Article 5 - Wildlife Program - California Public Resources Code

Sections (1)

Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 638, Sec. 9. Approved in Proposition 12 at the March 7, 2000, election. Note: Pursuant to Stats. 1999, Ch. 638, Sec. 17, this section was submitted in Prop. 12 in place of the section proposed by Stats. 1999, Ch. 461.

(a)Funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (m) of Section 5096.310 shall be available for expenditure by the Wildlife Conservation Board for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, restoration, and protection of real property benefiting fish and wildlife, for the acquisition, restoration, or protection of habitat that promotes recovery of threatened, endangered, or fully protected species,

maintains the genetic integrity of wildlife populations, and serves as corridors linking otherwise separate habitat to prevent habitat fragmentation, and for grants and related state administrative costs pursuant to the Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947 (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1300) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code), for the following purposes:

(1)Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the acquisition or restoration of wetland habitat, as follows:

(A)Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for the acquisition, preservation, restoration, and establishment, or any combination thereof, of habitat for waterfowl or other wetlands-associated wildlife, as provided for in the Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture Component of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the Inland Wetlands Conservation Program, notwithstanding Section 711 of the Fish and Game Code.

Preference shall be given to projects involving the acquisition of perpetual conservation easements; habitat development projects on lands which will be managed primarily as waterfowl habitat in perpetuity; waterfowl habitat development projects on agricultural lands; the reduction of fishery impacts resulting from supply diversions that have a direct benefit to wetlands and waterfowl habitat; or programs to establish permanent buffer areas, including, but not limited to, agricultural lands that are necessary to preserve the acreage and habitat values of existing wetlands.

(B)Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for the acquisition, development, restoration, and protection of wetlands and adjacent lands, or any combination thereof, located outside the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley.

(2)Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the development, acquisition from a willing seller, or

restoration of riparian habitat and watershed conservation programs.

(3)Forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the restoration, or acquisition from a willing seller, of habitat for threatened and endangered species or for the purpose of promoting the recovery of those species. Five million dollars ($5,000,000) of that amount shall be for the acquisition of property along the central coast containing coastal terrace prairie, federally listed spineflower, state listed San Francisco popcorn flower, and candidates for federal listing including ohlone tiger beetle and opler’s longhorned moth. No funds may be expended pursuant to this paragraph for the acquisition of real property or other actions taken pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of the Fish and Game Code.

(4)Thirteen million dollars ($13,000,000) for the

acquisition from a willing seller, or restoration of forest lands, including, but not limited to, ancient redwoods and oak woodlands. Not more than five million dollars ($5,000,000) of this amount shall be expended on the federal Legacy Forest Program (16 U.S.C. Sec. 2103) to meet federal matching requirements and not less than five million dollars ($5,000,000) of this amount shall be allocated for the preservation of oak woodlands. Not more than five million dollars ($5,000,000) of this amount shall be expended on the federal Legacy Forest Program (16 U.S.C. Sec. 2103) to meet federal matching requirements and not less than five million dollars ($5,000,000) of this amount shall be allocated for the preservation of oak woodlands.

(5)Eighty-two million five hundred thousand dollars ($82,500,000), upon appropriation by the Legislature, to match funds contributed by federal or local agencies or nonprofit organizations for the acquisition,

restoration, or protection of habitat or habitat corridors that promote the recovery of threatened, endangered, or fully protected species. Projects funded pursuant to this paragraph may include restoration projects authorized pursuant to Public Law 105-372, the Salton Sea Reclamation Act of 1998. The board shall require matching contributions of funds, real property, or other resources from other public agencies, private parties, or nonprofit organizations, at a level designed to obtain the maximum conservation benefits to wildlife and wildlife habitat. No funds may be expended pursuant to this paragraph for the acquisition of real property or other actions taken pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of the Fish and Game Code.

(6)One hundred million dollars ($100,000,000), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purpose of funding the acquisition of real property subject to a natural community conservation plan adopted

pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of the Fish and Game Code, if the acquisition of the real property is conducted in conjunction with a natural community conservation plan approved by the Department of Fish and Game prior to January 1, 1999, or if the acquisition is approved by statute.

(7)Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for environmental restoration projects for the following purposes approved pursuant to the Salton Sea Restoration Project authorized by Public Law 105-372, the Salton Sea Reclamation Act of 1998, and identified in the Final Environmental Impact Statement of the Salton Sea Restoration Project:

(A)Reduce and stabilize the overall salinity of the Salton Sea.

(B)Stabilize the surface elevation of the Salton Sea.

(C)Reclaim, in the long term, healthy fish and wildlife resources and their habitats.

(D)Enhance the potential for recreational uses of the Salton Sea.

(b)Not more than 5 percent of the funds authorized for expenditure by this section may be used for public access and wildlife-oriented public use projects.