Advocacy

Advocating in state, federal, and regulatory spaces on behalf of California’s rural counties.

Home | Advocacy

RCRC works with its member counties to advocate on behalf of rural issues at the state and federal levels. RCRC provides the rural county perspective on a myriad of issues during the legislative and regulatory process, including land use, water and natural resources, housing, transportation, wildfire protection policies, and health and human services. The core of RCRC’s mission is to improve the ability of small, rural California county government to provide services by reducing the burden of state and federal mandates, and promoting a greater understanding among policy makers about the unique challenges that face California’s small population counties.

RCRC Legislative Tracking Tool

Search for current legislation and regulation impacting California’s rural counties using RCRC’s legislative tracking tool.

View

Advocacy Areas

Agriculture

A strong agricultural economy is the financial underpinning of many of the RCRC member counties and, thus, are dependent on this sector for tax revenues to support county general government.

Air Quality

Climate change policy spans various areas of interest to California counties, particularly in rural communities where wildfire, water quality and supply, land use authority, solid waste issues, and agriculture are of major concern.

CEQA/NEPA

RCRC supports the underlying objectives of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), but actively opposes measures that seek to increase complexity, open the door to more litigation, or establish a one-size-fits-all solution that ignores practical realities in rural areas.

Community & Economic Development

California’s rural communities play a crucial role in supporting the world’s fifth largest economy. RCRC member counties feed the state, nation and globe.

County Operations

Under the board umbrella of county operations RCRC advocates on a wide variety of issues.

Energy

Safe, reliable, and affordable energy is vital for all Californians; however, rural communities have been repeatedly devastated by utility-caused wildfires and widespread and repeated power outages.

Forest and Public Lands Stewardship

RCRC counties are home to many of the state’s diverse natural resources and many have large forested or wildland areas under state and federal ownership.

Health Care & Social Services

In rural areas, on the front lines of providing health and social services, unique challenges exist in providing these services to county residents across large geographic areas with arduous terrain.

Public Safety & Emergency Management

RCRC advocates on issues related to law enforcement, criminal justice, fire and life safety policies, emergency services, including ambulance and disaster preparedness.

Solid Waste Management

RCRC engages extensively with the Legislature, CalRecycle, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control on a host of solid, organic, and hazardous waste management and oversight issues and helps provide guidance to member counties on those programs.

Transportation

RCRC works closely with other local government organizations and transportation stakeholder groups, including state agencies, commissions, and the Legislature, to advocate for transportation programs that support the rural transportation system and that strengthen economic competitiveness.

Water & Wildlife

RCRC engages in the legislative and regulatory process on behalf of its member counties on a variety of water related issues, including the State Water Plan and proposals that affect water supply and water quality; water conservation; water infrastructure financing; water rights; and ecosystem management.