Amended IN Senate March 30, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 675Introduced by Senator LimnFebruary 16, 2023An act to amend Sections 4124, 4124.5, 4208.1, and 4771 of, and to add Sections 4004.5, 4124.2, and 4208.2 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to fire prevention. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 675, as amended, Limn. Prescribed grazing: local assistance grant program: Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program: Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish a local assistance grant program for eligible fire prevention and home hardening education activities in the state, including public education outreach activities, as provided. Existing law, until January 1, 2024, authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to authorize advance payments from a local assistance grant award, as provided. Existing law makes funding for this program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.This bill would expand the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, defined as the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. The bill would expand allowable public education outreach activities to include training on livestock management and community-supported prescribed grazing. The bill would also indefinitely extend the directors authority to issue advanced payments and authorize these payments to cover the cost of supplies, supplies or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protections Range Management Advisory Committee, to increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.Existing law establishes in the Department of Conservation the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. Existing law authorizes regional entities to implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing specified objectives. Existing law requires the department, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of, and technical assistance to, regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.This bill would expand the list of objectives to include the development, implementation, and updating of local or regional prescribed grazing plans. The bill would authorize regional entities to prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or person supervised by a certified rangeland manager. The bill would also require the Department of Conservation, in consultation with specified state entities, to develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans, as provided. The bill would make any plan consistent with the guidance eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The bill would require regional entities to report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding.Existing law requires the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, along with certain state entities, to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in a specified action plan, as provided.This bill would require the implementation strategy to address a strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the Range Management Advisory Committee, to expand the use of prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the action plan to address actions related to the creation of a sustainable fiber and food products market in California, as provided.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 4004.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.SEC. 2. Section 4124 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.SEC. 3. Section 4124.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.SEC. 4. Section 4124.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.SEC. 5. Section 4208.1 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.SEC. 6. Section 4208.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan. (6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.(8)(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.(9)(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.SEC. 7. Section 4771 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:(A) An applied research plan.(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.
Amended IN Senate March 30, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 675Introduced by Senator LimnFebruary 16, 2023An act to amend Sections 4124, 4124.5, 4208.1, and 4771 of, and to add Sections 4004.5, 4124.2, and 4208.2 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to fire prevention. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 675, as amended, Limn. Prescribed grazing: local assistance grant program: Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program: Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish a local assistance grant program for eligible fire prevention and home hardening education activities in the state, including public education outreach activities, as provided. Existing law, until January 1, 2024, authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to authorize advance payments from a local assistance grant award, as provided. Existing law makes funding for this program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.This bill would expand the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, defined as the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. The bill would expand allowable public education outreach activities to include training on livestock management and community-supported prescribed grazing. The bill would also indefinitely extend the directors authority to issue advanced payments and authorize these payments to cover the cost of supplies, supplies or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protections Range Management Advisory Committee, to increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.Existing law establishes in the Department of Conservation the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. Existing law authorizes regional entities to implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing specified objectives. Existing law requires the department, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of, and technical assistance to, regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.This bill would expand the list of objectives to include the development, implementation, and updating of local or regional prescribed grazing plans. The bill would authorize regional entities to prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or person supervised by a certified rangeland manager. The bill would also require the Department of Conservation, in consultation with specified state entities, to develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans, as provided. The bill would make any plan consistent with the guidance eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The bill would require regional entities to report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding.Existing law requires the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, along with certain state entities, to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in a specified action plan, as provided.This bill would require the implementation strategy to address a strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the Range Management Advisory Committee, to expand the use of prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the action plan to address actions related to the creation of a sustainable fiber and food products market in California, as provided.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
Amended IN Senate March 30, 2023
Amended IN Senate March 30, 2023
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 675
Introduced by Senator LimnFebruary 16, 2023
Introduced by Senator Limn
February 16, 2023
An act to amend Sections 4124, 4124.5, 4208.1, and 4771 of, and to add Sections 4004.5, 4124.2, and 4208.2 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to fire prevention.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 675, as amended, Limn. Prescribed grazing: local assistance grant program: Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program: Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.
Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish a local assistance grant program for eligible fire prevention and home hardening education activities in the state, including public education outreach activities, as provided. Existing law, until January 1, 2024, authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to authorize advance payments from a local assistance grant award, as provided. Existing law makes funding for this program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.This bill would expand the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, defined as the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. The bill would expand allowable public education outreach activities to include training on livestock management and community-supported prescribed grazing. The bill would also indefinitely extend the directors authority to issue advanced payments and authorize these payments to cover the cost of supplies, supplies or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protections Range Management Advisory Committee, to increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.Existing law establishes in the Department of Conservation the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. Existing law authorizes regional entities to implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing specified objectives. Existing law requires the department, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of, and technical assistance to, regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.This bill would expand the list of objectives to include the development, implementation, and updating of local or regional prescribed grazing plans. The bill would authorize regional entities to prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or person supervised by a certified rangeland manager. The bill would also require the Department of Conservation, in consultation with specified state entities, to develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans, as provided. The bill would make any plan consistent with the guidance eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The bill would require regional entities to report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding.Existing law requires the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, along with certain state entities, to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in a specified action plan, as provided.This bill would require the implementation strategy to address a strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the Range Management Advisory Committee, to expand the use of prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the action plan to address actions related to the creation of a sustainable fiber and food products market in California, as provided.
Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish a local assistance grant program for eligible fire prevention and home hardening education activities in the state, including public education outreach activities, as provided. Existing law, until January 1, 2024, authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to authorize advance payments from a local assistance grant award, as provided. Existing law makes funding for this program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.
This bill would expand the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, defined as the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. The bill would expand allowable public education outreach activities to include training on livestock management and community-supported prescribed grazing. The bill would also indefinitely extend the directors authority to issue advanced payments and authorize these payments to cover the cost of supplies, supplies or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protections Range Management Advisory Committee, to increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.
Existing law establishes in the Department of Conservation the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. Existing law authorizes regional entities to implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing specified objectives. Existing law requires the department, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of, and technical assistance to, regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.
This bill would expand the list of objectives to include the development, implementation, and updating of local or regional prescribed grazing plans. The bill would authorize regional entities to prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or person supervised by a certified rangeland manager. The bill would also require the Department of Conservation, in consultation with specified state entities, to develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans, as provided. The bill would make any plan consistent with the guidance eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The bill would require regional entities to report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding.
Existing law requires the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, along with certain state entities, to develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in a specified action plan, as provided.
This bill would require the implementation strategy to address a strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the Range Management Advisory Committee, to expand the use of prescribed grazing, as provided. The bill would also require the action plan to address actions related to the creation of a sustainable fiber and food products market in California, as provided.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 4004.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.SEC. 2. Section 4124 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.SEC. 3. Section 4124.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.SEC. 4. Section 4124.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.SEC. 5. Section 4208.1 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.SEC. 6. Section 4208.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan. (6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.(8)(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.(9)(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.SEC. 7. Section 4771 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:(A) An applied research plan.(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 4004.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.
SECTION 1. Section 4004.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:
### SECTION 1.
4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.
4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.
4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.
4004.5. Prescribed grazing means the lawful application of grazing by a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. Prescribed grazing may involve any or multiple kinds of livestock.
SEC. 2. Section 4124 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.
SEC. 2. Section 4124 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:
### SEC. 2.
4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.
4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.
4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.
4124. For the purposes of this article, fire prevention activities means those lawful activities that reduce the risk of wildfire in California, including, but not limited to, mechanical vegetation management, prescribed grazing, prescribed burns, creation of defensible space, and retrofitting of structures to increase fire resistance.
SEC. 3. Section 4124.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.
SEC. 3. Section 4124.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:
### SEC. 3.
4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.
4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.
4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.
4124.2. The department, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, shall increase opportunities and outreach for projects on state and private land that include prescribed grazing in the local assistance grant program.
SEC. 4. Section 4124.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 4. Section 4124.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:
### SEC. 4.
4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.
4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.
4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.
4124.5. (a) The department shall establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention and home hardening education activities in California. Groups eligible for grants shall include, but are not limited to, local agencies, resource conservation districts, fire safe councils, the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps as defined in Section 14507.5, University of California Cooperative Extension, the Board of Commissioners under California Volunteers described in Section 8411 of the Government Code, Native American tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations. The department may establish a cost-share requirement for one or more categories of projects.
(b) (1) The local assistance grant program shall establish a robust year-round fire prevention effort in and near fire threatened communities that focuses on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. To the maximum extent practicable, the grants shall be designed to be durable and adaptively managed so that while improving resiliency to wildfire, the projects, when on forest land, retain a mixture of species and sizes of trees to protect habitat values. The department shall prioritize, to the extent feasible, projects that are multiyear efforts.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, fire threatened communities means those communities in high and very high fire hazard severity zones, identified by the director pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code, or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201) of this code, or on the Fire Risk Reduction Community list maintained by the board pursuant to Section 4290.1.
