(a) Nothing in this chapter abrogates or supersedes any existing local, state, or federal law or policy pertaining to wetlands, or establishes maximum or minimum standards or any other requirement for wetlands fill or mitigation. Additionally, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to create any new legal obligations for private landowners, or for lands owned by the United States Department of Defense, for wetlands inventories, wetlands management requirements, or any other regulatory requirements pertaining to wetlands use or conversion.
(b) Any of the departments may acquire interests in real property less than the fee, including, but not limited to, acquisition of development rights, when it determines that acquisition of the lesser interest will accomplish the purposes of this chapter in furthering the public’s interest in the protection, preservation, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 964, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.)