BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1540|
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CONSENT
Bill No: AB 1540
Author: Buchanan (D)
Amended: 7/5/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM. : 9-0, 6/12/12
AYES: Pavley, La Malfa, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Kehoe,
Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 73-0, 4/30/12 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: invasive weeds:
South
American spongeplant
SOURCE : Alameda County Flood Control and Water
Conservation
District, Zone 7
DIGEST : This bill designates the Department of Boating
and Waterways (DBW) as the lead agency in treating and
controlling South American spongeplant (Limnobium
laevigatum).
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Designates DBW as the lead agency for the state in
controlling water hyacinth and Egeria densa in the
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Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, its tributaries and the
Suisun Marsh.
2.Requires up to $5,000 per year of funds available for
expenditure by the Department of Fish and Game to
implement invasive plant control activities to be paid
from the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund.
3.Establishes that whenever any control program is proposed
to occur in Rock Slough, DBW and the Contra Costa Water
District shall develop a memorandum of understanding
establishing the parameters of the control program. (Does
not apply to any control program proposed for Sand Mound
Slough).
This bill:
1.Adds the South American spongeplant to a list of invasive
plant species (others include hyacinth and Egeria densa)
for which DBW serves as the state lead agency in
treatment and control in the Delta, its tributaries, and
the Suisun Marsh.
2.Authorizes DBW, other state agencies, cities, counties
and districts to cooperate with one another and with
agencies of the United States in controlling spongeplant
in the Delta, its tributaries, and the Suisun Marsh, and
to furnish money, services, equipment and other property
for that purpose.
3.States legislative findings and declarations regarding
the impact of the spongeplant and the necessity of
undertaking an aggressive program for effective control,
particularly in the early stages to prevent further
spread in the Delta.
Background
South American spongeplant . In addition to water hyacinth
and Brazilian elodea, the invasive South American
spongeplant has become a problem in the Delta over the last
few years. The South American spongeplant is a native of
South America, Central America and Central Mexico and is a
prolific, floating, flowering plant. Spongeplant was first
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identified in small ponds in Redding and Arcata in 2003. In
2007, patchy populations were identified along several
miles of the San Joaquin River by the California Department
of Food and Agriculture, and by 2008 spongeplant had
reached the Delta.
Spongeplant is an aquatic floating herb with a round,
slightly heart-shaped leaf. The underside of the leaf has
a spongy, air-filled tissue that helps the leaf float.
Spongeplant can spread very quickly; it can reproduce by
sending out new plants on runners (similar to strawberry
plants), or by seed. Spongeplant seeds germinate very
quickly to produce small floating seedlings (a handful of
seedlings can contain over 60 plants). The seedlings can be
dispersed by wind, currents, tidal action, and even stick
to watercraft and animals. Spongeplant will form dense
floating mats, which can completely cover the water's
surface. These mats will exclude growth of other native
plants, block access to the water, and reduce dissolved
oxygen concentrations below the mats. Lower dissolved
oxygen levels will negatively affect aquatic animals such
as fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects. Besides hurting
the ecosystem, spongeplant mats can also pile up wherever
there is a barrier and clog weirs, dams, gates, siphons,
pumps, and other facilities.
Management of spongeplant involves removal by nets for
small patches, or canal excavation and herbicides for large
mats. Once a seed bank is established however, there is no
known treatment to eliminate the seed bank. The success of
removing a population of spongeplant appears to depend on
whether a seed bank has been established. Thus, it is
important to act quickly once spongeplant has been
identified in a waterway.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 7/5/12)
Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation
District,
Zone 7 (source)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
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Employees, AFL-CIO
Association of California Water Agencies
California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers
Association
California Association of Harbor Masters and Port Captains
California Central Valley Flood Control Association
California Delta Chambers
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Invasive Plant Council
California Marine Parks and Harbors Association
California Yacht Brokers Association
City of Brentwood
City of Oakley
Contra Costa County Farm Bureau
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
Contra Costa Water District
Diablo Water District
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Ironhouse Sanitary District
Marina Recreation Association
Northern California Marine Association
Reclamation District 800
Reclamation District 830 - Jersey Island
Recreational Boaters of California
Regional Council of Rural Counties
Town of Discovery Bay Community Services District
Western Boaters Safety Group
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
aquatic weeds are a continuing problem in the Delta and
have been growing at an unprecedented rate. Invasive
species of aquatic weeds obstruct navigation, impair other
recreational uses of the waterways and have the potential
of damaging manmade facilities, including federal and state
water pumping operations. Invasive aquatic weeds threaten
the health and stability of fisheries and other ecosystems,
tourism, water quality and increase flood risk. Early
treatment of the South American Sponge plant will reduce
the need for more extensive and costly later efforts to
keep the sponge plant from spreading in the Delta.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 73-0, 4/30/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
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Bill Berryhill, Block, Bonilla, Bradford, Buchanan,
Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Chesbro,
Conway, Cook, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuentes, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto,
Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Hall, Harkey,
Hayashi, Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman,
Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma,
Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell,
Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel
P�rez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson,
Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,
John A. P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Blumenfield, Brownley, Cedillo, Davis,
Furutani, Logue, Smyth
CTW:n 7/5/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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