4121.
(a) The department shall not require an applicant for a grant or other funding from moneys made available to the department from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code, to consider the greenhouse gas emissions impacts of a vegetation management project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) as a condition of applying for or receiving a grant or other funds from moneys made available from the fund. (b) For purposes of this section, “vegetation management project” means a project to improve forest health, reduce fuel loading, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by uncontrolled wildfires that involves thinning of overgrown brush, of trees that are 16 inches or less in diameter at breast height or 1.37 meters above the average ground level, or of trees exhibiting signs of disease or pest infestation, by mechanical thinning, piling, pile burning, chipping, prescribed fire, cultural fire, or grazing.