RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL 2479 (VILLINES), NOXIOUS AND INVASIVE WEEDS

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, Noxious and invasive weeds present a serious threat to California’s natural resources and are a costly problem for farmers, ranchers, and landowners, by crowding out native plants, harming animal habitats, and creating fire danger; and

WHEREAS, San Mateo County has created the San Mateo County Weed Management Area (WMA) through a memorandum of understanding including 16 different agencies representing a wide array of interests such as agriculture, environment, education and parks & recreation; and

WHEREAS, currently there is no State funding available for local Weed Management Area assistance; and

WHEREAS, AB 2479 would appropriate $2,500,000 annually from the State General Fund to be deposited into the Noxious Weed Management Account, from which eighty percent of the funds are to be used at the local level by Weed Management Areas or the Agricultural Commissioner for the control and abatement of noxious weeds; and

WHEREAS, AB 2479 would provide grant funding for continuing collaborative efforts to ensure that the threat posed by noxious and invasive weeds to San Mateo County’s agricultural lands and natural resources is addressed in a systematic manner.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by the adoption of this resolution hereby supports Assembly bill 2479 (Villines) regarding noxious and invasive weeds.

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