San Diego River Conservancy.

The San Diego River Conservancy Act establishes the San Diego River Conservancy in the Natural Resources Agency, and prescribes the territory, membership, functions, and duties of the conservancy with regard to, among other things, the acquisition, protection, and management of public lands within the San Diego River area, as defined. The act provides that the conservancy has all rights and powers, expressed or implied, necessary to carry out the purposes of the act. The act authorizes the conservancy to award grants to any local public agency, state agency, and nonprofit organization consistent with the purposes of the act, and subjects a grant from the conservancy to specified conditions. This bill would specify that the powers of the conservancy include improving, developing, and preserving lands for the purpose of protecting the natural, cultural, and historical resources, and entering into a joint powers agreement, as specified. The bill would additionally authorize the conservancy to award grants to a joint powers agency, special district, or tribal nation, as defined, and would subject these entities to the specified conditions. The bill would also provide that the conversancy is authorized to seek repayment of grant moneys if the terms and conditions of the grant agreement are not met. Under the act, the governing board of the conservancy consists of 11 voting members and 2 nonvoting members, as specified, and the conservancy is required to establish and maintain an office within the San Diego River area. This bill would increase the number of voting members to 15 members, as specified. The bill would instead require that the conservancy establish an office within the San Diego River watershed.