(a) The California Public Beach Restoration Program is hereby established, to be administered by the department for all of the following purposes:
(1) The restoration, enhancement, and nourishment of public beaches, as determined to be necessary by the department, through the cost-effective engineered placement of sand on the beach or in the nearshore environment.
(2) The planning, design, and permitting of the beach restoration, nourishment, or enhancement projects specified in paragraph (1), which shall not exceed 15 percent of the total project cost.
(3) The preparation of studies to inventory, characterize, and assess the physical and biological resources of the ocean, and nearshore, shoreline, and inland areas that are determined by the department to be necessary to construct the projects specified in paragraph (1) that are environmentally and economically sound. The cost of the studies shall not exceed 5 percent of the annual program funding.
(4) The funding of 100 percent of the nonfederal project construction cost for restoration, nourishment, or enhancement of coastal state parks and state beaches with placement of sand on the beach or in the nearshore.
(5) The funding of 85 percent of the nonfederal project cost for restoration, nourishment, or enhancement of nonstate public beaches with placement of sand on the beach or in the nearshore, with a 15 percent match from the local sponsors, provided as funds or in-kind services.
(6) The active pursuit and promotion of federal and local partnerships to cost-share beach restoration, nourishment, or enhancement projects specified in paragraph (1) that have significant state benefits.
(b) Prior to funding any project under this section, the department shall develop guidelines that include application requirements and criteria for evaluating a project. The guidelines shall be consistent with the Resources Agency’s policies for shoreline erosion protection. Only beaches that are in public ownership and that are open and accessible to the public are eligible for funding under this section.
(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 798, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2000. Pursuant to Sec. 3 of Ch. 798, operation of provisions is contingent upon funding in the annual budget act.)