Greenhouse gases: wildfires and forest fires: air emissions.

Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to approve and begin implementing a comprehensive strategy to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants to achieve a reduction in methane by 40%, hydrofluorocarbon gases by 40%, and anthropogenic black carbon by 50% below 2013 levels by 2030, as specified. Existing law requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan on or before January 1, 2009, for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as provided, and to update the plan at least once every 5 years. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the state board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. Existing law requires the state board, in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to develop, among other things, a report that assesses greenhouse gas emissions associated with wildfire and forest management activities. Existing law requires the state board to develop the report every 5 years, with the first report completed on or before December 31, 2020. This bill would require the report to include information, if feasible, regarding the greenhouse gas, criteria air pollutant, and short-lived climate pollutant emissions from wildfires and forest fires, an assessment of the increased severity of wildfires and forest fires from the impacts of climate change, and a calculation of the increase in the emissions of criteria air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and short-lived climate pollutants based on the increased severity of wildfires and forest fires assessed. The bill would require the state board to identify what, if any, information in the report should be included in the scoping plan. The bill would also reduce the reporting period to every 3 years and require the state board to post the report on the state board's internet website.