Public trust lands: dredging: notice and leases.

Existing law authorizes the State Lands Commission to enter into an exchange, with any person or private entity, of filled or reclaimed tidelands and submerged lands or beds of navigable waterways, or interests in those lands, if the commission finds that specified conditions are met. This bill would require that a local trustee of tide and submerged lands or an applicant for dredging on granted tide and submerged lands that intends to commence dredging on granted public trust lands, upon which any right to minerals on those lands is reserved by the state, to notify the commission, in writing, no later than 120 days prior to the time dredging is commenced, and would require that the written notice contain specified information. The bill would specify that if that written notice is provided to the commission, a local trustee or applicant for dredging may presume that a dredging lease is not required if prescribed conditions are met. The bill would authorize the commission, if any dredging on granted tide and submerged lands wherein minerals are reserved to the state does not meet those prescribed conditions, to require a lease from the commission for that dredging. The bill would require the commission, if it determines that a lease is required, to provide the grantee or applicant for dredging with written notification of that determination within 30 days after the commission receives notification of the proposed dredging. The bill would require that any revenue that is earned by a local trustee from the dredging of granted lands be held or spent in a manner consistent with the trustee's existing obligations under the public trust and the specific terms of its grant of lands. The bill would make the above requirements applicable only to dredging operations that are commenced on or after January 1, 2014.