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

Jan 13, 2025 - The underlying budget dynamics today are particularly challenging for three reasons. First, revenues have not caught up with expenditures. Second, under our estimates, expenditure growth exceeds estimated revenue growth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

Living Under Smoky Skies—Understanding the Challenges Posed by Wildfire Smoke in California

Nov 14, 2022 - For example, one 2022 study found a relationship between wildfire smoke levels and poorer cognitive performance on a brain‑training game, and another 2022 study found a link between smoke exposure and lower test scores.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4644

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

Feb 17, 2026 - The Governor ’s budget released in January assumes all the residual positions are eliminated and, accordingly, scores associated annual savings in both 2025-26 and 2026-27. For environmental positions, this amounts to annual savings of about $71  million (about $32  million General Fund).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5124

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

Mar 18, 2026 - Other fish that migrate through or live in the Delta also are listed as threatened or endangered, including Central Valley steelhead and Delta smelt. State Failing to Meet Goal for Doubling Natural Salmon Population.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2022-23 Budget: Zero-Emission Vehicle Package

Feb 23, 2022 - Programs that focus on promoting ZEV technologies that are in the early stages of commercial availability (such as truck and bus vouchers) generally score medium. Programs that focus on pilots and demonstrations for new technologies generally score high.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4561

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Oct 16, 2025 - The budget package scored $108  million in savings from vacant positions at CNRA and CalEPA pursuant to this control section for the 2024-25 fiscal year, but did not permanently eliminate any positions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5080

Climate Change Impacts Across California - Crosscutting Issues

Apr 5, 2022 - Moreover, many existing structures were built to different standards than are commonplace today, making them less resilient to the effects of climate change. For instance, many older homes were built with features —such as wood shake roofs, cedar siding, or single ‑paned windows —that make them more vulnerable to igniting during wildfires.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4575

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

Feb 22, 2023 - For example, in recent years, GGRF has been used for programs that reduce methane emissions, support climate change research, replace agricultural diesel engines, and limit short ‑lived climate pollutants.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4692

Overview of California's Ports

Aug 23, 2022 - Such a score indicates high levels of cumulative environmental and health impacts, and identifies these areas as “disadvantaged communities ” eligible for prioritized funding from certain state programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4618

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

Feb 10, 2026 - Recommended Framework for Approaching Environment Budget Decisions Below, we offer a framework for approaching environment budget decisions in today ’s challenging fiscal circumstances —namely , how to evaluate the Governor ’s new spending proposals across CNRA, CalEPA, and CDFA in the context of a General Fund condition that is only precariously balanced in the near term and faces significant deficits in the coming years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116