WHEREAS:

1. Wetlands serve an increasingly vital role in insuring achievement of water quality standards and bolstering the overall environmental and economic health of State watersheds through nutrient production, natural flood and erosion control, ground water recharge, reduction and removal of toxic components, improvement of aesthetics, and maintenance of habitats for fish, wildlife, and recreation and commercial activities.

2. Governor Wilson issued Executive Order W-59-93, including the goal of achieving no overall net loss and the long-term gain in the quantity and quality of State wetlands.

3. The State Policy initially recognized regional efforts to (a) coordinate wetlands protection with economic activities and (b) specifically investigate the substitution of an effective and timely State regulatory program for the CWA Section 404 Dredge/Fill Permit Program in the San Francisco Bay area.

4. With pilot programs underway in two regions, the State must begin to investigate effective means to develop and implement a statewide wetlands regulatory program incorporating existing State authorities in combination with Federal mandates for wetlands protection.

5. Congress has appropriated wetlands protection funds in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1997 to help states develop or enhance regional wetland protection programs. Funds will be disbursed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under CWA Section 104(b)(3).

6. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) staff, acting for the San Francisco Bay and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Boards' staffs, has submitted proposals to the U.S. EPA for one statewide and two regional wetlands protection programs to be funded by a FFY 1997 CWA Section 104(b)(3) grant.

7. A notice of intent has been submitted to the State Clearinghouse advising it of the SWRCB's application for the FFY 1997 CWA Section 104(b)(3) funds.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The SWRCB authorizes the Executive Director, or his designee, to:

1. Accept a CWA Section 104(b)(3) grant in the amount of $338,750 from U.S. EPA for one statewide and two regional wetlands protection programs, if offered;

2. Negotiate subsequent amendments to the three workplans not affecting the total grant amount; and

3. Negotiate and execute contracts and amendments in accordance with the three program workplans.

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the SWRCB, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on September 18, 1997.

/s/

Maureen Marché

Administrative Assistant to the Board