Environmental Stewardship

Ensuring residents and future generations are able to enjoy the natural beauty of Monterey Bay and our coastline is a high priority, and I appreciate that our city takes coastal stewardship seriously.

Protecting Monterey Bay and Our Local Voice

Along with our neighboring cities and local institutions, Pacific Grove should be a strong voice for ensuring Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary protections remain in place.

Our local knowledge about the Bay and views about its future are vitally important, and the shared stewardship model of local, state, and federal officials working collaboratively has served the region well for more than 50 years.

I’ll work diligently to ensure we retain our voice on matters affecting the future of the Bay and Sanctuary, including opposing measures that would reduce local input in how our coastline is managed and measures such as the recent Hunt Amendment that would give communities less say in decision-making about coastal infrastructure.

Coastal Erosion

Parts of Pacific Grove’s coastline require significant investment as erosion places greater pressure on public infrastructure.

I’d press for PG to pursue competitive funding for repairs and restoration of the coastal trail, particularly between Lovers Point and Point Pinos, where the Shoreline Management Plan identifies some of the greatest needs.

SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation funding could be an important source of support for this work, helping us strengthen the coastline for the long term while reducing taxpayer burden.

Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

We’ve also adopted a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

I’d like to see us focus on putting the plan into practice and keeping residents informed about progress.

Transportation accounts for 73 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, so practical improvements that make it easier and safer to walk or bike around PG are especially important.

Environmental Stewardship and Economic Vitality

There’s another reason environmental stewardship matters in Pacific Grove: our natural environment is an important part of our local economy.

Visitors come here to experience an extraordinary place.

They walk our shoreline, watch wildlife, spend time downtown, stay in our hotels, and support local businesses.

That activity also contributes to City finances.

In fiscal year 2024-25, Pacific Grove received about $6.96 million in transient occupancy tax revenue, compared with about $6.36 million in sales and use tax revenue.

The connection between caring for our natural environment and enhancing our local economy extends well beyond tourism.

Pacific Grove sits within one of the country’s most significant concentrations of marine science and ocean research.

All around Monterey Bay, scientists, educators, and innovators are working on issues ranging from ocean health to climate resilience.

Pacific Grove has an opportunity to strengthen its place within that regional ecosystem by creating an even more welcoming environment for organizations working on the blue economy.

Stewardship for Today and the Future

Environmental stewardship is ultimately about caring for the extraordinary place we inherited while preparing it for the future.

That means taking care of the ecosystems that depend on us as their stewards, investing in the resilience of our coastline, and recognizing that Pacific Grove’s environmental and economic futures are deeply connected.