(c) Eligible activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Development and implementation of public education and outreach programs. Programs may include technical assistance, workforce recruitment and training, and equipment purchases.
(2) Fire prevention activities as defined in Section 4124.
(3) Projects to improve compliance with defensible space requirements as required by Section 4291 through increased inspections, assessments, and assistance for low-income residents.
(4) Technical assistance to local agencies to improve fire prevention and reduce fire hazards.
(5) Creation of additional Firewise USA communities in the state or other community planning or certification programs deemed as appropriate by the department.
(6) Projects to improve public safety, including, but not limited to, access to emergency equipment and improvements to public evacuation routes.
(7) Vegetation management along roadways and driveways to reduce fire risk. Where appropriate, the Department of Transportation shall be consulted if state infrastructure will be affected. Those projects shall remain consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(8) Public education outreach regarding making homes and communities more wildfire resilient, including training on defensible space, livestock management, and community-supported prescribed grazing.
(9) Projects to reduce the flammability of structures and communities to prevent their ignition from wind-driven embers.
(10) Development of a risk reduction checklist for communities that includes defensible space criteria, structural vulnerability potential, and personal evacuation plans.
(d) The department may consider the fire risk of an area, the geographic balance of projects, and whether the project is complementary to other fire prevention or forest health activities when awarding local assistance grants.
(e) (1) The director may authorize advance payments from a grant awarded pursuant to this section. The advance payment shall not exceed 25 percent of the total grant award. The director may authorize a greater amount, not to exceed 50 percent of either the total grant award or the cost of equipment or equipment, supplies, or infrastructure, including, but not limited to, fencing and watering improvements for prescribed grazing, whichever amount is less, for the purpose of purchasing necessary equipment. equipment, supplies, or infrastructure.
(2) The grantee shall expend the funds from the advance payment within 6 months of receipt, unless the department waives this requirement.
(3) The grantee shall file an accountability report with the department four months from the date of receiving the funds and every four months thereafter.
(f) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.
(g) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.
(h) Funding for the local assistance grant program created pursuant to this section shall be made upon appropriation by the Legislature.
SEC. 5. Section 4208.1 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.
SEC. 5. Section 4208.1 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:
### SEC. 5.
4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.
4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.
4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.
4208.1. (a) There is hereby established in the department the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program to support regional leadership to build local and regional capacity and develop, prioritize, and implement strategies and projects that create fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience. For strategies and projects that seek to create fire adapted fire-adapted communities, regional entities shall maximize risk reductions to people and property, especially in the most vulnerable communities.
(b) (1) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, do both of the following:
(A) (i) Provide block grants to regional entities to develop regional strategies that develop governance structures, identify wildfire risks, foster collaboration, and prioritize and implement projects within the region to achieve the goals of the program.
(ii) Regional priority strategy development shall be in coordination with public landowners and other relevant forest and fire planning efforts in wildfire and forest resiliency planning.
(B) Ensure, to the extent feasible, there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).
(2) Regional entities may implement program activities directly or provide subgrants or contracts, and collaborative planning efforts with local entities, including municipal governments, tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, fire safe councils, land trusts, resource conservation districts, joint power authorities, special districts, fire departments, certified rangeland managers, residents, private and public forest landowners and managers, businesses, and others, to assist the regional entity in accomplishing all of the following objectives:
(A) Develop regional priority strategies that develop and support fire adapted fire-adapted communities and landscapes by improving forest health, watershed health, fire risk reduction, or fire resilience needed to achieve local, regional, or statewide public safety, climate resiliency, and ecosystem goals included in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forest and Rangelands and Californias Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.
(B) Complete project development and permitting to generate implementation-ready projects that address regional landscape resilience and community fire protection priorities for funding consideration.
(C) Implement forest management demonstration projects that showcase scalable models for management, funding, and achieving and quantifying multiple benefits.
(D) Develop, implement, and update local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Regional entities may prioritize funding for prescribed grazing plans written by a certified rangeland manager or by a person supervised by a certified rangeland manager.
(E) Implement community fire preparedness demonstration projects that create durable risk reduction for structures and critical community infrastructure.
(F) Develop outreach, education, and training as needed to facilitate and build capacity to implement this section.
(G) Collect and assess data and information as needed to identify and map communities, infrastructure, forests, and watersheds at risk of, and vulnerable to, wildfire, in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(c) The department shall, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, provide block grants to eligible coordinating organizations under the program to support the statewide implementation of the program through coordination of and technical assistance to regional entities, as well as to support forest health and resilience efforts across regions and throughout the state.
