BILL ANALYSIS �
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
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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