Fire prevention projects: California Environmental Quality Act: coastal development permits: exemptions.
- Exempts fire prevention projects from environmental review requirements to expedite wildfire safety measures.
- Allows fuel modification projects within 500 feet of buildings without environmental permits.
- Streamlines approval for electrical grid hardening projects by removing environmental review requirements.
- Requires local agencies to fund implementation through their own fees and assessments.
Assembly Member Dixon's proposal to streamline fire prevention and electrical infrastructure projects would exempt certain wildfire safety measures from California's environmental review requirements. The legislation creates new exemptions from both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and coastal development permit requirements for fuel modification projects that maintain 500-foot defensive spaces around structures, as well as fuel reduction efforts aimed at preventing wildfire spread.
The bill also exempts electrical grid resilience and hardening projects from CEQA review processes. Under current law, these types of projects typically require environmental impact reports or negative declarations before proceeding. While exempt projects would bypass these reviews, agencies must notify the California Coastal Commission within 14 days of starting work in coastal zones.
Local agencies retain responsibility for determining whether specific projects qualify for these exemptions. The bill specifies that local governments can utilize existing authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments to cover any costs associated with implementing these changes, rather than receiving state reimbursement. This maintains local control over project approval while potentially expediting the timeline for fire prevention and electrical infrastructure improvements.
 Al MuratsuchiD Assembly Member | Committee Member |  Not Contacted | |
 Ash KalraD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Heath FloraR Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Buffy WicksD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Isaac BryanD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted |
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
- Exempts fire prevention projects from environmental review requirements to expedite wildfire safety measures.
- Allows fuel modification projects within 500 feet of buildings without environmental permits.
- Streamlines approval for electrical grid hardening projects by removing environmental review requirements.
- Requires local agencies to fund implementation through their own fees and assessments.
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Assembly Member Dixon's proposal to streamline fire prevention and electrical infrastructure projects would exempt certain wildfire safety measures from California's environmental review requirements. The legislation creates new exemptions from both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and coastal development permit requirements for fuel modification projects that maintain 500-foot defensive spaces around structures, as well as fuel reduction efforts aimed at preventing wildfire spread.
The bill also exempts electrical grid resilience and hardening projects from CEQA review processes. Under current law, these types of projects typically require environmental impact reports or negative declarations before proceeding. While exempt projects would bypass these reviews, agencies must notify the California Coastal Commission within 14 days of starting work in coastal zones.
Local agencies retain responsibility for determining whether specific projects qualify for these exemptions. The bill specifies that local governments can utilize existing authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments to cover any costs associated with implementing these changes, rather than receiving state reimbursement. This maintains local control over project approval while potentially expediting the timeline for fire prevention and electrical infrastructure improvements.
Al MuratsuchiD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Ash KalraD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Heath FloraR Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Buffy WicksD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Isaac BryanD Assembly Member | Committee Member | Not Contacted |