Wildfire safety: fuels reduction projects: California Environmental Quality Act.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Appropriations
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill temporarily exempts critical fuels reduction projects in high fire threat districts and very high fire hazard severity zones from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and certain Coastal Act regulations. It allows these projects, such as tree removal and fuel break creation, to proceed without the usual environmental review process until January 1, 2030. The bill also modifies the California Coastal Act to include these fuels reduction projects in a list of developments exempt from Coastal Commission permit review. Furthermore, it requires the Coastal Commission to report on fuel modification and reduction projects to the Legislature.
Key provisions
- Exempts critical fuels reduction projects in high fire threat districts and very high fire hazard severity zones from CEQA until January 1, 2030.
- Adds critical fuels reduction projects to the list of developments exempt from Coastal Commission permit review.
- Requires the Coastal Commission to report on fuel modification and reduction projects to the Legislature by January 1, 2028.
- Specifies vegetation requirements for exempt fuels reduction projects (non-native, 12 inches or less in diameter, common species).
- Requires compliance with the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan.
- Removes a requirement that repair or maintenance activities for fuels reduction projects must not result in an addition or enlargement.
- Defines ‘bulk’ and ‘disaster’ for replacement structures.
- Establishes a temporary event exemption from coastal development permits.
Bill text
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