January 9, 2015

Back to Business in Sacramento

The California State Legislature returned to session this week, beginning with the unprecedented fourth-term swearing in of Governor Jerry Brown.  Following the ceremony, Governor Brown delivered his State-of-the-State address, highlighting his goals for the year and his final term in office.  Among those referenced include ramping up efforts to curb climate change, continuing efforts to improve fiscal responsibility by paying down the State’s debt, as well as various infrastructure objectives, including a continued push for both the Delta tunnels and high-speed rail projects.  The State-of-the-State in its entirety can be accessed here.

The flurry of activity this week was capped off with the release of the Governor’s 2015-16 proposed Budget this morning, where the Administration outlines the goals of the State-of-the-State and other key policy objectives in further detail.  RCRC’s Governmental Affairs staff is currently analyzing the Governor’s 2015-16 proposed Budget, and will be distributing The Rural Rundown later today, highlighting specific items of interest to rural counties.

Felicia Marcus Reappointed Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board

Felicia Marcus, of Emeryville, has been reappointed Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), where she has served since 2012.  Ms. Marcus was a member of the Delta Stewardship Council from 2010 to 2012.  This position requires Senate confirmation. 

Central Valley Water Board Issues Final Nitrogen Management Plan Template

The Central Valley Water Board Executive Officer recently issued the final Nitrogen Management Plan Template to the Agricultural Water Quality Coalitions of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.  The third-party representatives are to distribute the template to coalition members who will use the template to fulfill the requirements of the General Order governing discharge from their irrigated lands.

Detailed information, including the list of coalitions, template, and instructions, can be accessed here.

Addendum: Implementing California Flood Legislation into Local Land Use Planning

In October 2010, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) published a guidance document titled “Implementing California Flood Legislation into Local Land Use Planning: A Handbook for Local Communities (Handbook).”  The Handbook was prepared to provide technical assistance to cities, counties, and local agencies in complying with the 2007 California flood legislation relating to flood risk management and local land use planning.  DWR has now released an Addendum to the Handbook to address changes since its publication in 2010. 

These changes include legislative amendments since the 2007 flood legislation and the key DWR program products as they relate to the local land use planning requirements.  The Addendum is intended to help cities and counties comply with the continuing and evolving implementation of the 2007 flood legislation, and to be used in conjunction with the original Handbook, the Guidance on General Plan Amendments for Addressing Flood Risk, and other updated references and information that are more current.  The Addendum can be accessed here.  Additional information is available on the Local Flood Risk Planning and Guidance website, accessed here.

EPA Proposes Update to Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, also known as smog.  The proposed updates are intended to improve public health protection for those most at risk, including children, the elderly, and people of all ages who have lung diseases such as asthma, in addition to improving the health of trees, plants, and ecosystems.  

EPA’s current primary health standard and secondary environmental standard is an 8-hour standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb), set in 2008.  EPA has proposed to strengthen the standards to a level within a range of 65 to 70 parts per billion to better protect Americans’ health and the environment, while taking comment on a level down to 60 ppb.  EPA estimates that the benefits of meeting the proposed standards will significantly outweigh the costs, preventing asthma attacks, heart attacks, missed school days and premature deaths, among other health effects.    

EPA will hold three public hearings on the proposed updates, including one in Sacramento:   

February 2, 2015

9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

California Air Resources Board

Byron Sher Auditorium
1001 “I” Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Attendees will be required to show valid picture identification to enter the buildings.  The public may register to speak at a specific time at the hearing by contacting Eloise Shepherd at (919) 541-5507 or shepherd.eloise@epa.gov.  Attendees may also register in person on the day of the hearing.  EPA will accept written comments on the proposed standards until March 17, 2015.  EPA will issue a final rule by Oct. 1, 2015.

Detailed information on the proposal and instructions for submitting written comments can be accessed here.

Congress Returns to DC

The House and Senate returned to Washington on January 6, 2015 to swear in members and begin the 114th Congress.  Despite opposition from a group of conservative Republicans, John Boehner was re-elected as Speaker of the House, a position he has held since 2011.  In the Senate, Republicans took control for the first time since 2006.  Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that the first matter of business before the Senate will be a vote to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.  The bill is expected to easily pass both the House and Senate; however, President Obama has threatened to veto the legislation.   

Fiscal Year 2016 Budget

Earlier this week, the White House announced that the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget proposal will be sent to the Congress by February 2, 2015.  The President’s Budget proposal details the vision for U.S. Fiscal Policy, outlines how much funding each federal agency needs to carry out their mission, and informs Congress of any changes to spending or tax policy the President may seek to impose.  Under federal law, the President is required to submit his proposed Budget to Congress the first Monday in February.  

New House and Senate Chairmen Plan to Focus on EPA

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), the new Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has established a new subcommittee to oversee the Department of the Interior (Interior), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Departments of Energy and Agriculture.  Public lands issues and the President’s ability to designate national monuments under the 1906 Antiquities will be scrutinized.  Chairman Chaffetz also expressed interest in management problems at EPA and the close relationships that the Agency purportedly has with environmental organizations.  Likewise, the returning chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee announced his intention to target EPA rules on waters of the U.S. and greenhouse gas emissions.  Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) served as Chairman of the committee until Democrats gained the majority in 2007.  His committee recently announced that it will hold a joint hearing with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on February 4, 2015 regarding the proposed water rule.  RCRC expressed its concerns about the proposed rule late last year when the Agency received more than 800,000 public comments.  NACo is expected to testify at the hearing.  Other priorities mentioned by Chairman Inhofe were reauthorization of the surface transportation bill and reform of the Endangered Species Act.

Congress Continues Work to Reauthorize Secure Rural Schools Program

Congress continues to work to pass an extension of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program in the first months of the 114th Congress, according to Republican leadership.  A full update on the current status of SRS can be accessed here. 

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is expected to soon introduce legislation that extends SRS.  The largest hurdle to passing an extension to the SRS program continues to be where Congress will find adequate funding for the program.  This letter from several RCRC delegation members, and other members of Congress, was recently sent to Speaker of the House John Boehner and House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi requesting funding for the SRS program.  Delegation members signed onto the letter include the following Representatives: Jared Huffman, Doug LaMalfa, John Garamendi, David Valadao, Jim Costa, Paul Cook, Tom McClintock, and Mike Thompson.

Republican Senators Express Openness towards Gas Tax Increase

Over the past week, Chairmen of three of the Senate Committees that will write the next Highway Bill have stated that they would be open to increasing the gas tax as a means to fill the growing shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund.  In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and a member of Republican Leadership, stated that Congress should consider all options, including a gas tax increase, to fund the highway program.  His statements were later echoed by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Chairman of the Finance Committee.  While none of the three Senators explicitly supported a gas tax increase, their statements are a notable departure from the statements of other top Republicans, such as Speaker John Boehner, who have previously expressed opposition to any gas tax increase. 

BULLETIN BOARD

Register Now: USFS Sierra Cascades Dialog Meeting

Registration is now open for the next U.S. Forest Service Region 5 Sierra Cascades Dialog meeting to be held January 22, 2015.  The meeting topic is Monitoring: How the U.S. Forest Service Can Monitor Economic, Social and Ecological Systems to Inform Forest Management, and is the 14th in the series of meetings to discuss various issues surrounding national forest land management planning.  Detailed information and registration can be accessed here.

OPR Releases California Solar Permitting Guidebook

The Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has recently released the second edition of the California Solar Permitting Guidebook.  The document reflects recent changes to the building code and new legislation, including the requirements of the Solar Permitting Efficiency Act (Assembly Bill 2188), signed into law by Governor Brown in September 2014.  The California Solar Permitting Guidebook can be accessed here.

Final Plant Pest Prevention PEIR Released

The Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has released the final Statewide Plant Pest Prevention and Management Program (Statewide Program) Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).  The Statewide Program is on ongoing effort to protect California’s agriculture from damage caused by invasive plant pests.  The Statewide Program is implemented in partnership with a number of different entities, including County Agricultural Commissioners.

The PEIR will serve as an overarching California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) framework for implementation of Statewide Program activities.  As part of this, CDFA plans to implement a CEQA Tiering Strategy, a checklist tool and guide for project-level CEQA compliance and integration of new pest programs and management techniques.  The PEIR can be accessed here.

NOFA: Community Development Block Grant Program

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NOFA: Housing-Related Parks Program

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Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program Accepting Applications

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California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) 2015 Wildfire Prevention Grants

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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.  Click “Read More” to access information related to the current status of regulations impacting California’s rural counties.  

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status for West Coast Distinct Population Segment of Fisher: Proposes to list the west coast distinct population of fisher as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Status: Draft published on October 7, 2014 for a 90-day comment period, comment deadline recently extended to February 5, 2015.  Proposed regulation and related documents can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org

Grazing Regulatory Action Project: Develops a program to enhance the environmental benefits and mitigate water quality impacts of livestock grazing.  Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Status: State Water Resources Control Board recently completed closed, invitation-only listening sessions with targeted stakeholders.  First public meetings to discuss the project begin on January 9, 2015, with an initial draft proposal expected in early 2015.  Information on the program can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org

CA DROUGHT INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE:

Drought Impacts and Economic Assistance Opportunities

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MEDIA:

RCRC Press Releases and Related News Clips

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