Coastal resources: Climate Ready Program: grants: nonnative and invasive plants: removal and restoration.

Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the State Coastal Conservancy. Existing law establishes the Climate Ready Program, administered by the conservancy, in order to address the impacts and potential impacts of climate change on resources within the conservancy's jurisdiction. As part of the program, existing law authorizes the conservancy to award grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for specified activities, including those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Existing law requires the conservancy, in awarding the grants, to prioritize projects that maximize public benefits and that accomplish certain things, including that the project reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, reduces hazards to harbors and ports, preserves and enhance coastal wetlands and natural lands, conserves biodiversity, and provides recreational opportunities. This bill would specifically authorize the conservancy to award grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations that increase resilience of habitat and natural lands. The bill would require the conservancy, in awarding grants, as part of the prioritization of projects described above, to include those projects that accomplish the removal of nonnative and invasive plants from coastal features, habitats, and ecosystems, and their replacement with native plant species, upon appropriation. The bill would authorize the conservancy to consult, as needed, with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Invasive Species Council of California, and other entities in determining the invasive status of any species.