Sacramento – Today, legislation authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R-San Diego) to provide an incentive for the clearing and transport of dry brush from high fire risk areas passed on the floor of the state Assembly.
Assembly Bill 1300 is part of a fire prevention and mitigation effort to reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled wildfires by creating additional defensible space in an environmentally-conscious way.
Exhausting no general fund moneys, Assembly Bill 1300 establishes a pilot program through CALFIRE for local Fire Safe Councils to offset the cost of clearing and transporting dry brush from high burn areas to biomass energy facilities.
Collected brush will be converted into clean renewable energy.
“San Diegans know the devastation that wildfires can wreak upon a community,” Assemblyman Fletcher said. “In the 2003 and 2007 fire seasons, the San Diego region I represent burned more than any other in the state.”
“Assembly Bill 1300 will come to the aid of fire-prone communities like mine by providing a cost-efficient way to remove the brush that fuels fires. In passing this bill the Assembly accomplishes two goals. First, we proactively reduce the threat and impact of wildfires and, second, we contribute to the state’s renewable energy portfolio. Knowing that this legislation can help reduce the number of Californians who lose their property, land and livelihoods in fires makes it a must-have for the people of the 75th District and for California.”
AB 1300 is the result of a collaborative effort between Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, the Sierra Club, California Fire Safe Councils, the California Forestry Association, the Regional Council of Rural Counties, and the Personal Insurance Federation among others.
Assemblyman Fletcher represents the 75th Assembly District, which includes City of San Diego communities of La Jolla, University City, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos, and Carmel Valley, and the communities of Fairbanks Ranch, and Rancho Santa Fe along with the City of Poway and portions of Escondido.
