Bill Text: CA AB975 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 975 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Natural resources: wild and scenic rivers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - Died on inactive file. [AB975 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB975-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly May 04, 2017

Amended IN Assembly March 23, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 975

Introduced by Assembly Member Friedman
(Coauthor: Senator Allen)

February 16, 2017

An act to amend Sections 5093.50 and 5093.52 of the Public Resources Code, relating to wild and scenic rivers.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 975, as amended, Friedman. Natural resources: wild and scenic rivers.

Existing law establishes that it is the policy of the state that certain rivers that possess extraordinary scenic, recreational, fishery, or wildlife values shall be preserved in their free-flowing state, together with their immediate environments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the state.

This bill would revise that policy to specify that certain rivers that possess scenic, recreational, fishery, wildlife, historical, cultural, geological, ~~ecological, hydrological, botanical,~~ or other similar values shall be preserved in their free-flowing state, together with their immediate environments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the state, and would revise the definition of “immediate environments,” and define the term “extraordinary value” for purposes of that policy.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 5093.50 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

5093.50.

It is the policy of the State of California that certain rivers that possess extraordinary scenic, recreational, fishery, wildlife, historical, cultural, geological, ~~ecological, hydrological, botanical,~~ or other similar values shall be preserved in their free-flowing state, together with their immediate environments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the state. The Legislature declares that such use of these rivers is the highest and most beneficial use and is a reasonable and beneficial use of water within the meaning of Section 2 of Article X of the California Constitution. It is the purpose of this chapter to create a California Wild and Scenic Rivers System to be administered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

SEC. 2.

Section 5093.52 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

5093.52.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meaning:

(a) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.

(b) “Resources Agency” means the Natural Resources Agency and any constituent units of the Natural Resources Agency that the secretary determines to be necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

(c) “River” means the water, bed, and shoreline of rivers, streams, channels, lakes, bays, estuaries, marshes, wetlands, and lagoons, up to the first line of permanently established riparian vegetation.

(d) “Free-flowing” means existing or flowing without artificial impoundment, diversion, or other modification of the river. The presence of low dams, diversion works, and other minor structures does not automatically bar a river’s inclusion within the system. However, this subdivision does not authorize or encourage future construction of those structures on any component of the system.

(e) “System” means the California Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

(f) “Land use regulation” means the regulation by any state or local governmental entity, agency, or official of any activities that take place other than directly on the waters of the segments of the rivers designated in Section 5093.54.

(g) “Director” means the Director of Fish and Wildlife.

(h) “Immediate environments” ~~means~~ means, notwithstanding the special treatment areas defined in subdivision (i), the corridor of land within one-quarter mile of the segments of the rivers designated in Section 5093.54.

(i) “Special treatment areas” means, for purposes of this chapter, those areas defined as special treatment areas in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2004, as that definition applies to wild and scenic river segments designated from time to time in Section 5093.54, and also includes areas within 200 feet of the watercourse transition line of a state-designated recreational river segment designated in Section 5093.54 that may be at risk during timber operations.

(j) “Board” means the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(k) “Extraordinary value” means a ~~natural, cultural,~~ scenic, recreational, fishery, wildlife, historical, cultural, geological, or similar value that is outstanding or remarkable in a local, regional, or statewide context.