Is your city using the executive order to fast-track critical wildfire preparedness projects?

Cities can submit an exemption request in 2025

By Zack Cefalu, legislative and policy analyst, and Melissa Sparks-Kranz, legislative advocate  

Cities throughout the state can speed up their fuel reduction projects under a March emergency order made in response to the extreme firestorms that hit the Greater Los Angeles region. Known as the Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan — or EPP — it expedites permitting for wildfire fuel reduction projects such as vegetation and tree removal, fuel breaks, prescribed fires, and other projects that reduce debris or brush through 2025.

The emergency order suspends the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Coastal Act, the California Endangered Species Act, and other state environmental permits. However, it contains several stipulations to minimize environmental impacts. Gov. Gavin Newsom characterized this suspension as cutting bureaucratic red tape that often slows down necessary vegetative management projects critical to preventing wildfires.

The proclamation also directs state agencies to submit recommendations for increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burns.

Lastly, the order instructs state officials to improve and expand the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) to promote rapid environmental review for large wildfire risk reduction treatment. One such recommendation could be to expand the CalVTP to areas managed by local governments, not just state-owned lands. 

How can my city take advantage of this order?

Eligible entities, such as public agencies, fire safe councils, utilities, tribes, and non-governmental organizations, can request a suspension of California’s environmental laws by attesting the project will follow the EPP and that suspensions are conditioned on the project’s compliance with EPP.

Projects must adhere to Best Management Practices to minimize impacts on water quality, air quality, tribal cultural resources, and other sensitive resources so as to balance the waiver of existing environmental permits. There are several requirements that must be met to secure the expedited permitting and suspension of state regulations:

1. The primary goal for vegetation removal must be for at least one of the following:
   • Removing hazardous, dead, and/or dying trees.
   • Creating strategic fuel breaks.
   • Strengthening community defensible space.
   • Building safer ingress/egress and/or reducing roadside ignitions.
   • Conducting cultural burning and/or prescribed fire treatments for fuel reduction.
   • Maintaining previously established fuel breaks.
2. The project request must be submitted in 2025.
3. Certified/licensed responsible parties will perform or supervise the work.
4. The work follows Best Management Practices and measures identified in the EPP.

Projects that are eligible for streamlining include those identified in Cal Fire Unit Fire Plans, Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans, and Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans.

The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force website hosts the project request form, the suspension process, eligibility requirements, and technical resources. The simple two-step process includes submitting a request form and uploading geospatial information. The state will notify applicants within 30 days of completing the request form if their project is eligible.

Cal Cities encourages cities to use the executive order to help protect their communities from wildfires and to perform essential vegetation management work ahead of the fire season. For questions, please contact the California Natural Resources Agency at FuelsReductionSOE@resources.ca.gov or Cal Cities Legislative Advocate Melissa Sparks-Kranz.