California King Tides Project, Embarcadero at Pier 14, San Francisco. Photo Taken: Feb 9, 2020.
From 2022-2024, the California Coastal Commission worked to integrate the principles of environmental justice (EJ) into the agency’s sea level rise (SLR) policy and adaptation guidance. The work builds upon the Commission’s existing Environmental Justice Policy and intends to provide information on how to address EJ communities, impacts, and benefits when planning and analyzing for sea level rise. The guidance update was unanimously adopted on November 2024, and included the consideration of EJ and SLR in coastal development permits as well as Local Coastal Program (LCP) updates, including in vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, and draft LCP policies on sea level rise.
Meaningful Engagement:
The policy update was innovative as community input was incorporated throughout its entirety. To start, we identified five primary audiences for engagement: project advisors, environmental justice community members, local governments, state agencies, and the general public. During the first phase, the project advisors provided feedback on the draft update outline and an engagement plan. The second phase included outreach to environmental justice community members and representatives through meetings. The third phase of engagement focused on outreach to our local government and state agency partners. The fourth and final phase of engagement focused on outreach to members of the general public. Following adoption, in 2025 staff organized two webinars to highlight the EJ updates to the SLR Policy Guidance.
EJ and SLR Policy Guidance Advisors – Staff selected eight EJ and SLR subject matter experts in early 2023 to help provide guidance and feedback on the development of this project. See section below for more detail on the project’s advisors.
EJ community members and representatives – Staff engaged with EJ communities and representatives throughout the state who may be affected by the Commission’s sea level rise work.
Local governments – Staff collaborated with local governments in the Coastal Zone who implement the Coastal Act through LCPs. Following the adoption of the policy guidance update, Commission staff held a webinar highlighting the EJ considerations in the policy guidance for local governments.
State agencies – Staff collaborated with local governments in the Coastal Zone who are implement the Coastal Act through LCPs.
General public – There was an extended public feedback period after the draft update. In addition, staff worked to release educational materials via social media on SLR which culminated with a webinar highlighting the EJ considerations in the policy guidance for local governments.
EJ and SLR Policy Guidance Advisors:
The Commission invited environmental justice and sea level rise subject matter experts throughout California to apply for a position to help advise staff on the development of the environmental justice update to its existing sea level rise policy guidance. Eight individuals were selected to participate as project advisors and will be paid a stipend to provide input over the development of the policy outline, public engagement plan, and final update to the sea level rise policy guidance.
The project advisors informed the first steps of the project by providing input on the draft policy updates and feedback on the public engagement plan. Staff then implement the community engagement plan and developed a draft update to the Commission’s existing sea level rise policy guidance. The update was adopted by the Coastal Commission following open comment period and outreach with community organizations, local governments and the public. Below are the eight project advisors:
Below are the eight project advisors:
Adam Canter (he/him) is the Natural Resources Director for the Wiyot Tribe Natural Resources Department, located on the Wig (Humboldt Bay), where he has worked overseeing a variety of grant programs and projects since 2014, where he currently also acts as the community Co-Chair for the Cal Poly Humboldt SLR Institute.
Allene Villa (she/her) is a lifelong Océano resident of Latin origin. Currently working with Océano Beach Community Association, she has been advocating for environmental justice for 5 years. Her community is a coastal town that has endured decades EJ issues due off-roading the beach and dunes.
Cameron Yee (he/him) works at the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), where he organizes and engages residents of working-class immigrant communities in Oxnard in support of coastal access and environmental justice.
Charming Evelyn (she/her) has been working on water issues for the last 15 years through the Sierra Club as the Co-Chair of the CA Water Committee and Chair of the Angeles Chapter Water Committee (OC & LAC). Charming is also the Vice Chair of the Angeles Chapter Environmental & Social Justice Committee.
Delaney Alamillo (she/ella) was raised in Los Angeles, is a transwomyn, second generation Mexican American, and parent of two kids. She is the Executive Director of Community Nature Connection, a non-profit that provides transformative outdoor experiences, leadership development, and community engagement to all Angeleno youth and families.
Lesly Gallegos (she/her) is a first-generation graduate from San Diego State University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Sustainability. She has been involved with the community-based organization, Casa Familiar for over 4 years as a volunteer, advocate, educator, and organizer specializing in EJ and air quality.
Naama Raz Yaseef (she/her) is the Community Engagement Manager at The Watershed Project, a Bay Area nonprofit that works to better connect disadvantaged communities with their watersheds. Using a participatory lens on large-scale planning projects, she supports the enhancement of climate resiliency, especially around sea level rise. Previously, Naama worked at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab & UC Berkeley as an Environmental Scientist / Ecohydrologist.
Orion Camero (they/he/she) is an Oakland-based queer Filipinx multi-medium artist, coalition-builder and community advocate focused on nurturing the conditions for better worlds with a decade of experience. They believe the heart of collective liberation are the ingredients of inter-identity solidarity, cross-cultural connection, and exponential collaboration.
The EJ advisor element was supported by Equilibrium Collaborative who provided logistical and facilitation services.
