text:
(a) Under the direction of the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, the council shall administer its affairs, and provide the staff services that the council needs to carry out this division, including, but not limited to, both of the following:

(1) Administering grants and expenditures authorized by the council from the fund or other sources, including, but not limited to, block grants from other state boards, commissions, or departments.

(2) Arranging meetings, agendas, and other administrative functions in support of the council.

(b) The Legislature may make appropriations to be used for the purposes of this division directly to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, for expenditures authorized by the council. If an expenditure has been approved by the council for the purposes of this division, approval of the secretary is not required, except in the case of block grants provided by the council to be administered by the secretary.

(c) Any bond funds received by the State Coastal Conservancy, on or before July 1, 2013, which authorized the use of funds for council programs, shall be transferred to the Natural Resources Agency for use for those programs.

(d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that, on the effective date of the act adding this subdivision during the 2013–14 Regular Session, various contracts and grants will be pending or remain subject to management and control by the State Coastal Conservancy on behalf of the council. On and after that date, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency is hereby designated as the legal successor to the State Coastal Conservancy, and the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall assume management and control of those contracts and grants and shall have all of the same powers and duties as the State Coastal Conservancy.

(2) In addition to the powers and duties described in paragraph (1), on and after the effective date of the act adding this subdivision during the 2013–14 Regular Session, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall have the following powers and duties on behalf of the council:

(A) The management of all contracts and grants, including the completion, modification, and cancellation of those contracts and grants in accordance with existing law.

(B) The negotiation and settlement of claims relating to contracts and grants.

(C) Responsibility for the completion, maintenance, and disposal of any records relating to the transfer of responsibilities from the State Coastal Conservancy to the Natural Resources Agency.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 356, Sec. 32. (SB 96) Effective September 26, 2013.)


kind: section

code: PRC

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

(a) Ocean acidification and hypoxia, an abnormal deficiency of oxygen in marine environments, are two major threats to ocean and coastal ecosystems globally, and west coast states are particularly vulnerable, according to the April 2016 findings of the West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel.

(b) The West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel was a binational collaboration of leading scientists from California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia that was convened at the request of the council and the California Ocean Science Trust. The West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel’s executive summary report outlines findings, recommendations, and actions to address ocean acidification and hypoxia.

(c) Ocean acidification is caused primarily by global carbon dioxide emissions. Local carbon dioxide emissions and local nutrient inputs can intensify the effects of ocean acidification.

(d) The West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel recommends that California and other west coast states actively employ strategies that address local factors that can reduce ocean acidification and hypoxia exposure, including protecting and restoring critical coastal and aquatic habitats.

(e) Eelgrass ecosystems are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the world, with particular importance to farmed shellfish aquaculture and other forms of sustainable aquaculture and to commercially and recreationally valuable species, including shellfish, crabs, finfish, waterfowl, and shorebirds.

(f) Eelgrass protection and restoration efforts help promote a healthier ocean for ecosystems and industry.

(g) Since the 1850s, 90 percent of California’s eelgrass acreage has been destroyed, and the remaining 10 percent is continuously exposed to multiple stressors and threats.

(h) Scientific research has shown that eelgrass habitat provides multiple benefits, including the following:

(1) Providing essential habitat for salmon, groundfish, and Pacific herring, providing Dungeness crab nurseries, and supporting commercial fisheries important to California’s coastal economy.

(2) Improving water quality by filtering polluted runoff and by absorbing excess nutrients.

(3) Helping to mitigate hypoxia.

(4) Sequestering carbon in the underlying sediments.

(5) Protecting the shoreline from erosion by absorbing wave energy and helping to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise.

(i) Advancing the protection and restoration of eelgrass beds in California’s coastal environments, based on scientific and evidence-based approaches, is a critical strategy in enhancing California’s ability to cope with ocean acidification and hypoxia.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 846, Sec. 1. (SB 1363) Effective January 1, 2017.)

division: 26.5. CALIFORNIA OCEAN PROTECTION ACT

path: 26.5. CALIFORNIA OCEAN PROTECTION ACT > 3.1. Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Mitigation


text:
(a) Subject to the availability of funding, the council may develop an ocean acidification and hypoxia science task force to ensure that decisionmaking is supported by the best available science.

(b) Subject to the availability of funding, the council shall do both of the following:

(1) Take actions to address ocean acidification and hypoxia, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Implement measures to facilitate climate change adaptation in the ocean, consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 71154.

(B) Develop, refine, and integrate predictive models that identify the relative contributions of global and local drivers of ocean acidification and hypoxia in California waters.

(C) Work with other agencies to coordinate and ensure that criteria and standards for coastal water health to address ocean acidification and hypoxia are developed and informed by the best available science.

(D) Develop a comprehensive inventory of areas in California vulnerable to ocean acidification and hypoxia.

(E) Facilitate agreements with other national, state, and regional governments and private entities to establish and advance joint priorities for ocean acidification and hypoxia research.

(F) In coordination with relevant federal, state, and academic entities, identify gaps between the monitoring of ocean acidification and hypoxia and management needs, and the actions necessary to address these gaps.

(2) Beginning January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, at its first meeting of the year, adopt recommendations for further actions that may be taken to address ocean acidification and hypoxia.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 352, Sec. 2. (AB 2139) Effective January 1, 2017.)

chapter: 3.1. Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Mitigation


text:
(a) To the extent funds are available from bonds or other sources, the council, in consultation with the State Coastal Conservancy and other relevant entities, shall establish and administer the Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Reduction Program for the purpose of achieving the following goals:

(1) Developing demonstration projects to research how important environmental and ecological factors interact across space and time to influence how geographically dispersed eelgrass beds function for carbon dioxide removal and hypoxia reduction.

(2) Generating an inventory of locations where conservation or restoration of aquatic habitats, including eelgrass, can be successfully applied to mitigate ocean acidification and hypoxia.

(3) Incorporating consideration of carbon dioxide removal for eelgrass restoration projects during the habitat restoration planning process in order to fully account for the benefits of long-term carbon storage of habitat restoration in addition to the habitat value.

(4) Supporting science, monitoring, and coordination to ensure that ocean and coastal policy and management in California reflect best readily available science on strategies to reduce ocean acidification and hypoxia to implement this section.

(b) In advancing approaches in the program to remove carbon dioxide from seawater, the council shall consider approaches that provide multiple cobenefits, including, but not limited to, providing essential fish and bird habitat, improving water quality, and mitigating the impacts of sea level rise.


text:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) Through the adoption of the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy, the council has led the development of long-term policies to address marine debris.

(2) Although substantial scientific research on microplastics exists, further research will complement and support continuing efforts to reduce microplastic pollution.

(3) In addition to the development of a long-term Statewide Microplastics Strategy, early actions to prevent and reduce known impacts of microplastics to the marine environment should be pursued.

(4) This chapter is not intended to preclude the Legislature from enacting legislation to reduce microplastic pollution either before or after the Statewide Microplastics Strategy is adopted and implemented.

(b) To the extent that funds are available from bonds or other sources, including from federal, state, academic, or other public or private entities, on or before December 31, 2024, the council shall adopt and implement a Statewide Microplastics Strategy related to microplastic materials that pose an emerging concern for ocean health. The council shall work with the State Water Resources Control Board, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and other interested entities in the development of the Statewide Microplastics Strategy. The goal of the Statewide Microplastics Strategy shall be to increase the understanding of the scale and risks of microplastic materials on the marine environment and identify proposed solutions to address the impacts of microplastic materials, to the extent feasible.

(c) The council, in collaboration with the State Water Resources Control Board, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and other interested entities, may enter into one or more contracts with marine research institutes in the state, including those associated with the University of California, the California State University, Stanford University, the California Ocean Science Trust, and other academic and research institutions that have demonstrated expertise relating to the effects of microplastic materials on ocean health, for the provision of research services that would contribute directly to the development of the Statewide Microplastics Strategy.

(d) The Statewide Microplastics Strategy shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following components:

(1) The development of a comprehensive prioritized research plan that includes research that will support the development of risk assessments for microplastics in the marine environment habitat types of California.

(2) The development of standardized methods for sampling, detecting, and characterizing microplastics.

(3) The characterization of ambient concentrations of microplastics in the marine environment and an assessment of the associated environmental impacts, by microplastic particle age, size, shape, type, and location.

