About the California State Lands Commission:
The Commission is an independent and dynamic state agency on the cutting edge of integrating the best available science into policy decisions. The Commission is comprised of the State Controller, Lieutenant Governor, and the Governor’s Director of Finance. One of the Commission’s major roles is to act as the landlord for lands within its jurisdiction. This sets the Commission apart from purely regulatory agencies. When California became a state in 1850, it acquired roughly four million acres of land underlying the state’s navigable and tidal waterways. These lands, known as sovereign lands, include the beds of navigable rivers, lakes, and streams, and tide and submerged lands along 1,100+ miles of coastline and offshore islands. The Commission holds these lands in trust for the people of California under the Public Trust Doctrine.
The Commission also protects state waters from marine invasive species introductions and prevents oil spills by providing the best achievable protection of the marine environment at marine oil terminals and offshore oil platforms and production facilities. And finally, the Commission oversees the management of waterfront land and coastal waters, including the major California ports and harbors, that the California Legislature granted in trust to about 70 local jurisdictions.
The Commission processes applications to lease sovereign lands for uses such as major energy projects, piers, marinas, and utility lines, among other things. The Commission is the main agency that protects public access and oversees public trust uses. Valid public trust uses sometimes conflict with each other; the Commission works to manage those conflicts and ensure that the Public Trust Doctrine is upheld on sovereign land. In this way, the Commission, along with its sister state agencies, decides on proper uses for California’s ocean lands and resources.
Potential Projects:
Assist Commission staff with issues where science and policy interface and learn how staff navigate complex and politically sensitive issues, including adaptation to climate change and sea-level rise; management of California’s marine protected areas; promotion of equity and environmental justice; California Environmental Quality Act review; and many other public land management issues.
Conduct research and support efforts related to implementing the Commission’s Environmental Justice Policy.
Research legislation, assist with writing bill analyses and testimony for committee hearings at the State Capitol, and work with staff and others on legislation affecting the Commission.
Assist staff in a variety of divisions with projects that may involve oil and gas decommissioning, offshore wind energy development, and waterfront redevelopment at ports and harbor districts.
Desirable Qualifications:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Enthusiasm, curiosity, and a desire to learn and contribute
- Ability to think critically
- Self-motivated
- Well organized
- Experience with or interest in developing website content or social media
