AB 763: Timber harvesting: waste discharge requirements.
The bill requires a regional water quality control board to approve, deny, or act on a request for coverage for timber harvesting operations performed consistent with an approved timber harvesting plan. This applies to regional boards that have adopted general waste discharge requirements for timber harvesting. The regional board must consider the plan's compliance with those requirements when making a decision.
| May. 06, 2026 | Referred to Com. on E.Q. |
| Jan. 29, 2026 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| Jan. 29, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 70. Noes 0. Page 3884.) |
| Jan. 26, 2026 | Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. |
| Jan. 22, 2026 | From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (January 22). |
| Amended IN Assembly January 05, 2026 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Ward |
February 18, 2025 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to, and approved by, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Existing law prohibits an entity from substantially diverting or obstructing the natural flow of, or substantially changing or using any material from the bed, channel, or bank of, a river, stream, or lake, or deposit or dispose of debris, waste or other materials where it may pass into a river, stream, or lake unless the Department of Fish and Wildlife receives written notification of the activity and the entity has entered into a lake or stream agreement with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law provides that an entity submitting a timber harvesting plan, as prescribed, is deemed to have given notice to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law specifies that the Department of Fish and Wildlife is not required to issue an agreement fewer than 60 days from the date the notification is complete.
This bill would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue an agreement within 5 working days of the approval of a timber harvesting plan by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a)An entity that submits a timber harvesting plan in accordance with Section 4581 of the Public Resources Code or directly to the department is deemed to have given the notification required by Section 1602, as long as the following information is included in the plan:
(1)The volume, type, and equipment to be used in removing or displacing any one or combination of soil, sand, gravel, or boulders.
(2)The volume of water, intended use, and equipment to be used in any water diversion or impoundment, if applicable.
(3)The equipment to be used in road or bridge construction.
(4)The type and density of vegetation to be affected and an estimate of the area involved.
(5)A diagram or sketch of the location of the operation that clearly indicates the stream or other water and access from a named public road. Locked gates shall be indicated and the compass direction shall be shown.
(6)A description of the period of time in which operations will be carried out.
(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the department is not required to determine whether the notification is complete or otherwise process the notification until the timber harvesting plan and the proper notification fee have both been received by the department.
(c)The department shall issue an agreement within five working days of the approval of a timber harvesting plan by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(d)The date on which the term of an agreement issued pursuant to this section begins shall be the date timber operations first commence, unless the agreement specifies a later beginning date.
SEC. 2. SECTION 1.
13263.8.
For a regional board that has established general waste discharge requirements for timber harvesting pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 13263, notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 13269, the regional board