AB2590 - Resource conservation: sentinel landscapes.

Amended IN Assembly April 16, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 26, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2590 Introduced by Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez February 20, 2026 An act to amend Section 10230.2 of, and to add Division 9.5 (commencing with Section 9975) to, the Public Resources Code, relating to public resources, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2590, as amended, Jeff Gonzalez. Resource conservation: sentinel landscapes. (1) Existing federal law establishes the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, as part of which the United States Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the United States Secretary of Agriculture, the United States Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of other federal departments and agencies that elect to become full partners in the program, are authorized to establish and carry out a program to preserve and restore sentinel landscapes. Existing federal law authorizes federal departments and agencies to give to any eligible owner or manager of land within a designated sentinel landscape priority consideration for participation in any easement, grant, or assistance program and to coordinate actions between their departments and agencies and with other federal, state, interstate, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and private entities. Existing federal law defines “sentinel landscape” as a landscape-scale area encompassing one or more military installations or state-owned National Guard installations and the publicly and privately owned lands that serve to protect and support the rural economy, the natural environment, outdoor recreation, and the national defense missions of a military installation or state-owned National Guard installation. This bill would enact the California Sentinel Landscapes Act and would require the Natural Resources Agency to designate a Sentinel Landscapes Program Manager to coordinate state participation in the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, as prescribed. The bill would require state agencies that have conservation grant or easement authority, to the extent feasible and consistent with their existing statutory authority, to cooperate with the Sentinel Landscapes Program Manager. This bill would authorize the Wildlife Conservation Board to provide grants for habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement projects that contribute to the objectives of are located within a federally designated sentinel landscape, as prescribed. The bill would create the California Sentinel Landscapes Fund, into which the Wildlife Conservation Board is authorized to deposit federal funds, grants, and gifts and donations, including interest earned, that are designated and required by the donor to be used exclusively for purposes of these projects. The bill would continuously appropriate to the Wildlife Conservation Board moneys in the fund to implement these projects, thereby making an appropriation. This bill would authorize the Department of Conservation and the Strategic Growth Council, in evaluating applications for grants pursuant to the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program, and the State Coastal Conservancy Conservancy, and Sierra Nevada Conservancy, in awarding grants or approving projects under their programs, evaluating applications for grants, to give priority consideration to projects that contribute to the objectives of within a federally designated sentinel landscape, as prescribed. This bill would require the Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, Department of Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Board, State Coastal Conservancy, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other relevant state entities, to regularly consult on how to align conservation opportunities with state and federal landscape protection goals. The bill would provide that implementation of the California Sentinel Landscapes Act is contingent upon the availability of federal funds, grants, gifts, donations, or other non-General Fund resources for its purposes. (2) Existing law establishes the California Farmland Conservancy Program Act, to be administered generally by the Department of Conservation. The act creates the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund and requires moneys in the fund from federal grants, gifts, and donations, as specified, which are continuously appropriated to the department, and other moneys in the fund, upon appropriation, to be used for the purposes of the California Farmland Conservancy Program. The act authorizes the program to offer financial assistance for projects and activities on agricultural lands that support agricultural conservation and sustainable land management, including, among others, acquisition of agricultural conservation easements or fee title to protect the land’s agricultural use or capacity that meets certain requirements. This bill would specify that acquisition of agricultural conservation easements or fee title to protect the land’s agricultural use or capacity includes projects that align with landscape-scale conservation objectives identified in a federally designated sentinel landscape. authorize the department to give priority consideration to applications for projects that are located within federally designated sentinel landscapes. To the extent the bill would expand the purposes for which those continuously appropriated moneys may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) California’s natural and working landscapes, including farms, ranches, forests, and coastal lands, provide vital ecosystem services, including habitat connectivity, biodiversity conservation, water quality, wildfire resilience, climate adaptation, carbon sequestration, and agricultural production. (2) Conservation of natural and working lands supports wildlife habitat, climate adaptation, and the prevention of incompatible development, consistent with the missions of multiple state programs, including those administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Department of Conservation. (3) California is home to numerous military installations whose missions depend on compatible surrounding land uses. Voluntary conservation of natural and working lands can help prevent incompatible development that could affect military readiness. (4) The federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a collaborative effort of the United States Department of Defense, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Department of the Interior to coordinate federal conservation and working lands programs in landscapes where military readiness, ecosystem conservation, and agricultural economies coexist. (5) Voluntary conservation measures such as conservation easements, land protection, and compatible land uses help sustain rural economies, protect natural resources, and support long-term ecological outcomes. