AB 2410 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wildfire safety: fuels reduction projects: California Environmental Quality Act.

Summary

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. CEQA exempts from its requirements certain projects. This bill would, until January 1, 2030, exempt from CEQA critical fuels reduction projects that address extremely flammable species, are conducted in communities located in high fire threat districts or very high fire hazard severity zones, and remove specified nonnative species or common species. The bill would require projects exempt from CEQA pursuant to this exemption to comply with the best management practices under the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan, as provided. The bill would require a lead agency carrying out a project exempt from CEQA pursuant to this exemption to consult with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, as provided, and to, within 90 days of project completion, submit a notice of project completion and a final compliance determination regarding the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency and the Secretary for Environmental Protection, as provided. The bill would require, on or before March 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, submit a report to the Legislature with specified information summarizing the implementation of these provisions during the preceding calendar year. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/20/26 - Introduced → 04/13/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Apr 13, 2026

MODERATE

The amended version of AB 2410 significantly expands how critical fuels reduction projects are treated under California environmental and coastal law. It adds a new provision (amending Section 30519) that keeps the California Coastal Commission's permit jurisdiction over critical fuels reduction projects even in areas where local governments have certified coastal programs, effectively preventing local delegation of authority for these projects. The amendment also broadens CEQA exemptions to include vegetation removal around electric utility infrastructure and raises the vegetation diameter threshold from 8 inches to 12 inches for qualifying projects.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from amending only Sections 30610 and 21080.06 of the Public Resources Code to also amending Section 30519, which governs when the California Coastal Commission delegates its permit authority to local governments. This gives the state commission a continuing role in reviewing critical fuels reduction projects in coastal areas, rather than leaving that review entirely to local agencies.

SCOPE

A new section amending Public Resources Code Section 30519 was added. It adds critical fuels reduction projects to the list of development types for which the California Coastal Commission retains its permit review authority, even after a local coastal program has been certified and authority would normally be delegated to the local government. This means the state commission, not the local agency, will review coastal permits for these projects.

Assembly Member Wallis was added as a coauthor of the bill.

ELIGIBILITY

A new category was added to the CEQA exemption in Section 21080.06: removal of vegetation around electric utility lines, poles, and rights-of-way to reduce wildfire risk and fire-related service outages now qualifies as a critical fuels reduction project exempt from CEQA review.

The maximum diameter of vegetation that can be removed under the nonnative/common species limitation was increased from 8 inches to 12 inches, in both the CEQA exemption (Section 21080.06) and the coastal development permit exemption (Section 30610(j)(2)). This allows removal of larger vegetation stems without triggering additional environmental review.

TIMELINE

A sunset provision was added to Section 30610(j) specifying that the coastal development permit exemption for critical fuels reduction projects shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030. The CEQA exemption in Section 21080.06 already had this same sunset date.

04/22/26 - Amended Assembly → 07/09/26 - Amended Senate · 8 edits · Jul 9, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate amendment significantly narrows the CEQA exemption for critical fuels reduction projects by requiring they address 'extremely flammable species' and meet specific vegetation size thresholds, while adding a robust compliance and reporting framework including Fish and Wildlife consultation, 90-day post-completion reporting, audit authority, and annual legislative reports. The Senate also rejected the Assembly's broadening of the coastal repair/maintenance exemption, restoring the original limitation that such activities must not result in an addition to or enlargement of the object.

Scope change

The CEQA exemption scope is substantially narrowed from covering all critical fuels reduction projects in high fire threat districts or very high fire hazard severity zones to only those addressing extremely flammable species with vegetation removal limited to specific size thresholds. The coastal repair/maintenance exemption was not broadened as the Assembly had proposed.

ELIGIBILITY

The CEQA exemption (now Section 21080.7) is narrowed: projects must address 'extremely flammable species' and remove only nonnative species 12 inches or less in diameter at breast height or common species 8 inches or less in diameter at breast height, rather than applying to any critical fuels reduction project in a high fire threat district.

REQUIREMENT

New requirement that exempt projects comply with best management practices under the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (or its successor document), with an explicit clarification that this compliance does not exempt the project from other permit requirements.

Lead agencies must consult with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure projects are designed to avoid or minimize impacts to rare, threatened, and endangered plants and wildlife, including nesting rookeries, spawning areas, fawning areas, and maternal roosts.

ENFORCEMENT

Within 90 days of project completion, the lead agency must submit a notice of project completion and a final compliance determination to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency and the Secretary for Environmental Protection, including details on measures implemented, deviations, mitigation status, documentation, and permit evidence.

The Secretaries of the Natural Resources Agency and Environmental Protection are given authority to audit project records to evaluate compliance with the chapter and the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan, and may issue recommendations to improve implementation.

TIMELINE

Starting March 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency must submit a report to the Legislature summarizing implementation, including number of eligible projects, location and acreage, permitting mechanisms used, compliance summaries, ecological monitoring results, and recommendations for statutory or administrative changes.

SCOPE

The Senate rejected the Assembly's change to the coastal repair/maintenance exemption (Section 30610(d)), restoring the requirement that repair or maintenance activities must not result in an addition to, or enlargement or expansion of, the object of those activities. The Assembly version had removed this limitation.

TECHNICAL

The CEQA exemption section was renumbered from Section 21080.06 to Section 21080.7, and the cross-reference in Section 30519(b) was made more specific by adding 'pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 30610.'

04/13/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/22/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Apr 22, 2026

MODERATE

The April 22 amendment removes the requirement for lead agencies to hold public meetings and file notices of exemption before granting CEQA exemptions for critical fuels reduction projects, and eliminates the reporting requirement tied to Governor Newsom's 2025 emergency proclamation. In exchange, it adds a new requirement that exempt projects comply with best management practices under the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan, and creates a new section requiring the Coastal Commission to report to the Legislature on fuel reduction project permit data from 2020 to 2026.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement that lead agencies hold a noticed public meeting (with 30 days advance website notice) before determining a critical fuels reduction project is exempt from CEQA, and removed the requirement to file a notice of exemption with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the county clerk.

Added a requirement that projects exempt from CEQA under Section 21080.06 must comply with best management practices under the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan prepared by the Natural Resources Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency.

Added a parallel requirement in the Coastal Act exemption (Section 30610(j)) that critical fuels reduction projects exempt from coastal development permits must also comply with best management practices under the 2025 Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan.

TIMELINE

Removed the entire section requiring the Natural Resources Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency to report to the Legislature by January 31, 2028 on implementation of Governor Newsom's March 1, 2025 state of emergency proclamation suspending environmental regulations for critical fuels reduction projects.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new Section 30618 requiring the California Coastal Commission to report to the Legislature by January 1, 2028 on fuel modification and reduction projects in the coastal zone, including annual permit application counts, acreage approved, average processing times, and public works plan data from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2026. The section sunsets on January 1, 2029.

SCOPE

Added a cross-reference in Section 30519(b) to 'project pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 30610,' explicitly extending the Coastal Commission's retained review authority over critical fuels reduction projects that are exempt from coastal development permits.

Floor votes · Assembly May 27, 2026

How they voted

59–1

Passed · 19 other

Total votes 79

May 27, 2026

D Democratic59

39 Yea 1 Nay 19

66% Yea

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jul 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jul 9, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1).

upper

Jun 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

upper

Jun 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and N.R. & W.

upper

May 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 60. Noes 1.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 21, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 20).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors