Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) announced today that Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1062,Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: Ensuring Fair, Effective Fee Structures, into law, bringing greater flexibility and proportionality to current mitigation fees under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act.
SB 1062 directs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), when reviewing and adjusting mitigation fees, to consider whether those fees should be proportionate to a project’s actual impact and whether a tiered fee structure based on project type, size or other relevant criteria would better reflect real-world conditions.
“Protecting the Western Joshua tree and recognizing the real-world differences between projects can go hand in hand,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh. “SB 1062 provides a more practical and reasonable approach by asking the state to consider the actual impact of a project when setting mitigation fees. I’m grateful Governor Newsom signed this measure and recognized the importance of balancing conservation with the needs of local agencies, ratepayers and rural communities. I thank our supporters who helped take this measure to the finish line.”
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act relies in part on in-lieu mitigation fees paid by permit applicants to support land acquisition, restoration and long-term conservation efforts. Existing law requires periodic review of the species’ status and adjustments to mitigation fees but does not explicitly direct CDFW to consider whether fees are proportionate to projects with substantially different sizes and impacts.
SB 1062 addresses that issue by directing CDFW to consider a more tailored fee structure, helping reduce the risk that smaller or lower-impact projects face the same financial burden as projects with significantly greater impacts.
“It was an honor to travel to Sacramento and speak in support of SB 1062 on behalf of Apple Valley and our High Desert communities,” said Kari Leon, Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Apple Valley. “To see the bill receive unanimous support by the State Senate and now be signed into law is incredibly rewarding. This legislation shows what can happen when we work together to find solutions that protect our desert while also recognizing the needs of the people who live, work and build their lives here.”
“The Da Silva family has been a proud part of the Yucca Valley community since 1978, heavily investing in local land and small businesses. Over the decades, we have faithfully paid our property taxes and actively protected the Joshua Trees on our land,” said Ruieta Da Silva, Yucca Valley homeowner. “However, the current Western Joshua Tree regulations feel like a severe penalty for our decades of good stewardship, turning a beloved natural icon into an overwhelming financial burden. The current tax and fee structure feels incredibly unfair to long-term landowners. Thankfully, Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh’s hard work on Senate Bill 1062 gives us hope that meaningful, common-sense relief is finally on the horizon for local homeowners and property owners.”
SB 1062 builds on Senator Ochoa Bogh’s broader effort this legislative session to address implementation of the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act while maintaining protections for the species.