BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1334
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 4, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 1334 (Wolk) - As Amended:  May 10, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              Natural  
          ResourcesVote:5-2
                       Water, Parks and Wildlife              9-4

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), when  
          it approves a Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP), to  
          find that development of the NCCP included cooperation with  
          local agencies.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible costs to DFG.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  .  The author contends that this bill will ensure  
            local agencies are included in the development of NCCPs, in  
            keeping with current law.

           2)Background.   A Natural Community Conservation Plan is a  
            planning process and document intended to provide broad  
            regional protection of plants, animals and their habitats in  
            which a project is to occur.  In this way, NCCPs differ from  
            more limited plans that focus on one or a few species or on a  
            closely limited habitat area.  

            Existing law authorizes DFG to "enter into an agreement with  
            any person or public entity for the purpose of preparing a  
            natural community conservation plan,  in cooperation with a  
            local  agency that has land use permit authority over the  
            activities proposed to be addressed in the plan."  There are  
            voluntary NCCPs underway throughout the state.









                                                                  SB 1334
                                                                  Page  2

           3)Support.   This bill is supported by the California State  
            Association of Counties (CSAC) and several local governments,  
            who contend NCCPs, despite existing law, oftentimes do not  
            involve all local agencies with land use authority in the area  
            subject to the NCCP.  These supporters conclude this bill will  
            better ensure local government involvement by requiring DFG to  
            affirm such involvement occurred.  

          4)Opposition  .  The bill is opposed by the Department of Fish and  
            Game, who contends the bill would rob the NCCP process of  
            needed flexibility.  
           
           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081