The Barbed Wire - November 17, 2017

November 17, 2017
Kim Dolbow Vann Appointed State Director for USDA Rural Development
2017 California Economic Summit
Essential Elements for the Future of the San Joaquin Valley
Federal Tax Reform – House Passes its Version
National Flood Insurance Program
BULLETIN BOARD
REGULATORY UPDATE

Kim Dolbow Vann Appointed State Director for USDA Rural Development

On Monday, USDA Rural Development announced the appointment of Colusa County Supervisor Kim Dolbow Vann to the State Director post, effective November 27, 2017.

“On behalf of California’s rural counties, I applaud Colusa County Supervisor Kim Dolbow Vann on her recent appointment as State Director of California’s USDA Rural Development office” said Greg Norton, RCRC President and CEO. “Supervisor Dolbow Vann is an exceptional leader who brings an extensive background and knowledge of rural issues to this post.” 

“We thank Supervisor Dolbow Vann for her tremendous contributions to RCRC over the last 10 years” continued Norton. “As Chair of RCRC, she had a front row seat in advocating for policies and solutions to the many issues facing rural California. We look forward to working with the USDA to increase rural economic opportunities and build stronger local economies.”

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas, including supporting infrastructure improvements, business development, homeownership, community services like schools, public safety and health care, and high-speed Internet access in rural areas.

The USDA Rural Development press release can be accessed here

2017 California Economic Summit

Earlier this month, RCRC staff attended the 2017 California Economic Summit (Summit) in San Diego.  The purpose of the Summit was to bring together a large network of public and private sector participants to create action-oriented goals to drive workforce development, affordable housing, and infrastructure development throughout all of California. The sixth annual gathering continued the progress towards creating a triple-bottom-line vision for creating economic growth and upward mobility for all Californians. 

The Summit included discussion with four of California’s top gubernatorial candidates – John Cox, Treasurer John Chiang, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newson, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – along with a featured discussion from all three of the state's public higher education systems – University of California President Janet Napolitano, California State University Chancellor Timothy White, and California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley.

Additionally, Summit leaders convened a separate meeting to specifically address the needs and opportunities in rural California.  The meeting’s purpose focused on establishing a clear vision and action plan to focus attention, guide activities, and track progress on specific efforts that improve the economies, environmental conditions, and quality of life for rural California’s.  The meeting was also intended to build relationships and understanding among the public, private, and nonprofit sectors regarding the need to address the pervasive rural-urban divide throughout the state.  These efforts are expected to help develop a networked infrastructure to share resources and knowledge to support specific opportunities that address the needs of rural California while also illuminating the overall benefit to California that results from healthy and thriving rural communities.

Essential Elements for the Future of the San Joaquin Valley

Last week, RCRC staff attended the Essential Elements for the Future of the San Joaquin Valley Conference – a public and private series aimed at closing the digital divide. The conference focused on creating the nation’s first ag-based broadband pilot project, and brought together several of California’s leading experts to address the chronic issue of the lack of adequate broadband service that connects California’s agricultural industry and rural communities to the global marketplace. 

California’s growers feed the world, yet most growers and producers are lacking adequate access and technology to support and fully maximize their potential output and reach.  Essential Elements was created to begin to address the desperate need to increase high-speed broadband access throughout California.  This pilot project was initiated with the simple mission of brokering solutions to the challenges facing California’s growers and producers, specifically in the San Joaquin Valley.  As the world becomes more globalized and technologically-dependent, it is critical that growers and producers embrace the advances that have the potential to increase outputs while limiting inputs.  This can only be accomplished through ubiquitous access to 21st century technology and communication.

Federal Tax Reform – House Passes its Version

On Thursday afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the GOP tax cut plan by 227-205 with no Democratic votes and 13 Republicans against.  California Republicans voting “no” were: Darrell Issa (R-San Diego), Tom McClintock (R-Placer), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach).  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is expected to add $1.4 trillion to the deficit over 10 years, while eliminating many deductions and lowering the corporate rate to 20 percent.  Republicans from high-tax states such as California, New York, and New Jersey oppose the bill’s reductions to the state and local tax deduction and mortgage interest deduction. 

