citation: PRC § 751

text: The purpose of this article is to declare the existence of a public interest in the management and treatment of the forest resources and timberlands of this state and to provide for the regulation of persons who practice the profession of forestry and whose activities have an impact upon the ecology of forested landscapes and the quality of the forest environment, and through that regulation to enhance the control of air and water pollution, the preservation of scenic beauty, the protection of watersheds by flood and soil erosion control, the production and increased yield of natural resources, including timber, forage, wildlife, and water, and outdoor recreation, to meet the needs of the people.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


kind: section

code: PRC

citation: PRC § 752

text:
(a) “Professional forester,” as used in this article, means a person who, by reason of their knowledge of the natural sciences, mathematics, and the principles of forestry, acquired by forestry education and experience, performs services, including, but not limited to, consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, or responsible supervision of forestry activities when those professional services require the application of forestry principles and techniques.

(b) A professional forester is licensed to perform forestry services only in those areas of expertise in which the person is fully competent as a result of training or experience. In order for a professional forester to fulfill all of their responsibilities with regard to a particular activity on a site, if the expertise that is prudently required exceeds the expertise possessed by the professional forester in that regard, the professional forester may need to utilize the services of other qualified experts, including, but not limited to, archaeologists, botanists, civil engineers, ecologists, fisheries biologists, geologists, hydrologists, land surveyors, landscape architects, range scientists, soil scientists, or wildlife biologists. This article shall not preclude those other environmental professionals from the application of their knowledge in their field of expertise outside the practice of forestry, as defined in Section 753.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 40. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

division: 1. ADMINISTRATION

article: 3. Professional Foresters

path: 1. ADMINISTRATION > 2.5. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection > 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 753

text: “Forestry,” as used in this article, refers to the science and practice of managing forested landscapes and the treatment of the forest cover in general, and includes, among other things, the application of scientific knowledge and forestry principles in the fields of fuels management and forest protection, timber growing and utilization, forest inventories, forest economics, forest valuation and finance, and the evaluation and mitigation of impacts from forestry activities on watershed and scenic values, to achieve the purposes of this article. The practice of forestry applies only to those activities undertaken on forested landscapes. The professions specified in Section 772 are not practicing forestry when mitigating or recommending mitigation of impacts from previous forestry activities on related watershed or ecological values within their area of professional expertise or when recommending those mitigations for proposed timber operations. However, public and private foresters are required to be licensed pursuant to this article when making evaluations and determinations of the appropriate overall combination of mitigations of impacts from forestry activities necessary to protect all forest resources.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1994.)

chapter: 2.5. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 754

text: “Forested landscapes” means those tree dominated landscapes and their associated vegetation types on which there is growing a significant stand of tree species, or which are naturally capable of growing a significant stand of native trees in perpetuity, and is not otherwise devoted to nonforestry commercial, urban, or farming uses.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1994.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 755

text: “Person” as used in this article means any natural person.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 756

text: Nothing in this article prohibits any person from engaging in those activities otherwise restricted to professional foresters, certified specialists, or qualified but exempt certificants, provided a registrant is in charge of the professional practice or work of that person and all professional work or documents are done by or under the supervision of the registrant.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 748, Sec. 3.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 757

text: This article does not apply to a landowner who is a natural person and who personally performs services of a professional forester, when those services are personally performed on lands owned by that person.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 41. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 758

text: This article shall not be construed to authorize a registered professional forester to practice civil engineering as defined in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or to practice land surveying as defined in Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 8700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or to practice landscape architecture, as defined in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 5615) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 748, Sec. 4.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 759

text: The board may by regulation adopt such rules and regulations pursuant to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11371) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as it determines are reasonably necessary to enable it to carry into effect the provisions of this article.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 760

text: The board shall consider matters pertaining to the registration of professional foresters at least once every six months at regular meetings and may, as necessary, meet solely for the purpose of considering matters to carry out the provisions of this article.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


text: The board may hire the clerical and secretarial employees, technical personnel, and other staff who are necessary and budgeted to properly assist the work of the board in carrying out the purposes of this article. This staff personnel shall be subject to the relevant system and procedures of the state civil service. The provisions of the State Civil Service Act contained in Part 2 (commencing with Section 18500) of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall apply to that personnel. The executive officer shall be an employee exempt from civil service.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 748, Sec. 5.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 761

text: The board shall keep a complete record of all applications for registration and certification and the board’s action thereon.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 762

text: The board may by regulation provide for the issuance of certificates of specialization in such fields of specialization as the board may by regulation establish.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 763

text:
(a) The board shall establish an examining committee of at least seven members composed of the following, who shall be appointed by the board and serve at its pleasure:

(1) Two public members with one selected from the membership of the board.

(2) At least four professional foresters in good standing representing a broad cross section of employment and expertise.

(3) At least one certified specialist registered pursuant to Section 772 in good standing. If a certified specialist is not available to serve on the committee, this position shall be replaced by an additional professional forester in good standing.

(b) The examining committee shall do all of the following:

(1) Examine all applicants for registration as professional foresters and for specialty certificates.

(2) Recommend to the board applicants for the license of professional forester and applicants for specialty certificates who fulfill the requirements of this article.

(3) Review complaints, which review may include independent investigations or expert witness evaluations, and make disciplinary recommendations to the board.

(4) Establish ad hoc committees as needed with representatives of certified specialists.

(5) Recommend to the board whether an independent certification program qualifies for recognition under Section 754.

(6) Recommend adoption of the rules and regulations or changes in rules and regulations which may be needed to effect this article.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1994.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 764

text: A person appointed to serve upon the examining committee shall receive, if requested, one hundred dollars ($100) for each day during which that person is engaged in the performance of their official duties, except that the compensation of each member shall not exceed in any one fiscal year the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000). In addition, each member shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, including travel, at state rates.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 42. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 765

text: The examining committee shall adhere to the rules and regulations of the board. An applicant for a license pursuant to this article who contends that they have been aggrieved by an action taken by the examining committee with respect to their qualifications may appeal to the board in accordance with rules or regulations prescribed by the board. The board upon the appeal may administer an oral or written examination to the applicant as an aid in determining whether the applicant is qualified under this article.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 43. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 766

text: On and after July 1, 1973, it shall be unlawful for any person to act in the capacity of, or to use the title of, a professional forester without being registered pursuant to this article, unless exempted from the provisions thereof.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 767

text: An applicant for a license pursuant to this article shall apply to the board. Such application shall be accompanied by the payment of a fee in an amount fixed by the provisions of this article.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 768

text: The board shall require an applicant to demonstrate such degree of experience and such general knowledge of the profession of forestry as the board deems necessary for the protection of the public.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 769

text:
An applicant shall meet all of the following qualifications:

(a) Be of good moral character and have a good reputation for honesty and integrity.

(b) Furnish evidence of having completed seven years of experience in forestry work.

Possession of a degree of bachelor of science, or equivalent degree as determined by the board, with a major in forestry, shall be deemed equivalent to four years of experience in the actual practice of forestry work.

At least three of the seven years of experience shall include having charge of forestry work, or forestry work under the supervision of a person registered, or qualified for, but exempt from, registration under the provision of this article. Work completed prior to July 1, 1973, shall qualify if it was under the supervision of a qualified forester, as defined in Section 754. The award of a master of forestry degree shall be acceptable as evidence of one year of such qualifying experience.

(c) Has successfully completed such examination or examinations as are prescribed by the board.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 770

text:
(a) Examinations shall be given by the board as often as it is deemed necessary, but at least every six months.

(b) The examination may consist of both written and oral portions. A grade of 75 percent shall be necessary for successful completion of the examination.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 771

text: An applicant failing in an examination may be examined again upon filing a new application and paying the application fee.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 772

text: Instead of being registered as a professional forester, an applicant may request to be registered as a certified specialist in one or more fields of forestry. Nothing in this article shall authorize the board to certify or otherwise license wildlife biologists, fisheries biologists, botanists, ecological restorationists, stream restorationists, hydrologists, or geologists. Registration in a specialty area does not prohibit a professional forester from providing services within that professional forester’s area of expertise. Any public agency or professional society may submit for board recognition its independent certification program as full qualification without examination for the board’s certificate of specialization. That certification as a specialist shall be granted provided the board determines the program fully protects the public interest in that area of practice encompassed by the program. Those certificants are subject to board registration and discipline with review by that specialty.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1994.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 773

text: Licenses and specialty certificates issued pursuant to this article shall be valid for two years and shall expire on July 1 of each alternating year.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 1994.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 774

text:
(a) Issuance of a license may be denied if sufficient evidence is received by the board of the commission or doing by the applicant of an act that, if committed or done by a licensee, would be grounds for the suspension or revocation of the licensee’s license.

