(a) The Adopt-A-Riverway Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. The fund is a trust fund and shall contain money and any other proceeds donated, appropriated, transferred, or otherwise received for purposes pertaining to the Adopt-A-Riverway Program. The secretary may collect for deposit into the fund, gifts, donations, bequests, and moneys made available from federal, state, and local sources.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 7271, the secretary of the department shall award grants from the Adopt-A-Riverway Fund to weed management areas, as defined by subdivision (b) of Section 7272, for the purpose of integrated weed management along riverways and in riparian habitats consistent with Sections 7272 and 7272.5.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 7271, the secretary of the department may award grants from the Adopt-A-Riverway Fund to nonprofit organizations for integrated weed management along riverways and in riparian habitats. The department shall establish regulations for grant eligibility and award pursuant to this subdivision.

(d) Fifteen percent of the total moneys in the Adopt-A-Riverway Fund shall be made available to the department, to be used only for the following purposes:

(1) Carrying out the provisions of this article.

(2) Developing of noxious weed control strategies.

(3) Seeking new, effective biological control agents for the long-term control of noxious weeds.

(4) Conducting private and public workshops as needed to discuss and plan weed management strategies with all interested and affected local, state, and federal agencies, private landowners, educational institutions, interest groups, and county agricultural commissioners.

(e) Upon receipt of donations to the fund totaling a minimum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), up to 5 percent of any individual donation of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more may be used for courtesy signs to be produced, placed, and maintained pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1975) of Division 2.7 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(f) All startup costs incurred by the state in establishing the Adopt-A-Riverway Program shall be reimbursed to the General Fund from the Adopt-A-Riverway Fund before any money or other proceeds in the fund may be expended for program purposes or transferred by grant award.

(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 675, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2004.)