Assemblymember Pellerin Introduces AB 1548 to establish the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority

Regional effort unlocks funding to strengthen stewardship of natural and working lands across Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties

For immediate release:

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

SACRAMENTO, CA - Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-28) has introduced AB 1548, to create the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Act (MBASA). This bill would establish a regional funding and stewardship authority designed to unlock new resources for long-term stewardship of natural and working lands, strengthen water and climate resilience, and expand access to state, federal, and philanthropic funding across the tri-county region.

MBASA is the result of more than a year of partnership with Trust for Public Land and conversations with local governments, special districts, agricultural stewards, Tribal communities, land trusts, and local organizations. MBASA is intended to function as a strategic granting and stewardship-focused entity, helping the region compete for and manage state, federal, and philanthropic resources that local agencies are often not resourced to pursue alone.

"There is a unique interconnectedness between Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties. We share lands, waterways, and communities," said Assemblymember Pellerin. "The region has made significant investments in land protection and restoration. This bill creates a critical, simple and practical way for the region to seek creative and long-term sources of funding and strengthens the long-term stewardship of the landscapes that make the Central Coast home."

AB 1548 has the potential to bring additional resources into the area to support the unique landscape-dependent economies of the Monterey Bay region. MBASA will be able to do the following:

• Support farms, ranchlands, forests, wetlands, rivers, parks, and open spaces through expanded access to stewardship and implementation funding;
• Support projects that improve soil health, water recharge, habitat connectivity, flood protection, and community resilience;
• Respect and reinforce local decision-making by local governments, while acknowledging the uniqueness of the Monterey Bay region within California and future needs for resilient landscapes; and
• Improve long-term coordination across the region to access dedicated funds for meeting state and federal mandates.

"The Central Coast is vital to California - from its agricultural and tourism economy to its globally significant landscapes and habitats. Protecting and strengthening the region and state for the future means protecting one of California's most iconic, productive, and quintessential landscapes," said Guillermo Rodriguez Vice President Pacific Region, California State Director at Trust for Public Land. "Thanks to Assemblymember Pellerin's leadership, a broad based coalition of regional leaders, local elected officials, Tribal governments and land trusts have coalesced together and helped draft AB 1548 that will create the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority and advance a smart regional approach, that brings durable investment to steward the forests, farms, wetlands, and coastlines that sustain local communities while helping Central Coasts residents meet the climate challenges of tomorrow."

"I am grateful to all of the organizations that have joined me in this journey and for the outpouring feedback and support. It's only through collaboration and engagement that we will get MBASA to the finish line and ensure the long-term viability of our beautiful region" uplifted Assemblymember Pellerin.

AB 1548 has been referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and Assembly Local Government Committee. The bill will be heard in these policy committees by April 24, 2026.

Voices From Across the Monterey Bay Region

Lynn Overtree, Executive Director, San Benito Agricultural Land Trust: "After decades without many conservation options, San Benito Agricultural Land Trust is responding to strong demand from farmers and ranchers seeking to permanently protect their working lands. However, in a county of fewer than 70,000 residents, there is no sustainable local funding source to support the long-term stewardship these conservation commitments require. The proposed Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority would establish the durable, regional funding framework necessary to manage and protect these lands in perpetuity."

Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Big Sur Land Trust: "At Big Sur Land Trust, we see every day how conservation, working lands, and community access to open space are deeply interconnected. Through strong partnerships across the region, we protect and restore critical landscapes that define the Central Coast. The Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority creates a pathway to bring new funding into the tri-county region to strengthen long-term stewardship and ensure that our lands, waters, and communities remain resilient for generations."

Sarah Newkirk, Executive Director, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County: "The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County has protected, stewarded, and connected people to the incredible biodiversity of Santa Cruz County for almost fifty years. Monterey Bay is a biodiversity hotspot on a global scale - like the Galapagos or the Serengeti. MBASA represents a region-wide approach to raising the profile of conservation and will increase the ability of the Land Trust and its partners to steward this special place for the benefit of all."

Mark Silberstein, Executive Director, Elkhorn Slough Foundation: "The Elkhorn Slough Foundation enthusiastically supports AB 1548, the Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority. We see this as a key element to the sustainable protection of the remarkable natural resources that we are blessed with in the Monterey Bay Area. As an accredited Land Trust, we protect farms, ranches and critical habitats in the coastal zone. This legislation will ensure the care and stewardship of these lands far into the future."