(4) An investigation of the sources and relative importance of pathways associated with the environmental impacts of microplastics determined to be significant pursuant to paragraph (3).

(5) The development of a risk assessment framework for microplastics, based on the best available information on exposure of microplastics to organisms, including humans, through pathways that impact the marine environment.

(6) Research on approaches for reducing the introduction of microplastics into the marine environment from significant pathways of exposure, with an emphasis on the sizes, shapes, and types of microplastics that are associated with significant environmental impacts.

(7) Use of the risk assessment framework developed pursuant to paragraph (5) to evaluate options, including source reduction and product stewardship techniques, barriers, costs, and benefits.

(8) Recommendations for policy changes, including statutory changes, or additional research that may be needed.

(e) The council may include the Statewide Microplastics Strategy within the council’s California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy: Addressing Marine Debris from Source to Sea.

(f) In developing and implementing the Statewide Microplastics Strategy, the council may utilize existing information and leverage ongoing efforts, where possible.

(g) (1) On or before December 31, 2021, subject to the availability of funding, the council shall submit the Statewide Microplastics Strategy to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The council may at that time also submit recommended policy changes, including statutory changes, that may be needed to implement the Statewide Microplastics Strategy.

(2) On or before December 31, 2025, subject to the availability of funding, the council shall report to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, on the implementation of the Statewide Microplastics Strategy and the council’s findings pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, of subdivision (d) and shall make recommendations to the Legislature pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (d).

(3) The reports required pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be complementary to, and not preclude appropriate implementation of, the individual components of the council’s California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy: Addressing Marine Debris from Source to Sea.

(4) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting the Statewide Microplastics Strategy and any recommended policy changes imposed by paragraph (1) is inoperative on December 31, 2025, and the requirement for submitting a report imposed by paragraph (2) is inoperative on December 31, 2029.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 609, Sec. 1. (SB 1263) Effective January 1, 2019.)

chapter: 3.2. Microplastic Materials

path: 26.5. CALIFORNIA OCEAN PROTECTION ACT > 3.2. Microplastic Materials


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

(a) California’s seaports are North America’s primary intermodal gateway to Asia and Transpacific trade. Maritime industry activities at California’s public seaports are responsible for employing more than 500,000 people in the state. Nationwide, more than 2,000,000 jobs are linked to maritime industry business conducted at California’s public seaports, contributing to California having the largest state economy in the United States.

(b) Every year, the oceangoing vessels make thousands of transits along the California coast, with an estimated 162 tons per day of nitrogen oxides, an ozone precursor, being emitted along the coast. These emissions negatively affect the public health of coastal communities and contribute to causing some areas of the coast to be in nonattainment with the national ambient air quality standards for ozone and particulate matter.

(c) Since 2014, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, and the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District, with the federal Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, marine sanctuary foundations, and environmental groups, have administered and promoted the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program, a voluntary vessel speed reduction program off the San Francisco Bay, central coast, and south coast to encourage transit speeds of 10 knots or less to reduce air pollution, the risk of harmful whale strikes, and the level of ocean noise.

(d) Since its inception through 2024, the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program has provided small incentives and publicity to program participants and has achieved 1,596,008 slow speed miles, a reduction of 5,903 tons of nitrogen oxides, a reduction of 204,661 metric tons of regional greenhouse gas emissions, a reduction of more than 35 tons of toxic diesel particulate matter, and an estimated 50 percent decreased risk of whale strikes during prime migration season in the affected coastal areas.

(e) This highly cost-effective voluntary pollution reduction program benefits public health, protects the marine ecosystem, and showcases the beneficial partnership between shipping companies, public health agencies, marine sanctuaries, and environmental organizations.

(f) Expansion of the vessel speed reduction program to other areas of the California coast, including the San Diego coast and the North Coast, would yield additional public health and ecosystem benefits.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 606, Sec. 1. (AB 14) Effective January 1, 2026.)

path: 26.5. CALIFORNIA OCEAN PROTECTION ACT > 3.3. Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program


text:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that expansion of the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program by local air pollution control districts and air quality management districts and stakeholders is a critical strategy in advancing protection of marine mammals through partnerships that also support the maritime industry and local public health.

(b) Subject to the availability of funding, the council shall participate, as a stakeholder and in an advisory capacity, in the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program with air pollution control districts and air quality management districts along the coast and other stakeholders, including the federal Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, and the maritime industry, to support, in an advisory capacity, coastal air districts in their efforts to implement a statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program for the California coast in order to reduce air pollution, the risk of fatal vessel strikes on whales, and harmful underwater acoustic impacts.

(c) Expansion of the existing Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program by local air pollution control districts and air quality management districts shall be a single unified program, and may include all of the following components developed in a manner that is consistent with how the program components were developed for the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program:

(1) A marketing program to engage cargo owners and other commercial interests to promote voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping, and an acknowledgment of the program’s participants.

(2) Data collection on ship speeds along the California coast in order to analyze the program for future refinement, expansion, or both.

(3) Data collection on underwater acoustic impacts or fatal vessel strikes on whales, to the extent data is available.

(4) Data collection on the regional air quality impacts on the coast and impacts to air quality in coastal disadvantaged communities from oceangoing vessel traffic, as collected and provided by the regional air pollution control districts and air quality management districts.

(5) Incentives to program participants based on a percentage of distance traveled by a participating vessel at a reduced speed, including speed zones at 10 knots or less, to the extent that local or federal funding is available.

(6) Development of vessel speed reduction zones along the coast that take into account navigational safety, protected marine mammal migration and breeding seasons, federal marine sanctuaries and state marine protected areas, shipping lanes, and any other relevant variables.

(7) Seasonality of the program.

(8) Description of covered vessels.

(d) The program shall supplement, work in conjunction with, and not preclude any other existing port-related vessel speed reduction programs.

(e) The program shall only apply to vessels that are 300 gross tons or greater.

(f) (1) On or before December 31, 2029, the participating air pollution control districts and air quality management districts shall submit a report to the Legislature regarding the implementation of the program.

(2) The report required in paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report imposed by paragraph (1) is inoperative on December 31, 2033.

(g) The program and each component of the program are based upon voluntary actions initiated by entities pursuant to this section and are not regulations as defined in Section 11342.600 of the Government Code, and shall not be implemented in a way that conflicts with federal law and regulations.

chapter: 3.3. Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program


text:
(a) The California Ocean Protection Trust Fund is established in the State Treasury.

(b) Moneys deposited in the fund may be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for both of the following:

(1) Projects and activities authorized by the council consistent with Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 35600).

(2) Upon authorization by the council, for grants or loans to public agencies, nonprofit corporations, or private entities for, or direct expenditures on, projects or activities that do one or more of the following:

(A) Eliminate or reduce threats to coastal and ocean ecosystems, habitats, and species.

(B) Improve the management of fisheries through grants or loans for the development and implementation of fishery management plans pursuant to Part 1.7 (commencing with Section 7050) of Division 6 of the Fish and Game Code, a part of the Marine Life Management Act of 1998, that promote long-term stewardship and collaboration with fishery participants to develop strategies that increase environmental and economic sustainability. Eligible projects and activities include, but are not limited to, innovative community-based or cooperative management and allocation strategies that create incentives for ecosystem improvement. Eligible expenditures include, but are not limited to, costs related to activities identified in subdivisions (a), (b), and (d) of Section 7075 of the Fish and Game Code, fishery research, monitoring, data collection and analysis to support adaptive management, and other costs related to the development and implementation of a fishery management plan developed pursuant to this subparagraph.

(C) Foster sustainable fisheries, including grants or loans for one or more of the following:

(i) Projects that encourage the development and use of more selective fishing gear.

(ii) The design of community-based or cooperative management mechanisms that promote long-term stewardship and collaboration with fishery participants to develop strategies that increase environmental and economic sustainability.

(iii) Collaborative research and demonstration projects between fishery participants, scientists, and other interested parties.

(iv) Promotion of value-added wild fisheries to offset economic losses attributable to reduced fishing opportunities.

(v) The creation of revolving loan programs for the purpose of implementing sustainable fishery projects.

(D) Improve coastal water quality.

(E) Allow for increased public access to, and enjoyment of, ocean and coastal resources, consistent with sustainable, long-term protection and conservation of those resources.

(F) Improve management, conservation, and protection of coastal waters and ocean ecosystems.

