Letter of Non-Objection to Install Experimental Silvetia compressa Outplanting Modules

The California State Lands Commission has issued a Letter of Non-Objection for the installation of experimental Silvetia compressa outplanting modules as part of a temporary marine research initiative near Point Conception in Santa Barbara County, California. The project involves affixing up to 180 planting modules—each composed of 20 three-inch diameter disks—to existing rock substrates at two designated locations using stainless-steel eye bolts epoxy-anchored through drilling. The structures are strictly temporary and must be fully removed no later than January 7, 2027, with no permanent alterations to the marine environment permitted. The project is conducted by The Nature Conservancy under a categorical exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), specifically California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 15306, due to its minimal environmental impact and scientific purpose. No formal contract value, pricing, payment terms, invoicing systems, or accounting codes are specified, and the activity is not structured as a competitive procurement. There is no designated Contracting Officer’s Representative, Technical Representative, or Procuring Contracting Officer, nor are there any clause numbers, FAR provisions, or certified representations from the offeror. The work is authorized solely through administrative approval for experimental ecological research, with oversight responsibilities vested in the California State Lands Commission and conducted at the marine site adjacent to Assessor’s Parcel Number 083-510-068. Contact for inquiries is provided through Michael Sapunor and Erica Nielsen of the Commission, while Alexandra Borack serves in an administrative capacity related to environmental planning. No packaging, labeling, shipping terms, or delivery logistics are required as the scope is limited to installation and removal of experimental marine structures.