California Deserts Conservancy: establishment.

Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency various conservancies authorized to acquire, hold, and manage, as specified, certain lands within particular geographic parts of the state in order to conserve, preserve, or protect lands within those areas for public benefit. This bill would establish the California Deserts Conservancy in the agency to undertake various conservation activities, as prescribed, related to the California deserts region, as defined, to protect, conserve, and restore that region's natural, cultural, archaeological, historical, and physical resources, among other functions. The bill would require the conservancy to be governed by a 13-member board of directors, as prescribed, with up to 3 additional nonvoting board members, as specified. The bill would authorize the conservancy to adopt guidelines setting priorities and criteria for projects and programs throughout the California deserts region, and authorize the conservancy to make grants and loans to local public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and tribal organizations in order to carry out the purposes of the bill's provisions. The bill would create the California Deserts Conservancy Fund within the State Treasury and make moneys in this fund available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of implementing the bill's provisions. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations relating to California deserts.