(G) Provide monitoring and scientific data to improve state efforts to protect and conserve ocean resources.

(H) Protect, conserve, and restore coastal waters and ocean ecosystems, including any of the following:

(i) Acquisition, installation, and initiation of monitoring and enforcement systems.

(ii) Acquisition from willing sellers of vessels, equipment, licenses, harvest rights, permits, and other rights and property, to reduce threats to ocean ecosystems and resources.

(I) Address coastal water contamination from biological pathogens, including collaborative projects and activities to identify the sources of pathogens and develop detection systems and treatment methods.

(J) (i) Provide funding for adaptive management, planning, coordination, monitoring, research, and other necessary activities to minimize the adverse impacts of climate change on California’s ocean ecosystem, including, but not limited to, the effects of sea level rise, changes in ocean productivity, and ocean acidification on coastal and ocean habitat, wildlife, fisheries, chemistry, and other key attributes of ocean ecosystems and to increase the state’s understanding of the ocean’s role in carbon sequestration. Adaptive management strategies, planning, research, monitoring, or other activities shall be designed to improve the management of coastal and ocean resources or aid the state to adapt to climate change impacts.

(ii) Information or activities developed under clause (i), to the extent appropriate, shall provide guidance to the State Air Resources Board for the adoption of early action measures for the elimination or reduction of emissions from sources or categories of sources pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).

(c) Grants or loans may be made to a private entity pursuant to this section only for projects or activities that further public purposes consistent with Sections 35510, 35515, 35617, and 35632.

(d) Consistent with the purposes specified in Section 35515, and in furtherance of the findings in Sections 7059 and 7060 of the Fish and Game Code, the council, in authorizing grants or loans for projects or expenditures pursuant to this section, shall promote coordination of state programs and activities that protect and conserve ocean resources to avoid redundancy and conflicts to ensure that the state’s programs and activities are complementary.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 846, Sec. 2. (SB 1363) Effective January 1, 2017.)

path: 26.5. CALIFORNIA OCEAN PROTECTION ACT > 4. California Ocean Protection Trust Fund


text: The council shall use one million dollars ($1,000,000) of the amount appropriated to it in Item 0540-101-0001 of Section 2.0 of the Budget Act of 2018 (Chapter 29 of the Statutes of 2018) for whale and sea turtle entanglement to fund the transition program established pursuant to Section 8583 of the Fish and Game Code. The council shall enter into an agreement with the fiscal agent described in Section 8583 of the Fish and Game Code to provide funds to the fiscal agent for permittees who participate in the transition program. If the amount described in this section is not necessary due to the number of participants who have indicated an intention to participate in the transition program pursuant to Section 8583 of the Fish and Game Code, the council may redirect the remaining funds to other purposes related to whale and sea turtle entanglement.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 228. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.)

chapter: 4. California Ocean Protection Trust Fund


text: This division shall be known and may be cited as the California Ocean Resources Management Act of 1990 (CORMA).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1637, Sec. 1.)

division: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

chapter: 1. Findings and Declarations

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 1. Findings and Declarations


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

(a) The Pacific Ocean and its many renewable and nonrenewable resources are of economic, environmental, aesthetic, recreational, military, and scientific importance to the people of the state and the nation.

(b) Humankind will benefit from ocean resources as technology continues to develop. Our ability to protect, preserve, coordinate, develop, and utilize these resources requires that we do so in an informed and balanced manner.

(c) On March 10, 1983, President Reagan established by proclamation an exclusive economic zone for the United States, declaring sovereign rights over living and nonliving resources within the 200-mile United States exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

(d) On December 27, 1988, President Reagan extended by proclamation the seaward limit of United States territorial waters from 3 to 12 nautical miles.

(e) The establishment of the exclusive economic zone and the extension of the Territorial Sea create zones under federal jurisdiction adjacent to state waters, and provide opportunity for all coastal states of the United States to more fully exercise and assert their responsibilities pertaining to the protection, conservation, and development of ocean resources under United States jurisdiction.

(f) Exploration, scientific research, development, and production of ocean resources resulting from differing jurisdictions and multiple programs in federal and state waters, will increase the chance of conflicting demands on ocean resources and uses, such as those for food, energy, minerals, and waste disposal.

(g) Resolution of conflicting interests in the use, development, and conservation of ocean resources will become one of the major policy issues facing the state. The problems which will emerge in the future due to interactions of competing users are already prevalent to some degree today.

(h) State agencies do have particular regulatory or program interests in protecting and managing resources and uses in state waters and for coordinating state interests in the territorial sea and the EEZ, but the state needs to formulate a framework of statewide objectives for management of ocean resources and their uses, and outline a clear statement of functional responsibility for state ocean resources management.

(i) The exclusive economic zone, the territorial sea, state waters, and terrestrial environments are an interdependent system that has to be managed through a cooperative effort between appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. The fluid, dynamic nature of the ocean and the migration of many of its living resources beyond state and federal boundaries extend the ocean management interests of this state beyond the three-nautical-mile limit currently managed by the state pursuant to the federal Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. Sec. 1301 et seq.).

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1215, Sec. 1.)


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

(a) It is the policy of the State of California to do the following:

(1) Assess the long-term values and benefits of the conservation and development of ocean resources and uses with the objective of restoring or maintaining the health of the ocean ecosystem and ensuring the proper management of renewable and nonrenewable resources.

(2) Encourage ocean resources development which is environmentally sound, sustainable, and economically beneficial.

(3) Provide for efficient and coordinated resources management in state and federal waters.

(4) Assert the interests of this state in cooperation with federal agencies in the sound management of ocean resources.

(5) Promote research, study, and understanding of ocean processes and resources to acquire the scientific information necessary to understand the ocean ecosystem and life-support systems and the relationships of ocean development activities and associated impacts on ocean and coastal resources of the state and adjacent zones of federal jurisdiction.

(6) Encourage research and development of innovative, environmentally compatible marine technologies for protection, exploration, and utilization of ocean resources.

(b) It is further the policy of the State of California to develop and maintain an ocean resources planning and management program to promote and ensure coordinated management of federal resources and uses with those in state waters, and with adjacent states, to ensure effective participation in federal planning and management of ocean resources and uses which may affect this state, and to coordinate state agency management of ocean resources with local government management of coastal zone uses and resources above the mean high tide line.


text:
(a) No authority is created under this division, nor shall any of its purposes or provisions be used by any public or private agency or person, to delay or deny any existing or future project or activity during the preparation and delivery of the report and plan required by this division.

(b) No authority is created under this division to supersede current state agency statutory authority.

(c) The task force established pursuant to Section 36300 shall cease to exist upon delivery of its report and plan to the Governor and the Legislature.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 3.)


text: Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this chapter govern the interpretation of this division.

chapter: 2. Definitions

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 2. Definitions


text: “Advisory committee” means the California Ocean Resources Advisory Committee established pursuant to Section 36302.


text: “Exclusive economic zone (EEZ)” means the zone as measured from the mean high tide line seaward to 200 nautical miles as set forth in the Presidential Proclamation 5030 of March 10, 1983, in which the United States proclaimed jurisdiction over the resources of the ocean within 200 miles of the coastline.


text: “High Seas” means offshore waters beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline.


text: “Program” means the California Ocean Resources Management Program established by Section 36200.


text: “Ocean” and “marine” mean those waters from the coastline into the high seas.


text: “Ocean resources” means all living and nonliving resources found in the Pacific Ocean and its contiguous saline or brackish bays and estuaries.


text: “Report and plan” means the report and plan prepared by the task force.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 4.)


text: “State waters” means the zone as measured from the mean high tide line to three nautical miles offshore, as set forth by the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. Sec. 1311) in which the United States released to adjacent coastal states title, ownership, and the right to manage natural resources from the mean high tide line seaward to three miles.


text: “Task force” means the Ocean Resources Task Force created by Section 36300.


text: “Territorial sea” means the zone as measured from mean high tide line to 12 nautical miles offshore as set forth in the Presidential Proclamation on December 27, 1988, in which the United States extended its sovereignty and jurisdiction.


text: To ensure the conservation and development of ocean resources consistent with purposes of this division, a coordinated program of ocean resources planning and management is established.

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 3. California Ocean Resources Management Program


text:
The California Ocean Resources Management Program consists of all of the following:

(a) The Ocean Resources Task Force.

