AB 706CALIFORNIASession 20252026

California creates FOREST program to subsidize biomass power plants using wildfire-prone forest waste

Original title: Forest Organic Residue, Energy, and Safety Transformation (FOREST) and Wildfire Prevention Fund Act.

September 4, 2026

Wildfire Prevention Biomass Energy Forest Management Renewable Energy State Funding ForestOrganicResidue,Energy,andSafetyTransformation(FOREST)andWildfirePreventionFundAct

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Where This Stands

Currently Unknown. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Version history & redline

6 versions on file

Official version history is partial: 6 linked texts are unavailable or incomplete. Source links remain available below.

Comparing 04/23/25 - Amended Assembly → 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly

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The Frame

What this does

This bill shifts state funding priorities to incentivize the use of forest biomass for electricity, directly impacting how forest waste is managed in high-hazard wildfire zones and how renewable energy facilities are compensated.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Biomass power generation facilities

Facilities may receive reimbursement at an incentive rate if they meet feedstock and location requirements.

Department of Fish and Wildlife

The department loses the authorization to receive loans from the Timber Fund for addressing environmental damage from marijuana cultivation.

Electrical corporations

These entities are involved in the purchase of electricity from facilities participating in the program.

What changed

Last recorded activity September 4, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL-FIRE) is the primary state agency responsible for wildfire prevention and forest management in California. context
Tier 1 and Tier 2 high hazard zones were established following a 2015 state of emergency proclamation by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. regarding tree mortality. context

Summary

AB 706 establishes the FOREST program to provide financial incentives for biomass power facilities that use forest waste from high-hazard wildfire zones. The bill creates a new state fund to support these operations and redirects existing Timber Fund money to prioritize biomass energy production over previous environmental restoration projects.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FOREST program?

It is a new state program designed to maintain and expand by providing financial incentives to facilities that use forest waste from high-hazard wildfire areas.

Where does the money for this program come from?

The program is funded by the newly created FOREST and Wildfire Prevention Fund, as well as redirected moneys from the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund or the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

What are Tier 1 and Tier 2 high hazard zones?

These are areas identified by state agencies as having high risks for wildfire and falling trees, originally defined in a 2015 emergency proclamation.

News Coverage

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Related Legislation

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