(b) In a decision denying an application, the board may provide that it will accept no future application from the applicant until the applicant complies with specified conditions. The board shall not require a condition that is not just and reasonable.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 44. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 775

text: The board may upon its own motion, and shall upon the verified complaint in writing of any person, cause investigation to be made of the actions of any person licensed pursuant to this article, and may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke the license of any person who is guilty of or commits any one or more of the acts or omissions constituting cause for disciplinary action.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 776

text: Any accusation against a registrant or a certificant shall be filed within five years after the act or omission alleged as the ground for disciplinary action. The proceedings under this article shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and the board has all the powers granted in that chapter.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1297, Sec. 1.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 777

text:
(a) If the board finds against the registrant, the board, in its decision, may terminate all operations of the registrant during the period fixed by the decision, except those operations the board determines that the person may complete. The board may impose upon the registrant compliance with specific conditions as may be just in connection with the registrant’s operations, and may further provide that, until the conditions are complied with, no application for restoration of the suspended or revoked registration shall be accepted by the board.

(b) The board shall provide public notice of the suspension or revocation pursuant to this section.

(c) The board may issue a private reprimand when a registrant commits a failure of responsibility that warrants a lesser level of discipline than suspension. The issuance of a private reprimand does not prohibit the board from using the subject of the private reprimand in an accusation, within the statute of limitations, seeking suspension or revocation resulting from a subsequent complaint, to establish a pattern of lesser failures of professional responsibility. If the evidence is insufficient to support a private reprimand or an accusation, the executive officer for registration may send a letter expressing the examining committee’s concerns.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 45. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 778

text:
A registrant or certificant is subject to disciplinary action who:

(a) Has been convicted of a felony substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a registered professional forester. A conviction within the meaning of this section means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action that the board is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, irrespective of a subsequent order under Section 1203.4 of the Penal Code.

(b) Has been found guilty by the board of any deceit, misrepresentation, fraud, material misstatement of fact, incompetence, or gross negligence in their practice.

(c) Has been guilty of fraud or deceit in obtaining their registration or certification.

(d) Aids or abets a person in the violation of this article.

(e) Fails in any material respect to comply with this article.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 46. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


text: The board shall develop criteria to determine whether a felony is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a registered professional forester in order to aid it when considering the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1981, Ch. 382, Sec. 3.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 779

text: Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 780

text: The fees received pursuant to this article shall be deposited in the Professional Forester Registration Fund in the State Treasury, which fund is hereby created.

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 781

text: All fees received pursuant to this article shall be available, when appropriated by the Legislature, for the administration of this article; provided, that in the event that moneys need to be expended from the Professional Forester Registration Fund for emergencies for which no appropriation, or an insufficient appropriation, has been made by law, and which in the judgment of the Director of Finance constitutes a case of actual necessity, but limited to purposes of administration of this article that have been specifically approved by the Legislature in budget acts or other legislation, the Director of Finance may authorize an emergency expenditure in an amount determined by the Director of Finance from the fund; provided, further, that the Director of Finance shall file with the Joint Legislative Budget Committee within 10 days after approval of the emergency expenditure, copies of all executive orders, expenditure authorizations, and allotments made pursuant to this section, and stating the reasons for, and the amount of, those expenditures.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 47. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 782

text:
The board shall establish by regulation the amount of fees within the following ranges, and based on a determination by the board of the amount of revenues reasonably necessary to carry out this article:

(a) The application fee for registration or for each certificate of specialization shall be not less than fifty dollars ($50) and not more than six hundred dollars ($600).

(b) The registration fee and certificate of specialization fees and renewal fees shall be not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) and not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per year. Every licensed person shall, on or before July 1 of the year of expiration, pay the renewal fee.

(c) The fee for the issuance of a duplicate display registration document or certificate of specialization shall be not less than five dollars ($5) and not more than seventy-five dollars ($75).

(d) The penalty fee for failure to apply for a renewal shall be not less than ten dollars ($10) and not more than seventy-five dollars ($75) for each month of delinquency. In return for the payment of the renewal fee and any applicable late fees, a renewal registration card shall be issued.

(e) A registrant or certificant may, upon written notice to the board, be granted a withdrawal period without penalty not to exceed five years. A reinstatement application shall be accompanied with a fee of not less than fifteen dollars ($15) and not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for registration or each certificate of specialization.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 14, Sec. 6. (SB 124) Effective June 27, 2025.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 783

text: In case a person defaults in payment of the renewal fee, the person’s registration may be revoked by the board on 60 days’ notice in writing from the board, unless within this time the fee is paid, together with penalty, not exceeding the amount fixed by this article. Upon payment of the fee and penalty within one year, the board shall reinstate the person’s registration.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 133, Sec. 48. (SB 272) Effective July 23, 2021.)

article: 3. Professional Foresters


citation: PRC § 800

text:
It is the policy of the State of California that the location and operation of thermal electric powerplants shall enhance public benefits and protect against or minimize adverse effects on the public, the ecology of the land and its wildlife, and the ecology of state waters and their aquatic life, and that the public’s opportunity to enjoy the material, physical and aesthetic benefits of its resources shall be preserved to the greatest extent feasible.

The Legislature declares that it is also the policy of the state to encourage the use of nuclear energy, geothermal resources, and such other energy sources as are currently under development, wherever feasible, recognizing that such use has the potential of providing direct economic benefit to the public, while helping to conserve limited fossil fuel resources and promoting air cleanliness.

The Legislature further declares that it is the policy of the state to encourage planning by the state’s electric utilities toward the above-stated objectives and to assist the utilities in their evaluations of the effects on the environment of proposed thermal powerplant sites and to that end a State Powerplant Siting Committee has been established to effect such coordination with the utilities and to carry out specific responsibilities as may be defined in the Public Utilities Code and the Public Resources Code.

The Legislature finds that the state should conduct research relating to the conservation, enhancement and prudent use of its resources, including those associated with the siting of thermal powerplants.

The Legislature finds that the state should also stimulate, sponsor and conduct appropriate research and study on new methods of powerplant siting which offer potential for enhanced public benefits in location, operation, and protection of the environment with such investigations including underground and underocean sites, manmade islands, powerplant parks, the desirability of locations on or near tidal lagoons, and other concepts which may appear attractive in minimizing the impact on the environment of the large projected increase in California electric generating capacity.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1970, Ch. 1299.)

chapter: 3. Powerplant Siting

path: 1. ADMINISTRATION > 3. Powerplant Siting


citation: PRC § 801

text:
In accordance with state policy, it shall be the responsibility of the Resources Agency to establish a program of research on improved methods of powerplant siting. Recognizing the very considerable experience, knowledge and effort of the state’s electric utilities in this field, the Resources Agency shall coordinate its research programs with the electric utilities to insure minimum duplication and maximum interchange of information with the results of the state’s research program being published and made available as public information.

In accord with recommendation No. 3 made in the Resources Agency’s report to the Legislature on Siting Thermal Powerplants in California, dated February 15, 1970, and concurred in by the Utilities Ad Hoc Committee, the Resources Agency is specifically authorized to undertake a study of the siting of underground powerplants.


citation: PRC § 825

text: This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the California Aquaculture Development Act.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 187.)

chapter: 4. Aquaculture Development

path: 1. ADMINISTRATION > 4. Aquaculture Development


citation: PRC § 826

text: The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the interest of the people of the state that the practice of aquaculture be encouraged in order to augment food supplies, expand employment, promote economic activity, increase native fish stocks, enhance commercial and recreational fishing, and protect and better use the land and water resources of the state.


citation: PRC § 827

text: The purpose of this chapter is to establish a policy and program toward improving the science and practice of aquaculture as a means of expanding aquaculture industry and related economic activity in the state.


citation: PRC § 828

text: As used in this chapter, “aquaculture” means the culture and husbandry of aquatic organisms, including, but not limited to, fish, shellfish, mollusks, crustaceans, kelp, and algae. Aquaculture shall not mean the culture and husbandry of commercially utilized inland crops, including, but not limited to, rice, watercress, and bean sprouts.


citation: PRC § 829

text: As used in this chapter, “director” means the Director of the Department of Fish and Game.


citation: PRC § 830

text: As used in this chapter, “department” means the Department of Fish and Game.


citation: PRC § 1000

text:
(a) This division shall be known, and may be cited, as the Equitable Outdoor Access Act.