(b) The California Ocean Resources Advisory Committee.

(c) The report and plan prepared and adopted pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 36500).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 5.)

chapter: 3. California Ocean Resources Management Program


text:
(a) The State of California is hereby authorized to participate with the States of Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington in a joint liaison program with the Center for Ocean Analysis and Prediction of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with the objective of assisting the states in taking maximum advantage of the oceanographic data, products, and services available from the federal government through the Center for Ocean Analysis and Prediction.

(b) The liaison program shall include all of the following:

(1) Assist state and local governments to become fully aware of oceanographic data and products available from the federal government and especially from the Center for Ocean Analysis and Prediction.

(2) Assist the Center for Ocean Analysis and Prediction and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to become more fully aware of state and local problems and the requirements of state and local governments.

(3) Assist in setting up lines of communications to move oceanographic data and products from the Center for Ocean Analysis and Prediction to the people in the states who need those data and products.

(c) The liaison program shall include workshops for small groups of technical experts from state and local governments, academic institutions, and the private sector. The workshops shall be held at the Center for Ocean Analysis and Prediction in Monterey and at other facilities in the western states as appropriate.

(d) This section shall not become operative until at least one other state participates in the joint liaison program.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1637, Sec. 2. Section conditionally operative by its own provisions.)


text: The Ocean Resources Task Force is hereby created in state government. The task force is composed of the following or their designee: the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, the State Public Health Officer, the Secretary of Transportation, the Chairperson or Executive Officer of the State Lands Commission as determined by the commission, the Chairperson or Executive Director of the California Coastal Commission as determined by the commission, the Chairperson or Executive Officer of the Coastal Conservancy as determined by the conservancy, the Chairperson or Executive Director of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission as determined by the commission, the Director of Conservation, the Director of Fish and Game, the Director of Parks and Recreation, the Office of Mine Reclamation, the Chairperson or Executive Director of the State Water Resources Control Board as determined by the board, the executive officer of each California regional water quality control board for a coastal region, the Director of Finance, the Chairperson or Executive Director of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission as determined by the commission, the Chairperson of the State Air Resources Board, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, the Chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, the President of the University of California, the Chancellor of the California State University, and the Director of the California Sea Grant program.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 489. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 4. Creation and Membership of the Task Force


text: The chairperson of the task force shall be the Secretary of the Resources Agency, who shall provide all staff support required by the task force. The task force shall meet at the call of the chairperson.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 6.)

chapter: 4. Creation and Membership of the Task Force


text:
The chairperson of the task force, with advice from the task force, shall appoint the California Ocean Resources Advisory Committee, which, at a minimum, shall consist of the following: representatives of coastal local governments, relevant federal agencies, environmental and interest groups, the Legislature, and relevant industries such as oil and gas, hard minerals, biotechnology, commercial and sportfishing, seafood processing, aquaculture, transportation, tourism, and ports and harbors.

The advisory committee shall review the draft of the report and plan of the task force and shall advise the task force in its preparation.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 7.)


text: The task force shall prepare a report and plan as required by Section 36500.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 8.)

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 5. Responsibilities and Duties of the Task Force


text: The chairperson of the task force shall submit the report and plan to the Governor and the Legislature as specified in Section 36500.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 9.)

chapter: 5. Responsibilities and Duties of the Task Force


text: The task force shall provide opportunity for public review and comment following release of a draft scoping document and also following release of a draft report and plan. Public comments shall be submitted with the report and plan to the Governor and the Legislature.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 1027, Sec. 10.)


text:
The task force shall prepare a report regarding existing ocean resources management activities and impacts, including a plan to increase coordination and consolidation of these activities. The report and plan shall be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by July 1, 1994. The report and plan shall include, to the degree information is available, at least all of the following:

(a) Inventory of state and federal laws, rules and regulations, authorities, and programs which pertain to the resources and uses of state and federal waters.

(b) Analysis of state laws, rules and regulations, authorities, and programs which pertain to the resources and uses of state and federal waters, and which conflict with one another or with federal laws, rules and regulations, authorities, and programs.

(c) Identification of existing and potential resources and uses of, and issues pertaining to, the ocean, and of potential new industries and jobs related to development of ocean resources and uses.

(d) Identification of potential impacts to federal and state waters and to coastal areas above the mean high tide line from activities in federal and state waters, and an evaluation of state agency ability to manage those impacts.

(e) Identification of all existing state and federal programs relating to federal and state waters pollution research and monitoring, including general research on the marine ecosystem.

(f) Evaluation of the feasibility of developing computerized mapping of existing conditions, uses, and resources in federal and state waters.

(g) A long-term plan for conservation and protection of ocean resources and uses.

(h) A long-term plan for the management of California’s interests in federal waters, including recommendations to develop or improve state agency programs relating to the management of EEZ resources and uses, and the identification of issues which may affect local government local coastal programs.

(i) A plan for the continuation and improvement of the role of the state as a leader in education, research, and training in marine sciences and the management of marine resources, including recommendations for state-supported marine research in state and federal waters.

(j) A plan for cooperation by the state with other states, the federal government, other nations, and national and international organizations in marine science activities when that cooperation is in the interest of the State of California.

(k) A plan for options for ensuring appropriate public infrastructure investment to support present and future ocean industries.

(l) Prioritization of resource and use conflicts in federal and state waters.

(m) Identification of alternative dispute management and resolution processes for resource conflicts in and between federal and state jurisdictions, and a proposed framework for managing future conflicts.

(n) A plan for joint federal and state management activities and revenue sharing in state and federal waters.

(o) Recommendations for proposed implementing legislation, if any.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 791, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.)

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 6. Preparation of Ocean Resources Report and Recommendations


text: This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 385, Sec. 22. Effective January 1, 2001.)

chapter: 7. Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act

article: 1. General Provisions

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 7. Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act > 1. General Provisions


text:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) California’s extraordinary ocean and coastal resources provide a vital asset to the state and nation. These resources are important to public health and well-being, ecological health, and ocean-dependent industries.

(2) The ocean ecosystem is inextricably connected to the land, with coastal development, water pollution, and other human activities threatening the health of marine habitat and the biological diversity found in California’s ocean waters. New technologies and demands have encouraged the expansion of fishing and other activities to formerly inaccessible marine areas that once recharged nearby fisheries. As a result, ecosystems throughout the state’s ocean waters are being altered, often at a rapid rate.

(3) California’s marine managed areas (MMAs), such as refuges, reserves, and state reserves, are one of many tools for resource managers to use for protecting, conserving, and managing the state’s valuable marine resources. MMAs can offer many benefits, including protecting habitats, species, cultural resources, and water quality; enhancing recreational opportunities; and contributing to the economy through such things as increased tourism and property values. MMAs may also benefit fisheries management by protecting representative habitats and reducing extractive uses.

(4) The array of state MMAs in California is the result of over 50 years of designations through legislative, administrative, and statewide ballot initiative actions, which has led to 18 classifications and subclassifications of these areas.

(5) A State Interagency Marine Managed Areas Workgroup was convened by the Resources Agency to address this issue, bringing together for the first time all of the state agencies with jurisdiction over these areas. This group’s report indicates that California’s state MMAs have evolved on a case-by-case basis, without conforming to any plan for establishing MMAs in the most effective way or in a manner which ensures that the most representative or unique areas of the ocean and coastal environment are included.

(6) The report further states that California’s MMAs do not comprise an organized system, as the individual sites are not designated, classified, or managed in a systematic manner. Many of these areas lack clearly defined purposes, effective management measures, and enforcement.

(7) To some, this array of MMAs creates the illusion of a comprehensive system of management, while in reality, it falls short of its potential to protect, conserve, and manage natural, cultural, and recreational resources along the California coast. Without a properly designed and coordinated system of MMAs, it is difficult for agencies to meet management objectives, such as maintaining biodiversity, providing education and outreach, and protecting marine resources.

(8) Agency personnel and the public are often confused about the laws, rules, and regulations that apply to MMAs, especially those adjacent to a terrestrial area set aside for management purposes. Lack of clarity about the manner in which the set of laws, rules, and regulations for the array of MMAs interface and complement each other limits public and resource managers’ ability to understand and apply the regulatory structure.

(9) Designation of sites and subsequent adoption of regulations often occur without adequate consideration being given to overall classification goals and objectives. This has contributed to fragmented management, poor compliance with regulations, and a lack of effective enforcement.