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this bill to do both of the following: (1) Clarify that state conservation programs may support voluntary land conservation activities consistent with federal sentinel landscape objectives. (2) Establish a coordinated state function to support designation and implementation of federal sentinel landscapes in California. SEC. 2. Division 9.5 (commencing with Section 9975) is added to the Public Resources Code, to read: DIVISION 9.5. CALIFORNIA SENTINEL LANDSCAPES ACT CHAPTER 1. General Provisions 9975. This division shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Sentinel Landscapes Act. 9976. For purposes of this division, the following definitions apply: (a) “Candidate sentinel landscape” means a landscape in California being evaluated or prepared for nomination to the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. (b) “Conservation easement” has the same meaning as defined in Section 815.1 of the Civil Code. (c) “Federally designated sentinel landscape” means a terrestrial area recognized by the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership based on the coexistence of military readiness, working lands, and conservation priorities. (d) “Working lands” includes agricultural lands, rangelands, and managed forests that support economic production while providing ecological benefits. CHAPTER 2. Federal Sentinel Landscapes in California 9980. (a) The Natural Resources Agency shall designate a Sentinel Landscapes Program Manager to coordinate state participation in the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. (b) The Sentinel Landscapes Program Manager shall do all of the following: (1) Support identification of candidate sentinel landscapes in California for designation as federal sentinel landscapes and assist in the preparation of applications or proposals to the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. This includes facilitating communication and coordination among state agencies, federal partners, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, land trusts, nonprofit conservation organizations, and other stakeholders for those purposes. (2) Coordinate with the United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Agriculture, United States Department of the Interior, other federal departments and agencies as appropriate, and the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation relevant state agencies regarding military installation compatibility planning to align federal and state conservation investments within federally designated or candidate sentinel landscapes. (3) Work with state agencies that have conservation grant or easement authority, including the Wildlife Conservation Board, Department of Conservation, State Coastal Conservancy, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other relevant agencies or conservancies to identify opportunities to align funding strategies consistent with federal sentinel landscape objectives and each agency’s statutory mission. (4) Facilitate communication and coordination among state agencies, federal partners, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, land trusts, nonprofit conservation organizations, and other stakeholders involved in the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. (5) (4) Prepare, on a biennial basis, a summary of opportunities, collaborative projects, leveraged funding, and outcomes relating to federal sentinel landscape designations in California. This summary may be incorporated into existing natural resources or climate adaptation reports. (c) State agencies that have conservation grant or easement authority shall, to the extent feasible and consistent with their existing statutory authority, cooperate with the Sentinel Landscapes Program Manager in implementing this section. 9981. (a) In addition to the purposes otherwise authorized by law, the Wildlife Conservation Board may do both of the following: (1) Provide provide grants for habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement projects that are located within, are adjacent to, or contribute to the ecological connectivity and conservation objectives of within a federally designated sentinel landscape. (2) Acquire real property or any interest in real property, including conservation easements, in connection with a project described in paragraph (1). (b) Projects funded pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall independently further the Wildlife Conservation Board’s statutory purposes relating to wildlife habitat conservation, ecological connectivity, working lands habitat conservation, or wildlife-oriented public access, and shall meet applicable eligibility criteria of the relevant Wildlife Conservation Board program. (c) The Wildlife Conservation Board may coordinate with federal departments and agencies participating in the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership and other entities to align conservation investments within and adjacent to federally designated sentinel landscapes and to leverage federal funds, technical assistance, or matching grants. (d) Projects supported pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall remain voluntary and shall not impose regulatory requirements beyond those otherwise applicable under state or federal law. (e) (1) The California Sentinel Landscapes Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. (2) The Wildlife Conservation Board may accept for deposit into the fund federal funds, grants, and gifts and donations, including interest earned, that are designated and required by the donor to be used exclusively for the purposes of projects under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, moneys in the fund are hereby continuously appropriated to the Wildlife Conservation Board to implement projects under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). 9982. In evaluating applications for grants pursuant to the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program, the Department of Conservation and the Strategic Growth Council may may, to the extent not in conflict with the programs, give priority consideration to projects that are located within, are adjacent to, or contribute to the objectives of within a federally designated sentinel landscape, provided that the project meets all other eligibility requirements of the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program. landscape. 9983. In awarding grants or approving projects evaluating applications for grants under State Coastal Conservancy programs, the State Coastal Conservancy may, to the extent not in conflict with those programs, give priority consideration to projects that are located within, are adjacent to, or contribute to the ecological connectivity and conservation objectives of within a federally designated sentinel landscape, provided that those projects are consistent with the statutory mission and purposes of the State Coastal Conservancy. These funds allocated by the State Coastal Conservancy shall be available for acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of land and water resources. 9984. In awarding grants or approving projects evaluating applications for grants under Sierra Nevada Conservancy programs, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy may, to the extent not in conflict with those programs, give priority consideration to projects that are located within, are adjacent to, or contribute to the ecological connectivity and conservation objectives of within a federally designated sentinel landscape, provided that those projects are consistent with the statutory mission and purposes of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. 9985. The Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, Department of Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Board, State Coastal Conservancy, Sierra Nevada Co [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]