This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act.
Chapter 1General Provisions
Section § 30901
This specific section names the legislation as the Watershed, Clean Beaches, and Water Quality Act.
Watershed Act Clean Beaches Water Quality environmental legislation beach cleanliness water pollutant management watershed protection pollution prevention coastal conservation clean water initiatives
Section § 30902
This section sets up a system for funding projects related to water quality, clean beaches, and watershed protection. It outlines how money from bond sales and other revenue will be used and details how various state agencies, including the State Coastal Conservancy and the State Water Resources Control Board, will work together to finance these projects.
The purpose of this division is to establish a statutory framework for funding water quality, clean beaches, and watershed protection projects from the proceeds derived from the issuance and sale of bonds and other revenue sources, and to specify how the Resources Agency and its constituent departments and boards, including the State Coastal Conservancy, and the California Environmental Protection Agency, and that agency’s constituent departments, including the State Water Resources Control Board, will coordinate and integrate programs to fund projects.
water quality projects clean beach funding watershed protection bond proceeds Resources Agency coordination State Coastal Conservancy California Environmental Protection Agency State Water Resources Control Board program integration funding framework revenue sources project financing inter-agency collaboration environmental funding state agencies coordination
Section § 30903
This California law emphasizes the importance of maintaining clean beaches, water, and healthy watersheds for both communities and wildlife. It highlights the economic contributions of coastal-related businesses and the need for ongoing beach restoration. The law stresses that clean water is vital for the community and economy. It advocates watershed management as a method to achieve resource and water quality goals, mentioning the roles of different state agencies and the existence of many watershed partnerships focused on restoration. The California Environmental Protection Agency and the Resources Agency are creating a strategic plan for effective watershed management and investment.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 30903(a) Clean beaches, clean water, and healthy watersheds are necessary to support both human communities and the state’s native fish and wildlife, and are part of the legacy of California. Each generation has an obligation to be good stewards of those resources in order to pass them on to their children.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 30903(b) California’s 1,100-mile coastline is world-renowned. Coastal-related businesses provide seventeen billion dollars ($17,000,000,000) annually to the state’s economy and depend on the restoration and health maintenance of beaches.
(c)CA Public Resources Code § 30903(c) Clean water is essential to the state’s communities and economy.
(d)CA Public Resources Code § 30903(d) Watershed management is a valuable approach to meeting comprehensive resource management and water quality objectives. Watersheds provide a useful, natural unit to integrate and coordinate the many natural resource functions of state agencies.
(e)CA Public Resources Code § 30903(e) Multiple state entities within the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Resources Agency are currently administering programs that provide technical assistance or financial support for various aspects of watershed management or restoration. Hundreds of watershed partnerships exist in the state, dedicated to the restoration and management of the state’s streams, rivers, and lands, and the use of watershed management principles and practices. Coordinated watershed management implementation is crucial to addressing critical problems and the efficient use of public funds. The California Environmental Protection Agency and the Resources Agency are developing a strategic plan for fully integrated watershed investments.
clean beaches clean water watershed management coastal economy state economy California coastline restoration wildlife support resource management water quality natural resource functions technical assistance financial support watershed partnerships environmental protection
Section § 30904
This section of the law expresses the intention of lawmakers in California to preserve environmental quality by keeping beaches, coastal waters, rivers, lakes, and streams free from contamination and pollution. The goal is to protect these natural resources from environmental dangers through a coordinated watershed program.
It is the intent of the Legislature that the purpose of maintaining clean beaches, clean water, and an integrated and coordinated watershed program is to protect beaches, coastal waters, rivers, lakes, and streams from contaminants, pollution, and other environmental threats.
clean beaches clean water watershed program environmental protection prevent pollution contaminants protect rivers coastal waters lakes and streams environmental threats legislative intent natural resource preservation California environmental law water quality pollution prevention
Section § 30905
This law aims to fund projects that will make beaches cleaner and more enjoyable for visitors. The focus is on monitoring and improving water quality by tracking pollutants in coastal waters. Success will be seen through noticeable improvements in beach water quality.