(10) Education and outreach related to state MMAs is limited and responsibility for these activities is distributed across many state agencies. These factors hamper the distribution of information to the public regarding the benefits of MMAs and the role they can play in protecting ocean and coastal resources.

(11) There are few coordinated efforts to identify opportunities for public/private partnerships or public stewardship of MMAs or to provide access to general information and data about ocean and coastal resources within California’s MMAs.

(12) Ocean and coastal scientists and managers generally know far less about the natural systems they work with than their terrestrial counterparts. Understanding natural and human-induced factors that affect ocean ecosystem health, including MMAs, is fundamental to the process of developing sound management policies.

(13) Research in California’s MMAs can provide managers with a wealth of knowledge regarding habitat functions and values, species diversity, and complex physical, biological, chemical, and socioeconomic processes that affect the health of marine ecosystems. That information can be useful in determining the effectiveness of particular sites or classifications in achieving stated goals.

(b) With the single exception of state estuaries, it is the intent of the Legislature that the classifications currently available for use in the marine and estuarine environments of the state shall cease to be used and that a new classification system shall be established, with a mission, statement of objectives, clearly defined designation guidelines, specific classification goals, and a more scientifically-based process for designating sites and determining their effectiveness. The existing classifications may continue to be used for the terrestrial and freshwater environments of the state.

(c) Due to the interrelationship between land and sea, benefits can be gained from siting a portion of the state’s marine managed areas adjacent to, or in close proximity to, terrestrial protected areas. To maximize the benefits that can be gained from having connected protected areas, whenever an MMA is adjacent to a terrestrial protected area, the managing agencies shall coordinate their activities to the greatest extent possible to achieve the objectives of both areas.

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
The following definitions govern the construction of this chapter:

(a) “Committee” is the State Interagency Coordinating Committee established pursuant to Section 36800.

(b) “Designating entity” is the Fish and Game Commission, State Park and Recreation Commission, or State Water Resources Control Board, each of which has the authority to designate specified state marine managed areas.

(c) “Managing agency” is the Department of Fish and Game or the Department of Parks and Recreation, each of which has the authority to manage specified state marine managed areas.

(d) “Marine managed area” (MMA) is a named, discrete geographic marine or estuarine area along the California coast designated by law or administrative action, and intended to protect, conserve, or otherwise manage a variety of resources and their uses. The resources and uses may include, but are not limited to, living marine resources and their habitats, scenic views, water quality, recreational values, and cultural or geological resources. General areas that are administratively established for recreational or commercial fishing restrictions, such as seasonal or geographic closures or size limits, are not included in this definition. MMAs include the following classifications:

(1) State marine reserve, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 36700.

(2) State marine park, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 36700.

(3) State marine conservation area, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 36700.

(4) State marine cultural preservation area, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 36700.

(5) State marine recreational management area, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 36700.

(6) State water quality protection areas, as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 36700.

(e) “Marine protected area” (MPA), consistent with the Marine Life Protection Act (Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 2850) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code) is a named, discrete geographic marine or estuarine area seaward of the mean high tide line or the mouth of a coastal river, including any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water and associated flora and fauna that has been designated by law or administrative action to protect or conserve marine life and habitat. MPAs are primarily intended to protect or conserve marine life and habitat, and are therefore a subset of marine managed areas (MMAs). MPAs include the following classifications:

(1) State marine reserve, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 36700.

(2) State marine park, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 36700.

(3) State marine conservation area, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 36700.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 610, Sec. 21. Effective January 1, 2004.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
The mission of the state MMA system is to ensure the long-term ecological viability and biological productivity of marine and estuarine ecosystems and to preserve cultural resources in the coastal sea, in recognition of their intrinsic value and for the benefit of current and future generations. In support of this mission, the Legislature finds and declares that there is a need to reexamine and redesign California’s array of MMAs, to establish and manage a system using science and clear public policy directives to achieve all of the following objectives:

(a) Conserve representative or outstanding examples of marine and estuarine habitats, biodiversity, ecosystems, and significant natural and cultural features or sites.

(b) Support and promote marine and estuarine research, education, and science-based management.

(c) Help ensure sustainable uses of marine and estuarine resources.

(d) Provide and enhance opportunities for public enjoyment of natural and cultural marine and estuarine resources.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 610, Sec. 22. Effective January 1, 2004.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
Six classifications for designating managed areas in the marine and estuarine environments are hereby established as described in this section, to become effective January 1, 2002. Where the term “marine” is used, it refers to both marine and estuarine areas. A geographic area may be designated under more than one classification.

(a) A “state marine reserve” is a nonterrestrial marine or estuarine area that is designated so the managing agency may achieve one or more of the following:

(1) Protect or restore rare, threatened, or endangered native plants, animals, or habitats in marine areas.

(2) Protect or restore outstanding, representative, or imperiled marine species, communities, habitats, and ecosystems.

(3) Protect or restore diverse marine gene pools.

(4) Contribute to the understanding and management of marine resources and ecosystems by providing the opportunity for scientific research in outstanding, representative, or imperiled marine habitats or ecosystems.

(b) A “state marine park” is a nonterrestrial marine or estuarine area that is designated so the managing agency may provide opportunities for spiritual, scientific, educational, and recreational opportunities, as well as one or more of the following:

(1) Protect or restore outstanding, representative, or imperiled marine species, communities, habitats, and ecosystems.

(2) Contribute to the understanding and management of marine resources and ecosystems by providing the opportunity for scientific research in outstanding representative or imperiled marine habitats or ecosystems.

(3) Preserve cultural objects of historical, archaeological, and scientific interest in marine areas.

(4) Preserve outstanding or unique geological features.

(c) A “state marine conservation area” is a nonterrestrial marine or estuarine area that is designated so the managing agency may achieve one or more of the following:

(1) Protect or restore rare, threatened, or endangered native plants, animals, or habitats in marine areas.

(2) Protect or restore outstanding, representative, or imperiled marine species, communities, habitats, and ecosystems.

(3) Protect or restore diverse marine gene pools.

(4) Contribute to the understanding and management of marine resources and ecosystems by providing the opportunity for scientific research in outstanding, representative, or imperiled marine habitats or ecosystems.

(5) Preserve outstanding or unique geological features.

(6) Provide for sustainable living marine resource harvest.

(d) A “state marine cultural preservation area” is a nonterrestrial marine or estuarine area designated so the managing agency may preserve cultural objects or sites of historical, archaeological, or scientific interest in marine areas.

(e) A “state marine recreational management area” is a nonterrestrial marine or estuarine area designated so the managing agency may provide, limit, or restrict recreational opportunities to meet other than exclusively local needs while preserving basic resource values for present and future generations.

(f) A “state water quality protection area” is a nonterrestrial marine or estuarine area designated to protect marine species or biological communities from an undesirable alteration in natural water quality, including, but not limited to, areas of special biological significance that have been designated by the State Water Resources Control Board through its water quality control planning process. “Areas of special biological significance” are a subset of state water quality protection areas, and require special protection as determined by the State Water Resources Control Board pursuant to the California Ocean Plan adopted and reviewed pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 13160) of Chapter 3 of Division 7 of the Water Code and pursuant to the Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California (California Thermal Plan) adopted by the state board.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 854, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2005.)

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 7. Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act > 2. Classifications, Designations, Restrictions, and Allowable Uses


text:
(a) In a state marine reserve, it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living geological, or cultural marine resource, except under a permit or specific authorization from the managing agency for research, restoration, or monitoring purposes. While, to the extent feasible, the area shall be open to the public for managed enjoyment and study, the area shall be maintained to the extent practicable in an undisturbed and unpolluted state. Access and use for activities including, but not limited to, walking, swimming, boating, and diving may be restricted to protect marine resources. Research, restoration, and monitoring may be permitted by the managing agency. Educational activities and other forms of nonconsumptive human use may be permitted by the designating entity or managing agency in a manner consistent with the protection of all marine resources.

(b) In a state marine park, it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or nonliving marine resource for commercial exploitation purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features may be restricted by the designating entity or managing agency. All other uses are allowed, including scientific collection with a permit, research, monitoring, and public recreation, including recreational harvest, unless otherwise restricted. Public use, enjoyment, and education are encouraged, in a manner consistent with protecting resource values.

