(a)
The Legislature finds and declares that the State of California has already established a model conservation corps program and that redundant federal and state programs to carry out resource protection and conservation within the state are not in the best interests of the state. Rather, it is in the best interests of the state that federal funds designated to be expended by federal agencies for this purpose be allocated, to the extent feasible, to the California Conservation Corps and local conservation corps.
(b)
If federal funds are available for youth conservation corps or community service corps programs, excluding the federal Job Corps, the California Conservation Corps is hereby designated as the program recipient for the State of California, and the corps may distribute, as appropriate, any federal funds to other corps programs within the state. The director shall have the authority to adopt, amend, and repeal policies to implement the program consistent with the federal requirements and with this division.