Salton Sea restoration.

(1) Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation and coordination with the Salton Sea Authority, to lead Salton Sea restoration efforts. Existing law requires the secretary and the Legislature to maintain full authority and responsibility for any state obligation under a specified Quantification Settlement Agreement. Existing law requires the secretary and the Legislature to have final approval for any proposed restoration plan. This bill would revise language stating legislative intent regarding restoring the Salton Sea. The bill would eliminate the requirement that the secretary and the Legislature have final approval for any proposed restoration plan. The bill would recast the requirement that the secretary and the Legislature maintain full authority and responsibility for any state obligation under the Quantification Settlement Agreement to instead provide that specified provisions of law do not alter any state responsibility under the Quantification Settlement Agreement or the state's authority to carry out that responsibility. (2) Existing law authorizes the Salton Sea Authority to lead a restoration funding and feasibility study, in consultation with the Natural Resources Agency, as prescribed. This bill would instead authorize the authority to lead a feasibility study, in coordination and under contract with the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, as prescribed. (3) Existing law prohibits an evaluation, study, review, or other activity undertaken pursuant to specified provisions of law from delaying the planning and implementation of ongoing and planned mitigation projects, including, but not limited to, the Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project or other mitigation measures pursuant to existing state and federal programs and agreements. This bill would also prohibit an evaluation, study, review, or other activity undertaken pursuant to those provisions of law from delaying the planning and implementation of ongoing and planned restoration projects.