(c) In a state marine conservation area, it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource for commercial or recreational purposes, or a combination of commercial and recreational purposes, that the designating entity or managing agency determines would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community, habitat, or geological features. The designating entity or managing agency may permit research, restoration, monitoring, education, and recreational activities, and certain commercial and recreational harvest of marine resources.

(d) In a state marine cultural preservation area, it is unlawful to damage, take, or possess any cultural marine resource. Complete integrity of the cultural resources shall be sought, and no structure or improvements that conflict with that integrity shall be permitted. No other use is restricted.

(e) In a state marine recreational management area, it is unlawful to perform any activity that, as determined by the designating entity or managing agency, would compromise the recreational values for which the area may be designated. Recreational opportunities may be protected, enhanced, or restricted, while preserving basic resource values of the area. No other use is restricted.

(f) In a state water quality protection area, waste discharges shall be prohibited or limited by the imposition of special conditions in accordance with the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code) and implementing regulations, including, but not limited to, the California Ocean Plan adopted and reviewed pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 13160) of Chapter 3 of Division 7 of the Water Code and the Water Quality Control Plan for Control of Temperature in the Coastal and Interstate Waters and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California (California Thermal Plan) adopted by the state board. No other use is restricted.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 368, Sec. 1. (AB 63) Effective January 1, 2022.)

article: 2. Classifications, Designations, Restrictions, and Allowable Uses


text: The classifications contained in Section 36710 may not be inconsistent with United States military activities deemed mission critical by the United States military.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 610, Sec. 25. Effective January 1, 2004.)


text:
(a) The Fish and Game Commission may designate, delete, or modify state marine recreational management areas established by the commission for hunting purposes, state marine reserves, and state marine conservation areas. The Fish and Game Commission shall consult with, and secure concurrence from, the State Parks and Recreation Commission prior to modifying or deleting state marine reserves and state marine conservation areas designated by the State Parks and Recreation Commission. The Fish and Game Commission shall not delete or modify state marine recreational management areas designated by the State Parks and Recreation Commission.

(b) The State Parks and Recreation Commission may designate, delete, or modify state marine reserves, state marine parks, state marine conservation areas, state marine cultural preservation areas, and state marine recreational management areas. The State Parks and Recreation Commission may not designate, delete, or modify a state marine reserve, state marine park, or state marine conservation area without the concurrence of the Fish and Game Commission on any proposed restrictions upon, or change in, the use of living marine resources.

(c) If an unresolved conflict exists between the Fish and Game Commission and the State Parks and Recreation Commission regarding a state marine reserve, state marine park, or state marine conservation area, the Secretary of the Resources Agency may reconcile the conflict.

(d) The State Water Resources Control Board may designate, delete, or modify state water quality protection areas.

(e) The Fish and Game Commission, State Parks and Recreation Commission, and State Water Resources Control Board each may restrict or prohibit recreational uses and other human activities in the MMAs for the benefit of the resources therein, except in the case of restrictions on the use of living marine resources. Pursuant to this section, and consistent with Section 2860 of the Fish and Game Code, the Fish and Game Commission may regulate commercial and recreational fishing and any other taking of marine species in MMAs.

(f) (1) The Department of Fish and Game may manage state marine reserves, state marine conservation areas, state marine recreational management areas established for hunting purposes and, if requested by the State Water Resources Control Board, state water quality protection areas.

(2) The Department of Parks and Recreation may manage state marine reserves, state marine parks, state marine conservation areas, state marine cultural preservation areas, and state marine recreational management areas. Department authority over units within the state park system shall extend to units of the state MMAs system that are managed by the department.

(3) The State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards may take appropriate actions to protect state water quality protection areas. The State Water Resources Control Board may request the Department of Fish and Game or the Department of Parks and Recreation to take appropriate management action.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 183, Sec. 299. Effective January 1, 2005.)


text: Any MMA in existence on January 1, 2002, that has not been reclassified in accordance with the Marine Life Protection Act (Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 2850) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code), shall be reclassified under the classification system described in Section 36700 by January 1, 2003, based upon the management purpose and level of resource protection at each site on January 1, 2002. Upon the reclassification of existing sites, but no later than January 1, 2003, the use of all other classifications shall cease for the marine and estuarine environments of the state, though the classifications may continue to be used for the terrestrial and freshwater environments where applicable. The reclassification process shall be the responsibility of the State Interagency Coordinating Committee established pursuant to Section 36800, and shall occur to the extent feasible in conjunction and consistent with the MMA master planning process created pursuant to the Marine Life Protection Act (Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 2850) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code).


text: The Secretary of the Resources Agency shall establish and chair the State Interagency Coordinating Committee, whose members are representatives from those state agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and conservancies with jurisdiction or management interests over marine managed areas, including, but not limited to, the Department of Fish and Game, Department of Parks and Recreation, California Coastal Commission, State Water Resources Control Board, and State Lands Commission. The Secretary of the Resources Agency shall designate additional members of the committee. The committee shall review proposals for new or amended MMAs to ensure that the minimum required information is included in the proposal, to determine those state agencies that should review the proposal, and to ensure consistency with other such designations in the state. The committee shall also serve to ensure the proper and timely routing of site proposals, review any proposed site-specific regulations for consistency with the state system as a whole, and conduct periodic reviews of the statewide system to evaluate whether it is meeting the mission and statement of objectives.


text: Designation guidelines based on the classification goals adopted for the state system of MMAs shall be developed jointly by the appropriate managing agencies in cooperation with the committee on or before January 1, 2002. These guidelines shall be used to provide a general sense of requirements for designating a site in any particular classification, and may include characteristics such as uniqueness of the area or resource, biological productivity, special habitats, cultural or recreational values, and human impacts to the area. These designation guidelines shall be provided on a standard set of instructions for each classification.


text:
On or before January 1, 2002, the committee shall establish a standard set of instructions for each classification to guide organizations and individuals in submitting proposals for designating specific sites or networks of sites. On or before January 1, 2003, the relevant site proposal guidelines shall be adopted by each designating entity.

(a) At a minimum, each proposal shall include the following elements for consideration for designation as an MMA:

(1) Name of individual or organization proposing the designation.

(2) Contact information for the individual or organization, including contact person.

(3) Proposed classification.

(4) Proposed site name.

(5) Site location.

(6) Need, purpose, and goals for the site.

(7) Justification for the manner in which the proposed site meets the designation criteria for the proposed classification.

(8) A general description of the proposed site’s pertinent biological, geological, and cultural resources.

(9) A general description of the proposed site’s existing recreational uses, including fishing, diving, boating, and waterfowl hunting.

(b) The following elements, if not included in the original proposal, shall be added by the proposed managing agency in cooperation with the individual or organization making the proposal, prior to a final decision regarding designation:

(1) A legal description of the site boundaries and a boundary map.

(2) A more detailed description of the proposed site’s pertinent biological, geological, cultural, and recreational resources.

(3) Estimated funding needs and proposed source of funds.

(4) A plan for meeting enforcement needs, including on-site staffing and equipment.

(5) A plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the site in achieving stated goals.

(6) Intended educational and research programs.

(7) Estimated economic impacts of the site, both positive and negative.

(8) Proposed mechanisms for coordinating existing regulatory and management authority, if any exists, within the area.

(9) An evaluation of the opportunities for cooperative state, federal, and local management, where the opportunities may exist.


text:
Individuals or organizations may submit a proposal to designate an MMA directly through the committee or an appropriate designating entity. Proposals submitted to a designating entity shall be forwarded to the committee to initiate the review process. Proposals for designating, deleting, or modifying MMAs may be submitted to the committee or a designating entity at any time. The committee and scientific review panel established pursuant to subdivision (b) shall annually consider and promptly act upon proposals until an MPA master plan is adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2859 of the Fish and Game Code, and thereafter, no less than once every three years. Upon adoption of a statewide MPA plan, subsequent site proposals determined by the committee to be consistent with that plan shall be eligible for a simplified and cursory review of not more than 45 days.

(a) The committee shall review proposals to ensure that the minimum required information is included in the proposal, to determine those state agencies that should review the proposal, and to ensure consistency with other designations of that type in the state. After initial review by the coordinating committee and appropriate agencies, the proposal shall be forwarded to a scientific review panel established pursuant to subdivision (b).

