Bill Text: CA SB1224 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Watersheds: wildlife habitat: Counties of Orange and San Diego.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2022-09-28 - In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. [SB1224 Detail]
Download: California-2021-SB1224-Enrolled.html
|
Enrolled
August 29, 2022 |
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Passed
IN
Senate
May 26, 2022 |
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Passed
IN
Assembly
August 25, 2022 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
May 19, 2022 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 1224
| Introduced by Senator Bates (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Nguyen) |
February 17, 2022 |
An act relating to watersheds.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1224, Bates.
Watersheds: wildlife habitat: Counties of Orange and San Diego.
The Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947 establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board in the Department of Fish and Wildlife and requires the board to determine the areas in the state that are most essential and suitable for certain wildlife-related purposes. Under that law, the board may authorize the department to acquire real property, rights in real property, water, or water rights for the benefit of wildlife.
This bill would authorize the Wildlife Conservation
Board, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to make grants to acquire fee title or conservation easements or to perform restoration, or a combination thereof, in watersheds with habitats for sensitive wildlife populations in specified regions in the Counties of Orange and San Diego, as provided.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Orange and San Diego.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) The southern region of the County of Orange and northern region of the County of San Diego are known for their beaches, but the area around the county line that separates the two counties is also home to magnificent ecologically intact habitats, including aquatic, riparian stream, oak woodland, grassland, and coastal sage scrub.
(b) These large areas of undeveloped habitat, including portions of Camp Pendleton and the Cleveland National Forest, embrace elevational gradients from sea to mountaintops, essential for climate
resilience.
(c) A key component of this area is the 139 square mile San Mateo Creek Watershed, one of the last major watersheds in southern California that has no dams or channels. The San Mateo Creek Watershed’s pristine drainages and high water quality support an unparalleled concentration of 11 endangered and threatened species, including southern steelhead trout, Pacific pocket mouse, arroyo southwestern toad, Least Bell’s vireo, California gnatcatcher, San Diego fairy shrimp, tidewater goby, southwestern willow flycatcher, and western snowy plover.
(d) Other watersheds in this area boast similar important environmental traits.
(e) The beaches in this area depend on the fresh water from these healthy watersheds
for sand transport, which in turn works to maintain the condition of the beaches in this area.
(f) The beaches provide unparalleled recreational opportunities for all Californians.
(g) Restoring and conserving these unique watersheds near the county line of the Counties of Orange and San Diego has a direct correlation to the health of the coastline so that it can withstand the impacts from sea level rise resulting from changes to our climate.
(h) Preserving these open spaces meets all three “key objectives” of California’s 30X30 Initiative, for biodiversity, equitable access, and climate adaptation.
