BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 498
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Date of Hearing: May 6, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
498 (Levine) - As Amended April 28, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill declares it is the policy of the state to promote the
voluntary protection of wildlife corridors and strongholds, and
expands the authorized purposes of a conservation bank to
include the maximization of habitat connectivity for fish and
AB 498
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wildlife resources. Specifically this bill:
1)Encourages a project proponent to consult with the Department
of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) on projects proposed in wildlife
corridors.
2) Defines wildlife corridor as a habitat linkage that joins two
or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing for the movement
of wildlife from one area to another.
3)Defines habitat stronghold as high quality habitat that
supports wildlife in being more resilient to increasing
pressures on species due to climate change and land
development.
4)Specifies this bill shall not be construed to modify the
requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA).
5)Specifies legislative intent and makes various findings.
FISCAL EFFECT:
No direct state costs.
COMMENTS:
1)Rationale. According to the author, there is currently no
definition of wildlife corridors in statute, and no clearly
articulated statewide policy to protect wildlife corridors.
AB 498
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In 2009, DFW and the Department of Transportation jointly
commissioned the California Essential Habitat Connectivity
project, which included a statewide assessment of natural
habitat blocks that support native biodiversity, and areas
essential for ecological connectivity between them. The
project was intended to make transportation and land use
planning more efficient and less costly, while helping to
reduce dangerous wildlife-vehicle collisions.
The project determined a functional network of connected wild
lands is essential to the continued support of California's
diverse natural communities in the face of human development
and climate change.
The importance of wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity
linkages has also been recognized by groups such as the
Western Governors' Association, which unanimously approved a
policy to protect wildlife migration corridors in 2007.
This bill articulates a statewide policy to protect wildlife
corridors, habitat strongholds, and habitat linkages in order
to enhance the resiliency of wildlife and their habitats to
climate change.
2)Background. Existing law states the importance of
connectivity between wildlife habitats for the long-term
viability of the state's biodiversity. DFW is required to
investigate, study, and identify those areas in the state that
are most essential as wildlife corridors and habitat linkages,
as well as the impacts to those wildlife corridors from
climate change. DFW is required to prioritize vegetative
mapping in these areas.
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Existing law also states legislative intent that the Wildlife
Conservation Board (WCB) use funds to work with DFW to
complete a statewide analysis of wildlife corridors and
connectivity to support conservation planning and climate
change adaptation activities.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081