Regional park districts: East Bay Regional Park District: East Bay Hills Conservation Program.

Senator Grayson's legislation establishing the East Bay Hills Conservation Program authorizes the East Bay Regional Park District to implement comprehensive conservation measures across 30,000 acres of natural lands in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

The bill creates a framework for managing this landscape, which spans from Wildcat Canyon Regional Park to Lake Chabot Regional Park. Under the program, the District may acquire property interests, restore habitats, develop trails, and implement wildlife connectivity measures across urban barriers. Parties proposing development projects that would convert natural lands within the East Bay Hills must notify the District, which may then analyze potential environmental impacts. Local planning documents developed after January 1, 2026, must acknowledge the area as having statewide significance.

The legislation outlines specific program objectives, including enhancement of wildlife habitat, restoration of natural ecosystems, and promotion of climate resilience through carbon sequestration and watershed protection. The District is authorized to collaborate with state, regional, and local partners while providing technical assistance to landowners on conservation practices. The bill recognizes the area's importance to multiple tribal nations, including the Ohlone Indian Tribe, the Muwekma Tribe, and the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation, based on Native American Heritage Commission records.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill creates state-mandated local costs, reimbursement provisions would apply to affected agencies. The Legislature cites the unique characteristics and needs of the East Bay Hills as justification for enacting these specific statutory provisions rather than relying on general law.