Covered wildfire mitigation projects: consolidated and expedited review.

Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which is known as and may be referred to as CAL-FIRE. Existing law establishes in CAL-FIRE the Office of the State Fire Marshal and requires that office to establish the Community Wildfire Mitigation Assistance Program to coordinate regional and local efforts with state policies, strategies, and programs for community wildfire mitigation in order to improve wildfire preparedness and prevention, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable communities. This bill would require that, notwithstanding any other law, any state-level environmental and resource permits, approvals, consultations, and reviews required for a covered wildfire mitigation project, as defined, be consolidated into a single coordinated review administered jointly by the consolidated review agencies, defined as the Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency. The bill would require an applicant seeking authorization to undertake a covered wildfire mitigation project to submit a single, consolidated application package to the consolidated review agencies. The bill would require the consolidated review agencies to establish timelines to complete their review and issue a determination on a complete application. The bill would require the project to be approved within 60 calendar days of receipt, as provided, and would authorize the applicant and the consolidated review agencies to agree to extend these timelines if both parties agree more information is required. The bill would require the determination to be in writing and to include specified information, including, among other things, a description of the project and a list of permits, agreements, or authorizations covered by the authorization. The bill would further provide for an expedited authorization, as defined, issued pursuant to these requirements, which would waive the requirement that the covered wildfire mi