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

Feb 17, 2026 - For example, at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), positions include game wardens who prov ide important law enforcement and wildlife and resource protection services. Some CDFW positions also administer various permits, a key function to ensure that projects —from habitat restoration to infrastructure and housing development —can be completed with less damage to the environment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5124

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Elimination of State Environmental Positions [Publication Details]

Feb 17, 2026 - In this post, we assess the Governor’s proposal to eliminate certain vacant state environmental positions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5124

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

Mar 18, 2026 - The Delta Also Provides Vital Habitat to Hundreds of Fish and Wildlife Species. The Delta supports hundreds of fish and wildlife species, including migrating fish through the estuary and birds along the Pacific Flyway.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight [Publication Details]

Mar 18, 2026 - This report discusses the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB’s) proposed—and long-overdue—update of the water quality control plan for the San Francisco Bay-Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which includes an alternative compliance pathway for certain water users called voluntary agreements (VAs, also known as Healthy Rivers and Landscapes).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5163

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposition 4 Spending Plan

Feb 10, 2026 - The proposal also includes funding for 14 new positions at three departments —eight at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), five at the State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), and one at the Sierra Nevada Conservancy —to support the administration of their bond programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5115

The 2026-27 Budget: Framework for Approaching the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture Budget

Feb 10, 2026 - This includes $11.3 million annually for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), $11.2 million annually for the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and $8.6 million annually for the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks), among others.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

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

Mar 2, 2026 - The state has a statutory responsibility to regulate waters that were formerly under federal jurisdiction (and has an interest in doing so given the implications for drinking and agricultural water quality and fish and wildlife habitat).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5144