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Environment and Natural Resources

Budgets and Spending

California’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agencies oversee the activities of about 40 state departments, boards, and conservancies whose missions are to protect and restore the state’s natural and environmental resources and to ensure public health and environmental quality. The 2021-22 budget provides about $22 billion for these activities from a combination of the General Fund, special funds, bond funds, and federal funds.

Natural Resources Budget Summary

(Dollars in Millions)


2019‑20
Actual

2020‑21
Estimated

2021‑22
Enacted

Change From 2020‑21

Amount

Percent

Total

$7,143

$10,663

$11,974

$1,310

12%

By Department

Forestry and Fire Protection

$2,024

$2,900

$2,582

‑$318

‑11%

Water Resources

804

2,303

2,245

‑58

‑3

Parks and Recreation

868

1,266

1,697

431

34

Energy Commission

502

811

1,320

509

63

General obligation bond debt service

1,057

1,300

1,309

9

1

Fish and Wildlife

590

549

816

267

49

Natural Resources Agency

396

304

394

89

29

State Lands Commission

85

51

343

292

576

Wildlife Conservation Board

165

339

338

‑1

Conservation

126

232

241

9

4

Conservation Corps

158

156

158

2

1

Coastal Conservancy

111

74

75

1

1

Coastal Commission

29

27

71

44

164

Sierra Nevada Conservancy

42

33

69

36

109

Tahoe Conservancy

13

29

52

24

84

Othera

173

289

262

‑27

‑9

By Funding Source

General Fund

$3,836

$5,033

$8,659

$3,626

72%

Special funds

1,823

2,081

1,719

‑362

‑17

Bond funds

1,244

3,256

1,030

‑2,226

‑68

Federal funds

240

294

565

272

93

aIncludes certain state conservancies and other departments.

For more information, see The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

Environmental Protection Budget Summary

(Dollars in Millions)


2019‑20
Actual

2020‑21
Estimated

2021‑22
Enacted

Change From 2020‑21

Amount

Percent

Total

$6,900

$6,140

$9,694

$3,554

58%

By Department

Water Resources Control Board

$2,723

$1,065

$3,937

$2,872

270%

Air Resources Board

1,552

677

2,940

2,264

335

CalRecycle

2,173

3,905

1,796

‑2,109

‑54

Toxic Substances Control

301

338

815

477

141

Pesticide Regulation

105

112

139

28

25

CalEPA

20

16

35

19

117

OEHHA

24

24

27

3

12

General obligation bond debt service

3

3

4

1

22

By Funding Source

General Fund

$775

$2,495

$3,240

$745

30%

Special funds

4,318

3,248

5,067

1,819

56

Bond funds

1,451

32

17

‑15

‑47

Federal funds

356

365

1,370

1,005

276

CalRecycle = California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery; CalEPA = California Environmental Prot3ection Agency; and OEHHA = Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

Resources and Environmental Budget “Packages” Included in 2021‑22 Budget

(Dollars In Millions)

 

Package

2021‑22

2022‑23

2023‑24

Totals

Drought and Water Resilience

$3,269

$880

$500

$4,649

Zero‑Emission Vehicle

2,732

660

515

3,907

Wildfire and Forest Resilience

988

988

Sustainable Agriculture

683

425

1,108

Climate Resilience

369

2,090

1,230

3,689

Outdoors for All

256

256

Energy

172

172

Circular Economy

75

65

140

Totals

$8,544

$4,119

$2,245

$14,908

Percent General Fund

82%

100%

100%

90%

For more information, see the Spending Plan reports for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and the California Department of Food and Agriculture


Last Updated: October 2021

LAO Staff Contacts

Rachel Ehlers
(916) 319-8330
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Environment and Transportation
 
Sarah Cornett
(916) 319-8329
Air Quality, Energy, Recycling, and Climate Change
 
Frank Jimenez
(916) 319-8324
Highways and Roads, Recycling, Agriculture, and Toxics
 
Helen Kerstein
(916) 319-8364
Forestry, Parks, and High Speed Rail
 
Eunice Roh
(916) 319-8327
Mass Transportation, Traffic Enforcement, Statewide Planning and Infrastructure
Sonja Petek
(916) 319-8340
Water, Coastal Development, and Fish and Wildlife