Rural Mental Health and Substance Abuse Toolkit Launched
Last week, the Rural Assistance Center (RAC) launched the Rural Mental Health and Substance Abuse Toolkit (Toolkit). The Toolkit was created to assist rural communities with the development and implementation of programs which seek to improve community mental health needs. The RAC provides information and services related to rural health and human services within the United States.
The Toolkit was developed in conjunction with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, and the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. The Toolkit can be accessed here.
Air Resources Board Sets Comment Deadline for AB 32 Scoping Plan Update
The California Air Resources Control Board (ARB) has set an April 28, 2014 deadline for public comment on the draft Proposed First AB 32 Scoping Plan Update. The Scoping Plan outlines the State’s regulatory strategies and policy goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The Scoping Plan was first adopted in 2008, and must be updated every five years.
The update includes regulations and strategies in nine key economic sectors, including natural and working lands (forestry), agriculture, waste management, water, transportation, energy, green buildings, short-lived climate pollutants, and cap and trade regulation. An environmental analysis has also been released, with public comments also due April 28, 2014. ARB has set May 22, 2014 as the hearing date for adoption by the Board.
The draft update, environmental analysis, and other related documents can be viewed on the ARB website, accessed here.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Regulatory Affairs Advocate Staci Heaton at 916.447.4806 or sheaton@rcrcnet.org.
Council on Environmental Quality and Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Release Handbook on NEPA and CEQA
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) released a new handbook titled, “NEPA and CEQA: Integrating Federal and State Environmental Reviews.” This handbook provides advice to Federal and California State Agencies, applicants, project sponsors, and consultants on how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review process.
The handbook can be accessed here.