(a) (1) Except as authorized by the department, a person shall not possess, import, ship, or transport in the state, or place, plant, or cause to be placed or planted in any water within the state, dreissenid mussels.
(2) The director or the director’s designee may do all of the following:
(A) Conduct inspections of conveyances, which include vehicles, boats and other watercraft, containers, and trailers, that may carry or contain adult or larval dreissenid mussels. Included as part of this authority to conduct inspections is the authority to temporarily stop conveyances that may carry or contain adult or larval dreissenid mussels on any roadway or waterway in order to conduct inspections.
(B) Order that areas in a conveyance that contain water be drained, dried, or decontaminated pursuant to procedures approved by the department.
(C) Impound or quarantine conveyances in locations designated by the department for up to five days or the period of time necessary to ensure that dreissenid mussels can no longer live on or in the conveyance.
(D) (i) Conduct inspections of waters of the state and facilities located within waters of the state that may contain dreissenid mussels. If dreissenid mussels are detected or may be present, the director or the director’s designee may order the affected waters or facilities closed to conveyances or otherwise restrict access to the affected waters or facilities, and shall order that conveyances removed from, or introduced to, the affected waters or facilities be inspected, quarantined, or disinfected in a manner and for a duration necessary to detect and prevent the spread of dreissenid mussels within the state.
(ii) For the purpose of implementing clause (i), the director or the director’s designee shall order the closure or quarantine of, or restrict access to, these waters, areas, or facilities in a manner and duration necessary to detect and prevent the spread of dreissenid mussels within the state. A closure, quarantine, or restriction shall not be authorized by the director or the director’s designee without the concurrence of the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency. If a closure lasts longer than seven days, the department shall update the operator of the affected facility every 10 days on efforts to address the dreissenid mussel infestation. The department shall provide these updates in writing and also post these updates on the department’s internet website in an easily accessible manner.
(iii) The department shall develop procedures to ensure proper notification of affected local and federal agencies, and, as appropriate, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the State Lands Commission in the event of a decision to close, quarantine, or restrict a facility pursuant to this paragraph. These procedures shall include the reasons for the closure, quarantine, or restriction, and methods for providing updated information to those affected. These procedures shall also include protocols for the posting of the notifications on the department’s internet website required by clause (ii).
(iv) When deciding the scope, duration, level, and type of restrictions, and specific location of a closure or quarantine, the director shall consult with the agency, entity, owner, or operator with jurisdiction, control, or management responsibility over the marina, boat launch facility, or other facility, in order to focus the closure or quarantine to specific areas and facilities so as to avoid or minimize disruption of economic or recreational activity in the vicinity.
(b) (1) Upon a determination by the director that it would further the purposes of this section, other state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Water Resources, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the State Lands Commission, may exercise the authority granted to the department in subdivision (a).
(2) A determination made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be in writing and shall remain in effect until withdrawn, in writing, by the director.
(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code does not apply to the implementation of this section.
(2) An action undertaken pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) involving the use of chemicals other than salt or hot water to decontaminate a conveyance or a facility is subject to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
(d) (1) A public or private agency that operates a water supply system shall cooperate with the department to implement measures to avoid infestation by dreissenid mussels and to control or eradicate any infestation that may occur in a water supply system. If dreissenid mussels are detected, the operator of the water supply system, in cooperation with the department, shall prepare and implement a plan to control or eradicate dreissenid mussels within the system. The approved plan shall contain the following minimum elements:
(A) Methods for delineation of infestation, including both adult mussels and veligers.
(B) Methods for control or eradication of adult mussels and decontamination of water containing larval mussels.
(C) A systematic monitoring program to determine any changes in conditions.
(D) The requirement that the operator of the water supply system permit inspections by the department as well as cooperate with the department to update or revise control or eradication measures in the approved plan to address scientific advances in the methods of controlling or eradicating mussels and veligers.
(2) If the operator of water delivery and storage facilities for public water supply purposes has prepared, initiated, and is in compliance with all the elements of an approved plan to control or eradicate dreissenid mussels in accordance with paragraph (1), the requirements of subdivision (a) do not apply to the operation of those water delivery and storage facilities, and the operator is not subject to any civil or criminal liability for the introduction of dreissenid mussel species as a result of those operations. The department may require the operator of a facility to update its plan, and if the plan is not updated or revised as described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1), subdivision (a) shall apply to the operation of the water delivery and storage facilities covered by the plan until the operator updates or revises the plan and initiates and complies with all of the elements of the updated or revised plan.
(e) Any entity that discovers dreissenid mussels within this state shall immediately report the discovery to the department.
(f) (1) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any person who violates this section, violates any verbal or written order or regulation adopted pursuant to this section, or who resists, delays, obstructs, or interferes with the implementation of this section, is subject to a penalty, in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), that is imposed administratively by the department.
(2) A penalty shall not be imposed pursuant to paragraph (1) unless the department has adopted regulations specifying the amount of the penalty and the procedure for imposing and appealing the penalty.
(g) The department may adopt regulations to carry out this section.
(h) Pursuant to Section 818.4 of the Government Code, the department and any other state agency exercising authority under this section shall not be liable with regard to any determination or authorization made pursuant to this section.
(i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2030, deletes or extends that date.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 469, Sec. 1. (SB 785) Effective January 1, 2020. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, by its own provisions.)