Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: fees.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify exact details about fee adjustments or specific conditions for life-sustaining services projects.

Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: Fees

This law prohibits moving western Joshua trees in and out of California without a permit and allows the Department of Fish and Wildlife to set fees for projects that might harm these trees, with special conditions for essential services.

What This Bill Does

• It stops anyone from moving western Joshua trees into or out of California without a permit.
• The Department of Fish and Wildlife can give permits if certain conditions are met, including measures to mitigate any damage caused by taking the tree parts.
• Permit holders can choose to pay fees instead of completing mitigation measures.
• Special project-specific conditions may be set for projects related to essential services.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who want to move western Joshua trees in or out of California.
• Businesses that need special permits for projects involving these trees.
• State and local agencies involved in essential services projects.

Terms To Know

life-sustaining service

A project or activity that provides something necessary, like water or electricity, to keep people living comfortably.

mitigation measures

Steps taken to fix damage done to the environment, such as planting new trees or restoring habitats.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money will be collected from fees.
• It is unclear what specific projects might qualify for special conditions related to life-sustaining services.
• The exact details of the fee schedule and adjustments are not provided in this summary.

Official Summary Text

SB 1062, as amended, Ochoa Bogh.
Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act:
life-sustaining services: project-specific conditions.
fees.
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act prohibits any person or public agency from importing into the state, exporting out of the state, or taking, possessing, purchasing, or selling within the state, a western Joshua tree or any part or product of the tree, except as specified. The act authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to permit the taking of a western Joshua tree if specified conditions are met, including, but not limited to, that the permittee mitigates all impacts to, and taking of, the western Joshua tree through measures that are roughly proportional in extent to the impact of the authorized taking of the western Joshua tree. The act authorizes, in lieu of completing the mitigation measures, a permittee to elect to satisfy the mitigation obligation by paying fees pursuant to a specified fee schedule, as provided.
Existing law requires the department to annually adjust the fees, as specified.
This bill would authorize the department to, upon the request from a state or local public agency, establish project-specific conditions for a project related to a life-sustaining service, as defined. The bill would provide that project-specific conditions may include, but are not limited to, the creation of projectwide standards for avoidance, minimization, or mitigation measures, a reduction or waiver of in-lieu mitigation fees, or other compliance flexibility or concession the department deems appropriate to facilitate timely and cost-effective maintenance, operation, or construction of a project.
This bill
would require the department to consider making the fees proportionate to the impact of a project and the use of tiered fees by project type, size, or other criteria.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF