BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 763 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 1, 2013 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 763 (Buchanan) - As Amended: April 10, 2013 Policy Committee: Water, Parks and Wildlife Vote: 15-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill designates the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) as the state lead agency for controlling invasive plants in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As lead agency, DBW would coordinate local, state and federal efforts to identify, control and eradicate invasive species. The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) is required to perform a risk-assessment on identified species to consider threats to the state's environment, fisheries, economy, navigation and recreational use of waterways. This risk-assessment will guide DBW in coordinating efforts to control or eradicate the species. FISCAL EFFECT To the extent that new invasive and pest aquatic plants are identified and require herbicide treatment: 1)Significant initial costs to DBW and DFW of over $500,000 for required state and federal environmental impact review for every plant species (special fund). 2)An estimated $500,000 every five years to update biological assessment and federal and state environmental impact review (special fund.) 3)Significant annual costs, in the low hundreds of thousands, to purchase herbicide and monitor water quality for each new plant species requiring treatment, depending on its location AB 763 Page 2 and infestation level. COMMENTS 1)Rationale. DBW is currently designated as the lead agency of the state for controlling water hyacinth, egeria densa, and the South American spongeplant. The bill will allow DBW to avoid future legislative authorization every time a new invasive species is identified in the Delta. 2)Background. Controlling invasive species is an increasing resource management challenge for the state, including control of aquatic invasive plant species in the Delta and its tributaries. Invasive aquatic plant species can clog waterways, interfering with navigation, obstructing water supply infrastructure, depleting sunlight and nutrients, and competing with other native species. Early assessment and response is widely recognized as essential for cost effective control of invasive species before they become established or too wide spread. Under current law, the DBW has lead authority for implementing control measures for three identified invasive aquatic plant species in the Delta, but new legislation and a statutory change is required each time a new invasive aquatic plant species is identified. Most recently, AB 1540 (Buchanan) gave DBW lead agency authority over South American Spongeplant in 2012, 3)Governor's Re-organization. On July 1, 2013, DBW will no longer be a separate state department and will instead become a division of the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). However, DBW will continue all of its existing functions as a division of DPR. Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916) 319-2081