BILL ANALYSIS
AB 135
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Date of Hearing: May 20, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 135 (Jeffries) - As Amended: May 4, 2009
Policy Committee: Natural
ResourcesVote:9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CDF) to waive landowner cost share requirements
for the California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP) and its
urban forestry program if the funding source prohibits cost
share requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)No costs to CDF.
2)Will allow awarding of certain federal funds, should they
become available.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The author notes federal guidelines, in some
instances, prohibit the state from requiring matching funds
for state awards made from federal funds. This bill will
ensure that the state will be able to make available to local
governments and other eligible entities any such federal funds
that may become available.
2)CDF Grant Programs.
a) Under the CFIP, CDF 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. Current law requires landowners to provide at
AB 135
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least a 10% cost share to receive grants.
b) The California Urban Forestry Act 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% cost share.
3)Federal Stimulus Funds Anticipated. The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides $500 million to the U.S.
Forest Service for "Wildland Fire Management" activities, $250
million of which must be spent 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. CDF believes these funds would be appropriate
for its CFIP and urban forestry program. However, grants of
any of these federal funds for state or private lands cannot
be subject to matching or cost share requirements.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081