{"id":190465,"date":"2025-04-17T12:17:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T19:17:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=190465"},"modified":"2025-04-17T12:17:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T19:17:18","slug":"california-launches-streamlined-online-permitting-to-fast-track-critical-wildfire-safety-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=190465","title":{"rendered":"California Launches Streamlined Online Permitting to Fast-Track Critical Wildfire Safety Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sacramento, CA…A new online streamlining request process cuts bureaucratic red tape and now makes it faster to get state approval to implement forest and vegetation management projects, which are critical to reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires. This new process will shorten project approvals to as little as 30 days \u2013 saving a year or more of review and red tape for more complicated projects.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\n

This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by the State of California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and most recently\u00a0Governor Newsom\u2019s emergency proclamation<\/strong><\/a>. Full information on project eligibility and the suspension request form are available\u00a0here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new process to accelerate critical wildfire safety projects advances some of the essential actions identified in the Governor\u2019s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force\u2019s ambitious\u00a025 key deliverables for 2025<\/strong><\/a>, and builds on statewide efforts to move fast\u00a0to prepare communities ahead of peak wildfire season<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by promoting key safety measures such as hardening homes and creating defensible space.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Peak fire season is still ahead of us, yet this year has already been marked by some of the most destructive wildfires in California\u2019s history. We need to move faster and go bigger.<\/p>\n

This new streamlined process, which builds on historic investments and nation leading actions to confront catastrophic wildfires, cuts red tape to fast-track more wildfire projects than ever before.<\/p>\n

Governor Gavin Newsom<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Faster permitting without compromising environmental protections<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0new process<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0will allow practitioners across the state to move faster without compromising important environmental protections. A new\u00a0Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(EPP) has been developed to enable critical wildfire safety projects to proceed expeditiously while protecting public health and the environment. The EPP requires applicants to comply with best management practices and measures to minimize impacts to environmental resources while completing fuels reduction projects, ensuring the safeguarding of water and air quality, tribal cultural resources, and special-status species and their habitats.<\/p>\n

Expanding prescribed and cultural fire<\/h2>\n

In addition to streamlining permitting, leaders from across the state have already come together in response to the Emergency Proclamation to start developing recommendations on specific actions to expand and expedite the implementation of prescribed and cultural fire. On April 11,\u00a0a virtual briefing<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0provided an overview on the execution of the Proclamation and provided the public an opportunity to share recommendations for expanding beneficial fire.<\/p>\n

Building on unprecedented progress<\/h2>\n

New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to\u00a0increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0A full list of California\u2019s progress on wildfire resilience is available\u00a0here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Highlights of achievements to date include:<\/p>\n