Streamlining Wildfire Risk Reduction in California: CalVTP and the Governor’s 2025 Emergency Proclamation
Written by Britta McOmber
As California continues to face increasingly destructive wildfires, the need for rapid and effective vegetation management in high fire hazard areas has never been more urgent. To meet this challenge, the state introduced two streamlined environmental review programs designed to accelerate wildfire risk reduction projects: the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) and Governor Newsom’s March 1, 2025 State of Emergency Proclamation (SOE). These initiatives offer distinct pathways for project approval while maintaining environmental safeguards.
Overview of CalVTP
CalVTP was developed by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to streamline CEQA compliance for vegetation treatment projects. It provides a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) that agencies can use to prepare a Project-Specific Analysis (PSA), significantly reducing the time and complexity of environmental review. Eligible projects must be located within the “treatable landscape” (primarily State Responsibility Areas), have wildfire risk reduction as their primary purpose, and be sponsored by a state or local public agency.
CalVTP covers a wide range of treatment types—including fuel breaks, wildland-urban interface (WUI) fuel reduction, and ecological restoration—and activities such as prescribed burning, mechanical/manual treatments, herbicide application, and prescribed herbivory. While it cannot be used on federal lands or for commercial timber sales, addenda to the PEIR may be used for projects partially outside the treatable landscape if impacts are similar. Approved projects must follow Standard Project Requirements (SPRs) and mitigation measures (MMs) identified in the PEIR to avoid or minimize environmental impacts.
Overview of the Governor’s March 1, 2025 Proclamation
The SOE authorizes the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to suspend 22 state statutes and regulations—including CEQA, CESA, and the Coastal Act—for qualifying fuels reduction projects. The Forest Practices Act rules remain in effect. Projects that receive suspension must focus on critical fuels reduction to combat catastrophic fires and promote community safety and resiliency. Eligible projects must be submitted in the 2025 calendar year, initiated by October 15, 2026, and completed within two years.
The SOE allows mechanical/manual treatments, herbicide application, prescribed herbivory, and broadcast, pile, and cultural burning. Unlike CalVTP, it permits incidental commercial timber sales and applies to projects crossing local, state, and federal lands. Federal laws like NEPA still apply. Approved projects must follow Best Management Practices (BMPs) identified in the Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) to avoid or minimize environmental impacts.
Key Differences
Benefits of Streamlining Environmental Review
Streamlining environmental review can accelerate implementation of wildfire mitigation projects by reducing administrative processes and enhancing interagency coordination. These programs aim to protect communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems from catastrophic fires while supporting proactive land management. Both CalVTP and the SOE incorporate some environmental safeguards through SPRs, MMs, and BMPs established in the PEIR and EPP.
How Aspen Can Help
Aspen Environmental Group offers expert guidance to clients navigating both CalVTP and SOE pathways. For CalVTP projects, Aspen supports PSA preparation, environmental checklists, and mitigation monitoring. For SOE-eligible projects, Aspen helps clients determine eligibility, prepare suspension requests, and ensure compliance with the EPP. With deep expertise in CEQA and wildfire mitigation, Aspen equips clients to move forward with risk reduction initiatives efficiently and responsibly.