Policy & Funding Resources

The State of California has identified “Cutting Green Tape” as a signature initiative to increase the pace and scale of environmental restoration. California has a proud tradition of strong laws that protect our environment from the effects of development and resource extraction. Unfortunately, projects that are beneficial to the environment can be slowed by the same processes and procedures that are designed to protect it. Cutting Green Tape seeks to remedy this problem. This report is the product of the insights and experiences of more than150 people who gathered at a series of roundtable workshops and others to whom the authors reached out from fall 2019 to fall 2020 about ways the state can increase regulatory efficiencies to increase the pace and scale of restoration and stewardship work.

The Cutting Green Tape initiative accelerates the pace and scale of habitat restoration by streamlining and improving government processes. It is a longstanding priority for restoration and conservation communities that has become more important than ever amidst climate change and global biodiversity loss.

For decades, communities, conservation organizations, and public agencies have been stymied by barriers that slow or hinder beneficial restoration activities. In 2019, the California Landscape Stewardship Network and the Administration of Governor Gavin Newsom joined together to take action and reduce or eliminate these barriers. In October 2020, Governor Newsom elevated this priority, directing state agencies through Executive Order to “implement actions to increase the pace and scale of environmental restoration and land management efforts by streamlining the State's process to approve and facilitate these projects.”

The Cutting Green Tape initiative started by bringing together a wide range of agencies and practitioners through in-person workshops to identify challenges to restoration delivery and generate suggested improvements. This effort culminated in a report in November 2020 called Cutting Green Tape: Regulatory Efficiencies for a Resilient Environment, which outlined a set of Cutting Green Tape recommendations. In response, California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot issued an Implementation Memorandum in January 2021 that directed entities within the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to take immediate steps to cut green tape.

This report highlights progress in response to Secretary Crowfoot’s directives. It focuses on actions within CNRA and its boards, conservancies, commissions, councils, and departments to implement Cutting Green Tape, which are part of a broader set of improvements underway across other state agencies and nonstate governmental partners.

Recording Timeline:

• Welcome (0:00)
• Overview of Roundtable goals and agenda (02:22)
• Introductory Remarks from Secretary Crowfoot, Secretary Ross & Chair Esquivel (09:10)
• Overview of Regulatory Efficiencies Recommendations (23:28)
• Remarks from Deputy Secretary Jennifer Norris (36:55)
• Participant Q&A with Interagency Panel (45:18)
• Concluding Remarks (01:17:46)

Cutting Green Tape is an initiative the California Landscape Stewardship Network has facilitated in partnership with the California Natural Resources Agency to help environmentally beneficial work happen more quickly, simply, and cost-effectively. Learn more about the initiative at: https://calandscapestewardshipnetwork.org/cutting-green-tape. 

This roundtable, held virtually on October 29, 2020, highlights recommendations from the initiative's first phase. It was hosted by Sharon Farrell (Executive Vice President, Projects, Stewardship and Science, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and CLSN Facilitator) and facilitated by Shawn Johnson (Managing Director, Center for Natural Resources & Environmental Policy, University of Montana).

Speakers included:

• Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary for Natural Resources
• Kellyx Nelson, Executive Director, San Mateo Resource Conservation District
• Jennifer Norris, Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat
• Joaquin Esquivel, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
• Karen Ross, California Secretary for Food & Agriculture

Following the release of the California Secretary of Natural Resources' Cutting the Green Tape Initiative's recommendations, we heard from restoration experts about what this initiative is, why it’s needed, and how it will help accelerate restoration and protect our natural resources and ecological systems.

Panelists:

• Erika Lovejoy, Accelerating Restoration Program Director, Sustainable Conservation
• Kellyx Nelson, Executive Director, San Mateo Resource Conservation District
• Jennifer Norris, Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat, California Natural Resources Agency

Moderated by Ashley Boren, Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Conservation

Meeting Goals

1. Introduce Cutting the Green Tape as one of Secretary Crowfoot’s four pillars and build shared vision for this effort.
2. Establish approach to advance this vision, including broad process and timeline.
3. Establish goals and conditions for collaboration that will result in transformational yet feasible recommendations by Earth Day to achieve permitting efficiencies and other improvements.

Table of proposed action items and associated themes, tactical approaches, durations, and guidance. Note: This document is a work in progress and will be regularly updated. Current version dated 2/12/20.

156 photos of planning activities, California landscapes, wildlife, and more. (PDF, 37.4 MB)

February 12, 2020
10:00am-3:00pm
California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento CA

Meeting Goals

1. Introduce CGT Initiative, including process and timeline, as one of Secretary Crowfoot’s 4 pillars in partnership with other state agencies.
2. Develop and identify specific recommendations, tactics, mechanisms, and next steps to advance potential actions for increasing regulatory efficiencies.
3. Obtain input on the development of a white paper, to be completed by Earth Day, that identifies actionable and achievable outcomes for increasing regulatory efficiencies for natural resource stewardship.

January 6, 2020
10:00am-3:00pm
Putah Creek Lodge, Davis CA

Meeting Goals

1. Introduce Cutting Green Tape as one of Secretary Crowfoot’s four pillars and build shared vision for this effort.
2. Establish approach to advance this vision, including broad process and timeline.
3. Establish goals and conditions for collaboration that will result in transformational yet feasible recommendations by Earth Day to achieve permitting efficiencies and other improvements.

Cutting the Green Tape

 Web Café Roundtable Meeting Agenda

March 18, 2020

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Meeting Goals

Introduce CGT Initiative, including process and timeline, as one of Secretary Crowfoot’s 4 pillars in partnership with other state agencies.   Provide input to develop specific recommendations and next steps to increase efficiencies for permitting restoration. Provide input to develop white paper that identifies actions and outcomes for increasing regulatory efficiencies for natural resource stewardship./details here.