On Wednesday, May 1st, the Board of Forestry will host a third and final workshop to consider amendments to the Forest Practice Rules to address how electric utilities conduct vegetation management work within public rights of way, as well as how public agencies conduct similar work. The focus of the discussion is expected to be on more controversial aspects of amendments requested by PG&E. These amendments would more than double the size of the right-of-way for electric distribution lines under 33KV and significantly increasing those distances for higher voltage lines and telephone cables/open wires. These changes are expected to significantly impact property owners who have distribution and transmission lines running across their land. Regarding the changes that would impact public agencies, Board of Forestry has characterized its intent to largely maintain the status quo and remove controversial changes to “timber operations” and “timberlands” that would have brought such right-of-way maintenance activities within the definition of “timber operations,” requiring a Notice of Exemption to be prepared by a Registered Professional Forester.
This workshop will be conducted in-person at the California Natural Resources Agency (715 P Street, Room 305, Sacramento, CA) on May 1, 2024, from noon to 5pm with an option to participate remotely, see here. For questions, please contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.