(a) The California River Parkways Program is hereby established in the office of the Secretary of the Resources Agency, to be administered by the secretary.

(b) The secretary shall make grants available to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for river parkway projects from moneys appropriated to the secretary. Those funds may also be used for costs directly related to the delivery of the river parkways program.

(c) Grants may be awarded for the acquisition of land for river parkways or for the restoration, protection, and development of river parkways in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Not more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated to the secretary for river parkways may be used for urban stream restoration projects pursuant to Section 7048 of the Water Code.

(d) All projects shall comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)).

(e) All acquisitions shall be from willing sellers.

(f) To be eligible for a grant, a project shall provide public access or be a component of a larger parkway plan that provides public access and, at a minimum, meets two of any of the following conditions:

(1) Provide compatible recreational opportunities including trails for strolling, hiking, bicycling, and equestrian uses along rivers and streams.

(2) Protect, improve, or restore riverine or riparian habitat, including benefits to wildlife habitat and water quality.

(3) Maintain or restore the open-space character of lands along rivers and streams so that they are compatible with periodic flooding as part of a flood management plan or project.

(4) Convert existing developed riverfront land uses into uses consistent with river parkways, as identified in this chapter.

(5) Provide facilities to support or interpret river or stream restoration or other conservation activities.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 230, Sec. 14. Effective August 16, 2004.)