2023 California Code › Fish and Game Code - FGC › DIVISION 2 - DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE › CHAPTER 7.9 - Conservation Bank and Mitigation Bank Applications and Fees › Section 1798.6.

1798.6. (a) Any person seeking to amend any bank shall submit to the department a complete bank amendment package containing each of the original bank agreement package documents, including any prior amendments, as well as any documents proposed to be amended or that would be affected by the proposed amendment. The department may adopt and amend guidelines and criteria for the bank amendment package pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1799.1.
(b) (1) Within 30 calendar days following its receipt of a draft bank amendment package and any fee required by subdivision (c), the department shall determine whether or not the package is complete and give written notice of that determination to the person who submitted the package.
(2) If the department determines that the bank amendment package is complete, then within 90 calendar days of that determination, the department shall determine whether or not the package is acceptable and notify the person who submitted the package of that determination. If the bank amendment package is determined not to be acceptable, the determination shall state the reasons. The department may request clarifying information during the bank amendment review process. The department may extend the 90-day period for reviewing the bank amendment package by an additional 60 days if the department determines that 90 days is insufficient time to complete its review of a bank amendment package for reasons that may include, but are not limited to, the size, location, or complexity of the bank or bank amendment documents, that the package includes a development plan, or that there are substantial variations from recommended standard forms.
(c) (1) The department shall collect a fee of either seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) or twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per bank amendment package to fund the reasonable cost of the department’s review services. The fee of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) is intended to cover the reasonable cost of the department’s services in reviewing simple amendments, such as a change in bank name, ownership change, address change, or proposed decrease in the number of credits proposed. The fee of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) is intended to cover the reasonable cost of the department’s services in reviewing all other amendments, including, but not limited to, requests for increase change in service area, or increase in the number of credits. A regional manager or department equivalent, or a higher level department representative employee, shall determine which of the two fees is appropriate and shall provide notification of that determination to the person who submitted the request for bank amendment package pursuant to paragraph (3).
(2) An initial fee of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) shall be submitted to the department with the bank amendment package.
(3) Within 30 calendar days following the department’s receipt of a bank amendment package and the initial fee, pursuant to paragraph (2), the department shall determine whether or not the package is complete and give written notice of the determination to the person who submitted it and, if applicable, notice pursuant to paragraph (1) that the person shall remit an additional fee of seventeen thousand five hundred dollars ($17,500). If noticed by the department, the additional fee of seventeen thousand five hundred dollars ($17,500) shall be submitted to the department within 30 days of the notice. If the additional fee is not received by this date, the review timelines in this section shall be suspended until the fee is received by the department.
(4) If the department determines that the bank amendment package is not complete, the package may be made complete and resubmitted. If the department determines that the bank amendment package is complete, then within 90 calendar days of that determination and the receipt of the additional fee pursuant to paragraph (3), if applicable, the department shall determine whether or not the bank amendment package is acceptable and notify the person who submitted the package of the determination.
(d) (1) If the department determines that the bank amendment package is not acceptable the determination shall state the reasons.
(2) The department may request clarifying information during the bank amendment review process.
(e) If the department needs supplemental information during its review of the bank amendment package in order to fully evaluate the proposed amendment, the regional manager or department equivalent, or a higher level department employee, shall provide the person seeking to amend the bank, in writing, a written request for the needed information. Upon the department’s receipt of the requested information, a new 90-day period shall begin during which the department will determine acceptability pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (c). If the department does not receive the requested information within 60 calendar days of the department’s request, the bank amendment package shall be deemed unacceptable.
(f) If the person seeking to amend the bank proposes changes to the bank amendment package that have not been solicited by the department during its the department’s 90-day review period, including, but not limited to, parties, number or type of credits, bank size, number or type of species, credit release schedule, service area, design change, or other changes as identified by the department to require additional review time, the department, acting through the regional manager or department equivalent, or a higher level department employee, shall assess a one-time fee of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to cover the reasonable cost of the department’s services in reviewing the changes. A new 90-day review period shall begin upon receipt of the proposed changes and the fee, during which the department shall determine acceptability pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (c).
(g) If the department determines that 90 days is insufficient time to complete its review of the bank amendment package for reasons, including, but not limited to, the size, location, or complexity of the bank or bank amendment package, that the package includes a development or construction plan, or substantial variations from recommended standard forms, the department may extend the 90-day period for reviewing the bank amendment package by an additional 60 calendar days.
(h) If the department determines that a bank amendment package is not acceptable, then the package may be resubmitted in accordance with subdivision (a) if further consideration is desired. Any resubmittal shall be accompanied by payment of all applicable bank amendment package review fees.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 132, Sec. 26. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2024.)