HB21-1008: Forest Health Project Financing

• Authorizes counties, municipalities, special districts, and water districts to conduct or participate in forest health projects both within and outside their boundaries to reduce wildfire risk and protect water supplies.

• Allows separate legal entities established under inter-governmental contracts to create special or local improvement districts and levy special assessments on benefited properties to finance forest health projects.

• Expands lease-purchase agreement authority for counties and municipalities to include financing of forest health projects, in addition to traditional public improvements.

• Defines "forest health project" to include management actions that reduce insect disease and wildfire threats, replant trees, reduce nonnative species impacts, and improve utilization of small diameter trees and woody vegetation for energy and forest products.

• Extends the repeal date of watershed protection and forest health project provisions from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2033.