Section 5819.2.

(a) The secretary shall administer the program consistent with authorized funding, and collaborate and cooperate with local governments and interested parties.

(b) The purposes of the program include all of the following:

(1) Providing increased opportunities for tourism and recreation in the region.

(2) Protecting water quality in the region from degradation.

(3) Reducing the risk of natural disasters, such as fire, in the region.

(4) Protecting, conserving, and restoring the region's physical, cultural, archaeological, and historical resources.

(5) Assisting the region's economy, including providing increased economic opportunities.

(6) Identifying the highest priority projects and initiatives in the region for which funding is needed.

(7) Enhancing public use and enjoyment of land in the region that is owned by the state or a local government.

(8) Supporting efforts that advance, in a complementary manner, environmental preservation of the region and the economic well-being of the region's residents.

(9) Helping to preserve working landscapes in the region.

(10) Supporting local government efforts to develop and implement open space and habitat protection plans, including natural community conservation plans, in the region.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 230, Sec. 15. Effective August 16, 2004.)