RCRC is asking Governor Gavin Newsom to veto legislation that would profoundly impact the management of California’s Demonstration State Forest (DSF) system. The bill, which recently passed the Legislature, conflicts with state forest resilience goals outlined in the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan and would severely diminish research opportunities for the forest science community.
RCRC requests that counties submit a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to veto this bill.
Assembly Bill 2494, authored by rural legislator Assemblymember Chris Rogers, was included in the wildfire “package” passed by the Legislature earlier this week. However, the legislation would ultimately harm the state’s wildfire mitigation goals by replacing established, scientifically-based forestry concepts with new and uncertain terminology governing the “management” of these public lands. The vague language will limit research opportunities on California’s DSFs at a time when federal land managers are working to severely diminish forest research on national forest system lands.
The bill also undermines the very purpose of DSFs while increasing the state’s risk of litigation against projects conducted on these lands. Instead of increasing revenues as promised, the bill will eliminate the self-sustaining fiscal model currently in place and raid other state funding sources while increasing costs due to potential litigation.
RCRC remains opposed to AB 2494 and is seeking a veto on the legislation.
To join this effort, a template veto request letter is available here.
For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton.