1. (a) All proposals shall be reviewed by a review committee of state-staff experts on ocean and coastal resilience, climate change, tribal traditional ecological knowledge, or other relevant qualifications based on the nature of the funding available and the Council's priorities.

   1. (1) If state staff with relevant expertise are unavailable, the Council may invite non-state staff experts to participate in the review committee.
   2. (2) All review committee members are subject to applicable laws on conflict of interest.

2. (b) Each Proposal will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

   1. (1) Alignment with and response to the program declarations listed in section 1 of Proposition 4, including advancing funding to Vulnerable Populations, Disadvantaged Communities, or Severely Disadvantaged Communities, and advancement of Environmental Justice principles.

   2. (2) Alignment with program priorities which shall include the following:

      1. (A) Ability to protect, conserve, and restore marine wildlife and healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems, including, but not limited to estuarine habitat, kelp forests, eelgrass meadows, and native oyster beds, or maintain the state's system of marine protected areas or support sustainable fisheries.
      2. (B) Ability to install or develop ocean current mapping infrastructure or maritime research infrastructure to reduce emissions.
      3. (C) Ability to protect and restore island and other ecosystems by mitigating the threat of invasive species and advancing biosecurity initiatives.
      4. (D) Ability to advance climate-ready fisheries management by expanding opportunities for experimentation and adaptive cooperative management, or modernizing electronic fisheries data management systems.
      5. (E) Ability to support restoration and management of kelp ecosystems.
      6. (F) Ability to support local and regional governments in updating local and regional land use plans to take into account sea level rise and implementation of sea level rise adaptation plans, consistent with implementation of the California Sea Level Rise Mitigation and Adaptation Act of 2021.
   3. (3) Demonstration of public benefits anticipated to be derived from the project, including direct and meaningful community benefits, workforce development and training, or the inclusion of community partnerships, where applicable, including tribally-led projects or partnerships.
   4. (4) Demonstration of readiness and capacity to complete the proposed project.
   5. (5) Inclusion of services by the California Conservation Corps or certified community conservation corps, as defined in Public Resources Code section 14507.5, where determined feasible by the applicant.
   6. (6) Inclusion of innovative and/or effective methodology supported by science.
   7. (7) Relative need of the project, based on geographic or environmental vulnerability factors, as described in the request for proposals pursuant section 42004.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 35621, 35625 and 90135, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 30972, 30973, 35650, 90000, 90100, 90110, 90133, 90140, 90150, 90610, 92000, 92020, 92030 and 92050, Public Resources Code.

History

1. New section filed 12-22-2025 as an emergency; operative 12-22-2025 (Register 2025, No. 52). This filing is a deemed emergency and shall remain in effect until repealed or revised by the council pursuant to Public Resources Code section 90135(e). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 6-22-2026 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.