SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom on Dec 18 highlighted the latest round of state grants to plan and implement neighborhood-level climate resilience projects and conserve agricultural land across the state. The California Strategic Growth Council has approved $98.1 million for 11 climate resilience projects in disadvantaged, unincorporated, and tribal communities through the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) program, as well as $116.8 million to conserve approximately 50,500 acres of agricultural and working lands through the in Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) program, making further progress on the state’s 30×30 conservation goal.

This year, for the first time, SALC funding will support California tribes with land acquisitions, advancing the state’s work to support tribal access, co-management and acquisition of ancestral lands. SALC investments from this round of funding also provide pathways to land ownership and access to agricultural lands for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

“California is leading innovative strategies to create healthier, more sustainable communities and deploy our agricultural and working lands as a powerful tool to fight climate change. This latest funding will permanently conserve more than fifty thousand acres of land, further the state’s work to restore tribal access to ancestral lands, and empower communities throughout the state to tackle pollution and build climate resilience in their neighborhoods,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

Combined, the 11 Transformative Climate Communities projects from this funding round will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36,647 metric tons, equivalent to taking 8,155 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for one year. State leaders today highlighted the latest awards in a visit to Bakersfield, which is receiving $22 million in TCC funding for projects that advance affordable housing, urban greening, biking, walking, transit improvements and clean energy.

To date, the state has invested $424 million in 37 communities through the TCC program to plan and implement projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health and the environment and expand economic opportunity for residents. Since 2015, 244,000 acres of agricultural and working lands statewide have been protected under the SALC program.