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AB 1492 UPDATE FOR BOARD OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION March 8, 2017

California Natural Resources Agency Departments of Conservation, Fish and Wildlife, Forestry and Fire Protection

California Environmental Protection Agency State and Regional Water Boards

Overview of Presentation • Budget • CalTREES • THP Review Times and THP Returns • Campbell Creek Pilot Project • Grant Programs • Ecological Performance Measures • Training

Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund Revenues and Expenditures

(millions of dollars) 2015/16 (actual)

2016/17 (projected)

BEGINNING BALANCE $28.0 $27.9 REVENUES $39.8 $41.0 TOTAL RESOURCES $67.8 $68.9 EXPENDITURES

Natural Resources Agency $2.6 $1.2 Department of Forestry and Fire Protection $18.2 $21.8 Department of Conservation $3.7 $4.1 Department of Fish and Wildlife $8.8 $8.5 State Water Resources Control Board $5.3 $6.1 Board of Equalization $1.2 $1.8 Pro Rata Assessment $2.5

TOTAL EXPENDITURES $39.9 $46.1 RESERVES $27.9 $22.8

Budget Changes in FY 2016-17 • Water Boards:

• 5 limited-term positions converted to permanent.

• Board of Forestry and Fire Protection: • $425,000/year for two years for EMC.

• Natural Resources Agency: • $230,000/year (ongoing) for public participation process

and technical/science support; including authority to make per diem payments to non-agency members of advisory bodies.

CA Timber Regulation and Environmental Evaluation System

• The Natural Resources Agency Data Center is managing a contractor for the development of this on-line timber harvest permitting system.

• CAL FIRE (lead) and the other Review Team agencies, plus the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Executive Officer, are working closely with the contactor.

• CalTREES will support several AB 1492 Program Goals: • Efficiency

• Plan Submission and Review • Data Collection • Reporting

• Transparency

• Outreach includes: • Past presentations to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection; • Numerous discussions with a wide range of stakeholders; • Two stakeholder workshops held in January 2017; • Invitations to interested stakeholders to engage closely in the

system design process. • Three phases of system development:

1. Submission of harvest plans (THPS, NTMPs, etc.) or permit notices (to be completed by October 2017);

2. Review and approval of plans, including preharvest inspections (April 2018);

3. Post-approval processes such as operation inspections, completion inspections, enforcement actions (May 2018).

THP & NTMP Review Times and THP Return Issues

Approved Plan Review Time Statistics, Fiscal Years 2011-12 to 2015-16.

Fiscal Year

Harvest Document

Type Count Acres

Minimum Days in Review

Maximum Days in Review

Average Days in Review

2011-12 THP 270 139,553 26 1,632 151 2012-13 THP 243 107,051 36 1,547 159 2013-14 THP 278 146,384 40 927 124 2014-15 THP 260 128,644 33 1,025 107 2015-16 THP 254 94,650 26 1,281 127

2011-12 NTMP 14 10,932 62 389 167 2012-13 NTMP 12 7,365 81 2,688 493 2013-14 NTMP 10 4,126 85 436 189 2014-15 NTMP 12 3,367 69 546 139 2015-16 NTMP 11 5,572 72 291 135

Plan Review Statistics

Plan Review Statistics

THP Returns as Percent of Submittals

Reasons for THP Returns, 2013 - 2016

AB 1492 Pilot Project • Objective to identify opportunities to increase efficiencies for:

• timber harvest planning and permitting processes • cumulative effects analysis • forest restoration

• Initial work is based on publically-reviewed “Concept Paper” • 3 drafts, 2 public workshops, lots of public comments

• Campbell Creek Planning Watershed – S. Fork Ten Mile River (Lyme Timber Co. primary landowner)

Campbell Creek Planning Watershed

Campbell Creek Planning Watershed





• Collection/collating of existing data (except LiDAR) • Multi-agency and stakeholder working group (12 public members, 9 agency

staff) • Assisted by additional 16 agency staff

• First public meeting was in December

Pilot Project Working Group





• Collection/collating of existing data (except LiDAR) • Multi-agency and stakeholder working group (12 public members, 9 agency

staff) • Assisted by additional 16 agency staff

• First public meeting was in December • Currently: developing Scope of Work with public members and agency staff • Up to two more Pilot Projects in the future

Pilot Project Public Process

Data and Monitoring Working Group’s Objectives and the Campbell Creek Pilot Project

Lidar Acquisition

Southwestern Mendocino County

Complete By

4/1 4/30 1/31/2018

Activity

Lidar flights Ground survey Final lidar data

Adjacent High Quality Lidar Datasets

Project Area Quality* Sq. Mi.

