On May 5, 2020, in its first ever virtual Board meeting, the Coastal Conservancy authorized $8.2 million in grant funding for projects to restore, protect and increase access to the California Coast and San Francisco Bay. Due to state and local Shelter-In-Place orders, members of the Conservancy’s Board, staff and the public convened via teleconference to discuss and approve 20 projects. Among the grants awarded was $1,000,000 to the National Wildlife Federation to prepare engineering designs and construction specifications for a wildlife crossing that will connect the Santa Monica Mountains to the Sierra Madre Range over US-101 and Agoura Road, west of Liberty Canyon Road in the City of Agoura Hills. The wildlife crossing’s primary beneficiary will be the mountain lion (Puma concolor) population in and around the Santa Monica Mountains. There are approximately 10 to 15 mountain lions remaining in this area, and the habitat fragmentation caused by US-101 causes inbreeding, territorial fighting, decreased genetic diversity, and declining health among the mountain lions. Scientists and wildlife managers predict the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains will be extinct in the next 50 years without a safe US-101 crossing at Liberty Canyon. The Board also approved a grant of up to $500,000 to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to prepare plans, designs, environmental review documents and a public works plan for a campground and associated amenities at the Malibu Bluffs in the City of Malibu. One of the biggest barriers for low and middle-income Californians to accessing and enjoying the coast is the lack of affordable overnight options. Nearly 60% of Californians never spend the night when they visit the coast. This project will help expand coastal camping in Southern California. When constructed, the Malibu Bluffs Campground would add 50 campsites ranging from platform tent cabins/yurts to pop-up tent campsites, nearly doubling the number of campsites in the City of Malibu, which receives 15 million visitors annually. A grant of up to $50,000 was authorized, to the Orange County Coastkeeper to prepare a business plan, evaluate design options, and prepare permit applications for the purchase and installation of ten prefabricated lower-cost bungalows at the Waterfront RV Park in Huntington Beach, Orange County.
A grant of up to $1,300,000 was authorized to go to the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy for the acquisition of the 113-acre Mill Bend property and preparation of an integrated resource management plan for the property, located at the mouth of the Gualala River in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
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Six weeks after first announcing the tour’s postponement, World Surf League CEO Erik Logan provided another detailed message, letting fans know that competitive surfing has been put on hold until at least June 1 while officially postponing the Oi Rio Pro in hopes of running it later in that month. “Where and when we will run this year is still very much an open question,” he said. “But we will continue to work with governments, world health authorities, and our local communities on returning to the lineup.” Logan also announced that 2021 will see big changes to the tour format, ones the WSL was planning to unveil in 2022. “Our pause due to COVID really allowed us to see that now is the time to accelerate these changes,” he said. Last year’s final at Pipeline, which saw Italo Ferreira and Gabriel Medina face off in the last heat of the year to decide the world title, was a shot of reality for the WSL – a scenario they’d like to see much more of as the engagement in that event was extremely high thanks to the ramifications. So the League won’t leave that scenario to chance anymore and will use a “regular season” of sorts to decide seedings for the final event of the year, a “surf-off” as they’re calling it, to decide the world title. They’re essentially creating a playoff format similar to other sports leagues to ensure titles are won in the water and at year’s end.
Option 1, featuring the Endless Summer® slogan and logo is the clear favorite for the proposed design for the Endless Summer® license plate. Also, 87% of respondents chose Option 1 as their first or second choice.
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