Susan Robinson, Program Coordinator, Greater Monterey County Integrated Regional Water Management Program: "The 19-member Greater Monterey County Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Group has been meeting regularly since 2008 with the intent of breaking down silos and coordinating resource management across water supply, water quality, flood protection, stormwater management, and public lands programs. For years, Regional Water Management Group members have been confounded by the problem of how to maintain the benefits of multi-benefit conservation projects once the initial grant funding runs out. The proposed Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority presents a perfect solution to this perpetual problem!"

Karminder Aulakh Brown, Executive Director, San Benito Resource Conservation District: "Due to its rural character and low population density, San Benito County is increasingly recognized as an important geography for biodiversity, agricultural land stewardship, wildlife connectivity, and climate resilience. But also due to our small size, local entities often lack the financial resources to manage the landscapes under our care. The San Benito Resource Conservation District supports this non-regulatory effort because it will increase the availability of funds to assist local ranchers and farmers with prescribed fire, habitat restoration, flood risk reduction, weed abatement, and other important conservation actions."

Lisa Lurie, Executive Director, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County: "Healthy soils, thriving watersheds, and well-managed working lands are essential to our region's natural resilience and quality of life. The Monterey Bay area has a proud history of coming together to care for our land, water, and wildlife through local, community-driven solutions. The people of Santa Cruz County would greatly benefit from sustained regional investment into readying our communities, habitats, and working lands for the future. The Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority offers a powerful opportunity to provide steady support for the programs and projects our region needs-built on strong collaboration to meet local needs."

Paul Robins, Executive Director, Resource Conservation District of Monterey County: "The work of small, local, independently-funded agencies like the RCD of Monterey County is consistently threatened or compromised by the variability of the project-by-project, competitive state and federal grant funding upon which we depend to serve our community. A regional, non-regulatory fund-raising and coordination vehicle like the proposed MBASA is an overdue resource for providing consistency and confidence for conducting our large and small collaborative conservation projects."

Valerie J. Egland, President, R.E.A.C.H. San Benito Parks Foundation: "Since 2012, R.E.A.C.H. San Benito Parks Foundation has partnered and worked with organizations and agencies to fulfill our mission to support outdoor adventure and health, raise funds and advocate for more and improved, sustainable parks and recreation facilities, bike ways and trails, ensuring healthy living for all in our often left out San Benito County community. The idea alone of a Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority has ignited hope for interconnective trails and accessible open space throughout the region, 'From the Pajaro to the Pinnacles!'. The R.E.A.C.H. San Benito Parks Foundation Board of Directors fully supports MBASA."

Jenny Balmagia, Program Manager and Kevin O'Connor, Program Director at Central Coast Wetlands Group: "For nearly two decades, the Central Coast Wetlands Group at Moss Landing Marine Labs has partnered with growers, agencies, Tribes, and local communities to improve the health of our wetlands and working landscapes. The proposed Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority creates the long-term structure needed to protect water resources, restore biodiversity, and expand equitable access to nature while strengthening climate resilience across the tri-county region. We are proud to support this important step forward."

Neal Sharma, Director, California Wildlife Program, Wildlife Conservation Network: "Since the launch of the Wildlife Conservation Network's California Wildlife Program in 2021, we have been collaborating with our partners to protect and restore wildlife connectivity in the Central Coast -- particularly in the landscapes linking the Santa Cruz Mountains, Gabilan Range, and Diablos. We recognize that connectivity is essential for functional and resilient ecosystems, and that conservation requires ongoing stewardship. The proposed Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority creates the long-term structure needed to support local organizations doing their part to care for the health of the region."

Robert Mazurek, Executive Director, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation: "The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation has worked for 30 years to protect and restore the coastal and marine ecosystems of the Monterey Bay region. The Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority represents a transformative opportunity to align conservation, climate resilience, and community stewardship across the tri-county region - creating the coordinated, long-term framework our coastal watersheds and ocean environments urgently need."

Chris Wilmers, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Director of the Santa Cruz Puma Project, University of California, Santa Cruz: "Conservation works best at the scale ecosystems actually function, not at the scale of political boundaries. The Monterey Bay Area Stewardship Authority will help coordinate stewardship across the tri-county region, benefiting wide-ranging species like mountain lions and strengthening long-term ecological resilience."

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