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Bill would expand statewide use of California Vegetation Treatment Program to speed fuels treatments and integrate tribal knowledge
Summary
AB 1456 would direct the Board of Forestry to expand the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) programmatic environmental review across the state and add provisions recognizing tribal ecological knowledge; proponents said it would accelerate hazardous vegetation treatment to reduce wildfire risk.
Assemblymember Brian (presented by Assemblymember Rogers) introduced AB 1456 to require the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to expand the geographic scope where the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) programmatic environmental review can be applied and to integrate tribal and indigenous ecological knowledge into vegetation management objectives.
Why it matters: Proponents said CalVTP provides an established programmatic CEQA framework that allows hazardous fuels treatments, prescribed burns and other vegetation management projects to proceed more efficiently under a program Environmental Impact Report. Supporters noted that roughly 650,000 acres had been covered by the program and that the bill would help implement the governor’s direction to expand the program to accelerate fuels treatments.
Support testimony: Matt Diaz, president of the California Forestry Association, and John Kennedy (Rural County Representatives of California) spoke in favor, saying the bill would support wildfire mitigation and local workforce development in the forestry and fire management sectors.
Committee action: The committee advanced the bill to Natural Resources and Water; the author asked for an aye vote.
Ending: Supporters framed AB 1456 as a practical effort to expand an existing programmatic tool to better coordinate fuels treatments and tribal stewardship across the state.
