The Barbed Wire - March 15, 2019

RCRC Adopts Policy to Support Gubernatorial Appointees and Takes First Official Action

Earlier this week, the RCRC Board of Directors adopted a new policy to offer a support position for Gubernatorial appointees during the California State Senate’s confirmation process.

“RCRC is the preeminent voice on issues impacting California’s rural counties, and it is important that the organization is able to advocate for state government leaders that recognize the challenges that rural communities face,” said Matt Kingsley, RCRC Chair and Inyo County Supervisor.  “California’s government relies on a large number of appointees – most who are selected by the Governor – to operate a number of state agencies, boards, and commissions.  These entities (i.e. the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Transportation Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife) have a large impact on rural county governments and the communities they serve.” 

In their first official action regarding this new policy, RCRC officially endorsed the confirmation of Chief Thom Porter as the Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and Wade Crowfoot as the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency.  Secretary Crowfoot’s nomination will be considered by the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday, while Chief Porter’s review in the State Senate is likely to occur later this spring.

Federal Disaster Relief Update

The U.S. Senate did not approve an emergency disaster relief provision this week.  Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) blamed Democrats for stalling negotiations and delaying relief for disaster victims.  

Chair Shelby complained Democrats are continuously changing their funding requests that determine the size and scope of the bill.  Democrats on the Appropriations Committee dismissed Chair Shelby’s accusations.  Chair Shelby is looking to pass a disaster relief package before the end of the month, but Congress is in recess next week, placing the Chair’s timeline in doubt.

A group of Senate Republicans introduced a disaster relief measure last month that closely resembled a disaster bill that passed the House earlier this year.  Chair Shelby is expected to introduce his own bipartisan measure, in conjunction with Democrat appropriators, which the Senate will take on after the recess.

President’s Budget Cuts Interior

President Donald Trump released his official budget request for Fiscal 2020 this week.  The $4.7 billion budget includes cuts to the Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and across the rest of the executive branch totaling $2.7 trillion over 10 years.  

The budget release grabs headlines every year, but is always dead on arrival in Congress.  President Trump’s budget request includes $12.8 billion to fund the DOI, a 5.2 percent cut from the Fiscal 2019 enacted level of $13.5 billion.  The Administration prioritizes funding within the DOI for more energy and economic development of public lands.  Notably, the budget requests a 2 percent cut in funding for wildfire management on public lands.  The budget would also support the Trump Administration’s longtime goal of relocating the administrative resources of the DOI from Washington D.C. to western states that hold the majority of U.S. federal land acreage.

The Trump Administration released a budget outline this week that highlights the topline funding numbers and policy priorities behind the budget request.  The individual departments are expected to release more in-depth budget requests next week, along with their justification documentation.  House Budget Chair John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky) hopes to begin mark ups on the budget in early April.  The rollout of President Trump’s budget request was considerably delayed by the recent government shutdown.

Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 1530 (Cooley) – Cannabis

RCRC has lent its support to Assembly Bill 1530, authored by Assembly Member Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova).  AB 1530 furthers the position that municipalities can regulate and/or prohibit mobile deliveries of cannabis products. 

Several weeks ago, regulations were adopted by the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) that allow for mobile deliveries of cannabis products even in counties that prohibit this activity.  As such, municipalities are left with two options to counter these regulations.  The first, is to make the law even more clear by enacting AB 1530 which simply says “A local jurisdiction may adopt an ordinance or resolution pursuant to Section 26200 that permits, restricts, limits, or bans the delivery of cannabis or cannabis products to a location within its jurisdictional boundaries.”  The second option is to challenge the validity of the regulations in court – something that is regrettable, but necessary.

RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.  Currently, AB 1530 awaits consideration in the Assembly.  For more information, Paul A. Smith, RCRC Governmental Affairs Vice President, can be reached at (916) 447-4806 or psmith@rcrcnet.org.

THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST

The Rural Rundown discusses the legislative and regulatory issues impacting California’s rural counties, featuring commentary and interviews from individuals committed to improving the quality of life in rural California. 

The Rural Rundown can be accessed here. 

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

Rural Counties ESJPA Hosts Solid Waste Webinar

The Rural Counties ESJPA is holding its first free Solid Waste 101 webinar on March 20, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.  This free webinar is open to anyone interested in learning more about how to manage solid waste, including county staff, consultants, etc. 

Click here

Fire Summit Being Held In North State

The University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources in partnership with the California Science Consortium is hosting a Fire Summit – Vision 20/20: A Fire Resilient California.

The summit will provide:

• Provide an opportunity for shared learning from diverse attendees;
• Enhance community wildfire planning;
• Daylight best practices on community and state levels; and,
• And develop actionable items in policy, communications, management, planning, economic development, public- private partnerships, etc. to help build fire resiliency.

The cost of the Summit is $50 and will take place on April 16-17, 2019 in Redding, California at the Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge.  Details on the event can be accessed here.  RSVPs must be submitted by March 15, 2019 and can be submitted here. 

California Farm Bureau Federation Releases Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Resource

Click here

USDA Seeks Public Comments on Conservation Practice Standards

Click here

United Policyholders Hosts Free Webinar: Tax & Financial Strategies for 2017 and 2018 Wildfire-Impacted Households

Click here

United Policyholders Hosts Roadmap to Recovery Workshops

Click here

PPIC Report: Water rand the Future of the San Joaquin Valley

Click here

Regional Water Authority and Sacramento Groundwater Authority Seeks Executive Director

Click here

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  

Assembly Bill 41 (Gallagher): Disaster Relief: Camp Fire. Assembly Bill 41 provides that the State share for disaster relief is born by the State as it relates to the Camp Fire that started in November 2018 in Butte County. Status: AB 41 awaits consideration in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 72 (Assembly Budget Committee): Budget Act of 2018. Assembly Bill 72 amends the Budget Act of 2018 by amending and adding items of appropriation and making other changes. Status: AB 72 has been signed into law by the Governor. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 343 (Patterson) Forestry: Biomass Energy. Assembly Bill 343 would require the California Natural Resources Agency to create and implement a program to offset the costs of transporting fuels to a biomass energy facility. Status: AB 343 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 394 (Obernolte): California Environmental Quality Act: Exemption: Fire Safety. Assembly Bill 394 expedites fire safety improvements for subdivisions that are at significant fire risk and lack a secondary escape route. Status: AB 394 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 62 (Dodd): Endangered Species: Accidental Take. Senate Bill 62 would make permanent an “accidental take” of candidate, threatened, or endangered species resulting from acts that occur on a farm or a ranch in the course of otherwise lawful routine. Status: SB 62 awaits consideration in the Senate. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 190 (Dodd): Fire Safety: Building Standards. Senate Bill 190 creates a model defensible space program for local governments and requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to provide training resources for local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel to improve building fire safety standards. Status: SB 190 awaits consideration in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 724 (Stern): California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter. Senate Bill 724 makes a number of changes to the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (commonly known as the Bottle Bill).  In addition to providing regulatory relief to retailers, the bill adjusts payments and incentives to stabilize existing recycling businesses and bring more recyclers to rural and unserved areas. Status: SB 724 awaits consideration in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support