California § 79572 - Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of seven hundred fi

§ 79572. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of seven hundred fi

(a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of seven hundred fifty million dollars ($750,000,000) is hereby continuously appropriated from the fund to the Wildlife Conservation Board, without regard to fiscal years, for the acquisition, protection, and restoration of coastal wetlands, upland areas adjacent to coastal wetlands, and coastal watershed lands. Money appropriated pursuant to this section shall be for the acquisition, protection, and restoration of lands in or adjacent to urban areas. Eligible projects shall be limited to the following: (1) Acquisition, protection, and restoration of coastal wetlands identified in the Southern California Coastal Wetlands Inventory as of January 1, 2001, published by the State Coastal Conservancy, located within the coastal zone, and other wetlands connected and proximate to such coastal wetlands, and upland areas adjacent and proximate to such coastal wetlands, or coastal wetlands identified for acquisition, protection, and restoration in the San Francisco Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Report, and upland areas adjacent to the identified wetlands. (2) Acquisition, protection, and restoration of coastal watershed and adjacent lands located in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties. Any project financed pursuant to this paragraph within the Santa Monica Mountains Zone, as defined in Section 33105 of the Public Resources Code, shall be by grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Any project financed pursuant to this paragraph within the Baldwin Hills area, as defined in Section 32553 of the Public Resources Code, shall be by grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to the Baldwin Hills Conservancy. (b) Not less than three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000) of the amount appropriated in this section shall be expended or granted for projects within Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Of the remaining funds available pursuant to this section the Wildlife Conservation Board shall give priority to the acquisition of not less than 100 acres consisting of upland mesa areas, including wetlands therein, adjacent to the state ecological reserve in the Bolsa Chica wetlands in Orange County. (c) Not more than two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) of the amount appropriated in this section may be expended or granted for projects in the San Francisco Bay area, as described in Section 31162 of the Public Resources Code. Any project within the San Francisco Bay area may be by grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to the State Coastal Conservancy.