Staff
- Frank Jimenez
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(916) 319-8324
Highways and Roads, Recycling, and Toxics - Helen Kerstein
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(916) 319-8364
Air Quality, Energy, Climate Change, and High-Speed Rail - Brian Metzker
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(916) 319-8354
Forestry, Parks, and Agriculture - Sonja Petek
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(916) 319-8340
Water, Coastal Development, and Fish and Wildlife - Gökçe Sencan
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(916) 319-8329
Mass Transportation, Traffic Enforcement, Statewide Planning and Infrastructure - Rachel Ehlers
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(916) 319-8330
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Environment and Transportation
Publications
Environment and Natural Resources
To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.
The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Other Provisions
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October 16, 2025 - This post discusses features of the state's spending plan that were not covered elsewhere in the 2025-26 Spending Plan series.
The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
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October 16, 2025 - This post begins by providing an overview of total spending for the departments overseen by the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). Next, we discuss a number of cross-cutting issues that affect departments in both agencies, including Proposition 4, budget reductions, and spending from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). We then discuss individual departments that had notable budget changes within each of the two agencies.
The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Proposition 4
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October 16, 2025 - This post describes the first year of implementation funding for Proposition 4 as authorized by the 2025-26 budget package. We begin with a high-level summary, then provide an overview of each of the major Proposition 4 categories.
The 2025-26 Budget: State Mandates—Regional Water Quality Control Boards
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May 30, 2025 - In this post, we discuss the Governor's May Revision budget proposal to retroactively suspend three municipal stormwater mandates.
The 2025-26 Budget: May Revision Trailer Bill Proposals on the Delta Conveyance Project and Water Quality Control Plans
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May 27, 2025 - This post describes and raises issues for legislative consideration about two proposed trailer bills related to (1) the Delta Conveyance Project and (2) water quality control plans.
The 2025-26 Budget: Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Proposals at May Revision
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May 19, 2025 - Describes and comments on the Governor's May Revision proposals for reauthorizing the cap-and-trade program and spending Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund revenues.
Cap-and-Trade Program: Key Choices Ahead
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May 8, 2025 - Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy and Senate Environmental Quality Committee
Assessing California's Climate Policies
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May 7, 2025 - Chapter 135 of 2017 (AB 398, E. Garcia), requires our office to report annually on the economic impacts and benefits of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and on the state’s progress towards achieving those targets. (These statutory reporting requirements were amended by subsequent legislation and are contained in Health and Safety Code sections 38592.6 and 38562.2.) The list below contains the reports we have completed in response to these requirements.
Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Cap-and-Trade Reauthorization
May 7, 2025 - This report is intended to help inform legislative decision-making around reauthorization of the cap-and-trade program. It is submitted pursuant to Chapter 135 of 2017 (AB 398, Garcia), which requires our office to report annually on the economic impacts and benefits of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
The 2025-26 Budget: State Mandate—Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board
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May 5, 2025 - In this budget post, we discuss a municipal stormwater mandate issued by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board in 2009 for local governments in Orange County.
The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Current Status and Choices Ahead
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April 30, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy and Transportation
Wildfire Response and Recovery in California
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April 28, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Public Safety
Overview of State Wildfire Resilience Funding, Actions, and Considerations
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April 23, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy and Transportation
Wildfire Spending and Energy Affordability
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March 5, 2025 - Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy
Proposed Proposition 4 Spending Plan
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February 27, 2025 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy