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<ns0:Id>20250AB__166698AMD</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>98</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-29</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-19</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:MeasureNum>1666</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Rogers</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Rogers</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 91530 of, and to add Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 4820) to Part 2.5 of Division 4 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to forestry, and making an appropriation therefor. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>forestry, and making an appropriation therefor</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Forest management: biomass innovation parks.</ns0:Subject>
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<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>
(1)
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Existing law establishes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the Natural Resources Agency and requires the department 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 the department.
</html:p>
<html:p>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, to identify one or more biomass innovation parks. The bill would require the agency 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, and that each park establish a community benefits program.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would additionally require the agency, in coordination with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, 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 State Air Resources Board, among other things, to publish on its internet website an assessment of life-cycle emissions from alternative uses of California-sourced wood waste. The bill would require the Strategic Growth Council and the Department of Housing and Community Development to consider incorporating the use of durable wood products in housing grant programs. The bill would require the California Building Standards Commission to identify and adopt new measures that incentivize durable wood products. 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.</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (bond
act), approved by the voters as Proposition 4 at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands, park creation and outdoor access, and clean air programs. Of these funds, the bond act makes $50,000,000 available for projects in California that provide long-term capital infrastructure to use forest and other vegetative waste removed for wildfire mitigation for noncombustible uses that maximize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, provide local air quality benefits, and increase local community resilience against climate change impacts, as specified.
</html:p>
<html:p> This bill would appropriate an unspecified sum of money from the $50,000,000 made available as described above to the agency for the agency to support the Biomass Innovation Park Grants and Financing Program, as provided, thereby making an appropriation.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>YES</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_D16E8359-9F0B-41D5-B4B3-A04799339DF6">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
California is currently facing a wood waste crisis, whereby tens of millions of tons of forest biomass from wildfire prevention and agricultural biomass from crops, orchards, and vineyards are being piled and burned or left to decay in place every year, causing significant carbon and air pollution.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Existing state policy, including the “2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality” adopted by the
State Air Resources Board, identifies the need to collect and convert these residues into carbon-beneficial end uses, including low-carbon fuels, including biomethane, sustainable aviation fuel, and hydrogen, engineered wood products, including mass timber, and carbon dioxide removal.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Existing state policy, Resolution 22-21 “2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality,” adopted December 15, 2022, by the State Air Resources Board, provides that the state board has determined that the “expansion of biomass combustion for energy production should not be pursued and opportunities for noncombustion biomass solutions should be prioritized”.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 4820) is added to Part 2.5 of Division 4 of the
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, to read:
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<ns0:LawHeading id="id_D2FE40A1-04A9-44C4-BC41-95CD889592BB" type="CHAPTER">
<ns0:Num>7.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawHeadingVersion id="id_DEEFB0FA-F2B4-4C93-9BA3-5FBF27540415">
<ns0:LawHeadingText>Biomass Innovation Parks</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>4820.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Biomass Innovation Parks Act.</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_7C0AADC3-81FC-45A8-8E6B-175570C76679">
<ns0:Num>4821.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Agency” means the Natural Resources Agency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Agricultural biomass residues” means crop, orchard, vineyard, or other agricultural residues, and excludes dairy manure and crops grown for the primary purpose of producing energy.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Biomass program” means the Biomass Innovation Park Grants and Financing Program established pursuant to Section 4827.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Eligible applicant” includes, but is not limited to, state or local agencies, California Indian tribes, nongovernmental organizations, joint
powers authorities, or special districts.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Forest biomass residues” means material removed for wildfire mitigation, forest restoration projects, or the protection of public safety and infrastructure. “Forest biomass residues” does not include trees grown for the primary purpose of producing energy.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Park” means a biomass innovation park identified by the Natural Resources Agency pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4822.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Wood waste” means forest biomass residues or agricultural biomass residues.
</html:p>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_13C9458F-47A3-479A-83A4-5523EED72500">
<ns0:Num>4822.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The agency, in coordination with the Department of Food and Agriculture, shall identify one or more parks pursuant to subdivision (b).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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The agency shall develop guidelines and facilitate a planning process for purposes of identifying parks pursuant to subdivision (a) and guidelines for purposes of soliciting proposals from eligible applicants to develop, operate, and manage a park. The guidelines shall include all of the following requirements:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Each park shall only process wood waste that originated in California.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Each park shall only host projects that use a noncombustion technology to convert wood
waste into carbon-beneficial products or end uses, including, but not limited to, engineered wood products, biomethane, clean hydrogen, and carbon dioxide removal.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Each park shall require its facilities to use the best available control technologies in order to minimize air pollution.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Each park shall establish a community benefits program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The agency may establish additional requirements that are related to the planning and solicitation process described in subdivision (b) at its discretion.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The agency may perform additional activities to facilitate park identification and early-stage development, including, but not limited to, coordinating stakeholders, engaging communities, providing technical assistance, and reporting to the
Legislature.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_CFE73AC2-73B7-4343-91E2-30F82838C938">
<ns0:Num>4823.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The agency, in coordination with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, shall do all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Develop regional wood waste availability assessments.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Develop new, or support existing, public agencies to facilitate long-term forest biomass residues feedstock supply from federal government and nonindustrial private lands. This support may include, but is not limited to, technical assistance.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Adopt a tracking system to trace and authenticate forest biomass origins.
</html:p>
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</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_FF43F1E1-96D6-4D8F-8621-18801C2EA4F6">
<ns0:Num>4824.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_170C02AF-1AB1-4D7C-B26E-D65628964077">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The State Air Resources Board shall do both of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Publish on its internet website an assessment of life-cycle emissions from alternative uses of California-sourced wood waste.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Ensure that engineered wood products, including, but not limited to, mass timber, are included in the embodied carbon trading system pursuant to Section 38561.6 of the Health and Safety Code.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_72C5F4EB-E885-45C5-A13F-C83012474AC4">
<ns0:Num>4825.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_B1756E78-DFCF-43A2-BEA5-63713E50235D">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Strategic Growth Council and the Department of Housing and Community Development shall consider incorporating the use of engineered wood products in housing grant programs.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_7ABFF8F3-A2AD-494E-AB8C-C4120B158634">
<ns0:Num>4826.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_B86E7363-9C0B-4420-AD09-0A74582E7BBD">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The California Building Standards Commission shall identify and adopt new measures that incentivize engineered wood products.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_ADF50EDD-6E00-4295-890F-343220B1AA66">
<ns0:Num>4827.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_96B593C2-DC20-4FE2-B1AC-F24456415F2B">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Biomass Innovation Park Grants and Financing Program is hereby established, to be administered by the agency, for purposes of this chapter.</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>4828.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The agency shall deliver a report to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2027, containing information pertaining to the parks identified pursuant to Section 4822.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section shall become inoperative on December 31, 2031.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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Section 91530 of the
<ns0:DocName>Public Resources Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>91530.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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Of the funds made available by Section 91500, fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Department of Conservation or State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission for projects in California that provide long-term capital infrastructure to use forest and other vegetative waste removed for wildfire mitigation for noncombustible uses that maximize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, provide local air quality benefits, and increase local community resilience against climate change impacts.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Of the funds made available by subdivision (a), the sum of ____ dollars ($____) is hereby appropriated to the Natural Resources Agency to support the Biomass Innovation Park Grants and Financing Program established pursuant to Section 4827.
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