Forestry: timber harvesting plans: exemptions.

The Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations, as defined, unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to, and approved by, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The act authorizes the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to exempt from some or all of those provisions of the act a person engaging in specified forest management activities, as prescribed, including: (1) , for a period of 5 years following the adoption of emergency regulations, the cutting or removal of trees on the person's property that eliminates the vertical continuity of vegetative fuels and the horizontal continuity of tree crowns for the purpose of reducing flammable materials and maintaining a fuel break, known as the Small Timberland Owner Exemption, (2) , until January 1, 2026, the harvesting of those trees that eliminates the vertical continuity of vegetative fuels and the horizontal continuity of tree crowns for specified purposes, known as the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption, (3) , until January 1, 2026, the cutting or removal of trees on the person's property in compliance with specified defensible space requirements, as provided, and (4) the cutting or removal of trees to restore and conserve California black or Oregon white oak woodlands and associated grasslands. This bill would (1) repeal the Small Timberland Owner Exemption, (2) rename the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption the Forest Resilience Exemption, revise the standards and criteria for qualifying for that exemption, and extend that exemption until January 1, 2031, and (3) extend until January 1, 2031, the other exemption described above. The bill would also revise requirements governing compliance with the cutting or removal of trees to restore and conserve California black or Oregon white oak woodlands and associated grasslands. The bill would require the board to adopt emergency regulations that the board considers necessary to implement and ensure compliance with these requirements and with the Forest Resilience Exemption requirements. The bill would also make conforming changes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 399.20.3 of the Public Utilities Code proposed by AB 2750 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2750 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.