(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The Lower American River is one of California’s most important natural environments, providing recreational, environmental, and educational opportunities to more than 8,000,000 visitors each year. It also serves as a unique urban greenbelt composed of more than 5,000 acres and lying immediately next to and within two incorporated cities and the unincorporated County of Sacramento.

(2) The American River Parkway includes natural and recreational resources of statewide interest and is often referred to as “the jewel” of the Sacramento region, and it is managed as such with an intent to fulfill the vision set forth through past collaborative efforts involving advocates and stakeholders, the County of Sacramento, state agencies, and the Legislature.

(3) The American River Parkway was established by the County of Sacramento, with financial support from the state and other public and private entities.

(4) Since establishing the American River Parkway in 1959, the County of Sacramento has and will continue to update, maintain, and determine consistency with the American River Parkway Plan and to serve as the Parkway Manager to own, manage, operate, and patrol the lands and resources within the American River Parkway.

(5) The American River Parkway provides additional benefits to the state and the Sacramento region including flood control, water supply, water quality, habitat for anadromous fisheries, including salmon and steelhead, habitat for migratory waterfowl, habitat for sensitive species, including Swainson’s hawks, peregrine falcons, northern harriers, white-tailed kites, and western pond turtles, and habitat for other wildlife, including river otters.

(6) The Legislature recognized the statewide importance of the American River Parkway in enacting the Urban American River Parkway Preservation Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 5840)), which culminated with the adoption of the American River Parkway Plan and the Bushy Lake Preservation Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 5830)).

(7) The statewide and national importance of the Lower American River Parkway was further recognized when it was designated as part of the California Wild and Scenic Rivers System and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The American River Parkway Plan acts as the management plan for the lower American River under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Chapter 1.4 (commencing with Section 5093.50)), providing management guidance and direction for state departments and agencies, as well as local governments, in carrying out their responsibilities under that act.

(8) The state has an interest in working with local agencies to expand, enhance, and restore the natural, recreational, cultural, and educational resources in and adjacent to the American River Parkway.

(9) The establishment of the Lower American River Conservancy Program will provide a state partner to work cooperatively with local agencies, particularly the County of Sacramento in its role as the Parkway Manager, and nonprofit organizations to help fund projects and provide grants to restore, enhance, interpret, protect, and improve public access to the American River Parkway’s natural, recreational, educational, and cultural resources.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Lower American River Conservancy Program be a continuation of the state’s historic role in providing funding to advance the protection and restoration of the natural resources of the Lower American River while continuing the County of Sacramento’s historic role in managing the lands and public uses of the American River Parkway.

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 375, Sec. 1. (AB 1716) Effective January 1, 2017.)