The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) The historic settlement approved by Congress in the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (Part I of Subtitle A of Title X of Public Law 111-11) directs the federal government to reintroduce spring run Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin River. In approving the settlement and the new statutory provisions governing the reintroduction of California central valley spring run Chinook salmon, Congress found that the implementation of the settlement, to resolve 18 years of contentious litigation regarding restoration of the San Joaquin River and the reintroduction of the salmon, was a unique and unprecedented circumstance. The settlement also provides that nothing in the settlement diminishes the statutory or regulatory protections under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.) nor does it establish a precedent with respect to any other application of the federal act.

(b) Central valley spring run Chinook salmon have been listed since 1999 as a threatened species under this chapter and were still listed as of January 1, 2011.

(c) Restoring spring run Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin River is intended to further the conservation and recovery of the species.

(d) Consistent with the unique and historic circumstances that led to the settlement, nothing in Section 2080.2, 2080.3, or 2080.4 is intended to create any precedent as to future application of this chapter, nor do Sections 2080.2, 2080.3, or 2080.4 otherwise modify other existing statutes or legal obligations.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 291, Sec. 1. (SB 1349) Effective January 1, 2011.)