AB 1530: Urban forestry.

The California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 has as a stated purpose the promotion of the use of urban forest resources for purposes of increasing integrated projects with multiple benefits in urban communities.

This bill would provide that the purpose of the act is also to promote policies and incentives that advance improved maintenance of urban forest canopy to optimize multiple benefits, among other purposes.

The act authorizes the Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention to implement a program in urban forestry to encourage better tree management and planting in urban areas, as provided.

This bill would require the department to implement this program, establish local or regional targets for urban tree canopy, and develop or update regulations as necessary, as provided.

The act requires the department to provide technical assistance to urban areas with respect to certain actions, including planning for regional, county, and local land use analysis projects related to urban forestry.

The bill would also, among other things, require the department to provide technical assistance to urban areas with respect to the improvement and enhancement of local water capture for urban forest maintenance, and would define urban forest maintenance and local water for these purposes.

The act authorizes the director of the department to make grants to provide assistance for projects and to waive the cost sharing requirement for projects that are in disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities. The act defines disadvantaged community and severely disadvantaged community for these purposes.

This bill would redefine a disadvantaged community as one that is identified as such pursuant to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Investment Plan and Communities Revitalization Act. The bill would delete the definition of severely disadvantaged community and instead use low-income community as that term is used in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Investment Plan and Communities Revitalization Act. The bill would authorize the director to authorize advance payments from a grant awarded to a nonprofit organization that is located in or providing service to disadvantaged or low-income communities, as provided.

The act authorizes certain types of assistance, including funding for development of urban tree plans that include coordination of local agency efforts and citizen involvement.

This bill would also authorize assistance for funding for improved urban forest maintenance, and projects that respond to events that impact urban forest health, as provided, and funding for planning and technical assistance for eligible applicants assisting disadvantaged communities.