(d) To maximize the benefits of the program, the department shall do all of the following:
(1) Facilitate peer-to-peer learning within and between regions to share information, experiences, and resources to build regional capacity.
(2) Provide technical assistance to regions to enhance regional capacity and assist in the development and prioritization of projects.
(3) Assist regions in identifying potential funding sources for regional priorities.
(4) Encourage the development of local cost share opportunities.
(5) Publish and update on the departments internet website the following information related to implementation of the program:
(A) A list of regional entities and eligible coordinating organizations funded by the program.
(B) The outcomes of any block grant provided to a regional entity or eligible coordinating organization, including a summary of the benefits, such as the number of people and properties for which wildfire risk has been mitigated, ecosystem health benefits, or other measurements of progress towards state goals for public health and safety, climate resilience, and biodiversity, as applicable.
(C) A description of progress towards ensuring there are regional entities to cover every part of the state that contains or is adjacent to a very high or high fire hazard severity zone identified by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 51178 of the Government Code or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4201).
(e) Until July 1, 2025, the department may authorize advance payments on a grant awarded under this section in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11019.1 of the Government Code.
SEC. 6. Section 4208.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan. (6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.(8)(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.(9)(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.
SEC. 6. Section 4208.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:
### SEC. 6.
4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan. (6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.(8)(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.(9)(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.
4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan. (6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.(8)(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.(9)(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.
4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan. (6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.(8)(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.(9)(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.
4208.2. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the department, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, and the University of California Cooperative Extension Livestock and Natural Resources Advisors and Specialists, shall develop guidance for local or regional prescribed grazing plans. Any plan consistent with the guidance shall be eligible for funding by regional entities through the program. The guidance shall include all of the following:
(1) Recommendations for the mapping of priority areas for prescribed grazing.
(2) Best practices for developing project plans and metrics for using prescribed grazing.
(3) Best practices for controlling invasive plants and promoting healthy rangeland habitat through adaptive management, including, but not limited to, exclusion areas, wildlife-friendly fencing, and monitoring.
(4) Recommendations for set-aside areas and incentives securing sufficient land and resources, including forage, needed to pasture livestock when not engaged in a prescribed grazing project.
(5) Best practices for building community support and engaging with private landowners to improve implementation of the plan.
(6) Methods to identify sites to house and maintain shared grazing infrastructure.
(7)Recommendations to update existing local or regional prescribed grazing plans to meet the requirements of this section.
(8)
(7) Best practices to use prescribed grazing to enhance and support prescribed burn and other vegetation management projects.
(9)
(8) Other recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed grazing at the local or regional levels where appropriate.
(b) Regional entities shall report to the department the number of local and regional prescribed grazing plans they have provided with funding pursuant to this section.
SEC. 7. Section 4771 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:(A) An applied research plan.(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.
SEC. 7. Section 4771 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:
### SEC. 7.
4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:(A) An applied research plan.(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.
4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:(A) An applied research plan.(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.
4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:(A) An applied research plan.(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.
4771. (a) On January 1, 2022, the task force, including, but not limited to, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and the department, in coordination with the relevant lead federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, shall develop a comprehensive implementation strategy to track and ensure the achievement of the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan issued by the task force in January 2021.
(b) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of lead agencies and a description of the activities completed and still necessary to achieve the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Implementation that is appropriate to the states different regions shall be included in the strategy.
(c) The implementation strategy required by subdivision (a) shall, in addition to the contents identified in subdivision (b), address all of the following actions:
(1) Increasing the pace and scale of wildfire and forest resilience activities. This includes all of the following:
(A) A joint strategy to annually treat 500,000 acres of federal land and 500,000 acres of nonfederal land by 2025. The type of the treatments shall be monitored, tracked, and reported pursuant to subdivision (e).
(B) A comprehensive strategy, developed in partnership with state agencies that own state land, to expand forest management and improve the health and resilience of forested state lands.
(C) A comprehensive program to coordinate and align state and federal assistance programs for small private landowners, including grant programs, stewardship education workshops, and postfire rapid response teams.
(D) A strategic action plan to expand the use of prescribed fire and prescribed grazing.
(E) Expansion of the Department of Conservations Regional Fire and Forest Capacity Program through the development of a statewide network of regional forest and community fire resilience plans.
(F) A comprehensive statewide reforestation strategy.
