SECTIONS 79570-79573 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 79570-79573

79570. The sum of two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) shall
be available for appropriation by the Legislature from the fund for
expenditures and grants for the purpose of protecting coastal
watersheds, including, but not limited to, acquisition, protection,
and restoration of land and water resources and associated planning,
permitting, and administrative costs, in accordance with the
following schedule:
(a) The sum of one hundred twenty million dollars ($120,000,000)
to the State Coastal Conservancy for coastal watershed protection
pursuant to Division 21 (commencing with Section 31000) of the Public
Resources Code.
(b) The sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to the State
Coastal Conservancy for expenditure for the San Francisco Bay
Conservancy Program for coastal watershed protection pursuant to
Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 31160) of Division 21 of the
Public Resources Code.
(c) The sum of forty million dollars ($40,000,000) to the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy. Twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) of
this sum shall be expended for protection of the Los Angeles River
watershed upstream of the northernmost boundary of the City of
Vernon, and twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) shall be expended
for protection of the Santa Monica Bay and Ventura County coastal
watersheds, pursuant to Division 23 (commencing with Section 33000)
of the Public Resources Code.
(d) The sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to the San
Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy for
protection of the San Gabriel and lower Los Angeles River watersheds
pursuant to Division 22.8 (commencing with Section 32600) of the
Public Resources Code.

79571. Ten percent of the money allocated in each of the categories
in Section 79570 shall be used for grants for the acquisition and
development of facilities to promote public access to and
participation in the conservation of land, water, and wildlife
resources. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(a) Training and research facilities for watershed protection and
water conservation activities conducted by nonprofit organizations.
Priority shall be given to projects operated by nonprofit
organizations in collaboration with the University of California and
public water agencies.
(b) Nature centers that are in or adjacent to watersheds and
wetlands identified for protection pursuant to this chapter, that
provide wildlife viewing, outdoor experiences, and conservation
education programs to the public and to students. Priority shall be
given to projects that are operated by or in cooperation with
nonprofit organizations and are designed to serve children from urban
areas that lack access to natural areas and outdoor education
programs.

79572. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code,
the sum of seven hundred fifty million dollars ($750,000,000) is
hereby continuously appropriated from the fund to the Wildlife
Conservation Board, without regard to fiscal years, for the
acquisition, protection, and restoration of coastal wetlands, upland
areas adjacent to coastal wetlands, and coastal watershed lands.
Money appropriated pursuant to this section shall be for the
acquisition, protection, and restoration of lands in or adjacent to
urban areas. Eligible projects shall be limited to the following:
(1) Acquisition, protection, and restoration of coastal wetlands
identified in the Southern California Coastal Wetlands Inventory as
of January 1, 2001, published by the State Coastal Conservancy,
located within the coastal zone, and other wetlands connected and
proximate to such coastal wetlands, and upland areas adjacent and
proximate to such coastal wetlands, or coastal wetlands identified
for acquisition, protection, and restoration in the San Francisco
Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Report, and upland areas adjacent to
the identified wetlands.
(2) Acquisition, protection, and restoration of coastal watershed
and adjacent lands located in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara
Counties. Any project financed pursuant to this paragraph within the
Santa Monica Mountains Zone, as defined in Section 33105 of the
Public Resources Code, shall be by grant from the Wildlife
Conservation Board to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Any
project financed pursuant to this paragraph within the Baldwin Hills
area, as defined in Section 32553 of the Public Resources Code, shall
be by grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to the Baldwin
Hills Conservancy.
(b) Not less than three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000) of
the amount appropriated in this section shall be expended or granted
for projects within Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Of the
remaining funds available pursuant to this section the Wildlife
Conservation Board shall give priority to the acquisition of not less
than 100 acres consisting of upland mesa areas, including wetlands
therein, adjacent to the state ecological reserve in the Bolsa Chica
wetlands in Orange County.
(c) Not more than two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) of
the amount appropriated in this section may be expended or granted
for projects in the San Francisco Bay area, as described in Section
31162 of the Public Resources Code. Any project within the San
Francisco Bay area may be by grant from the Wildlife Conservation
Board to the State Coastal Conservancy.

79573. (a) The purchase price for each acquisition made pursuant to
Section 79572 shall not exceed the fair market value of the property
as defined in Section 1263.320 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Fair
market value shall be determined by an appraisal that is prepared by
a licensed real estate appraiser and approved by the Wildlife
Conservation Board and the Department of General Services.
(b) All real property acquired pursuant to this chapter shall be
acquired from willing sellers.