Demonstration Forests and CEQA Streamlining for Wildfire Mitigation Bills Pass
Published Friday, May 29, 2026
Two bills addressing forest management and wildfire mitigation advanced out of the Assembly this week.
Assembly Bill 2494 by Assemblymember Chris Roger, D-Eureka, would make significant changes to the management priorities of California's 14 demonstration state forests, which encompass approximately 85,000 acres and serve as living laboratories for forestry research, education and resource management practices. Farm Bureau, joined by more than a dozen county Farm Bureaus, opposes the bill due to concerns about its potential impacts on active forest management and demonstration forest operations.
The bill passed the Assembly on May 28 on a party-line vote and now moves to the Senate. California Farm Bureau continues to work with stakeholders and legislators on amendments as the bill advances through the legislative process.
Assembly Bill 2410 by Assemblymember Stan Ellis, R-Bakersfield, would exempt certain critical fuels reduction projects from the California Environmental Quality Act through Jan. 1, 2030, when those projects are in communities within high fire threat districts or very high fire hazard severity zones. The bill would codify an existing exemption previously established through an executive order issued by Gov. Newsom.
Farm Bureau supports the bill as a tool to help accelerate wildfire mitigation efforts and reduce barriers to critical fuels management projects. The bill passed the Assembly with bipartisan support and now moves to the Senate.
Staff contact: Peter Ansel, pansel@cfbf.com.
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