SECTIONS 9001-9003 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 9001-9003

9001. (a) The Legislature hereby declares that resource
conservation is of fundamental importance to the prosperity and
welfare of the people of this state. The Legislature believes that
the state must assume leadership in formulating and putting into
effect a statewide program of soil and water conservation and related
natural resource conservation and hereby declares that this division
is enacted to accomplish the following purposes:
(1) To provide the means by which the state may cooperate with the
United States and with resource conservation districts organized
pursuant to this division in securing the adoption in this state of
conservation practices, including, but not limited to, farm, range,
open space, urban development, wildlife, recreation, watershed, water
quality, and woodland, best adapted to save the basic resources,
soil, water, and air of the state from unreasonable and economically
preventable waste and destruction.
(2) To provide for the organization and operation of resource
conservation districts for the purposes of soil and water
conservation, the control of runoff, the prevention and control of
soil erosion, and erosion stabilization, including, but not limited
to, these purposes in open areas, agricultural areas, urban
development, wildlife areas, recreational developments, watershed
management, the protection of water quality and water reclamation,
the development of storage and distribution of water, and the
treatment of each acre of land according to its needs.
(b) The districts, in addition to any other authority provided by
law, may do all of the following:
(1) Ensure consistency with the authorities and policies of the
United States, this state, counties, cities, public districts, other
resource conservation districts, persons, associations, and
corporations.
(2) With the consent of the owner, construct on privately or
publicly owned lands any necessary works for the prevention and
control of soil erosion and erosion stabilization.
(3) Facilitate coordinated resource management efforts for
watershed restoration and enhancement.
(c) The districts shall not conserve water for power purposes or
produce or distribute power for their own use or for the use of
others.

9002. It is hereby declared as a matter of legislative
determination:
(a) That the construction and maintenance on privately or publicly
owned land of works for resource conservation is in the general
public interest and for the general public benefit.
(b) That the expenditure of state, county, city, district, or
other public funds that are available or may become available for
planning, designing, or implementing the above and for the
construction or maintenance of such control or preventive works on
privately or publicly owned land constitutes expenditure for the
general public benefit.

9003. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that resource
conservation districts are legal subdivisions of the state and, as
such, are not-for-profit entities. For the purpose of contracting
with state agencies only, resource conservation districts shall be
considered agencies of the state.