Diablo Range Conservation Program.
What changed between versions
Entirely new Chapter 4.5 (Sections 1460-1468) added to Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code, establishing the Diablo Range Conservation Program. This transforms the bill from a minor tortoise statute cleanup into a major landscape-scale conservation initiative covering approximately 3.5 million acres from Carquinez Strait/Mount Diablo in the north to Orchard Peak/Polonio Pass/Antelope Valley/SR 46 in the south.
Section 1467 authorizes the board to establish an ad hoc advisory committee with members from county boards of supervisors, city councils within the Diablo Range, representatives from the Natural Resources Agency, Department of Finance, and State Lands Commission, and public members with demonstrated expertise. Members serve without compensation and meetings are subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
Section 1463 requires the Wildlife Conservation Board to establish and administer the program with five stated purposes: protect/preserve/restore natural resources through land acquisition and management, promote biodiversity and threatened/endangered species recovery, build climate resilience (wildfire risk reduction, invasive species control, habitat connectivity, soil carbon protection), protect air quality and water resources, and enhance public access with emphasis on communities that currently lack access.
Section 1468 creates the Diablo Range Conservation Fund in the State Treasury to receive bond proceeds or other appropriations. A Donation Account is established within the fund for moneys, goods, or services contributed by public agencies or private entities. The Donation Account is continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years. The appropriation designation changed from 'no' to 'yes' and fiscal committee review from 'no' to 'yes.'
Section 1465 authorizes the board to provide grants to local public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and tribes for: acquisition/restoration/enhancement/maintenance of fish and wildlife habitat (including wildfire-impacted resources), improvement of public access and recreational facilities, interpretive and educational facilities, and control/removal of invasive species plus propagation of native species. Preference is given to projects using California Conservation Corps or Community Conservation Corps services.
Section 1462 defines 'Diablo Range' with specific geographic boundaries (west: SF Bay, Santa Clara Valley, SR 101, Salinas Valley; east: San Joaquin River and Valley, SR 5), 'Tribe' as any federally recognized tribe or nonfederally recognized tribe on the California Tribal Consultation List, and other program terms.
Section 1466 imposes restrictions on the board: it may not fund or implement projects without written landowner consent, may not manage or regulate use of land owned by others without a written agreement, may not levy taxes or special assessments, and may not own or acquire land directly.
The original tortoise provision (Section 5001 cleanup) is retained but renumbered from Section 1 to Section 2 of the bill. The nonsubstantive grammatical corrections remain: 'do does not' becomes 'does not,' 'such the tortoise' becomes 'the tortoise,' and similar fixes.
