Bill Text: CA SB1301 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 1301 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Tijuana River Valley: watershed action plan.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 368, Statutes of 2020. [SB1301 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB1301-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate June 18, 2020

Amended IN Senate March 26, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1301

Introduced by Senator Hueso

February 21, 2020

An act to add Section 32656.2 to the Public Resources Code, relating to public resources.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1301, as amended, Hueso. San Diego River Conservancy: Tijuana River Valley: binational watershed management plan.

Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the San Diego River Conservancy to, among other purposes, acquire and manage public lands within the San Diego River area, and to provide recreational opportunities, open space, wildlife habitat and species restoration and protection, wetland protection and restoration, protection of historical and cultural resources, and protection, maintenance, and improvements of the quality of the waters in the San Diego River and its watershed, its tributaries, and historic flumes emanating from the river for all beneficial uses, lands for educational uses within the area, and natural floodwater conveyance.

Existing law requires the conservancy to establish the Tijuana River Watershed Advisory Panel, as specified, and requires the panel to prepare a strategic plan with specified information relating to the Tijuana River watershed.

This bill would require the ~~conservancy~~ conservancy, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to work with the State Water Resources Control Board, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the California Environmental Protection Agency to create, as prescribed, a binational watershed management plan for the Tijuana River Valley that contains certain information, as specified. The bill would require the conservancy, while preparing the plan, to seek relevant information and advice by conducting appropriate public outreach and establishing and consulting an advisory body that includes the appropriate and relevant state agencies, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations and the federal government. The bill would authorize the Tijuana River Watershed Advisory Panel to use the plan to satisfy or further an existing requirement that the panel prepare a strategic plan for the Tijuana River watershed.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 32656.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

32656.2.

(a) ~~The~~ Upon an appropriation of funds from the Legislature to the conservancy for this purpose, the conservancy shall work with the State Water Resources Control Board, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the California Environmental Protection Agency to create a binational watershed management plan for the Tijuana River Valley, which should be developed in coordination with the appropriate Mexican entities to encapsulate the whole watershed. The plan shall include all of the following:

(1) Identification of key stakeholders and partnerships for data collection.

(2) Identification of issues of concern for the Tijuana River Valley in both the United States and Mexican portions.

(3) Short-term and long-term goals and targets for the plan.

(4) Methods and strategies to seek to restore water quality in degraded areas and to protect overall watershed health.

(5) Methods and strategies to protect the public health and limit beach closures.

(b) While preparing the plan required pursuant to subdivision (a), the conservancy shall seek relevant information and advice by conducting appropriate public outreach and by establishing and consulting an advisory body that includes the appropriate and relevant state agencies, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations and the federal government.

(c) The binational watershed management plan prepared pursuant to this section may be used by the Tijuana River Watershed Advisory Panel, established pursuant to Section 32659.4, to satisfy or further the requirement to prepare a strategic plan pursuant to Section 32659.5.