California Senate Bill SB221 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 221INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Rubio FEBRUARY 11, 2013 An act to amend Section 4799.09 of the Public Resources Code, relating to forestry. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 221, as introduced, Rubio. Forestry: urban forests. Existing law, the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978, authorizes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to implement a program in urban forestry to, among other things, encourage better management and planting of trees in urban areas and assist cities in innovative solutions to problems, including greenhouse gas emissions, urban heat island effect, stormwater management, lack of green space, and vandalism. The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, with advice from other appropriate state agencies and interested parties, is authorized to make grants to provide assistance of 25% to 90%, inclusive of costs for projects meeting guidelines established by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, upon recommendation by the director. The director is authorized to waive the cost-sharing requirement for projects that are in disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities. The act defines "disadvantaged community" for its purposes as a community with a median household income less than 80% of the statewide average. This bill would instead define disadvantaged community as a community that is disproportionately impacted by pollution and adverse socioeconomic impacts. 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 4799.09 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 4799.09. As used in this chapter the following terms have the following meanings: (a) "Disadvantaged community" means a community  with a median household income less than 80 percent of the statewide average   that is disproportionately impacted by pollution and adverse socioeconomic impacts  . (b) "Severely disadvantaged community" means a community with a median household income less than 60 percent of the statewide average. (c) "Urban forestry" means the cultivation and management of native or introduced trees and related vegetation in urban areas for their present and potential contribution to the economic, physiological, sociological, and ecological well-being of urban society. (d) "Urban forest" means those native or introduced trees and related vegetation in the urban and near-urban areas, including, but not limited to, urban watersheds, soils and related habitats, street trees, park trees, residential trees, natural riparian habitats, and trees on other private and public properties. (e) "Urban area" means an urban place, as that term is defined by the United States Department of Commerce, of 2,500 or more persons.