It is the intent of the Legislature to invest in projects that will reduce beach contamination and increase visitor days, including, but not limited to, developing the comprehensive capability to monitor and analyze water quality and pollutant transport in coastal waters. This will be demonstrated by measurable improvements in water quality on and near the state’s beaches.
beach contamination water quality monitoring pollutant transport coastal waters visitor days water quality improvements beach projects environmental investment clean beaches coastal water quality beach enjoyment pollution control marine environment beach water analysis California beaches
Section § 30906
The law aims to fund clean water projects with several goals in mind. It seeks to help small communities meet water pollution standards and to enhance the quality of water in agricultural areas by reducing pollutants. Additionally, it focuses on implementing urban stormwater treatment programs to tackle pollution sources not stemming from pipes. Another goal is to establish a thorough monitoring and analysis system for groundwater quality across the state. Finally, the law aims to improve water quality in coastal and marine environments, especially in areas designated for marine protection and management.
It is the intent of the Legislature to invest in clean water projects that will do all of the following:
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 30906(a) Assist small local communities in meeting water pollution control requirements.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 30906(b) Improve agricultural water quality and reduce pollutants in agricultural drainage water.
(c)CA Public Resources Code § 30906(c) Implement urban stormwater treatment programs and reduce nonpoint sources of pollution.
(d)CA Public Resources Code § 30906(d) Provide comprehensive capability to monitor and analyze water quality in groundwater basins throughout the state.
(e)CA Public Resources Code § 30906(e) Improve water quality in coastal and marine waters, particularly those waters that affect marine protected areas and marine managed areas.
clean water projects small local communities water pollution control agricultural water quality agricultural drainage urban stormwater treatment nonpoint source pollution groundwater monitoring groundwater quality coastal water quality marine protected areas marine managed areas pollutant reduction environmental impact water quality improvement
Section § 30907
This law encourages state agencies to work together and support two main goals. First, they should develop strategies for managing watersheds that are consistent across different landowners and government areas. Second, state and federal agencies should coordinate their efforts to address the specific needs of each watershed.
It is the intent of the Legislature to require state agencies to encourage and support both of the following:
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 30907(a) The development of coordinated and complementary strategies and solutions for watershed management across land ownership and agency jurisdictional boundaries.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 30907(b) Coordinated program delivery from state and federal agencies to fit the needs of individual watersheds.
watershed management state agencies federal agencies coordinated strategies strategies and solutions agency collaboration land ownership jurisdictional boundaries program delivery individual watershed needs cross-jurisdictional cooperation integrated solutions resource management environmental planning interagency coordination
Section § 30908
The state of California aims to coordinate and integrate its watershed programs by collaborating with local communities. The goals are to ensure these watersheds remain healthy, provide clean water, and support natural habitats for thriving communities and future generations.
It is the intent of the Legislature that the state should coordinate and integrate its watershed programs and implement those programs by working with diverse interests at the local level. The state’s watershed management goals should include, but need not be limited to, maintaining and restoring healthy watersheds that support thriving communities, provide clean water, and sustain natural habitats for future generations.
watershed programs watershed management local collaboration healthy watersheds clean water natural habitats community support future generations ecosystem sustainability state coordination restoration diverse local interests environmental goals sustainable watersheds
Section § 30909
This law encourages investment in collaborative watershed management efforts across California, focusing on community involvement to achieve state goals. The funding should be equitably distributed among different types of watersheds (large, small, coastal, inland) and focus on reducing pollution and protecting sources. Projects offering multiple benefits are prioritized.
It is the intent of the Legislature to invest in watershed management partnerships that use a community-based collaborative approach to meeting the state’s watershed management goals. Allocation of funding should be balanced among large and small watersheds, coastal and inland watersheds, and effluent reduction and source protection, and should be geographically balanced. Priority should be given to projects and programs that implement programs that have multiple benefits.
watershed management community-based partnerships funding allocation geographic balance effluent reduction source protection collaborative approach state goals priority projects multi-benefit programs coastal watersheds inland watersheds large watersheds small watersheds
