SB 854

Under current law, as part of the Soil and Water Resource Management program, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection provides funding to counties for county conservation staffing. Current law specifies the activities that county conservation staff may engage in with funding provided under this program. This bill provides that this program may be used to fund county conservation staff who focus on climate change and climate change resiliency. The bill provides $1,800,000 in GPR funding for this purpose. Under the bill, a county that seeks funding for this purpose must specifically indicate so in its annual grant request.