Senate Bill No. 632
CHAPTER 411

An act to add and repeal Section 746 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality.

[ Approved by Governor  October 02, 2019. Filed with Secretary of State  October 02, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 632, Galgiani. California Environmental Quality Act: State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection: vegetation treatment program: final program environmental impact report.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.
Existing law establishes the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection and vests the board with authority over wildland forest resources.
This bill would require the board, as soon as practicably feasible, but by no later than February 1, 2020, to complete its environmental review under CEQA and certify a specific final program environmental impact report for a vegetation treatment program. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2021.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that many of the most destructive and deadliest wildfires recorded in California’s history have occurred in the last two years, and the proposed program environmental impact report for a vegetation treatment program serves as an important public safety component to reduce the risk of loss of life and property from high-intensity wildfires.
(b) The Legislature therefore intends that the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection complete the proposed program environmental impact report for the vegetation treatment program as soon as practicably feasible and that the report be used to complete priority fuel reduction projects to protect communities vulnerable to wildfires.

SEC. 2.

 Section 746 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

746.
 (a) As soon as practicably feasible, but by no later than February 1, 2020, the board shall complete its review, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)), of the vegetation treatment program pursuant to a notice of preparation, State Clearinghouse Number 2019012052, filed by the board with the State Clearinghouse on January 30, 2019, and certify a final program environmental impact report pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.
(b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2021, and as of that date is repealed.