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C. 58

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Date:	February 8, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Resolution of Support for the Bay Adapt Regional Strategy for a Rising Bay

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 02/08/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

District I 510-231-8686

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 8, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Resolution No. 2022/52 in support of Bay Adapt: Regional Strategy for a Rising Bay and calling for additional regulatory authority to combat sea level rise.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There will be no additional fiscal impact to the County of adopting this recommendation. The County will need to play a role in planning for sea level rise and the Board has approved funding from Measure X for Sustainability Planning that would be used to support the County’s future work on the issue.

BACKGROUND:

It is well documented that climate change is accelerating rising sea levels, increasing storm frequency and intensity, and moving groundwater toward the surface. The impacts of sea level rise in Contra Costa County have been well documented through numerous studies developed by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), Contra Costa County, the Delta Stewardship Council, and other organizations. The impacts are many and severe, and particularly challenging for frontline communities that have been historically underserved by government and other institutions.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

In 2019, BCDC embarked on the development of “Bay Adapt,” a consensus-driven strategy for regional sea level rise adaptation. BCDC conferred with a Leadership Advisory Group and engaged hundreds of stakeholders, including many from Contra Costa County departments, cities, organizations, and residents. The final Bay Adapt report, completed in 2021, lays out a Joint Platform, attached, detailing priority actions, and vital tasks whose implementation will enable the region, and most notably local governments, to adapt faster, better, and more equitably to rising waters.

There is no single government entity in the Bay Area with the regulatory authority to compel local action to address sea level rise. Bay Adapt proposes that BCDC serve as the backbone for implementing Bay Adapt and Resolution No. 2022/52 calls for additional regulatory authority for BCDC.

It is important for Contra Costa County to support this regional initiative to help our county prepare for the many consequences of rising water levels in the Bay and the Delta

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Failure to adopt the resolution would result in the Board of Supervisors not supporting a regional initiative to adapt to sea level rise faster, better, and more equitably.