California § 75063 - The sum of five hundred million dollars (

§ 75063. The sum of five hundred million dollars (

The sum of five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) shall be available to provide public access to the resources of the State of California, including its rivers, lakes and streams, its beaches, bays and coastal waters, to protect those resources for future generations, and to increase public understanding and knowledge of those resources, in accordance with the following schedule: (a) The sum of four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Parks and Recreation for development, acquisition, interpretation, restoration and rehabilitation of the state park system and its natural, historical, and visitor serving resources. The Department of Parks and Recreation shall include the following goals in setting spending priorities for the funds appropriated pursuant to this section: (1) The restoration, rehabilitation and improvement of existing state park system lands and facilities. (2) The expansion of the state park system to reflect the growing population and shifting population centers and needs of the state. (3) The protection of representative natural resources based on the criteria and priorities identified in Section 75071. (b) The sum of one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) shall be available to the Department of Parks and Recreation for grants for nature education and research facilities and equipment to non-profit organizations and public institutions, including natural history museums, aquariums, research facilities and botanical gardens. Eligible institutions include those that combine the study of natural science with preservation, demonstration and education programs that serve diverse populations, institutions that provide collections and programs related to the relationship of Native American cultures to the environment, and institutions for marine wildlife conservation research. Grants may be used for buildings, structures and exhibit galleries that present the collections to inspire and educate the public and for marine wildlife conservation research equipment and facilities.