AB 1663: Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: removal: trimming.

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 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. The act authorizes the department to permit the removal or trimming of a dead western Joshua tree or trimming of a live western Joshua tree, without payment of fees or other mitigation, provided that the dead western Joshua tree or any limb to be removed satisfies a specified condition. The act requires a property owner seeking a permit to submit a permit request to the department with specified information, including a signed attestation or certification, as provided.

This bill would alternatively allow the agent of a property owner to submit the permit request and to satisfy other related requirements imposed on a property owner. The bill would delete the requirement for the permit request to include a signed attestation or certification.

The act authorizes the department to enter into memoranda of understanding with California Native American tribes to provide for the taking and possession of western Joshua trees for tribal cultural purposes.

This bill would instead authorize the memoranda to include the taking, possession, purchase, or sale of western Joshua trees for tribal cultural purposes.