Statewide Watershed Program.

The California Watershed Protection and Restoration Act requires state agencies to adopt guidelines for use by local watershed partnerships to provide specified mechanisms and authorizes state agencies with jurisdiction over watershed planning and protection to provide technical assistance to watershed management partnerships, to the extent that funds are available. This bill would establish the Statewide Watershed Program as a voluntary and nonregulatory program to provide assistance and funds to local community-based efforts in the conservation, protection, and restoration of the state's watersheds and to promote coordinated management of watersheds under the authority of the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency and the Department of Conservation (department) . The bill would create within the department a State Watershed Advisory Committee consisting of at least 10 members appointed by the secretary, with at least one member from each of the state's hydrologic regions, as specified. The bill would require that no less than 50% of the committee membership be comprised of representatives from community-based nonprofit organizations, local governments, and resource conservation districts. The bill would authorize members to receive reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with specified rules. This bill would require the department to post research findings, reports, and other materials, as appropriate, produced or funded by the program in a conspicuous location on the department's Internet Web site. The bill would also authorize the secretary to cooperate with the federal government, other states, and other state and local agencies in furtherance of the purposes of the program and would authorize the program to receive contributions or funds from specified private or public entities or persons. The bill would authorize the department to contract with qualified scientists or institutions with expertise relating to the conservation, restoration, protection, and management of the state's watersheds, as specified, and would exempt the adoption of guidelines, qualifications, or conditions from the Administrative Procedure Act. The bill would require that the provisions of the Statewide Watershed Program only be implemented in a fiscal year for which funding is provided in the annual Budget Act.