(b) This division sets forth the state’s commitment to ensuring all Californians can benefit from, and have meaningful and sustainable access to, the state’s rich cultural and natural resources.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 939, Sec. 1. (AB 30) Effective January 1, 2023.)

division: 1.5. EQUITABLE OUTDOOR ACCESS ACT

chapter: 1. General Provisions

path: 1.5. EQUITABLE OUTDOOR ACCESS ACT > 1. General Provisions


citation: PRC § 1001

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The biodiversity of California is comprised of the plants, animals, including humans, and fungi that reside within the state, as well as its rivers, lakes, beaches, deserts, forests, mountain ranges, and other natural landscapes.

(b) The state’s cultural and natural resources are a shared heritage that no single individual or entity is more entitled to access to, or benefit from, than another and must be stewarded for future generations.

(c) Countless Californians still face barriers to visiting and enjoying the state’s natural resources and outdoor spaces, including local, regional, state, and federal parks and beaches, and other public lands and outdoor spaces. These barriers include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Lack of safe, reliable, and affordable routes to outdoor spaces, including transportation and pathways accessible for people with disabilities.

(2) Cost of admission, parking, and overnight accommodations at or near these spaces.

(3) Lack of accessible public information and exposure to the outdoors necessary to ensure familiarity and comfort with being in these spaces.

(4) Lack of culturally relevant and multilingual programming.

(5) Lack of local, quality outdoor spaces and amenities, including parks, pedestrian tree canopies, green streets, greenways, trails, community gardens, and other greenspaces.

(6) Lack of outdoor programming opportunities, including, but not limited to, recreational, cultural, and educational activities, in many communities.

(7) Local hostility towards visitors of these spaces and intentional efforts to restrict access.

(d) The state faces a biodiversity and nature crisis that scientists say we must address with urgency.

(e) Nature, like the climate, is nearing a tipping point where the continued loss and degradation of the natural environment will push many ecosystems and wildlife species past the point of no return, threaten the health and economic prosperity of California and the United States, and increase the costs of natural disasters.

(f) Before European contact with the American continents, tribal nations, Native American tribes, and tribal entities managed and stewarded the state’s terrestrial and marine resources using traditional ecological knowledge and a wide array of traditional practices and techniques to maintain an environment capable of supporting large, thriving human, plant, and animal populations. Today, tribes continue to use these practices, which vary from tribe to tribe, but are generally focused on ecosystem interconnectivity, respecting the carrying capacity of the land, and viewing humans as an integral part of the environment. Tribal methods of protecting and managing the land are an essential and fundamental part of a concerted effort to successfully rebalance the climate and restore biodiversity.

(g) Access to, and the benefits of, nature are essential to the health, well-being, identity, culture, and economic prosperity of the state.

(h) Accessing and connecting with the state’s prized cultural and natural resources and experiencing the public and mental health, cultural, economic, and other benefits outdoor recreation can provide is essential to cultivating an appreciation and respect for nature that motivates conservation, biodiversity protection, and other actions to protect our climate and planet.

(i) The loss of nature and lack of access to nature negatively affects people of color disproportionately, especially people of color living in disadvantaged communities. Research shows that communities of color are three times more likely than White communities to live in nature-deprived areas and that 70 percent of low-income communities live in nature-deprived areas.

(j) The loss of habitat for fish and wildlife, inadequate water supplies, pollution in the air and water, the loss of pollinators, uncontrollable wildfires, and climate change are of increasing concern to many communities across California but especially to communities of color and disadvantaged communities.

(k) The state has a responsibility to conserve land, air, water, ocean, and wildlife resources in the state as necessary to prevent the further decline of nature and to address barriers to access, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected by them, to ensure that all Californians have access to nature and a healthy environment.

chapter: 2. Policy

path: 1.5. EQUITABLE OUTDOOR ACCESS ACT > 2. Policy


citation: PRC § 1002

text:
(a) It is hereby declared to be the established policy of the state to:

(1) Ensure that all Californians have equitable opportunities to safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature.

(2) Maximize public access to public lands, including the state’s cultural and natural resources, in a sustainable manner, where appropriate, with a special emphasis on creating and promoting opportunities for people and communities that face disproportionate barriers to access, including, but not limited to, communities of color, indigenous communities, and economically disadvantaged communities.

(3) Prevent and minimize the intentional and unwarranted limitation of sustainable public access to public lands, where appropriate, including, but not limited to, local, regional, state, and federal parks, rivers, lakes, beaches, forests, mountain ranges, deserts, and other natural landscapes.

(b) All relevant state agencies, including the Natural Resources Agency, and each department, board, office, conservancy, and commission within the agency, and state departments, including the Department of Transportation, shall consider and incorporate, as appropriate, this state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, or grant criteria, or making expenditures, to the extent the policies, regulations, grant criteria, or expenditures are not in conflict with an appropriation.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state, in implementing this division, provide for the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins, and solicit, account for, and respond to the voices, needs, and priorities of communities of color, indigenous communities, and economically disadvantaged communities.


citation: PRC § 1003

text:
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, all state agencies implementing this state policy shall do so in a manner consistent with the mission of their agency that protects the health and safety of the public and that conserves natural and cultural resources. This section shall not prohibit an affected state agency, department, board, office, conservancy, or commission from enacting any policy, standard, or condition that is intended to preserve the public health and safety.

(b) The state shall encourage the types of access that promote, and are consistent with, the conservation goals described in subdivision (a).

(c) On or before January 1, 2024, the Natural Resources Agency shall prepare a report and submit it to the Legislature containing information related to the implementation of this division.

(d) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under subdivision (c) is inoperative on January 1, 2026, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.


citation: PRC § 2001

text: Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions hereinafter set forth shall govern the construction of Division II of this code.

history: (History: Enacted by Stats. 1939, Ch. 93.)

division: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING

chapter: 1. Definitions

path: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING > 1. Definitions


citation: PRC § 2002

text: “Department,” in reference to the government of this state, means the Department of Conservation.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1144.)


text: “Director” means the Director of Conservation.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1019, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.)


citation: PRC § 2003

text: “Survey,” in reference to the government of this state, means the California Geological Survey in the Department of Conservation.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 12. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)


citation: PRC § 2004

text: “Person” includes any individual, firm, association, corporation, organization, limited liability company, or partnership, or any city, county, district, or the state or any department or agency thereof.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1010, Sec. 203. Effective January 1, 1995.)


citation: PRC § 2005

text: “Minerals” means any naturally occurring chemical element or compound, or groups of elements and compounds, formed from inorganic processes and organic substances, including, but not limited to, coal, peat, and bituminous rock, but excluding geothermal resources, natural gas, and petroleum.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 1131.)


citation: PRC § 2006

text: “State Geologist” means the individual holding the office created by Section 677.


text: “Supervisor of Mine Reclamation” or “supervisor” means the individual directing the Division of Mine Reclamation established pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 607.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 13. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)


citation: PRC § 2007

text: “Exploration” or “prospecting” means the search for minerals by geological, geophysical, geochemical or other techniques, including, but not limited to, sampling, assaying, drilling, or any surface or underground works needed to determine the type, extent, or quantity of minerals present.


citation: PRC § 2008

text: “Board” means the State Mining and Geology Board.


citation: PRC § 2009

text: “Geologic hazard” means a geologic condition that is a potential danger to life and property. Geologic hazards include, but are not limited to, earthquake, landslide, mineral hazards, postfire debris flow, subsidence, coastal and inland erosion, expansive soil, fault displacement, and volcanic eruption.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 2. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2200

text: For the purposes of this chapter, “mine” includes all mineral bearing properties of whatever kind or character, whether underground, or in a quarry or pit, or any other source from which any mineral substance is or may be obtained.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1975, Ch. 1131.)

chapter: 2. The California Geological Survey

path: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING > 2. The California Geological Survey


text: For the purposes of this chapter, “lead agency” means the city, county, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, or the board that has the principal responsibility for approving a surface mining operation or reclamation plan pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2710).

