SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California regulators said Tuesday that they have streamlined the state’s permit process to make it faster to approve tree-thinning projects designed to slow massive wildfires that have devastated communities in recent years. That will allow new projects to use the preapproved environmental analyses rather than starting fresh each time to meet the requirements of the California’s strict environmental laws. State regulators say they expect the streamlined process to create efficiencies that will help California eventually meet its goal of treating 500,000 acres of non-federal land annually. YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN...President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the state’s Democratic leaders for not doing enough to manage forests to prevent wildfires. The federal government is attempting to match the state’s goal of treating 500,000 acres each year.

Source: thestar December 31, 2019 20:37 UTC