploring a run for governor in 2018, takes charge of the panel responsible for issuing leases and contracts for use of state lands, waters and other resources. It also oversees the management of those sites (E&ENews PM, Feb. 11).
Other members of the commission are State Controller Betty Yee (D) and Michael Cohen, Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) director of finance.
Newsom said he wants to bring a "21st-century focus" to a commission that hasn't developed a strategic plan in 18 years.
"Needless to say, a strategic plan is long overdue and it is critically important for the Commission to identify priorities within limited resources to protect, promote and enhance the state's valuable public trust and school land resources," Newsom said in a statement. "The Commission must leverage technology to manage the state's lands and resources in a more transparent and efficient way to improve project timeliness, customer service, and revenue generation."
Newsom said a strategic plan should "provide the highest level of safety and environmental protection for the lands and resources under the Commission's jurisdiction, ensure current and future uses of sovereign lands are consistent with public trust principles and values, and maximize returns in the use and development of state lands and resources."
He asked staff to bring a proposal to the commission's June meeting. He also said the commission needs to incorporate the impacts of sea-level rise and climate change, greenhouse gas reductions, and litter and marine debris within its project analyses and reviews. California aims to reduce its greenhouse gas pollution to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 80 percent below that point by 2050.
The Lands Commission oversees about 4 million acres of "sovereign lands," including beds of navigable rivers, lakes and streams, and lands extending from the shoreline to 3 miles offshore along about 1,130 miles of coastline. It also manages 5.5 million acres of "school lands," what's left of property granted to California by Congress in 1853 to benefit public education. California retains surface and mineral ownership of about 430,000 acres of those lands and mineral rights in another 790,000 acres.
Separately, the Legislature has given the commission regulatory authority over marine oil terminals. It aims to prevent oil spills and the introduction of invasive species in California waters.