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 240, Sec. 4. Effective August 13, 2003.)


citation: PRC § 2201

text:
The department is the primary state agency responsible for review and investigation of geologic hazards, as defined in Section 2009, including, but not limited to, the strong motion aspects of earthquake and any geologic hazards that may occur in relation to natural disasters and climate change. In this capacity, the survey shall carry out activities and programs to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the environment by mitigating geologic hazards. Specific activities to be carried out by the survey include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(a) Hazard assessment, including identification and mapping of geologic hazards and estimates of their potential consequences to life, property, and the environment, and the likelihood of occurrence.

(b) Information and advisory services, including the maintenance of a geologic library, a public education program, maintenance of a statewide surface and subsurface geologic database, review functions, and expert consulting.

(c) Emergency response to geologic hazards, including, but not limited to, those related to natural disasters, including the monitoring and assessment of anomalous geologic activity, and the operation of a clearinghouse for postevent earth science investigations.

(d) Development and application of mitigation methods, including identifying state research needs, facilitating needed research, and expediting the application of new research results to public policy and all survey activities related to geologic hazards and the effects of climate change on geologic hazards.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 3. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2202

text:
The director may do any of the following:

(a) (1) Make a collection of typical geological and mineralogical specimens, especially those of economic and commercial importance, and of models, drawings, and descriptions of the mechanical appliances used in mining and metallurgical processes and geology, with that collection constituting the museum of the survey, which shall be known as the California State Mining and Mineral Museum.

(2) For the purposes of ensuring financial support and oversight of the museum, the department, museum staff, and the California State Mining and Mineral Museum Association may take all appropriate measures to encourage donations for the support of the museum by individuals, companies, and organizations. These donations shall be collected by the department and deposited in the California State Mining and Mineral Museum Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the money in the fund is hereby continuously appropriated to the department for expenditure for the following activities, in the following order of priority:

(A) Payment of curation, interpretation services, and administrative costs.

(B) Payment of management and visitation enhancement services.

(C) Operational costs of the museum.

(b) Provide a library of books, reports, and drawings bearing upon the mineral industries, the sciences of mineralogy and geology, and the arts of mining and metallurgy.

(c) Preserve and maintain that collection and library as to make them available for reference and examination, and open to public inspection at reasonable hours.

(d) Maintain a bureau of information concerning the mineral industries of this state, which is to consist of that collection and library, and arrange, classify, catalog, and index that data in a manner that makes the information available to those desiring it.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 17. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)


citation: PRC § 2203

text: The State Geologist shall provide all requested and recommended information to the director who shall prepare a report for transmission to the Governor on or before the 15th day of September of each year. The report shall include a section reviewing the status of measures taken in the state to counter geologic hazards and a section reviewing the economic utilization and conservation of the state’s mineral resources and problems related thereto pursuant to Chapter 7.6 (commencing with Section 2650).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 999, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1993.)


citation: PRC § 2204

text: The director may receive on behalf of this state, for the use and benefit of the survey, gifts, bequests, devises, and legacies of real or other property and may use the same in accordance with the wishes of the donors. If no instructions are given by the donors, the director shall manage, use, and dispose of the gifts, bequests, and legacies for the best interests of the survey and in such manner as the director may determine to be proper.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 18. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)


citation: PRC § 2205

text:
The State Geologist may do all of the following:

(a) Make, facilitate, and encourage special studies of the mineral resources, mineral industries, geology, and geologic hazards in the state.

(b) Collect statistics concerning the occurrence and production of the economically important minerals and the methods pursued in making their valuable constituents available for commercial use.

(c) Conduct and provide technical assistance to public and private entities, including for geological investigations, studies, and other activities for purposes that include, but are not limited to, the timely identification, delineation, and assessment of geologic hazards and their potential consequences.

(d) Identify and delineate deposits of mineral raw materials in order to prevent their loss to urban encroachment and to assist in their ultimate utilization; and enter into, as the need arises, cooperative agreements, for geological or mineral industry investigations, with public and private entities that may provide for cost sharing or cooperative funding.

(e) Maintain a laboratory, including a mineral, rock, and core repository, for use by survey staff and to conduct other investigations in the line of physical and chemical testing and analysis and mineral identification as may be required in the execution of the plans and operations of the survey under this chapter.

(f) Issue from time to time reports and maps concerning geologic and mineral hazards in the state and the statistics and technology of the mineral industries of the state, including the results of investigations in mineral resources conservation practices; the use and recycling of scrap mineral products; the control, disposal, reclamation, and utilization of mining and mineral processing waste products; and the reclamation of mined lands.

(g) Conduct investigations in mining and metallurgy, including the use and recycling of scrap mineral products and land use practices as these apply to mineral resources conservation, and enter into, as the need arises, cooperative or contractual agreements for those investigations that may provide for cost sharing or cooperative funding.

(h) Conduct investigations in the study and development of methods for the control, disposal, reclamation, and utilization of mining and mineral processing waste products and the reclamation of mined lands, and enter into, as the need arises, cooperative or contractual agreements for those investigations that may provide for cost sharing or cooperative funding.

(i) Enter into, as the need arises, agreements, including, but not limited to, contracts, grant agreements, and cooperative agreements, that may provide funding or operational support for activities of the survey and for the activities of the department that are directly related to the activities of the survey. Activities that may be funded include, but are not limited to, technical, analytic, and research services related to geologic hazards and resources that the survey may provide directly to those entities.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 4. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


text: Division 1 (commencing with Section 500) and this division shall not be construed as abridging the authorized geologic functions of other state agencies.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 5. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2206

text: The State Geologist may prepare a special collection of ores and minerals of California to be sent to or used at any world’s fair or exposition in order to display the mineral wealth of the State.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1961, Ch. 371.)


text: Notwithstanding Section 14670 of the Government Code, subject to the approval of the Director of General Services, the State Geologist may lease, for a period not to exceed 20 years, collections of ores and minerals of California for the public benefit.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1042, Sec. 2. Effective September 12, 1984.)


citation: PRC § 2207

text:
(a) The owner or the operator of a mining operation within the state shall forward to the supervisor annually, not later than a date established by the supervisor, on forms approved by the board from time to time, a report that identifies all of the following:

(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the person, company, or other owner of the mining operation.

(2) The name, address, and telephone number of a designated agent who resides in this state and who will receive and accept service of all orders, notices, and processes of the lead agency, board, supervisor, or court.

(3) The location of the mining operation, its name, its mine number as issued by the Division of Mine Reclamation, its section, township, range, latitude, longitude, and approximate boundaries of the mining operation marked on a United States Geological Survey 712-minute or 15-minute quadrangle map.

(4) The lead agency.

(5) The approval date of the mining operation’s reclamation plan.

(6) The mining operation’s status as active, idle, reclaimed, or in the process of being reclaimed.

(7) The commodities produced by the mine and the type of mining operation.

(8) A copy of the previously completed annual inspection form and a requested date, within 12 months of the prior inspection date, for the next annual inspection by the lead agency.

(9) Proof of financial assurances.

(10) Ownership of the property, including government agencies, if applicable, by the assessor’s parcel number, and total assessed value of the mining operation.

(11) The approximate permitted size of the mining operation subject to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2710)), in acres.

(12) The approximate total acreage of land newly disturbed by the mining operation during the previous calendar year.

(13) The approximate total of disturbed acreage reclaimed during the previous calendar year.

(14) The approximate total unreclaimed disturbed acreage remaining as of the end of the calendar year.

(15) The total production for each mineral commodity produced during the previous year.

(16) A copy of any approved reclamation plan and any amendments or conditions of approval to any existing reclamation plan approved by the lead agency.

(b) (1) Every year, not later than the date established by the supervisor, the person submitting the report pursuant to subdivision (a) shall forward to the lead agency, on forms furnished by the board, a report that provides all of the information specified in subdivision (a).

(2) The owner or operator of a mining operation shall allow access to the property to any governmental agency or the agent of any company providing financial assurance mechanisms in connection with the reclamation plan in order that the reclamation can be carried out by the entity or company in accordance with the reclamation plan.

