The 2026-27 Budget: Permitting Support at the State Water Resources Control Board

Mar 2, 2026 - Supreme Court Decision in 2023 Narrowed Federal Jurisdiction … A 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision — Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( Sackett ) —narrowed the definition of WOTUS. The ruling limits federal jurisdiction to relatively permanent bodies of water and to wetlands that have a continuous surface connection to WOTUS.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5144

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Elimination of State Environmental Positions

Feb 17, 2026 - The final budget agreement instead eliminated fewer positions (4,994) and provided the Legislature additional time to review 1,009 additional positions which we refer to as “residual: ” (1)  those associated with implementing legislation chaptered in 2022 and 2023 across numerous departments, and (2)  all of those in nine specified departments which we highlight in Figure  1.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5124

New Infrastructure Legislation: Summary and Issues for Legislative Oversight

Aug 8, 2023 - Key Components of Infrastructure Legislation Package The final package includes six pieces of legislation —five policy bills and portions of one budget trailer bill —aimed at expediting various types of infrastructure projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4785

The 2026-27 Budget: Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation Proposals

Mar 19, 2026 - In 2023, the Legislature approved the administration ’s request to transition most of the office ’s employees to traditional civil service status, which required standardization of various processes such as hiring and employee classifications.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5167

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Resources and Environmental Protection

Sep 12, 2024 - In addition, the budget delays the final payment on loan that was made in 2020 ‑21 from the Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund to the General Fund. The final $51  million was supposed to be repaid from the General Fund to the special fund in 2024 ‑25 and is now scheduled for 2025 ‑26.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4928

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2025 - Since 2023 ‑24, the Legislature has addressed a cumulative total of $82  billion in budget problems, but even including the withdrawal for 2025 ‑26, has only used about half of the Budget Stabilization Account (BSA).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2023-24 Budget: CalRecycle’s Zero Waste Plan Proposal

Feb 28, 2023 - The 2023-24 Budget: CalRecycle’s Zero Waste Plan Proposal Summary In this brief, we analyze the Governor ’s 2023 ‑24 budget proposal to provide funding from various special funds for the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to develop and implement a zero waste plan.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4719

The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight

Mar 18, 2026 - According to estimates from the Delta Stewardship Council, California achieved only about 10 percent of the annual target on average between 2018 and 2023. Recognition That Rivers Need More Water to Support Native Fish.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2023-24 Budget: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Major Capital Outlay Proposals

Feb 21, 2023 - Finally, we recommend approving some level of additional funding for temporary training facilities but seeking additional information from CalFire to justify the appropriate level. Rebuild Growlersburg Conservation Camp.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4693

The 2023-24 Budget: Crafting Climate, Resources, and Environmental Budget Solutions

Feb 22, 2023 - Given the distinct possibility of worsening fiscal conditions, we recommend the Legislature begin to prepare now for the likely need to solve for a deeper revenue shortfall when it adopts its final budget this summer.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4692