California Code, Government Code - GOV § 66602.1

The Legislature further finds and declares that areas diked off from the bay and used as saltponds and managed wetlands are important to the bay area in that, among other things, such areas provide a wildlife habitat and a large water surface which, together with the surface of the bay, moderate the climate of the bay area and alleviate air pollution;  that it is in the public interest to encourage continued maintenance and operation of the salt ponds and managed wetlands;  that, if development is proposed for these areas, dedication or public purchase of some of these lands should be encouraged in order to preserve water areas;  that, if any such areas are authorized to be developed and used for other purposes, the development should provide the maximum public access to the bay consistent with the proposed project and should retain the maximum amount of water surface area consistent with the proposed project.