(c) Subsequent reports shall include only changes in the information submitted for the items described in subdivision (a), except that, instead of the approved reclamation plan, the reports shall include any reclamation plan amendments approved during the previous year. The reports shall state whether review of a reclamation plan, financial assurances, or an interim management plan is pending under subdivision (h) of Section 2770, or whether an appeal before the board or lead agency governing body is pending under subdivision (e) or (h) of Section 2770. The supervisor shall notify the person submitting the report and the owner’s designated agent in writing that the report and the fee required pursuant to subdivision (d) have been received, specify the mining operation’s mine number if one has not been issued by the Division of Mine Reclamation, and notify the person and agent of any deficiencies in the report within 90 days of receipt. That person or agent shall have 30 days from receipt of the notification to correct the noted deficiencies and forward the revised report to the supervisor and the lead agency. A person who fails to comply with this section, or knowingly provides incorrect or false information in reports required by this section, may be subject to an administrative penalty as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 2774.1.

(d) (1) The board shall impose, by regulation, pursuant to paragraph (2), an annual reporting fee on, and method for collecting annual fees from, each active or idle mining operation. The maximum fee for any single mining operation shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) annually and shall not be less than one hundred dollars ($100) annually, as adjusted for the cost of living as measured by the California Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, calendar year averages, using the percentage change in the previous year, except that the maximum fee for any single mining operation shall not exceed six thousand dollars ($6,000) in the 2017–18 fiscal year and eight thousand dollars ($8,000) in the 2018–19 fiscal year.

(2) (A) The board shall adopt, by regulation, a schedule of fees authorized under paragraph (1) to cover the department’s cost in carrying out this section and the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2710)), as reflected in the Governor’s proposed Budget, and may adopt those regulations as emergency regulations. In establishing the schedule of fees to be paid by each active and idle mining operation, the fees shall be calculated on an equitable basis reflecting the size and type of operation. The board shall also consider the total assessed value of the mining operation, the acreage disturbed by mining activities, and the acreage subject to the reclamation plan.

(B) Regulations adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall be adopted by the board in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The adoption of any emergency regulations pursuant to this subdivision shall be considered necessary to address an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare.

(3) The total revenue generated by the reporting fees shall not exceed, and may be less than, the amount of eight million dollars ($8,000,000), as adjusted for the cost of living as measured by the California Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, calendar year averages, using the percentage change in the previous year, beginning with the 2017–18 fiscal year and annually thereafter. If the director determines that the revenue collected during the preceding fiscal year was greater or less than the cost to operate the program, the board shall adjust the fees to compensate for the overcollection or undercollection of revenues.

(4) (A) The reporting fees established pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited into the Mine Reclamation Account, which is hereby created. Any fees, penalties, interest, fines, or charges collected by the supervisor or board pursuant to this chapter or the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2710)) shall be deposited into the Mine Reclamation Account. The money in the account shall be available to the department and board, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purpose of carrying out this section and complying with the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2710)), which includes, but is not limited to, the classification and designation of areas with mineral resources of statewide or regional significance, reclamation plan and financial assurance review, mine inspection, and enforcement.

(B) (i) In addition to reporting fees, the board shall collect five dollars ($5) per ounce of gold and ten cents ($0.10) per ounce of silver mined within the state and shall deposit the fees collected into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Minerals Fund Subaccount, which is hereby created in the Mine Reclamation Account. The department may expend the moneys in the subaccount, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for only the purposes of Section 2796.5 and as authorized herein for the remediation of abandoned mines.

(ii) Notwithstanding subdivision (j) of Section 2796.5, fees collected pursuant to clause (i) may also be used to remediate features of historic abandoned mines and lands that they impact. For purposes of this section, historic abandoned mines are mines for which operations have been conducted before January 1, 1976, and include, but are not limited to, historic gold and silver mines.

(5) In case of late payment of the reporting fee, a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or 10 percent of the amount due, whichever is greater, plus interest at the rate of 112 percent per month, computed from the delinquent date of the assessment until and including the date of payment, shall be assessed. New mining operations that have not submitted a report shall submit a report before commencement of operations. The new operation shall submit its fee according to the reasonable fee schedule adopted by the board, and the month that the report is received shall become that operation’s anniversary month.

(e) The lead agency, or the board when acting as the lead agency, may impose a fee on each mining operation to cover the reasonable costs incurred in implementing this chapter and the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 2710)).

(f) For purposes of this section, “mining operation” means a mining operation of any kind or character whatever in this state, including, but not limited to, a mining operation that is classified as a “surface mining operation” as defined in Section 2735, unless excepted by Section 2714, and the extraction of minerals from geothermal brine, or any other brine, including, but not limited to, a mining operation colocated or co-operated with geothermal resource facilities. For purposes of fee collections only, “mining operation” may include one or more mines operated by a single operator or mining company on one or more sites, if the total annual combined mineral production for all sites is less than 100 troy ounces for precious metals, if precious metals are the primary mineral commodity produced, or less than 100,000 short tons if the primary mineral commodity produced is not precious metals.

(g) Any information in reports submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) that includes or otherwise indicates the total mineral production, reserves, or rate of depletion of any mining operation may not be disclosed to any member of the public, as defined in Section 7920.515 of the Government Code. Other portions of the reports are public records unless excepted by statute. Statistical bulletins based on these reports and published under Section 2205 shall be compiled to show, for the state as a whole and separately for each lead agency, the total of each mineral produced therein. In order not to disclose the production, reserves, or rate of depletion from any identifiable mining operation, a production figure shall not be published or otherwise disclosed unless that figure is the aggregated production of not less than three mining operations. If the production figure for any lead agency would disclose the production, reserves, or rate of depletion of less than three mining operations or otherwise permit the reasonable inference of the production, reserves, or rate of depletion of any identifiable mining operation, that figure shall be combined with the same figure of not less than two other lead agencies without regard to the location of the lead agencies. The bulletin shall be published annually by June 30 or as soon thereafter as practicable.

(h) The approval of a form by the board pursuant to this section is not the adoption of a regulation for purposes of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and is not subject to that act.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 131, Sec. 168. (AB 1754) Effective January 1, 2024.)


text: A manufacturer or processor may report to the State Geologist data on consumption or utilization of mineral materials. Those reports, if appropriately identified as confidential by the submitting entity, shall be maintained by the department as confidential. Publications issued as commodity or marketing studies pursuant to Section 2205 may contain figures from those reports, provided that these figures are presented so as not to disclose the consumption or utilization of minerals by any user.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 6. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2208

text: The department may at any time enter or examine any and all mines, quarries, wells, mills, reduction works, refining works, and other mineral properties or working plants in this state in order to gather data to comply with this chapter.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 7. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2213

text:
(a) The survey shall establish a Geologic Carbon Sequestration Group to provide independent expertise and regulatory guidance to the State Air Resources Board. The duties of the Geologic Carbon Sequestration Group shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Identification of high quality, suitable locations of Class VI injection wells, as defined in Section 144.6 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(2) Identification of appropriate subsurface monitoring to ensure geologic sequestration of the injected carbon dioxide.

(3) Identification of hazards that may require the suspension of carbon dioxide injections.

(b) For purposes of this section, “high quality, suitable locations” means reservoirs that have been modeled to be capable of maintaining integrity for at least 1,000 years.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 359, Sec. 3. (SB 905) Effective January 1, 2023.)


citation: PRC § 2621

text: This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 197, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1994.)

chapter: 7.5. Earthquake Fault Zoning

path: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING > 7.5. Earthquake Fault Zoning


text:
(a) It is the purpose of this chapter to provide for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations by cities and counties in implementation of the general plan that is in effect in any city or county. The Legislature declares that this chapter is intended to provide policies and criteria to assist cities, counties, and state agencies in the exercise of their responsibility to prohibit the location of developments and structures for human occupancy across the trace of active faults. Further, it is the intent of this chapter to provide the citizens of the state with increased safety and to minimize the loss of life during and immediately following earthquakes by facilitating seismic retrofitting to strengthen buildings, including historical buildings, against ground shaking.

(b) This chapter is applicable to any project, as defined in Section 2621.6, which is located within a delineated earthquake fault zone, upon issuance of the official earthquake fault zones maps to affected local jurisdictions, except as provided in Section 2621.7.

