It’s no secret that California’s coastlines and beaches are threatened by climate change and sea level rise. It is estimated that up to 75% of California’s sandy beaches are at risk of being permanently lost due to sea level rise by 2100. Treasured coastal recreation areas like San Onofre State Beach and beaches up and down the California coastline are experiencing unprecedented rates of erosion and loss. Despite significant progress by the state to plan and adapt for sea level rise, more than $54 billion committed in new state funding to support climate adaptation in 2022 was gutted and delayed in this year’s budget. Cutting funding to address California’s climate emergency has significantly hampered the ability of local governments, communities, and agencies to implement urgently needed coastal adaptation measures as the coasts continue to be battered by rising seas, increasing flooding, and stronger, more frequent storm events.
Enter SB 867, and what is now Prop 4. This legislation laid out a roadmap for a $10 billion climate bond to protect California’s coasts and prepare for sea level rise, preserve natural areas, ensure clean water, create parks and green space, prevent wildfires, and build out clean energy infrastructure. This bipartisan legislation passed during the 2024 legislative session, and will be on the ballot in November, giving Californians a choice to further invest in their climate future.
The benefits of this funding to California’s coastlines cannot be overstated. Prop 4 includes several funding programs including $1.2 billion to increase coastal and ocean resiliency and to protect coastal lands, waters, communities, natural resources, and urban waterfronts from sea level rise and other climate impacts. Eligible projects for this proposed coastal resilience funding include:
- Restoration of beaches, coastal wetlands, dunes, subtidal and riparian areas, natural infrastructure projects to address coastal flood resilience, and enhanced access to coastal recreation areas - $415,000,000
- Living shorelines and sea level rise adaptation projects that emphasize nature-based solutions over traditionally engineered gray infrastructure - $350,000,000
- Protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems, including estuarine habitat, kelp forests, eelgrass meadows, and native oyster beds, or maintenance of the state’s system of marine protected areas -$135,000,000
- Sea level rise mitigation and adaptation plans implementation focused on coastal state parks and recreation areas - $125,000,000
- Advancing climate ready fisheries, including kelp ecosystem restoration - $75,000,000
In addition to the funding solely for coastal resilience and sea level rise adaptation, Prop 4 also includes $1.2 billion for accelerating nature-based solutions, protecting natural lands and waters, and restoring habitat to achieve the state’s climate change goals. With so much at stake along California’s coastlines in light of climate change, Prop 4 presents an opportunity to rigorously fund coastal adaptation that will work with nature, investing in a better future for the state’s beaches and waves.
Prop 4 will also have significant benefits for the communities plagued by the ongoing pollution crisis at the U.S./ Mexico border. Every day, millions of gallons of contaminated water carrying stormwater runoff, raw sewage, harmful chemicals, and trash flow through the Tijuana River Watershed and out into the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach. Tens of millions of gallons of untreated sewage is discharged directly into the Pacific Ocean each day, traveling up the coast during the summer, causing widespread illnesses on both sides of the border, and forcing beach closures throughout South San Diego County. We are now learning that people are getting sick just by breathing the air as they go to work, school, and try to enjoy their own backyards. This public health and environmental justice emergency has been going on for decades and it’s only getting worse, especially with climate change-related storm events further stressing the already inadequate and failing regional wastewater infrastructure.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has vetted a suite of comprehensive infrastructure solutions that will provide relief to the affected communities. Work is underway, but there remains significant funding gaps to complete all projects needed to upgrade and fix the region’s wastewater infrastructure. Prop 4 will provide $50 million to match investments that the U. S. and Mexican governments have made so further work can be completed to reduce the flow of transboundary pollution into the Tijuana River Valley and the Pacific Ocean.
The long term health and sustainability of California’s coasts, clean water, and safe communities are on the ballot this November. Prop 4 offers the opportunity to pivot from expensive disaster response to investing in a more secure climate future for our state. Surfrider Foundation endorses this bill and urges Californians to vote Yes on Prop 4. The future of our prized coastlines, clean water, and safe, resilient communities depend on it.
Prop 4 is endorsed by a broad coalition of nearly 200 public safety leaders, clean water experts, environmental organizations, small businesses, and many more. Learn more about this initiative and who supports it here.