SW Mendocino Co QL1 1,228 Sonoma County QL1 1,644 Russian River QL2 535 Lake County QL2 1,342 _____ total approx. 4,750 mi2

* QL1 requires nominal pulse density of 8 pts/m2.

QL2 requires nominal pulse density of 2 pts/m2.

Forest Restoration Grant Programs • Department of Fish and Wildlife

• State Water Board

• Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Forest Land Anadromous Restoration Grants

• TRFRF-funded; AB1492: “Existing restoration grant programs”

• $2 million per FY • Supports projects on non-federal forest lands that

address impacts to anadromous salmonids from past forest management activities (“forest legacy issues”)

• Administered through DFW Fisheries Restoration Grants Program

Watersheds Included Under FLAR

Forest Lands Anadromous Restoration Grant Funds To-Date

Nonpoint Source Pollution in California >75% of impaired water bodies are impacted by nonpoint source pollution. Most significant sources of NPS Pollution are from: • Agriculture and Grazing • Forestry/Timber • Hydro-modification • Coastal and Aquatic Habitat impacts • Septic

CWA Section 319 Funding in EPA Region 9 – FY 2015

AZ CA HI NV AM Samoa Guam Marianas

Arizona $2,469,700

California $8,023,000* Hawaii $1,161,300

Nevada $1,279,600

American Samoa $405,300

Guam $405,300

Marianas $405,300

*Nationally, CA is largest state allocation (5.34%), Texas second (4.75%), & Illinois third (4.12%)

California

• $2 Million per year • Projects that can demonstrate water quality improvement through the application of Forest Management Measures

• Example Projects • Stream Restoration • Road Stabilization • Post Fire Recovery • Fuels Reduction

State Water Board Timber Grant Program

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/nps/solicitation_notice.shtml

The California Forest Improvement Program-CFIP

• The purpose of the California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP) program is to encourage private and public investment in, and improved management of, California forest lands and resources.

• The CFIP can provide eligible landowners with technical and financial assistance for planning, reforestation and resource management investments that improve the quality and value of forestland. Under current State law, CFIP can help with rebuilding forest, soil, water, fish and wildlife resources to meet our future needs for a healthy environment and productive forest and woodlands.

• Cost share program that will reimburse landowners up to 75% of the cap cost for allowable activities.

• Up to 90% on watershed/habitat improvement projects or where forestland has been damaged by a catastrophic event (e.g., wildfire).


CFIP Eligibility

• Landowners must have 20 acres minimum, 5,000 acres maximum of forestland in CA.

• Must be nonindustrial private forestland that can support at least 10% native tree canopy.

• Landowner must agree to keep land in a compatible use (i.e., no conversion), and in forest management for a minimum of 10 years. Must record Land Use Addendum.

• $100,000 maximum project cost.

Allowable activities include: • Management Plan Development • RPF Supervision • Site Preparation • Reforestation • Tree Shelters • Pre-commercial Thinning • Pruning • Release • Follow-up • Habitat Improvement/Land Conservation/

Wildlife/Fisheries • “Fuels treatment”- PCT + follow up + pruning


CFIP Funds and Staffing In FY 2015/16, established 8 limited-term positions and $3-3.5 million annually (2 years) for CFIP grants.

TRFRF funding in FY’s 15/16 and 16/17 has enabled the CFIP program to encumber 183 projects across 52,200 acres statewide. Over $2 million has been encumbered specifically within the mortality counties for dead tree removal and reforestation projects across 48 projects. With the proposed 2017-18 funds ($3.4 million) we anticipate completing an additional 100 CFIP grant contracts that will provide forest restoration on over 35,000 acres.

Understory Brush Removal for Fuel Reduction

Ecological Performance Measures

• AB 1492 recognizes the need for ecological performance measures (EPMs) as provided for in the statute in several places.

• Approach: • Prepare a background White Paper to help Program staff and

stakeholders understand and meaningfully discuss the subject. • Following outreach to experts and stakeholders, Program staff

developed an outline for the EPM White Paper. • UC Cooperative Forestry Extension and UC Berkeley are preparing

the EPM White Paper. • Several draft sections in process. • Expect complete draft to share with public and begin stakeholder

workshops and discussion in spring 2017.

Ecological Performance Measures

Training and Educational Opportunities

Cross-Training and Collaboration • Review Team Agency Roles and Responsibilities • Basic Forest Practices • Water Drafting Workshop • Forestry for Non-Foresters • Watercourse Crossing Workshop • Watercourse Classification • Collaboration/Joint Ventures with Stakeholders • Timber Training and Resource Website • More to come…

The workshop included a classroom module and hands-on field demonstrations.

Workshop Locations: Willits, Redding, Eureka , Rancho Cordova

Water Drafting Workshop

2016

Forestry for Non-Foresters 2016

Timber Harvest Training and Resources Website

Thank You!