2023 California Code › Public Resources Code - PRC › DIVISION 20 - CALIFORNIA COASTAL ACT › CHAPTER 4 - Creation, Membership, and Powers of Commission and Regional Commissions › ARTICLE 3 - Powers and Duties › Section 30344.

30344. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the coastal zone is one of its most precious natural resources, rich in diversity of living and nonliving resources and in the wide range of opportunities it provides for the use and conservation by the people of this state and nation. The Legislature further finds that, in order to promote the wise use of coastal resources for, among other things, recreation, habitat conservation, educational, and scientific study, the production of food and fiber, residential purposes, and economic growth, it is necessary to provide the public with an informative and educational guide to coastal resources.
(b) The commission shall, not later than July 1, 1984, prepare a guide to coastal resources. The guide shall include, but not be limited to, the following components:
(1) An inventory of the natural resources which are of environmental, social, economic, and educational importance to the public. The inventory shall include a description of the resources, their location, and their significance to the people and the natural environment.
(2) An inventory of manmade resources of cultural, historic, economic, and educational importance to the public. The inventory shall focus on those resources which, by virtue of their location in or near the coastal zone, take on a special character or which, because of their nature, require a coastal location. The inventory shall include a description of the resource and any historic, educational, and technical notes of interest.
(3) A listing of public and private entities having responsibility for the planning, management, use, and restoration of the coastal resources and how interested persons can contact those entities for further information about their projects and programs.
The purpose of this guide shall be to contribute to a better understanding by the public of the importance of coastal resources, both to the quality of life for people and to the maintenance of a healthy and productive natural environment. The guide shall be sensitive to the need for a balanced approach to the conservation and use of coastal resources, to the rights and responsibilities of individuals and the public in the protection and use of these resources, and the need to limit human use of some resources in order to avoid their degradation or destruction. The guide shall not be a policy guide, but rather it shall be an educational tool to increase the public understanding and appreciation of the value of California’s coastal resources.
(c) The commission shall utilize innovative techniques for the preparation, production, and distribution of the guide so as to minimize costs to the public. To this end, the commission is encouraged to enlist the voluntary assistance of private and public organizations with appropriate expertise. In addition, the commission shall seek grants from private and public institutions to augment its limited funding.
Notwithstanding Section 14850 of the Government Code or any other provision of law, the commission may contract for the production of this guide with any public or private entity in order to meet the objective of this section.
(d) The guide shall be written and illustrated so as to be easily understood by the general public and shall be set forth in a format that ensures its usefulness.
(e) The guide shall be made available to the public at a reasonable cost.
(Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1470, Sec. 3. Effective September 28, 1982.)