(b) The Secretary of the Resources Agency shall establish a scientific review panel, with statewide representation and direction from the committee, to evaluate proposals for technical and scientific validity, including consideration of such things as site design criteria, location, and size. This panel, to the extent practical, shall be the same as the master plan team used in the process set forth in the Marine Life Protection Act (Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 2850) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code). Members shall maintain familiarity with the types and effectiveness of MMAs used in other parts of the world for potential application to California. Members shall be reimbursed reasonable costs to participate in the activities of the panel. Where feasible, advice shall be sought from the appropriate federal agencies and existing regional or statewide marine research panels and advisory groups. After review by the scientific review panel, the committee shall forward the proposal and any recommendations to the appropriate designating entity for a public review process.

(c) Designating entities shall establish a process that provides for public review and comment in writing and through workshops or hearings, consistent with the legal mandates applicable to designating entities. All input provided by the committee and scientific review panel shall be made available to the public during this process. Outreach shall be made to the broadest ocean and coastal constituency possible, and shall include commercial and sport fishing groups, conservation organizations, waterfowl groups and other recreational interests, academia, the general public, and all levels of government.

(d) This process does not replace the need to obtain the appropriate permits or reviews of other government agencies with jurisdiction or permitting authority.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering or impeding the process identified under the Marine Life Protection Act (Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 2850) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code) or the actions of the master plan team described in that act.


text: This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act of 2000 (CORSA).

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 516, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.)

article: 1. General Provisions

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 8. The California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act of 2000 > 1. General Provisions


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

(a) The Pacific Ocean and its rich and varied resources provide great environmental, economic, aesthetic, recreational, health, educational, and scientific benefits to the people of California and the nation. The 840-mile coastline and ocean enriches us through a marine economy of over $44 billion, in 2012 dollars, annually.

(b) Much of the quality of life and economic vibrancy supported by the state’s ocean resources depends on successful management of those resources, and successful management depends on an adequate understanding of the natural, ecological, oceanographic, and coastal processes and their interactions with varied human activities, including the impacts of climate change.

(c) The state is working to maintain and increase the benefits of its ocean resources to the public; a goal that increases the need for sound management and greater practical understanding of the state’s ocean and coastal resources.

(d) Although California is making progress in ocean management efforts, unsolved existing challenges also point to the need for greater improvements in management and the basic information needed for sound management. Examples of existing challenges include depressed populations of many species that are the targets of state and federally managed fisheries, pollution that results in beach and fishery closures, dredging and dredge spoils disposal necessary to keep the state’s ports competitive, changing ocean chemistry and ecological impacts resulting from climate change, and coastal erosion that threatens structures and reduces the quality of beaches.

(e) Beginning in 2006, California has developed and periodically updated California Climate Change Assessments that assess the impacts and risks from climate change and identify potential solutions focused on integrated action by California.

(f) As direct and indirect social, cultural, and economic impacts of climate change continue to amplify and worsen, governance across multiple government sectors, such as infrastructure, natural ecosystem protection, agriculture and aquaculture, and many others, will require a higher degree of coordination relative to developing new research and approaches for effective action.

(g) State and federal agencies with ocean and coastal resource management responsibility often lack basic information on which to base decisions, and many management issues are broader than the mandates of individual agencies, and existing means for coordinating agency efforts need to be improved. The result can be ad hoc, short-term management decisions based on inadequate information.

(h) California has a wealth of outstanding public and private marine science institutions that have increased their commitments to excellence in applied ocean resource science. Approximately one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in current, recent, or planned marine science projects funded by the federal government, foundations, the University of California and California State University systems, and private institutions could be of great benefit to the state’s coastal and ocean resource management agencies.

(i) The obstacles to collaborative efforts involving those institutions and agencies include all of the following:

(1) Inadequate coordination among marine science institutions.

(2) Inadequate guidance from management agencies about information needs for management.

(3) Important gaps in information, duplication of effort, missed opportunities, and unusable information due to the lack of standardized and coordinated information management techniques. The circumstances and needs identified in the findings in this section are among those recognized in this chapter and in the 1997 report prepared by the Resources Agency entitled “California’s Ocean Resources: An Agenda for the Future.” This chapter is intended to address some of the basic objectives of that report.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 208, Sec. 1. (AB 2287) Effective January 1, 2023.)

chapter: 8. The California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act of 2000

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
The Legislature further finds that it is the policy of the state to do all of the following:

(a) Ensure adequate coordination of ocean resources management science among state, regional, and federal agencies and marine science institutions, including, but not limited to, science related to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

(b) Ensure the most efficient and effective use of state resources devoted to ocean resource management science and encourage the contribution of federal and nongovernmental resources.

(c) Advance applied ocean science, graduate-level education, and technology development to meet current and future California ocean resource management needs.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 208, Sec. 2. (AB 2287) Effective January 1, 2023.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
(a) No authority is established by this chapter, nor shall any of its purposes or provisions be used by any public or private agency or person, to delay or deny any existing or future project or activity.

(b) No authority is established by this chapter to supersede current state agency statutory authority.

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Ocean resources” means all living and nonliving resources found in the Pacific Ocean and its contiguous saline or brackish bays and estuaries.

(b) “Trust” means the California Ocean Science Trust authorized by Section 36990.

(c) “Trustees” means the trustees of the trust.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 208, Sec. 3. (AB 2287) Effective January 1, 2023.)

article: 2. Definitions

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 8. The California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act of 2000 > 2. Definitions


text:
(a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency may enter into an agreement with an existing nonprofit corporation with broad experience as the trustee of public funds, court-ordered mitigation funds, or other funds used to assist public agencies in carrying out their responsibilities to establish a nongovernmental trust, to be known as the California Ocean Science Trust.

(b) The purposes of the trust shall be all of the following:

(1) To seek funds for California ocean resource science projects, emphasizing the development of new funding sources.

(2) To fund California ocean resource science projects that help fulfill the missions of the state’s ocean resource management agencies.

(3) To encourage coordinated, multiagency, multiinstitution approaches to ocean resource science to deliver actionable science solutions that accelerate equitable climate change adaptation.

(4) To encourage graduate education programs, training, and workforce development opportunities in management-oriented ocean resource science in public and private universities and colleges in California.

(5) To encourage new technologies that reduce the cost, increase the amount, or improve the quality of ocean resource management information.

(6) To promote more effective coordination of California ocean resource science useful to management agencies.

(c) The trust may administer grants and expenditures of the trust for purposes consistent with this chapter from private and public fund sources, including, but not limited to, direct appropriations from the annual Budget Act and block grants from other state agencies with relevant need for coordination and engagement with the trust.

(d) (1) For the purpose of developing and providing peer reviews, technical guidance, or scientific reports and analyses to state agencies and departments with relevant need, the trust may engage with scientific experts through convenings, including panels, workshops, or symposia, to gain knowledge, solutions, and recommendations for topics consistent with subdivision (b).

(2) As funding allows, the trust shall develop an annual list of topics, consistent with subdivision (b), that the trust will undertake to deliver the content pursuant to paragraph (1) to state agencies and departments.

(e) (1) The Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, or an entity within the Natural Resources Agency or the California Environmental Protection Agency may enter into a direct agreement with the trust for the delivery of peer reviews, technical guidance, or scientific reports and analyses pursuant to subdivision (d).

(2) As used in this subdivision, “entity” includes, but is not limited to, a department, board, commission, or conservancy.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 470, Sec. 2. (SB 1324) Effective January 1, 2025.)

article: 4. California Ocean Science Trust

path: 27. OCEAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT > 8. The California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act of 2000 > 4. California Ocean Science Trust


text: The trust shall be subject to the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code. To the extent of any conflict between this chapter and the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, this division shall prevail.

article: 4. California Ocean Science Trust


text:
The trust shall have 10 trustees, who shall be appointed as follows:

(a) The Secretary of the Resources Agency shall appoint the following trustees, who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary:

(1) One trustee who shall represent the Resources Agency and the departments and commissions within the Resources Agency with ocean resource management responsibilities and who may be an employee of the state.

(2) Three trustees from a list of candidates submitted jointly by the President of the University of California and the Chancellor of the California State University, who shall be chosen for their broad knowledge of ocean resource management and science. At least one of the three trustees shall not be an employee or on the faculty of the University of California or California State University.