(G) A permit synchronization plan to align permitting under the Zberg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 4511)) and forest practice rules and regulations adopted by the board with relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The permit synchronization plan shall ensure, to the extent feasible, that the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife align their permitting requirements in order to reduce regulatory barriers for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities.
(H) A science-based review and recommendations to guide and inform state investments and regional strategies on actions needed to improve the health and fire resilience of chaparral, shrublands, and surrounding communities.
(2) Strengthening the protection of communities and reducing their fire risk, including all of the following:
(A) A statewide framework, including performance measures, to support local and regional community fire risk reduction and adaptation programs and projects.
(B) Development and maintenance of a network of more than 500 fuel break projects across the state.
(C) Expansion and modernization of existing defensible space and home hardening programs, particularly targeting high fire threat communities, including, but not limited to, inclusion of the ember-resistant zone and assistance programs for defensible space and home hardening, with priority given to the most vulnerable communities in the state.
(D) Strengthening of investor-owned utility wildfire mitigation plans.
(E) A framework for collaborative fuels reduction projects to protect roadway travelers and communities along highways, and to reduce roadside ignitions along primary and secondary emergency evacuation routes.
(F) A Smoke Ready California campaign to provide coordinated messaging and content to help Californians plan for and protect themselves from wildfire smoke impacts.
(G) A strategic action plan plan, in consultation with the boards Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, to expand the use of prescribed grazing near communities.
(3) Creating a sustainable wood, fiber, and food products market in California, including both of the following:
(A) A comprehensive framework and market strategy to align the states wood use and vegetation management policies and priorities, and to create economic opportunities for the use of forest, fiber, and food materials that store carbon, reduce emissions, and contribute to sustainable local economies.
(B) A catalyst fund to provide low-cost financing for businesses that use forest biomass and fiber and food products derived from prescribed grazing and encourage private sector innovation.
(4) Sustaining and expanding outdoor recreation on forestland, including both of the following:
(A) Updating the Department of Parks and Recreations Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
(B) Creating a joint strategy with the United States Forest Service to expand sustainable recreation across the states forested regions, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.
(5) Protecting and expanding urban canopy and forestry, including a comprehensive program, with regional targets, to significantly increase Californias urban tree canopy, targeting disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas.
(6) Driving innovation and measuring progress in achieving these goals, including both of the following:
(A) An applied research plan.
(B) A forest data hub to serve as a multiple institutional clearinghouse for supporting, integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing reporting and monitoring efforts.
(d) In developing the implementation strategy required by subdivision (a), the task force shall seek to coordinate and integrate the implementation strategy with the key goals and priorities of all of the following frameworks:
(1) The Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the Pathways to 30x30 Document, and biodiversity strategies, all developed pursuant to Executive Order No. N-82-20.
(2) The states climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan, adopted pursuant to Section 71153.
(3) The 2022 scoping plan update, and subsequent updates, developed pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).
(4) Any other related natural resources policy frameworks.
(e) (1) On or before January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2048, the task force shall submit, as part of the implementation strategy required pursuant to subdivision (a), a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on progress made in achieving the goals and key actions identified in the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, on state expenditures made to implement these key actions, and on additional resources and policy changes needed to achieve these goals and key actions.
(2) (A) The annual report described in paragraph (1) shall also include information on the prior years acreage treatment goals, including treatment described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), to (i) ensure compliance with the goals and (ii) assess annually additional resource requirements to achieve those goals. Metrics for reporting shall include total acres treated, type of treatment, level of risk for catastrophic fires within treated areas, statewide fire risk reduction, acres that received maintenance treatment, and resources expended for treatment, including resources expended for implementation and alignment of relevant permitting and regulatory requirements of the board, the department, the State Water Resources Control Board, the applicable regional water quality control boards, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife for fire prevention activities, as that term is defined in Section 4124, and forest resilience activities and barriers to treatment, if any.
(B) When establishing yearly treatment goals, described in subparagraph (A), the task force shall use the most advanced predictive tools to determine priority areas for treatment, with the goal of most effectively and efficiently reducing the overall fire risk to the state and achieving other goals outlined in this article.
(3) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report to the Legislature pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2052.
(f) On or before January 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the task force, or its successor entity, shall update the states Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate development of the update with the related state frameworks identified in subdivision (d), and with the phased development of the 20-year plan identified in the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of Californias Forests and Rangelands entered into between the state and the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service.
(g) The task force shall invite the participation of the United States Forest Service and other federal entities, as applicable, in the creation, alignment, and coordination of joint efforts pursuant to this section.