(c) The implementation of this chapter shall be pursuant to policies and criteria established and adopted by the board.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 916, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.)


text:
(a) As used in this chapter, “project” means either of the following:

(1) Any subdivision of land that is subject to the Subdivision Map Act (Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7 of the Government Code), and that contemplates the eventual construction of structures for human occupancy.

(2) Structures for human occupancy, with the exception of either of the following:

(A) Single-family wood-frame or steel-frame dwellings to be built on parcels of land for which geologic reports have been approved pursuant to paragraph (1).

(B) A single-family wood-frame or steel-frame dwelling not exceeding two stories when that dwelling is not part of a development of four or more dwellings.

(b) For the purposes of this chapter, a mobilehome whose body width exceeds eight feet shall be considered to be a single-family wood-frame dwelling not exceeding two stories.

(c) Terms used in this chapter that are not defined by this chapter shall have the same meaning as defined in the California Building Standards Code (Part 2 (commencing with Section 1.1.1) of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 825, Sec. 1. (AB 1046) Effective January 1, 2024.)


text:
This chapter, except Section 2621.9, shall not apply to any of the following:

(a) The conversion of an existing apartment complex into a condominium.

(b) An alteration to any structure for human occupancy if the value of the alteration does not exceed 50 percent of the appraised value of the structure and, if the alteration results in a change in the use or occupancy of the structure, the change does not authorize a greater human occupant load and is less hazardous, based on life and fire risk, than the existing authorized use or occupancy of the structure permitted by the city or county with jurisdiction over the structure.

(c) (1) Any structure located within the jurisdiction of the City of Berkeley or the City of Oakland that was damaged by fire between October 20, 1991, and October 23, 1991, if granted an exemption pursuant to this subdivision.

(2) The city may apply to the State Geologist for an exemption and the State Geologist shall grant the exemption only if the structure located within the earthquake fault zone is not situated upon a trace of an active fault line, as delineated in the official earthquake fault zone map or in more recent geologic data, as determined by the State Geologist.

(3) When requesting an exemption, the city shall submit to the State Geologist all of the following information:

(A) Maps noting the parcel numbers of proposed building sites that are at least 50 feet from an identified fault and a statement that there is not any more recent information to indicate a geologic hazard.

(B) Identification of any sites that are within 50 feet of an identified fault.

(C) Proof that the property owner has been notified that the granting of an exemption is not any guarantee that a geologic hazard does not exist.

(4) The granting of the exemption does not relieve a seller of real property or an agent for the seller of the obligation to disclose to a prospective purchaser that the property is located within a delineated earthquake fault zone, as required by Section 2621.9.

(d) (1) Alterations that include seismic retrofitting, as defined in Section 8894.2 of the Government Code, to any of the following listed types of structures for human occupancy:

(A) Buildings, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 8875 of the Government Code, with unreinforced masonry unit (URM) or lateral force resisting systems, or buildings with URM infill walls that interact with the lateral force resisting system.

(B) Buildings with flexible diaphragms and deficient out-of-plane anchorage to concrete or masonry bearing or nonbearing walls permitted under the 1994 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(C) Reinforced nonductile concrete buildings permitted under the 1991 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(D) Wood-framed buildings with soft, weak, or open-front wall lines on the ground floor permitted under the 1994 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(E) Buildings with precast concrete members attached with nonductile connections permitted under the 1994 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(F) Steel-frame buildings with welded moment frame connections permitted under the 1994 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(G) Steel-braced frame buildings permitted under the 1994 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(H) Wood-framed buildings on or into a slope greater than one unit vertical and three units horizontal (33.3 percent) permitted under the 1994 or earlier editions of the Uniform Building Code.

(2) The exemption granted by paragraph (1) shall not apply unless a city or county acts in accordance with all of the following:

(A) The building permit issued by the city or county for the alterations authorizes no greater human occupant load, regardless of proposed use or occupancy, than that authorized for the existing use or occupancy permitted at the time the city or county grants the exemption. This may be accomplished by the city or county making a human occupant load determination that is based on, and no greater than, the existing authorized use or occupancy, and including that determination on the building permit application as well as a statement substantially as follows: “Under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 2621.7 of the Public Resources Code, the occupant load is limited to the occupant load for the last lawful use or occupancy authorized or existing before the issuance of this building permit, as determined by the city or county.”

(B) The city or county requires seismic retrofitting, as defined in Section 8894.2 of the Government Code, that is necessary to strengthen the entire structure for human occupancy and provide increased resistance to ground shaking from earthquakes.

(C) Exemptions granted pursuant to paragraph (1) are reported in writing to the State Geologist within 30 days of the building permit issuance date.

(3) Any structure for human occupancy with restrictions under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) shall not be granted a new building permit that allows an increase in human occupant loads unless a geologic report, prepared pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 3603 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations in effect on January 1, 1994, demonstrates that the structure is not on the trace of an active fault, or the requirement of a geologic report has been waived pursuant to Section 2623.

(4) A qualified historical building within an earthquake fault zone that is exempt pursuant to this subdivision may be repaired or seismically retrofitted using the State Historical Building Code, except that, notwithstanding any provision of that building code and its implementing regulations, paragraph (2) shall apply.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 825, Sec. 2. (AB 1046) Effective January 1, 2024.)


text: Notwithstanding Section 818.2 of the Government Code, a city or county which knowingly issues a permit that grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2621.7 that does not adhere to the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 2621.7, may be liable for earthquake-related injuries or deaths caused by its failure to so adhere.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 825, Sec. 3. (AB 1046) Effective January 1, 2024.)


text:
(a) A person who is acting as an agent for a transferor of real property that is located within a delineated earthquake fault zone, or the transferor, if he or she is acting without an agent, shall disclose to any prospective transferee the fact that the property is located within a delineated earthquake fault zone.

(b) Disclosure is required pursuant to this section only when one of the following conditions is met:

(1) The transferor, or the transferor’s agent, has actual knowledge that the property is within a delineated earthquake fault zone.

(2) A map that includes the property has been provided to the city or county pursuant to Section 2622, and a notice has been posted at the offices of the county recorder, county assessor, and county planning agency that identifies the location of the map and any information regarding changes to the map received by the county.

(c) In all transactions that are subject to Section 1103 of the Civil Code, the disclosure required by subdivision (a) of this section shall be provided by either of the following means:

(1) The Local Option Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement as provided in Section 1102.6a of the Civil Code.

(2) The Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement as provided in Section 1103.2 of the Civil Code.

(d) If the map or accompanying information is not of sufficient accuracy or scale that a reasonable person can determine if the subject real property is included in a delineated earthquake fault hazard zone, the agent shall mark “Yes” on the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement. The agent may mark “No” on the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement if he or she attaches a report prepared pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1103.4 of the Civil Code that verifies the property is not in the hazard zone. Nothing in this subdivision is intended to limit or abridge any existing duty of the transferor or the transferor’s agents to exercise reasonable care in making a determination under this subdivision.

(e) For purposes of the disclosures required by this section, the following persons shall not be deemed agents of the transferor:

(1) Persons specified in Section 1103.11 of the Civil Code.

(2) Persons acting under a power of sale regulated by Section 2924 of the Civil Code.

(f) For purposes of this section, Section 1103.13 of the Civil Code shall apply.

(g) The specification of items for disclosure in this section does not limit or abridge any obligation for disclosure created by any other provision of law or that may exist in order to avoid fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit in the transfer transaction.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 876, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2000.)


citation: PRC § 2622

text:
(a) In order to assist cities and counties in their planning, zoning, and building-regulation functions, the State Geologist shall delineate appropriately wide earthquake fault zones to encompass all potentially and recently active traces of the San Andreas, Calaveras, Hayward, and San Jacinto Faults, and such other faults, or segments thereof, as the State Geologist determines to be sufficiently active and well-defined as to constitute a potential hazard to structures from surface faulting or fault creep. The earthquake fault zones shall ordinarily be one-quarter mile or less in width, except in circumstances which may require the State Geologist to designate a wider zone.

(b) Pursuant to this section, the State Geologist shall compile maps delineating the earthquake fault zones and shall submit those maps to all affected cities, counties, and state agencies for review and comment. Concerned jurisdictions and agencies shall submit all comments to the board for review and consideration within 90 days. Within 90 days after the comment period concludes, the State Geologist shall provide copies of the official maps to concerned state agencies and to each city or county having jurisdiction over lands lying within that zone.

