BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 498
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
498 (Levine)
As Amended August 31, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | | (May 28, |SENATE: |25-13 | (September 2, |
| |52-24 |2015) | | |2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: W., P., & W.
SUMMARY: Declares it is the policy of the state to encourage,
wherever feasible and practicable, voluntary steps to protect
the functioning of wildlife corridors through various means.
The Senate amendments:
1)Delete the authorization for project applicants to receive
advance mitigation credits for investing in a mitigation bank
that protects habitat connectivity for fish and wildlife.
2)Modify the specified means of protecting wildlife corridors
through voluntary steps to include installation of directional
fencing, siting of mitigation and conservation banks in areas
that provide habitat connectivity, and overpasses.
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3)Modify the definition of a wildlife corridor for purposes of
this bill to include habitat linkages that allow for fish
passage.
4)State that this bill shall not be construed to create new
regulatory requirements or modify the requirements for Natural
Community Conservation Plans.
5)Modify a finding and declaration regarding efforts involving
working landscapes that are working to achieve the policy of
protecting wildlife corridors.
6)Add coauthors and make additional technical, nonsubstantive
changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1)States legislative findings and declarations regarding the
importance of connectivity between wildlife habitats for the
long-term viability of the state's biodiversity.
2)Required the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) 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. Requires the DFW to prioritize vegetative
mapping in these areas.
3)States legislative intent that the Wildlife Conservation Board
(WCB) use funds to work with the DFW to complete a statewide
analysis of wildlife corridors and connectivity to support
conservation planning and climate change adaptation
activities.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
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Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS: This bill articulates a statewide policy to protect
wildlife corridors and habitat strongholds in order to enhance
the resiliency of wildlife and their habitats to climate change,
and to encourage voluntary steps to protect the functioning of
wildlife corridors. This bill also defines wildlife corridors
and habitat strongholds for these purposes, and expands the
definition of a conservation bank to include sites that, to the
extent feasible and practicable, protect habitat connectivity
for fish and wildlife resources.
Supporters of this bill note that by setting a statewide policy
to promote and protect wildlife corridors and habitat
strongholds this bill will help ensure state efforts are
coordinated to preserve the habitat most valuable to climate
change adaptation. They note that climate change is a
significant threat to wildlife and biodiversity in California.
As the state works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop
the acceleration of climate change, it must also promote
policies that adapt to the impacts climate change is already
having on communities and ecosystems in California. Some
supporters also note that many wildlife and game species migrate
between large habitat blocks within California on a seasonal
basis. Without sufficient corridors to link up these areas,
habitat blocks may become isolated and their value to wildlife
reduced. There is no known opposition to this bill as amended.
Analysis Prepared by:
Diane Colborn / W., P., & W. / (916) 319-2096
FN:
0001795
AB 498
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