AB-763 • 2026

Timber harvesting: waste discharge requirements.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Ward
Last action: 2026-01-29
Official status: In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the impact of incomplete requests or existing agreements, leaving these points uncertain.

Timber Harvesting: Waste Discharge Requirements

This law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue streambed agreements within five working days after receiving approval from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for a timber harvesting plan, and it sets a time limit for regional water quality control boards to act on waste discharge requests.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue an agreement within 5 working days after receiving approval from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for a timber harvesting plan.
Sets a requirement that regional water quality control boards must approve, deny, or act on requests for waste discharge requirements related to timber harvesting within 5 working days if they have general rules in place.

Who It Names or Affects

Timber companies and other entities that plan to harvest trees
The Department of Fish and Wildlife and regional water quality control boards

Terms To Know

timber harvesting plan: A detailed plan for cutting down trees, prepared by a professional forester.
streambed agreement: An agreement with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to follow rules when working near streams during timber operations.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a request is incomplete or missing information.
It's unclear how this will affect existing agreements or plans that are already in place.

Bill History

2026-01-29 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-01-29 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 70. Noes 0. Page 3884.)
2026-01-26 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (January 22).
2026-01-13 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on W. P., & W.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W. P., & W. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-04 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on W. P., & W. and E.S & T.M.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 763, as amended, Ward.
Timber harvesting:
streambed agreement:
waste discharge requirements.
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 Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act requires a California regional water quality control board to prescribe waste discharge requirements for the discharge of pollutants into state waters and authorizes the regional board to prescribe general waste discharge requirements for a category of discharges if the regional board finds or determines that certain criteria apply to the discharges in that category.
This bill would require, for a regional board that has adopted general waste discharge requirements for timber harvesting, the regional board to
authorize
approve, deny, or otherwise act on a request for coverage for
timber harvesting operations performed consistent with an approved timber harvesting plan subject to those general waste discharge
requirements within 5 working days of receiving a complete request.
requirements.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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