(c) The State Geologist shall continually review new geologic and seismic data and shall revise the earthquake fault zones or delineate additional earthquake fault zones when warranted by new information. The State Geologist shall submit all revised maps and additional maps to all affected cities, counties, and state agencies for their review and comment. Concerned jurisdictions and agencies shall submit all comments to the board for review and consideration within 90 days. Within 90 days after the comment period concludes, the State Geologist shall provide copies of the revised and additional official maps to concerned state agencies and to each city or county having jurisdiction over lands lying within the earthquake fault zone.

(d) In order to ensure that sellers of real property and their agents are adequately informed, any county that receives an official map pursuant to this section shall post a notice within five days of receipt of the map at the offices of the county recorder, county assessor, and county planning commission, identifying the location of the map and the effective date of the notice.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 11. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2623

text:
(a) The approval of a project by a city or county shall be in accordance with policies and criteria established by the State Mining and Geology Board and the findings of the State Geologist. In the development of those policies and criteria, the State Mining and Geology Board shall seek the comment and advice of affected cities, counties, and state agencies. Cities and counties shall require, prior to the approval of a project, a geologic report defining and delineating any hazard of surface fault rupture. If the city or county finds that no undue hazard of that kind exists, the geologic report on the hazard may be waived, with the approval of the State Geologist.

(b) After a report has been approved or a waiver granted, subsequent geologic reports shall not be required, provided that new geologic data warranting further investigations is not recorded.

(c) The preparation of geologic reports that are required pursuant to this section for multiple projects may be undertaken by a geologic hazard abatement district.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 916, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1994.)


citation: PRC § 2624

text:
Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, cities and counties may do any of the following:

(1) Establish policies and criteria which are stricter than those established by this chapter.

(2) Impose and collect fees in addition to those required under this chapter.

(3) Determine not to grant exemptions authorized under this chapter.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 916, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1994.)


citation: PRC § 2625

text:
(a) Each applicant for approval of a project may be charged a reasonable fee by the city or county having jurisdiction over the project.

(b) Such fees shall be set in an amount sufficient to meet, but not to exceed, the costs to the city or county of administering and complying with the provisions of this chapter.

(c) The geologic report required by Section 2623 shall be in sufficient detail to meet the criteria and policies established by the State Mining and Geology Board for individual parcels of land.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1975, Ch. 61.)


citation: PRC § 2630

text: In carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the State Geologist and the board shall be advised by the Seismic Safety Commission.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1243.)


citation: PRC § 2650

text:
(a) It is the continuing policy of the State of California, in the interest of the needs of society for the wise use of mineral resources and for other sound conservation practices, to foster and encourage private enterprise in all of the following activities:

(1) The development within the state of economically sound and beneficial mineral industries and metal and mineral product reclamation industries.

(2) The orderly and economic exploration, development, and utilization of the state’s mineral resources and reclamation of metal and mineral products.

(3) Mining, mineral, and metallurgical research to promote the wise and efficient use of natural and reclaimable mineral resources.

(4) The study and development of methods for the control, disposal, reclamation, and utilization of mining and mineral processing waste products and the reclamation of mined lands so as to minimize any adverse effects of mineral extraction and processing upon the physical environment.

(b) The director shall carry out the policy set forth in this section.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 999, Sec. 10. Effective January 1, 1993.)

chapter: 7.6. State Mining and Minerals Policy

path: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING > 7.6. State Mining and Minerals Policy


citation: PRC § 2690

text: This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Seismic Hazards Mapping Act.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1168, Sec. 3. Section operative April 1, 1991, pursuant to Section 2599.6 (later renumbered as 2699.6).)

chapter: 7.8. Seismic Hazards Mapping

path: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING > 7.8. Seismic Hazards Mapping


citation: PRC § 2691

text:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The effects of strong ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides, or other ground failure account for approximately 95 percent of economic losses caused by an earthquake.

(b) Areas subject to these processes during an earthquake have not been identified or mapped statewide, despite the fact that scientific techniques are available to do so.

(c) It is necessary to identify and map seismic hazard zones in order for cities and counties to adequately prepare the safety element of their general plans and to encourage land use management policies and regulations to reduce and mitigate those hazards to protect public health and safety.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 550, Sec. 3.)


citation: PRC § 2692

text:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide for a statewide seismic hazard mapping and technical advisory program to assist cities and counties in fulfilling their responsibilities for protecting the public health and safety from the effects of strong ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides, or other ground failure and other seismic hazards caused by earthquakes.

(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that maps and accompanying information provided pursuant to this chapter be made available to local governments for planning and development purposes.

(c) It is further the intent of the Legislature that the California Geological Survey, in implementing this chapter, shall, to the extent possible, coordinate its activities with, and use existing information generated from, the earthquake fault zones mapping program pursuant to Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 2621), and the inundation maps prepared pursuant to Section 6161 of the Water Code.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 26, Sec. 76. (SB 92) Effective June 27, 2017.)


text: The State Geologist may include in maps compiled pursuant to this chapter information on the potential effects of tsunami and seiche when information becomes available from other sources and the State Geologist determines the information is appropriate for use by local government. The State Geologist shall not be required to provide this information unless additional funding is provided both to make the determination and to distribute the tsunami and seiche information.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1991, Ch. 550, Sec. 5.)


citation: PRC § 2693

text:
As used in this chapter:

(a) “City” and “county” includes the City and County of San Francisco.

(b) “Geotechnical report” means a report prepared by a certified engineering geologist or a civil engineer practicing within the area of his or her competence, which identifies seismic hazards and recommends mitigation measures to reduce the risk of seismic hazard to acceptable levels.

(c) “Mitigation” means those measures that are consistent with established practice and that will reduce seismic risk to acceptable levels.

(d) “Project” has the same meaning as in Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 2621), except as follows:

(1) A single-family dwelling otherwise qualifying as a project may be exempted by the city or county having jurisdiction of the project.

(2) “Project” does not include alterations or additions to any structure within a seismic hazard zone which do not exceed either 50 percent of the value of the structure or 50 percent of the existing floor area of the structure.

(e) “Commission” means the Seismic Safety Commission.

(f) “Board” means the State Mining and Geology Board.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 550, Sec. 6.)


citation: PRC § 2694

text:
(a) A person who is acting as an agent for a transferor of real property that is located within a seismic hazard zone, as designated under this chapter, or the transferor, if the person is acting without an agent, shall disclose to any prospective transferee the fact that the property is located within a seismic hazard zone.

(b) Disclosure is required pursuant to this section only when one of the following conditions is met:

(1) The transferor, or transferor’s agent, has actual knowledge that the property is within a seismic hazard zone.

(2) A map that includes the property has been provided to the city or county pursuant to Section 2696, and a notice has been posted at the offices of the county recorder, county assessor, and county planning agency that identifies the location of the map and any information regarding changes to the map received by the county.

(c) In all transactions that are subject to Section 1103 of the Civil Code, the disclosure required by subdivision (a) of this section shall be provided by either of the following means:

(1) The Local Option Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement as provided in Section 1102.6a of the Civil Code.

(2) The Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement as provided in Section 1103.2 of the Civil Code.

(d) If the map or accompanying information is not of sufficient accuracy or scale that a reasonable person can determine if the subject real property is included in a seismic hazard zone, the agent shall mark “Yes” on the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement. The agent may mark “No” on the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement if the person attaches a report prepared pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1103.4 of the Civil Code that verifies the property is not in the hazard zone. Nothing in this subdivision is intended to limit or abridge any existing duty of the transferor or the transferor’s agents to exercise reasonable care in making a determination under this subdivision.

(e) For purposes of the disclosures required by this section, the following persons shall not be deemed agents of the transferor:

(1) Persons specified in Section 1103.11 of the Civil Code.

(2) Persons acting under a power of sale regulated by Section 2924 of the Civil Code.

(f) For purposes of this section, Section 1103.13 of the Civil Code applies.

(g) The specification of items for disclosure in this section does not limit or abridge any obligation for disclosure created by any other provision of law or that may exist in order to avoid fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit in the transfer transaction.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 12. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2695

text:
(a) The board, in consultation with the survey and the commission, shall develop all of the following:

(1) Guidelines for the preparation of maps of seismic hazard zones in the state.

