Senator Caballero's biomass emissions legislation directs California agencies to develop comprehensive systems for measuring and managing carbon emissions from forest and agricultural burning by 2028. The bill requires the Air Resources Board to establish methods for quantifying emissions avoided through prescribed burns and create carbon credit protocols for biochar and other products that help prevent megafires.

Under the measure, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection must incorporate scientifically verified biomass disposal plans into all state-funded forest health projects, specifying exact quantities for physical removal versus prescribed burning. The Energy Commission would document opportunities for converting biomass into low-carbon and carbon-negative fuels, including hydrogen produced through non-combustion methods. These requirements aim to address the millions of tons of forest and agricultural biomass burned annually in California through wildfires, prescribed burns, and illegal burning.

The bill's provisions build upon existing state requirements for tracking fuel reduction emissions and establishing historic baseline data for California's natural fire patterns. By January 2027, the Air Resources Board must finalize these foundational systems before implementing the new quantification methods and offset protocols. The legislation also expands the potential uses for biochar beyond carbon sequestration to include agricultural applications, construction materials, environmental remediation, and water treatment.