BILL ANALYSIS
AB 135
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Nancy Skinner, Chair
AB 135 (Jeffries) - As Amended: April 1, 2009
SUBJECT : Forest resources: urban forestry: cost-sharing.
SUMMARY : Authorizes the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CDF) to waive landowner cost share requirements
for specified grant or loan programs when the funding source
prohibits cost share requirements.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Creates the California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP)
(Chapter 1181, Statutes of 1978), which authorizes CDF to
provide technical and financial assistance to small forest
landowners for a wide range of forest management activities,
including preparation of management plans, reforestation,
timber stand improvement, forest land conservation, and fish
and wildlife habitat improvement. Landowners are required to
provide at least a 10 percent cost share for grants.
2)Pursuant to the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 (Chapter
1181, Statutes of 1978), authorizes CDF to implement an urban
forestry program to encourage tree planting and management in
urban areas, to assist local governments in solving problems
such as tree maintenance and vandalism, to encourage
demonstration projects to maximize the benefits of urban
forests, and to prevent the introduction and spread of
diseases such as Dutch elm disease and pine pitch canker.
With the exception of grants to projects in "disadvantaged and
severely disadvantaged" communities, grantees must provide at
least a 10 percent cost share.
THIS BILL : Authorizes CDF to waive cost share requirements for
the CFIP and the urban forestry program when the funding source
for a grant prohibits cost share requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : 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
AB 135
Page 2
must be spend for hazardous fuels reduction, forest health
protection, rehabilitation and hazard mitigation activities on
federal lands. The remaining $250 million is allocated for
similar activities, including ecosystem improvement, on state
and private lands. Of the total amount, $50 million is
available for "wood-to-energy" grants to promote increased use
of biomass from federal, state, and private lands. Grants of
any of these funds for state or private lands cannot be subject
to matching or cost share requirements.
1)CDF's "shovel-ready" programs
CDF believes the CFIP, urban forestry, and fuels reduction
programs are well situated to pass-through federal stimulus
funding. CFIP provides technical and financial incentives to
nonindustrial forest landowners for the development of
management plans and activities such as site preparation, tree
planting, thinning, and pruning, land conservation, and
improvement of fish and wildlife habitat. The intent of CFIP is
to ensure that investments in timber stand improvement funded by
CFIP will yield future marketable forest products and/or
improved natural resources. CDF's urban forestry program offers
over $3 million a year in matching grants to local governments,
schools, and nonprofit organizations for tree planting,
education, and the development of tree inventories and
management plans. Two vegetation or fuels management programs
are currently administered by CDF: government agencies or
nonprofit organizations in 15 counties located in the Sierra
Nevada may qualify for Proposition 40 (2002) grant funding; the
Vegetation Management Program (VMP) is a cost-share program that
uses prescribed fires and other mechanical means to reduce
wildland fire hazards on State Responsibility Area lands.
At the request of the USFS, CDF has submitted a list of eligible
projects totaling $176 million. This bill seeks to address the
ARRA's cost-share prohibition by authorizing CDF to waive such
requirements for the CFIP and urban forestry program.
2)Proposed Amendments
Existing law requires CDF to deposit any CFIP funds in the
Forest Resources Improvement Fund (Fund). In 2006, the
Legislature amended section 4799.13(a) of the Public Resources
Code as a part of the budget to restrict the use of moneys
deposited in the Fund to the management of state forests. In
AB 135
Page 3
order to funnel federal stimulus monies to lands other than
state forests, the bill should be amended as follows:
4799.04(h) To A a ccept grants and donations of
equipment, seedlings, materials, or funds from
any source for the purpose of supporting or
facilitating forest resource improvement work
undertaken pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter. Any funds received shall be deposited
by the director in the Forest Resource
Improvement Fund established pursuant to Chapter
3 (commencing with Section 4799.13) of this part.
(i) Subdivision (h) does not apply to the any
federal funds received pursuant to the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Dan Chia / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092