AB 2545: Department of Fish and Wildlife: lake or streambed alteration agreements.

Existing law prohibits an entity from substantially diverting or obstructing the natural flow of, or substantially changing or using any material from the bed, channel, or bank of, any river, stream, or lake, or from depositing certain material where it may pass into any river, stream, or lake, without first notifying the Department of Fish and Wildlife of that activity, and entering into a lake or streambed alteration agreement if required by the department to protect fish and wildlife resources.

This bill would define river and stream for purposes of these provisions. require the department, until January 1, 2023, to establish procedures for the issuance of a general agreement in lieu of an individual alteration agreement pursuant to these provisions. The bill would require the department to adopt general agreements, as specified, for these activities. The bill would require the department to charge a fee for a general agreement pursuant to specified provisions of law.