(a) In furtherance of the purposes of this article, the department may enter into agreements and make grants and take other actions necessary to carry out the purposes of this article.
(b) (1) The PTEIR for carbon sequestration and fuel reduction program conducted by the department shall encourage forest resource improvements and otherwise facilitate good timberland management through a program of financial and technical assistance to smaller nonindustrial landowners and coalitions of smaller nonindustrial landowners for the development of watershed-specific PTEIRs for watersheds where the primary focus of the contemplated work is reduction of greenhouse gases.
(2) The purpose of this program shall be to work cooperatively with public and private landowners, particularly smaller nonindustrial landowners, to upgrade the long-term management of their lands and, thereby improve the ability of their lands to both sequester carbon and to resist wildland fires that cause emissions of carbon.