(3) Two trustees who shall be representatives of the public selected primarily for their experience as trustees or directors of for-profit or nonprofit corporations.

(4) Two trustees from nominees submitted by coast and ocean interest groups including, but not limited to, interest groups representing sport fishing, commercial fishing, coast and ocean recreation and tourism, marine conservation, and ocean-dependent industries. In making the appointments pursuant to this paragraph, the factors to be considered shall include the nominees’ acceptability to a range of coast and ocean interests, and their experience as trustees or directors of for profit or nonprofit corporations.

(b) The Secretary for Environmental Protection shall appoint one trustee, who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary, and who shall have broad knowledge of water quality concerns as they relate to ocean resource management.

(c) The Director of Finance shall appoint one trustee, who shall serve at the pleasure of the director.

(d) To the extent feasible, the trustees appointed to the trust pursuant to subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) shall balance, and reflect the breadth of, public interests concerned with ocean resources.

article: 4. California Ocean Science Trust


text:
(a) Any person who might reasonably be expected at some time to derive a direct financial benefit from the activities of the trust shall be ineligible to serve as a trustee.

(b) Subject to the approval of the Secretary for Resources, the trustees shall adopt definitions and rules for the trust with respect to indirect conflicts of interest.

(c) All trustees shall serve without compensation. However, trustees may be reimbursed by the trust for reasonable expenses.

article: 4. California Ocean Science Trust


text:
(a) The trust shall do all of the following:

(1) Expend funds only for the purposes of the trust enumerated in Section 36990 and as further restricted by the sources of the trust’s funding.

(2) Make written findings for funds committed for projects, indicating how the projects further the purposes of the trust enumerated in Section 36990.

(3) Require the recipient of funds to keep records necessary to disclose whether the funds were used for the purposes specified by the trust.

(4) Invest and manage the funds of the trust in accordance with the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law (Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code).

(5) The trust shall report in writing annually to the Legislature and to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. The annual report shall include the most recent financial audit of the trust and the written findings required pursuant to paragraph (2). The activities of the trust for any financial year may be audited by the Bureau of State Audits.

(b) The trustees shall ensure that the trust, individual trustees acting on behalf of the trust and employees or agents of the trust do not engage in lobbying or contribute to, or otherwise support, any political party, candidate, or ballot issue.

(c) This chapter does not expand the authority of the trust to contract for professional services beyond the authority to contract for those services in Section 19130 of the Government Code.

article: 4. California Ocean Science Trust


text:
(a) The trust may seek the assistance of advisers, form advisory committees, or otherwise consult with knowledgeable individuals in regard to the business of the trust.

(b) Advisers shall serve without compensation. However, advisers may be reimbursed by the trust for reasonable expenses.

article: 4. California Ocean Science Trust


text: This division shall be known and may be cited as the “Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Act of 2000.”

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 113, Sec. 1. Effective July 10, 2000.)

chapter: 1. Intent

path: 28. NATURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION TAX CREDIT ACT OF 2000 > 1. Intent


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

(a) The continued economic development of California will be fostered and improved if conflicts over the use of natural resources can be resolved without litigation or disputes.

(b) The economic development of California can be facilitated if endangered species and other forms of plants, fish, and wildlife can be protected quickly and efficiently, so that development and agricultural use can proceed on other lands.

(c) Water allocation decisions could be eased if water could be provided for fish, wildlife, and aquatic and riparian habitat without objection by other water users.

(d) The intent of this division is to accommodate economic development and resolve land use and water disputes in a manner beneficial to all people in California, and to the benefit of California environmental quality.

(e) The further intent of this division is to foster partnerships between the public and private sectors to resolve disputes and promote economic growth and environmental quality.

(f) Conservation easements protect land, keep land in private ownership and on the tax rolls, and, where appropriate, are the preferred method to protect agricultural and habitat values.

(g) The value of wildlife habitat to the state is very high, especially in the case of implementing habitat conservation plans and multispecies conservation plans.

(h) Habitat stewardship shall be assisted and rewarded, and it is in the state’s interest to encourage landowners to perceive habitat as an asset rather than a liability.

(i) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this division, to provide an additional tool for the protection of wildlife habitat, open space, and agricultural lands. However, there continues to be a recognized need for additional funding sources for park, wildlife, and recreation facilities, as well as for the preservation of open space and agricultural lands.

(j) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this division to protect wildlife habitat, open space, and agricultural lands by providing up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in tax credits for donations of qualified land.

division: 28. NATURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION TAX CREDIT ACT OF 2000


text:
As used in this division, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Approval” or “approval for acceptance” means the board’s approval of the granting of a tax credit for a donation of property pursuant to the program.

(b) “Board” means the Wildlife Conservation Board created pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 1320) of Chapter 4 of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code.

(c) “Conservation easement” means a conservation easement, as defined by Section 815.1 of the Civil Code, that is contributed in perpetuity.

(d) “Department” means any entity created by statute within the Natural Resources Agency and authorized to hold title to land, or the Natural Resources Agency.

(e) (1) “Designated nonprofit organization” means a nonprofit organization qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code that has as a principal purpose the conservation of land and water resources and that is designated by a local government or a department to accept property pursuant to this division in lieu of the local government or a department. In order to be eligible to receive a donation of property pursuant to this division, a nonprofit organization shall have experience in land conservation.

(2) If bond funds are used pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 37030), the designated nonprofit organization shall also meet the eligibility requirements specified in the relevant provision of the applicable bond act, for a nonprofit organization.

(f) “Donee” means any of the following:

(1) A department to which a donor has applied to donate property.

(2) A local government that has submitted a joint application with a department requesting approval of a donation of property to that local government.

(3) A local government that has submitted an application directly to the board.

(4) A designated nonprofit organization.

(g) “Donor” means a property owner that donates, or submits an application to donate, property pursuant to the program.

(h) (1) “Local government” means any city, county, city and county, or any district, as defined in Section 5902 or in Division 26 (commencing with Section 35100), or any joint powers authority made up of one or more of those entities or those entities and departments.

(2) If bond funds are used pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 37030), “local government” also includes any other local governmental entity eligible to receive bond funds pursuant to the relevant provision of the applicable bond act.

(i) “Program” means the Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Program authorized by this division.

(j) “Property” means any real property, and any perpetual interest therein, including land, conservation easements, and land containing water rights, as well as water rights.

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

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 220, Sec. 2. (AB 94) Effective January 1, 2010.)

path: 28. NATURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION TAX CREDIT ACT OF 2000 > 2. Definitions


text: The Wildlife Conservation Board shall implement the program. The board may request staff services from any department that submits an application and a proposal for a donation of property to the board.

history: (History: Amended (as added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 113) by Stats. 2000, Ch. 900, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2001.)

path: 28. NATURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION TAX CREDIT ACT OF 2000 > 3. Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Program


text:
(a) Under the program, upon approval by the board, a donor may contribute qualified property to a donee and receive a tax credit for a portion of the value of the property, as provided in Sections 17053.30 and 23630 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(b) The board shall adopt guidelines or regulations to implement the program, including procedures for applications submitted pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 37010) and for the evaluation of properties proposed to be contributed pursuant to the program. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the guidelines or regulations adopted pursuant to this section.

history: (History: Amended (as added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 113) by Stats. 2000, Ch. 900, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.)

chapter: 3. Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Program


text: Applications shall be submitted to the donee to which the donor proposes to contribute the property.

chapter: 4. Procedures

path: 28. NATURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION TAX CREDIT ACT OF 2000 > 4. Procedures


text:
At a minimum, each application shall contain all of the following:

(a) The identification of the donor and donee.

(b) A description of the property, including documentation of how the property meets the criteria and qualifies for acceptance under the program.

(c) A property appraisal meeting the requirements of Section 170 of Title 26 of the United States Code, setting forth the fair market value of the property.

(d) (1) A certification by the donor that the donor received no other valuable consideration for the donation of property.

(2) A certification by the donor that the contribution was not, and is not, required to satisfy a condition imposed upon the donor by any lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use issued by one or more public agencies, including, but not limited to, the mitigation of significant effects on the environment of a project pursuant to an approved environmental impact report or mitigated negative declaration required pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)).

(e) A certification by the donor that the application discloses any known or suspected environmental conditions associated with the property.

history: (History: Amended (as added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 113) by Stats. 2000, Ch. 900, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2001.)