(2) Priorities for mapping of seismic hazard zones. In setting priorities, the board shall take into account the following factors:

(A) The population affected by the seismic hazard in the event of an earthquake.

(B) The probability that the seismic hazard would threaten public health and safety in the event of an earthquake.

(C) The willingness of lead agencies and other public agencies to share the cost of mapping within their jurisdiction.

(D) The availability of existing information.

(3) Policies and criteria regarding the responsibilities of cities, counties, and state agencies pursuant to this chapter. The policies and criteria shall address, but not be limited to, the following:

(A) Criteria for approval of a project within a seismic hazard zone, including mitigation measures.

(B) The contents of the geotechnical report.

(C) Evaluation of the geotechnical report by the lead agency.

(4) Guidelines for evaluating seismic hazards and recommending mitigation measures.

(5) Any necessary procedures, including, but not limited to, processing of waivers pursuant to Section 2697, to facilitate the implementation of this chapter.

(b) (1) In developing the policies and criteria pursuant to subdivision (a), the board shall consult with and consider the recommendations of an advisory committee, appointed by the board in consultation with the commission, composed of the following members:

(A) An engineering geologist registered in the state.

(B) A seismologist.

(C) A civil engineer registered in the state.

(D) A structural engineer registered in the state.

(E) A representative of city government, selected from a list submitted by the League of California Cities.

(F) A representative of county government, selected from a list submitted by the County Supervisors Association of California.

(G) A representative of regional government, selected from a list submitted by the Council of Governments.

(H) A representative of the insurance industry.

(I) The Insurance Commissioner.

(2) All of the members of the advisory committee shall have expertise in the field of seismic hazards or seismic safety.

(c) At least 90 days prior to adopting measures pursuant to this section, the board shall transmit or cause to be transmitted a draft of those measures to affected cities, counties, and state agencies for review and comment.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 13. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2696

text:
(a) The State Geologist shall compile maps identifying seismic hazard zones, consistent with the requirements of Section 2695. The maps shall be compiled in accordance with a time schedule developed by the director and based upon the provisions of Section 2695 and the level of funding available to implement this chapter.

(b) The State Geologist shall, upon completion, submit seismic hazard maps compiled pursuant to subdivision (a) to the board and all affected cities, counties, and state agencies for review and comment. Concerned jurisdictions and agencies shall submit all comments to the board for review and consideration within 90 days. Within 90 days after the comment period concludes, the State Geologist shall revise the maps, as appropriate, and shall provide copies of the official maps to each state agency, city, or county, including the county recorder, having jurisdiction over lands containing an area of seismic hazard. The county recorder shall record all information transmitted as part of the public record.

(c) In order to ensure that sellers of real property and their agents are adequately informed, any county that receives an official map pursuant to this section shall post a notice within five days of receipt of the map at the office of the county recorder, county assessor, and county planning agency, identifying the location of the map, any information regarding changes to the map, and the effective date of the notice.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 14. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: Ch. 65 (pursuant to Sec. 20) supersedes, and precludes operation of, Stats. 1997, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 7.)


citation: PRC § 2697

text:
(a) Cities and counties shall require, prior to the approval of a project located in a seismic hazard zone, a geotechnical report defining and delineating any seismic hazard. If the city or county finds that no undue hazard of this kind exists, based on information resulting from studies conducted on sites in the immediate vicinity of the project and of similar soil composition to the project site, the geotechnical report may be waived. After a report has been approved or a waiver granted, subsequent geotechnical reports shall not be required, provided that new geologic datum, or data, warranting further investigation is not recorded. Each city and county shall submit one copy of each approved geotechnical report, including the mitigation measures, if any, that are to be taken, to the State Geologist within 30 days of its approval of the report.

(b) In meeting the requirements of this section, cities and counties shall consider the policies and criteria established pursuant to this chapter. If a project’s approval is not in accordance with the policies and criteria, the city or county shall explain the reasons for the differences in writing to the State Geologist, within 30 days of the project’s approval.


citation: PRC § 2698

text: Nothing in this chapter is intended to prevent cities and counties from establishing policies and criteria which are more strict than those established by the board.


citation: PRC § 2699

text: Each city and county, in preparing the safety element to its general plan pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 65302 of the Government Code, and in adopting or revising land use planning and permitting ordinances, shall take into account the information provided in available seismic hazard maps.


text:
(a) There is hereby created the Seismic Hazards Identification Fund, as a special fund in the State Treasury.

(b) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the moneys in the Strong-Motion Instrumentation and Seismic Hazards Mapping Fund shall be allocated to the division for purposes of this chapter and Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2700).

(c) On and after July 1, 2004, the Seismic Hazards Identification Fund shall be known as the Strong-Motion Instrumentation and Seismic Hazards Mapping Fund.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 240, Sec. 5. Effective August 13, 2003.)


text: This chapter shall become operative on April 1, 1991.

history: (History: Added by renumbering Section 2599.6 by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1091, Sec. 126. Note: This section, as formerly numbered 2599.6, prescribed a delayed operative date (April 1, 1991) for Chapter 7.8, commencing with Section 2690.)


citation: PRC § 2700

text: There is hereby established in the State of California a strong-motion instrumentation program for the purpose of administering the program and of acquiring strong-motion instruments and installing and maintaining such instruments as needed in representative geologic environments and structures throughout the state.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1152.)

path: 2. GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING > 8. Strong-Motion Instrumentation Program


citation: PRC § 2701

text: The survey shall organize and monitor the program with the advice of the Seismic Safety Commission.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 24. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)

chapter: 8. Strong-Motion Instrumentation Program


citation: PRC § 2702

text: The survey shall purchase, install, and maintain instruments in representative structures and geologic environments throughout the state, and shall process the data obtained from those instruments resulting from periodic earthquakes, as deemed necessary and desirable by the Seismic Safety Commission.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 25. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)


citation: PRC § 2703

text: The survey shall maintain and service the strong-motion instruments installed, shall collect and interpret all records from the instruments, including records that support earthquake early warning and structural health monitoring, and shall make the records, record interpretations, and technical assistance available to the construction industry.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 236, Sec. 15. (SB 831) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PRC § 2704

text: It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to provide adequate instrumentation throughout California.


citation: PRC § 2705

text:
(a) A city, county, and city and county shall collect a fee from each applicant for a building permit. Each fee shall be equal to a specific amount of the proposed building construction for which the building permit is issued as determined by the local building officials. The fee amount shall be assessed in the following way:

(1) Group R occupancies, as defined in the California Building Code (Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), one to three stories in height, except hotels and motels, shall be assessed at the rate of thirteen dollars ($13) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof.

(2) All other buildings shall be assessed at the rate of twenty-eight dollars ($28) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof.

(3) The fee shall be the amount assessed under paragraph (1) or (2), depending on building type, or fifty cents ($0.50), whichever is the higher.

(b) (1) In lieu of the requirements of subdivision (a), a city, county, and city and county may elect to include a rate of thirteen dollars ($13) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof, in its basic building permit fee for any Group R occupancy defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), and a rate of twenty-eight dollars ($28) per one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with appropriate fractions thereof, for all other building types. A city, county, and city and county electing to collect the fee pursuant to this subdivision need not segregate the fees in a fund separate from any fund into which basic building permit fees are deposited.

(2) “Building,” for the purpose of this chapter, is any structure built for the support, shelter, or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or property of any kind.

(c) (1) A city, county, and city and county may retain up to 5 percent of the total amount it collects under subdivision (a) or (b) for data utilization, for seismic education incorporating data interpretations from data of the strong-motion instrumentation program and the seismic hazards mapping program, and, in accordance with paragraph (2), for improving the preparation for damage assessment after strong seismic motion events.

(2) A city, county, and city and county may use any funds retained pursuant to this subdivision to improve the preparation for damage assessment in its jurisdiction only after it provides the Department of Conservation with information indicating to the department that data utilization and seismic education activities have been adequately funded.

(d) Funds collected pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b), less the amount retained pursuant to subdivision (c), shall be deposited in the Strong-Motion Instrumentation and Seismic Hazards Mapping Fund, as created by Section 2699.5 to be used exclusively for purposes of this chapter, Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 2621), and Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 2690).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 35, Sec. 129. (SB 861) Effective June 20, 2014.)