The next step is to pass a companion bill in the U.S. Senate where the margin for error is slim.  Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) has come forward as the first Republican to express his opposition to Senate proposal, drafted by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).  The Senate version of the bill ran into a setback on Thursday when a congressional analysis found it would raise taxes for lower-income Americans over time.  Republicans are seeking to avoid another high-profile defeat in Congress and hope to send a bill to President Trump before the end of the year.  Senate Republicans drastically complicated the passage of their tax bill by including a repeal of the Obamacare individual mandate which requires all Americans to buy health insurance.  In addition to Ron Johnson, Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), John McCain (R-Arizona), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) have yet to express support for the bill and are considered potential “no” votes.  If the Senate passes its own tax measure, the two bodies of Congress will convene to reconcile the differences between their versions of the bill before sending it to the President for his signature.

National Flood Insurance Program

The House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) despite bipartisan opposition to several conservative reforms pushed by House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas).  The 21st Century Flood Reform Act (Act) was approved by a 237-189 vote on Tuesday, less than a month before the program is set to expire on December 8th.  The proposed Act is intended to reduce the financial burden of the flood insurance program that is $30 billion in debt.  The House bill will reauthorize the NFIP for five years, introduce private market competition, ban the government from covering homes that flood repeatedly, and reduce direct spending by $187 million. 

14 Republicans from coastal districts voted against the bill, for fear that it will drive up flood insurance premiums for their constituents.  In addition, the Act was broadly criticized by Democrats for punishing lower- and middle-class homeowners.  These bipartisan criticisms are echoed in the Senate, where Republicans and Democrats alike have distanced themselves from the bill.  "It doesn't resolve all of the issues that we have in the Senate," Banking Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who chairs the committee with jurisdiction over the NFIP.  As a result, senators will release alternative flood insurance proposals in the coming weeks.  Multiple bills have already been introduced in the Senate which may serve as a starting point for negotiators.  Among the proposals are the National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, introduced by Crapo and Banking Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the SAFE NFIP Reauthorization Act introduced by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), and the Flood Insurance Affordability and Sustainability Act of 2017 introduced by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-New York).

BULLETIN BOARD

Global Trade and Small Business Workshop Scheduled for Tehama County

Click here

Visit California Hosts Feast to Benefit California Wine Country

Click here

Union of Concerned Scientists Releases White Paper on Assessment of Challenges Faced by Groundwater Sustainability Agencies

Click here

California-Nevada Drought Early Warning System Webinar: California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook

Click here

REGULATORY UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to submit comments on regulatory matters to state and federal regulatory bodies, and to provide a copy to RCRC’s Government Affairs staff. 

Notice of Availability of Modifications to the Text of Proposed Rulemaking Pertaining to Surface Mining Operation Inspections.  The modifications to the proposed regulatory language is intended to implement the improvements and updates to Public Resources Code Section 2774 based upon the statutory changes made by Assembly Bill 1142 (Grey, 2016).  Agency: Department of Conservation State Mining and Geology Board Status: The 15-day public notice for comments for the modifications ends November 17, 2017.   Final consideration for adoption is scheduled for December 14, 2017.  The notice and draft update can be accessed hereRCRC Comments: Staff submitted comments and suggested language for consideration.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Pertaining to SMARA Fees Schedule.  The proposed regulatory language is intended to enact the revisions to Public Resources Code Section 2207 based upon the statutory changes made by Senate Bill 209 (Pavley, 2016) to address the fees calculation formula, and to maintain a more equitable fee schedule for relatively smaller operations.  Agency: Department of Conservation State Mining and Geology Board Status: The draft was published September 29, 2017, with comments due by November 13, 2017, and final consideration for adoption anticipated in December 14, 2017.  The notice and draft update can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org

Senate Bill 1383 Organics Diversion from Landfills Informal Draft RegulationsSenate Bill 1383 (Lara, 2016) established methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) from various California sectors.  SB 1383 included goals of reducing organics from landfills by 50 percent in 2020 and 75 percent by 2025.  Informal stakeholder workshops were held October 30, 2017 in Sacramento, and November 2, 2017 in Huntington Beach.  Agency: Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery Status: The draft language was released October 25, 2017, with comments due November 15, 2017.  Additional information and draft regulations can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments:  Staff comments can be accessed here.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org