California has strong regulations in place to protect natural resources from impacts of development and resource extraction. Unfortunately, these regulations can also delay beneficial habitat restoration. Historically, the pace and scale of environmental restoration has been insufficient to address threats to California’s biodiversity from anthropogenic stressors such as habitat loss and climate change. Complex and overlapping permitting processes can result in fewer and smaller restoration actions at a slower pace and greater expense. In response, California has identified “Cutting the Green Tape” as a priority initiative to increase the pace and scale of environmental restoration. Many are familiar with the concept of “red tape,” but here the phrase “green tape” is used to represent the extra time, money, and effort required to implement restoration projects due to inefficiencies in state processes. Cutting the Green Tape means improving regulatory processes and policies so that restoration can occur more quickly, simply, and cost-effectively. This presentation provides an overview and update of the Cutting the Green Tape Program’s expedited permitting and CEQA tools for increasing the pace and scale of restoration in California, with an emphasis on what types of projects qualify, and case studies from our first years as a program.

Jennifer Olson is a Senior Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), where she serves as the Statewide Restoration Permitting Coordinator for CDFW's Cutting the Green Tape Program. Prior to her work with CDFW, Jen conducted ornithological field work in a variety of locations in the US and abroad. She has served several roles on the board of her local TWS chapter, and is currently the chair of the Conservation Affairs Committee. Jen is based in Arcata, CA, where she enjoys running, backpacking, birding, and exploring her northern California home with her standard poodle, Dipper.