California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a conservation legislative package on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, protecting the state's coast, wildlife and outdoor access while announcing the largest annual increase in conserved lands to date.
Speaking at the California Natural Resources Agency's 30x30 Partnership Summit in Sacramento, Newsom also announced the release of a new 30x30 Progress Report spotlighting the state's progress toward conserving 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030. The announcement came as the Trump administration attempts to open a portion of Yosemite National Park to private development, weakens protections for public lands and wildlife, and threatens California's coast with expanded offshore oil and gas drilling, according to the Governor's office.
"While Donald Trump looks for ways to hand public lands to private developers and roll back the safeguards that protect our parks, wildlife, and coastal communities, California is doing the opposite," Newsom said. "We are conserving more land than ever before, protecting our iconic coastline from new offshore oil and gas drilling, revitalizing wildlife habitat, and ensuring every Californian can experience the natural treasures that make the Golden State extraordinary."
Under Newsom, California has counted more than 3.5 million acres of conserved land and coastal waters since 2022 — an area larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined — putting the state past the halfway mark. More than 1 million acres were added to the 30x30 database in the past year alone, bringing the state to 27.1% of lands conserved and 21.9% of coastal waters conserved.
"We've made tremendous progress, but this isn't simply about reaching a number on a chart," said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. "We're protecting the places Californians love and depend on — our rivers, forests, coast, and open spaces — and ensuring they remain healthy for generations to come."
The package includes AB 1448, which responds to federal efforts to expand offshore oil and gas leasing off California's coast by prohibiting the use of existing state infrastructure or leases for new federal offshore oil and gas leases. It also requires the State Lands Commission to consider additional factors before approving an offshore lease renewal, amendment or modification, and eliminates its authority to issue an offshore oil-and-gas lease in a current or future coastal sanctuary.
Other measures establish the California Wildlife Coexistence Act to reduce conflicts between people and wildlife, require Caltrans to publish an inventory of wildlife connectivity assets, codify the Outdoors for All initiative, make the State Parks Library Pass program permanent, and create a voluntary State Seal of Climate Literacy.
"California has made it clear that our coast is not open for expanded offshore drilling," said Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), author of AB 1448 and AB 1804. "As the Trump Administration continues its reckless push to expand fossil fuel production in federal waters, AB 1448 ensures that existing infrastructure in state waters cannot be used to facilitate those efforts."
Newsom first launched the 30x30 effort through executive order in 2020, and the Legislature codified the commitment under SB 337 in 2023. The report shows California is on track to meet the goal, building on partnerships with Native American tribes, local communities, landowners and conservation organizations.