BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    





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          |                                                                 |
          |         SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER         |
          |                   Senator Fran Pavley, Chair                    |
          |                    2009-2010 Regular Session                    |
          |                                                                 |
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          BILL NO: AB 2351                   HEARING DATE: June 9, 2010  
          AUTHOR: Chesbro                    URGENCY: No  
          VERSION: April 15, 2010            CONSULTANT: Bill Craven  
          DUAL REFERRAL: No                  FISCAL: Yes  
          SUBJECT: Forest resources: demonstration state forests:  
          campgrounds: user fees.  
          
          BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
          Existing law authorizes the California Department of Forestry  
          (CDF) to acquire, manage, protect, and reforest state forests in  
          accordance with plans approved by the Board of Forestry. 

          Existing law also creates the Forest Resources Improvement Trust  
          Fund (FRIF) in the state treasury, for the deposit of revenues  
          from the sale of forest products from state forests to support  
          the management of these forests, including restoration  
          activities. Any balance in the FRIF must be deposited in the  
          General Fund.

          PROPOSED LAW
          This bill would allow the department to collect recreational  
          user fees for overnight camping on a demonstration state forest.  
          Any such funds would be deposited in FRIF. This bill would also  
          amend the allowable uses of the FRIF to authorize the department  
          to be reimbursed for its costs of maintaining and improving the  
          campground facilities and other related activities. 

          The bill does not require that a fee be imposed, but it would  
          prohibit a fee from exceeding the amount necessary to reimburse  
          the department's costs for maintenance and improvement of  
          campground facilities and other specified activities. 

          ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
          According to the author, CDF operates eight demonstration  
          forests, and it reports about 40,000 days of recreational  
          camping annually. The forests are managed for purposes of timber  
          harvesting, reforestation, and silivicultural experiments.  
          Currently, any campground related costs are paid for by the  
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          department through FRIF, which generates funds through the sale  
          of logs from demonstration forests. Traditionally, timber sale  
          revenues were adequate and CDF could absorb its costs related to  
          recreational camping. However, FRIF has been receiving declining  
          revenues because of depressed lumber prices. 

          ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
          None received. 

          SUPPORT
          Department of Forestry and Fire (sponsor)
          California Licensed Foresters Association
          California Native Plant Society

          OPPOSITION:  None Received
































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