This section defines the terms used in the chapter. 'Department' refers to the Department of Conservation, and 'director' refers to the Director of Conservation.

The Department of Conservation is part of California's Resources Agency. It is led by the Director of Conservation, who is chosen by the Governor and serves at the Governor's discretion. The Director's salary is set according to a specific section of the state's Government Code. The Senate must approve the Governor's choice for this position.

This law states that the Department of Conservation now carries all the duties and powers that were previously the responsibility of certain divisions (Forestry, Mines and Geology, Oil and Gas, and Soil Conservation) under the Department of Natural Resources. Basically, any mention of the Department of Natural Resources related to these areas should now be understood as referring to the Department of Conservation.

This law states that the director holds all the responsibilities and authority of the State Geologist as the head of the California Geological Survey. The director can also appoint an assistant or deputy director to handle specific duties and powers they choose to delegate.

This section allows a department to use money from state-approved funds or special funds in the State Treasury for its administrative responsibilities. It can also use these funds for supporting or maintaining any entity whose duties have been assigned to the department. All spending must comply with legal guidelines and align with the intended purposes of the funding.

This section states that the department is responsible for managing and controlling all assets like records, equipment, money, and property that were previously used by other offices and officers whose responsibilities have been handed over to the department.

This law allows the director, within the framework of civil service rules, to hire deputies, officers, and employees as needed. It refers to another part of the Government Code for additional rules that apply to the director.

This law section outlines the organization of a certain department into specific divisions. It includes the California Geological Survey, Geologic Energy Management Division (which was previously known as the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources), Division of Land Resource Protection, and Division of Mine Reclamation.

This law allows the director of a department to accept federal grants, with approval from the Finance Director. The grants are meant for the department's specific purposes and are deposited into a Special Deposit Fund in the State Treasury. These funds must be used according to federal government requirements.

If the department mistakenly deposits too much money or receives funds in error, or if money should be refunded due to an agreement ending or another valid reason, the director needs to file a claim to get the refund paid. The State Controller is then responsible for issuing a payment from the funds set aside for this purpose.

This law allows a department to share information about its activities through publications or exhibits if the director thinks it will help spread the word. These publications can be given out for free to public libraries and other state departments. They can also swap copies with similar publications. However, any money made from selling these publications goes into the State Treasury, except for money made by separate divisions of the department.

This section states that from January 1, 1980, certain California departments and officials cannot adopt or publish new building standards unless specific exceptions in state laws are noted. Any building standards created in violation of this rule will not be valid. However, building standards set before that date will remain in place until either they are updated, replaced, or until January 1, 1985, whichever comes first.

This law requires the department to make and keep up-to-date maps and a database of important farmland and soil information. It also includes recording any changes in how agricultural lands are used.

This law highlights the importance of having an up-to-date inventory of California's soil resources because existing information is outdated or incomplete. Accurate soil data is vital for agricultural management, conservation, engineering, land use planning, and policy-making. The law notes that California has not financially supported modern soil surveys on cropland, unlike other states that have worked with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service.

To remedy this, the law instructs the state to fund soil surveys in specific counties to support activities like soil mapping and report writing. When allocating funds, several factors are considered, such as gaps in farmland maps, changes in land use, soil problems like erosion, and local agricultural productivity.

This law allows the department to support local agencies in creating and accessing natural resource data systems, as long as their budget allows. Local agencies can get help obtaining this information from state sources, but they must pay back the department for any related expenses.

This law gives the department the authority to provide advice on conservation issues to various government and public entities. It can review and comment on environmental documents, manage local assistance programs like grants, and act as a liaison with resource conservation districts. The department also offers various forms of support to these districts, including technology, training, and financial aid. Additionally, it works to coordinate conservation activities across different government levels and tribes.

This law says that certain grants given out by the department, which include those related to specific divisions in the Public Resources Code, are not required to follow the rules set out by the State Contract Act or specific parts of the Military and Veterans Code. Essentially, these grants have exceptions when it comes to usual state contracting regulations.

This law section states that when the California Legislature allocates funds, or if other funds become available, the department can offer grants and other types of financial assistance to resource conservation districts.