California Fast-Tracks 500+ Projects to Restore 200,000 Acres, Boost Ecosystems, and Revive 700 Miles of Streams

SACRAMENTO — California is making it faster, easier, and more affordable to launch environmental restoration projects across the state, thanks to a program the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife established in 2021 called Cutting Green Tape.

It’s a simple idea: streamline the complex red tape – ‘green tape’ in the case of restoration work – that often delays or blocks habitat restoration projects. Instead of forcing good environmental work to get stuck in paperwork, Cutting Green Tape removes unnecessary barriers and helps important conservation projects get approved more quickly.

Since 2022, the program has helped more than 500 restoration projects move forward by reducing delays and making the approval process easier to navigate. These efforts have contributed to the restoration of nearly 200,000 acres of habitat, the reconnection of 5.5 million acres of land, and the improvement of over 700 miles of California streams, all of which are critical for fish, wildlife, and clean water.

Faster restoration means healthier rivers, cleaner water, stronger fish populations, and better protection against climate impacts like wildfire and drought. It also means public funds and community efforts go further and have a bigger impact.

CDFW estimates the program has already saved nearly $10 million in permitting costs — savings that go right back into protecting the environment.

Restoration projects require permits from the state to ensure they are environmentally responsible, protect wildlife, and foster abundant ecosystems. In a significant development, CDFW recently issued its first newly expanded Restoration Management Permit or RMP, a streamlined permit that consolidates five of the most common CDFW approvals typically needed for restoration projects into one single permit. This follows legislation – Assembly Bill 1581 (Kalra) – signed by Gov. Newsom last September, creating the pathway to establish the fully realized RMP. That means fewer hoops to jump through and faster starts for high-priority projects.

This first expanded RMP was granted to the San Mateo Resource Conservation District for a project improving fish passage and habitat along Little Butano Creek. This work will create cleaner, more connected streams, which in turn will boost biodiversity and support long-term ecosystem health.