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<br />7A - ATTACHMENT NO.2 <br />Page 25 <br /> <br />Salt pond policies. The McAteer-Petris Act contains policies specifically aimed <br />at salt ponds. As noted above, salt ponds fall within BCDC jurisdiction. (Gov. Code, ~ <br />66610, subd. (c ).) Salt ponds in existence at the time the Act was adopted are authorized <br />to continue in use as salt production facilities without obtaining a permit from BCDC. <br />(Gov. Code, ~ 66654.) The Act includes the following findings concerning the salt <br />ponds: <br /> <br />The Legislature . . . finds and declares that areas diked off from the bay and <br />used as saltponds and managed wetlands are important to the bay area in <br />that, among other things, such areas provide a wildlife habitat and a large <br />water surface which, together with the surface of the bay, moderate the <br />climate of the bay area and alleviate air pollution; that it is in the public <br />interest to encourage continued maintenance and operation of the salt ponds <br />and managed wetlands; that, if development is proposed for these areas, <br />dedication or public purchase of some of these lands should be encouraged <br />in order to preserve water areas; that, if any such areas are authorized to be <br />developed and used for other purposes, the development should provide the <br />maximum public access to the bay consistent with the proposed project and <br />should retain the maximum amount of water surface area consistent with <br />the proposed project. <br /> <br />(Gov. Code, ~ 66602.1.) <br /> <br />In 2005, BCDC amended the Bay Plan to make findings and adopt policies <br />directed specifically at salt ponds. (BCDC Resolution No. 05-05 (August 18, 2005).) <br />The amendments include policies encouraging the continued use of salt ponds for salt <br />production. The amendments also include the following policies (policies 2, 3, 4 and 5) <br />directed at proposals to convert salt ponds to other uses: <br /> <br />2. If the owner of any salt ponds withdraws any of the ponds from their <br />present uses, the public should make every effort to buy these lands and <br />restore, enhance or convert these areas to subtidal or wetland habitat. <br />This type of purchase should have a high priority for any public funds <br />available, because opening ponds to the Bay represents a substantial <br />opportunity to enlarge the Bay and restoring, enhancing or converting <br />ponds can benefit fish, other aquatic organisms and wildlife, and can <br />increase public access to the Bay. <br /> <br />3. Any project for the restoration, enhancement or conversion of salt ponds <br />to subtidal or wetland habitat should include clear and specific long- <br />term and short-term biological and physical goals, success criteria, a <br />monitoring program, and provisions for long-term maintenance and <br />management needs. Design and evaluation of the project should include <br />an analysis of: <br /> <br />25 <br />