April 6, 2024 - The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) reports next week, the Board of Forestry’s Management Committee will meet and continue to 
discuss 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 discussion will focus on a more controversial request by PG&E to more than double the size of the right-of-way for electric distribution lines under 33KV, and to significantly increase rights-of-way for higher voltage lines and telephone cables/open wires. These changes are expected to substantially impact property owners who have distribution and transmission lines running across their land.
Regarding the changes that would impact public agencies, the Board of Forestry has characterized its intent to largely maintain the status quo and remove controversial proposed changes to “timber operations” and “timberlands” that would have brought maintenance activities within the definition of “timber operations,” and required a Notice of Exemption to be prepared by a Registered Professional Forester.
The Board of Forestry Management Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 9th at 1pm. The meeting can be viewed here.
RCRC requests local government feedback on the draft amendments and urges participation in the upcoming meeting.
ABOUT RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA (RCRC)
The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a thirty-seven member county strong service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. RCRC is dedicated to representing the collective unique interests of its membership, providing legislative and regulatory representation at the State and Federal levels, and providing responsible services for its members to enhance and protect the quality of life in rural California counties. To learn more about RCRC, visit rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Source: RCRC
