About the California State Lands Commission

Under the direction of the Executive Officer, the Executive Office plans, organizes, manages, coordinates and administers the work of the Commission staff consistent with the decisions, policies, and programs established by the Commission and the Legislature. The Executive Office employs the expertise of staff in each of the Commission’s divisions to accomplish the Commission’s mission, vision, and Strategic Plan objectives while responding to emerging challenges.

The Administrative Services Division is a customer service division that provides a full range of vital administrative services in support of the Commission staff. The division includes the Fiscal, Human Resources, Accounting, Records Management, Business Services, and Office Services Units.

The Environmental Science, Planning, and Management Division provides policy and technical analysis to the Commission and its Executive Officer and ensures compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Division prepares Environmental Impact Reports, Mitigated Negative Declarations, and other environmental or public trust documents for land use changes within the Commission’s jurisdiction, and routinely comments on CEQA documents prepared by local, state, and federal agencies for projects impacting public trust lands and resources. The Division also administers the Marine Invasive Species Program and includes the Climate Adaptation and Special Initiatives team. The Marine Invasive Species Program develops and implements prevention-focused regulations to minimize the likelihood of species introductions from large ocean-going vessels. The Climate Adaptation and Special Initiatives Team supports the Commission and its staff on a range of topics, including climate change and adaptation, offshore wind planning and coordination, forestry, aquaculture, and marine protected areas.

The Information Services Division provides secure, reliable, and efficient computing services enabling the Commission to conduct business effectively. The scope of services includes workstations and laptops, phones, cloud collaboration services, a secure server and network infrastructure, and applications for employees and the public.

The Land Management Division has primary responsibility for the surface management of all sovereign and school lands in California. This includes the identification, location, and evaluation of the state’s interest in these lands and their leasing and management. Sovereign lands encompass approximately four million acres and include over 120 rivers and sloughs, 40 lakes, and tidelands and submerged lands along the more than 1,130 miles of coastline and offshore from the ordinary high water mark to three nautical miles offshore. School lands are generally located in the California desert and are what remains of the nearly 5.5 million acres granted to California by Congress in 1853 to benefit public education. The Commission manages the surface and mineral ownership of hundreds of thousands of acres of school lands.

The Legal Division’s staff attorneys provide legal advice and support to the Commission, to the Executive Office, and to the other Divisions of the agency. Staff attorneys interpret, apply, and provide advice concerning statutes, regulations, and case law governing all aspects of the ownership, management, and use of lands under the Commission’s jurisdiction.

The Marine Environmental Protection Division regulates and inspects all marine oil terminals in California and bulk oil transfer operations at these terminals to provide the best achievable protection of the public health, safety, and the environment. Inspections are conducted on a daily, biennial, and annual basis and include marine pipeline inspections, review of oil spill prevention requirements, and operational personnel training. The Division also inspects large oceangoing vessels to protect against the introduction of nonindigenous invasive species into state waters.

The Mineral Resources Management Division is responsible for the safe and environmentally sound development, regulation, and management of all energy and mineral resources on sovereign and school lands under the jurisdiction of the Commission. These resources include oil, gas, geothermal energy, gold and other solid minerals. In managing the prudent development of these resources, the Division’s highest priorities are public safety, environmental protection, and maximizing revenue generation.