AB 1666: Forest management: biomass innovation parks: wood products.

Existing law establishes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL-FIRE) in the Natural Resources Agency and requires CAL-FIRE to coordinate programs of fire protection, fire prevention, pest control, and forest and range maintenance and enhancement. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to establish a working group on expanding wood product markets that can utilize woody biomass, especially biomass removed from high fire hazard zones, as determined by CAL-FIRE.

This bill would enact the Biomass Innovation Parks Act, which would establish the Biomass Innovation Park Grants and Financing Program, to be administered by the agency. The bill would require the agency, in coordination with the Department of Food and Agriculture (department) and CAL-FIRE, on or before September 30, 2027, to identify one or more biomass innovation parks, as provided. The bill would require the agency, in coordination with the department and CAL-FIRE, to develop guidelines and facilitate a planning process for the purposes of identifying the parks and guidelines for purposes of soliciting proposals from an eligible applicant, as defined, as provided. The bill would require the guidelines to include specified things, including, among other things, that each park shall only process wood waste, as defined, that originated in California, that each park only host projects that use a noncombustion technology to convert wood waste into carbon-beneficial products or end uses, as specified, and that each park establish a community benefits program. In order to facilitate the planning process described above, the bill would authorize the agency, in coordination with the department and CAL-FIRE, to develop guidance on specified things, including, among others, guidance for a public agency and private industry to partner on a park proposal.

This bill would additionally require the agency, in coordination with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and CAL-FIRE, to, among other things, develop regional wood availability assessments and to adopt a tracking system to trace and authenticate forest biomass origins. The bill would require the Strategic Growth Council and the Department of Housing and Community Development to consider incorporating the use of wood products in housing grant programs, as provided. The bill would require the California Building Standards Commission to identify and adopt new measures that incentivize wood products produced in California. The bill would require the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, in coordination with the Department of General Services, on or before September 30, 2027, to develop a strategy to support the procurement of wood products, including, but not limited to, mass timber, in relation to state-funded projects involving the construction or reconstruction of buildings. The bill would require the agency to deliver a report to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2027, containing information pertaining to the identified parks.