BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1300
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 20, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 1300 (Fletcher) - As Amended: May 6, 2009
Policy Committee: Natural
ResourcesVote:8-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill expressly authorizes the Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CalFire) to develop and implement a grant
program for fuel reduction in the wildland-urban interface (WUI)
or very high fire hazard severity zones. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Authorizes CalFire to develop and implement a grant program to
local government and nonprofits for fuels reduction in the WUI
or very high fire hazard severity zones.
2)Specifies that CalFire may award grants to offset the costs of
transporting fuels to a biomass energy facility.
3)Limits the size of trees that may be removed pursuant to a
grant award and prohibits processing harvested logs into
lumber.
4)Disallows funding from the General Fund for these grants.
5)Limits departmental administrative costs to 5%.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Cost pressures to CalFire, potentially in the millions of
dollars annually, to make grants for fuels reduction and to
administer their award. (Special funds or bond funds)
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The author is concerned that fuel loads in the WUI
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continue to present a serious fire danger, despite recent
efforts to reduce that danger. The author argues that more
can be done to reduce the threat and protect the environment
by encouraging the removal of brush and other fuels. The
author contends that, despite the threat, there is no
statewide effort or program dedicated to encouraging fuels
reduction. The author intends this bill to create such an
effort by explicitly authorizing CalFire's authority to
establish a grant program to encourage fuels reduction.
2)Background.
a) Addressing Fire Danger at the WUI. In response to
recent fires that highlighted the fire danger present in
the WUI (areas where development abuts or intermingles with
forests and other wildlands), the state has, among other
things, adopted building codes to lower the risk of fire
ignition, increased enforcement of defensible space
requirements, and funded fuel reduction efforts in at-risk
communities. Since 2003, the state has awarded over $16
million in grants to Fire Safe Councils, local governments,
fire districts for various fuels reduction and forest
health projects. The federal government has provided
nearly $9 million in federal funds and lowered local
government match requirements to reduce hazardous fuels in
California. These efforts have resulted in the treatment
of thousands of acres annually on state and federal lands
in the WUI.
b) Fuel is Fuel. While biomass in the WUI-trees, branches,
shrubs, and other organic matter-is potential fuel for
fire, it is also a potential source of usable energy. The
California Energy Commission (CEC) estimates there to be
about 14 million bone-dry tons of biomass available each
year in California's forests on a sustainable basis. There
are 33 biomass plants across the state. These plants,
which are fueled by forest, mill, agriculture, and urban
residues, report operating at below capacity.
c) Federal Stimulus Includes Money for Fire Fuel Reduction.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009
provides $500 million to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for
"Wildland Fire Management" activities, $250 million of
which must be spent for hazardous fuels reduction, forest
health protection, rehabilitation and hazard mitigation
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activities on federal lands. The remaining $250 million is
allocated for similar activities, including ecosystem
improvement, on state and private lands. Of that $500
million, $50 million is available for "wood-to-energy"
grants to promote increased use of biomass from federal,
state, and private lands.
CalFire has submitted to the USFS a list of potentially
eligible projects totaling $176 million. On this list is a
"Biomass Woods-to-Power-Plant Transportation Incentive"
valued at $6 million.
3)Supporters , including representatives of the forestry industry
and rural counties, contend this bill will reduce the threat
of fire in the WUI through encouraging fuels reduction.
There are no registered opponents to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081