BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 367
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Date of Hearing: April 22, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
367 (Dodd) - As Amended April 15, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable:
SUMMARY:
This bill appropriates $2.4 million from an unspecified fund to
for projects to restore and protect Clear Lake. Specifically,
this bill:
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1)Appropriates $2.4 million from an unspecified fund to Lake
County for the purposes of restoring Clear Lake wetlands,
maintaining Clear Lake water quality, and preventing and
controlling the spread of invasive species in or to Clear
Lake.
2)States legislative intent to assist Lake County in restoring
Clear Lake to protect fish and wildlife and preserve
recreational and economic opportunities.
3)States legislative findings and declarations regarding Clear
Lake, its natural resource values which include fish, birds,
and other wildlife, and problems at the lake such as toxic
algal blooms, mercury pollution, and the listing of Clear Lake
as an impaired water body.
FISCAL EFFECT:
State costs of $2.4 million from an unspecified fund (GF or
special fund).
COMMENTS:
1)Rationale. Clear Lake is California's largest natural
freshwater lake. According to Lake County, water quality
problems in the lake are impacting tourism; algal blooms in
the summer and invasive species are a constant threat. The
county has tried three times to enact a half-cent sales tax
dedicated to lake programs, but those measures, while
garnering over 60% of the vote, have failed to meet the 2/3rd
vote requirement for special purpose taxes.
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This bill is intended to provide funds for the long term
monitoring of water quality TMDLs in the Lake and for small
stream and wetland restoration in the Clear Lake Upper Cache
Creek watershed.
2)No Specified Funding Source. As introduced, this bill
appropriated $2.4 million from the Fish and Game Preservation
Fund (FGPF) located at the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
As of January 9, 2015, the FGPF projected fund balance for FY
2015-16 is $25.6 million, identified in the Governor's budget
as reserve. The designated funding source was deleted in the
Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. This bill, or a
portion of it, could be funded out of the reserve.
The Water Bond (Proposition 1, approved by the voters in
November 2014) contains several competitive categories of
funding for which Lake County and/or the region through the
Westside Integrated Regional Water Management Program (IRWMP)
may be eligible to apply for grants. The County or IRWMP may
wish to pursue funding through applications to appropriate
state programs.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
AB 367
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