California Senate Bill SB144 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 144AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 18, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Senator Pavley FEBRUARY 11, 2009 An act to add Section 4556 to the Public Resources Code, relating to forest resources. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 144, as amended, Pavley. Forest resources: management. The Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted for the timber operations to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and approved. The act requires a person who owns timberlands that are to be devoted to uses other than the growing of timber to file an application for conversion with the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.  The California Forest Legacy Program Act of 2007 establishes the California Forest Legacy Program to conserve private forest lands by authorizing the department to acquire conservation easements of eligible properties according to specified criteria.  This bill would  authorize  require  the department, in order to further the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006  and to enhance the capability of forest lands to sequester carbon  , to develop options and incentives for the management of private forests pursuant to the criteria established under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006,  including establishing   to establish, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board,  a scientific standardized baseline upon which to project future scenarios of carbon emissions and sequestration  ,  and  developing   to develop, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board and the Department of Fi   sh and Game,  regulations that establish mitigation requirements for  forestland   forest land  conversions. The bill would  authorize   require  the department to impose a fee on an applicant for conversion  or the submission of a timber harvesting plan in order to fully offset   that fully offsets  the department's costs for implementing  that authorization   the above requirement  as it relates to  timber harvesting and  conversion. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 4556 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read: 4556. (a) In order to further the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code),  the department may develop options and incentives for the management of private forests pursuant to the criteria established under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including both of the following:   (1) Establishing a scientific standardized baseline upon which to project future scenarios of carbon emissions and sequestration.   (2)     Developing regulations that establish mitigation requirements for forestland conversions, including, but not limited to, timberland production zones.   and to enhance the capability of forest lands, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 12220, to sequester carbon, the department shall do all of the following:   (1) Develop options and incentives for the conservation and management of private forest lands pursuant to the criteria established under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).   (2) Establish, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, a scientific standardized baseline upon which to project future scenarios of carbon emissions and sequestration.   (3) Develop, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board and the Department of Fish and Game, regulations that establish a full mitigation requirement for the carbon stock and sequestration losses due to forest land conversions.  (b) The department  may   shall  impose a fee on an applicant for conversion  or the submission of a timber harvesting plan in order to fully offset   that fully offsets  the department's costs for implementing this section as it relates to  timber harvesting and  conversion.