This division shall be known, and may be cited, as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Act.
Chapter 1General Provisions
Section § 32300
This law section is simply naming the division as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Act.
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Act Delta environmental protection California Delta management Delta ecosystem Conservation efforts Delta waterways Natural resources Delta preservation Sustainable management Delta habitat Water quality Delta flora and fauna Eco-friendly initiatives Delta restoration
Section § 32301
This section highlights the importance of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a significant natural resource. As the largest estuary on the west coast, it is home to diverse species and significant agricultural land.
The Delta provides recreational opportunities and holds historical and cultural value, including unique communities like Locke. It supports a large population, numerous jobs, and major economic contributions.
The Delta offers water resources critical for millions and is essential for California's economy. A conservancy is proposed to protect and enhance the Delta's environmental and economic aspects.
This includes habitat protection, agriculture preservation, tourism promotion, disaster resilience, water quality improvement, and aiding local habitat conservation plans. The conservancy also aims to educate the public and support species protection agreements.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(a) The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a unique natural resource of local, state, and national significance.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(b) At 1,300 square miles, the Delta is the largest estuary on the west coast of North and South America.
(c)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(c) Its rivers and labyrinths of sloughs and channels are home to 750 species of plants and wildlife as well as 55 species of fish, provide habitat for 700 native plant and animal species, and are part of the Pacific Flyway.
(d)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(d) The Delta contains more than
500,000 acres of agricultural land, with unique soils, and farmers who are creative and utilize innovative agriculture, such as carbon sequestration crops, subsidence reversal crops, wildlife-friendly crops, and crops direct for marketing to the large urban populations nearby.
(e)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(e) The Delta and Suisun Marsh provide numerous opportunities for recreation, such as boating, kayaking, fishing, hiking, birding, and hunting. Navigable waterways in the Delta are available for public access and currently make up the majority of recreational opportunities. There is a need for land-based recreational access points including parks, picnic areas, and campgrounds.
(f)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(f) The Delta’s history is rich with a distinct natural, agricultural, and cultural heritage. It is home to the community of Locke, the only town in the United States built primarily by early Chinese immigrants. Other legacy
communities include Bethel Island, Clarksburg, Courtland, Freeport, Hood, Isleton, Knightsen, Rio Vista, Ryde, and Walnut Grove.
(g)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(g) The Delta is home to more than 500,000 people and 200,000 jobs, and contributes over thirty-five billion dollars ($35,000,000,000) to the state’s economy.
(h)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(h) In addition, the Delta provides water to more than 25 million Californians and three million acres of agricultural land. It supports a four hundred billion dollar ($400,000,000,000) economy and is traversed by energy, communications, and transportation facilities vital to the economic health of California.
(i)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i) A Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy can support efforts that advance both environmental protection and the economic well-being of Delta residents in a complementary manner, including all of the following:
(1)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(1) Protect and enhance habitat and habitat restoration.
(2)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(2) Protect and preserve Delta agriculture and working landscapes.
(3)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(3) Provide increased opportunities for tourism and recreation.
(4)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(4) Promote Delta legacy communities and economic vitality in the Delta in coordination with the Delta Protection Commission.
(5)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(5) Increase the resilience of the Delta to the effects of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, in coordination with the Delta Protection Commission.
(6)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(6) Protect and improve water quality.
(7)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(7) Assist the Delta regional economy through the
operation of the conservancy’s program.
(8)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(8) Identify priority projects and initiatives for which funding is needed.
(9)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(9) Protect, conserve, and restore the region’s physical, agricultural, cultural, historical, and living resources.
(10)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(10) Assist local entities in the implementation of their habitat conservation plans (HCPs) and natural community conservation plans (NCCPs).
(11)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(11) Facilitate take protection and safe harbor agreements under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.) and the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code) for adjacent landowners and local public agencies.
(12)CA Public Resources Code § 32301(i)(12) Promote environmental education.
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta estuary biodiversity agricultural land recreation historical heritage cultural heritage Delta Conservancy habitat restoration agriculture preservation tourism disaster resilience water quality economic impact environmental education
