June 26, 2025
Project Sponsor Technical Support to Utilize Fast-Tracking Tool
The North Coast Resource Partnership is offering technical support for project sponsors to utilize the Request to Suspend State Statutes and Regulations Fast-Tracking Critical Fuels Reduction Projects Tool related to the Governor’s State of Emergency Proclamation.
In early March, Governor Newsom issued an Emergency Proclamation to address the ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfire across California. As a result, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) have developed a streamlined approach to allow eligible projects to suspend state regulations while following the recently developed Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) to expedite critical fuels reduction projects, while at the same time protecting public health and the environment.
The primary objective of the project must be at least one of these activities:
- Removal of hazardous, dead, and/or dying trees
- Removal of vegetation for the creation of strategic fuel breaks as identified by approved fire prevention plans, including without limitation, CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans or Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans
- Removal of vegetation for community defensible space
- Removal of vegetation along roadways, highways, and freeways for the creation of safer ingress and egress routes for the public and responders and/or to reduce roadside ignitions
- Removal of vegetation using cultural traditional ecological knowledge for cultural burning and/or prescribed fire treatments for fuels reduction
- Maintenance of previously established fuel breaks or fuels modification projects
NCRP TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR FAST-TRACKING APPLICATION
The North Coast Resource Partnership (NCRP) is collaborating with CNRA and CalEPA to implement this program by providing technical support for eligible projects within the North Coast region. Project sponsor applicants may receive guidance and recommendations for navigating the online tool, general project content development, including eligibility for suspended state regulations while following the EPP, timing requirements, best practices, and required documentation. Support will be provided by a technical expert, and will consist of a maximum of 5-10 hours of pro bono consultation. To request support, please email Rose Roberts: rroberts@northcoastresourcepartnership.org.