On November 10th, RCRC submitted formal comments to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on its proposed updates to the Landfill Methane Regulation. RCRC joined a broad industry and local government coalition letter (available here) and also submitted its own...
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced it will not move forward with a national recovery plan for gray wolves, stating in a November 3 finding that the species should not remain federally protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Gray wolves...
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications. How California officials started killing endangered gray wolves – The San Francisco Chronicle With...
On October 13, 2025, Governor Newsom completed final action on bills sent to him by the Legislature for the year. Of the 917 bills sent to his desk, the Governor signed 794 and vetoed 123. RCRC’s Legislative Digest is a thorough guide to significant bills...
Join RCRC on December 15th for an exclusive webinar for county employees, providing “need to know” details about recent Brown Act changes within SB 707 (Durazo). Hosted by RCRC in partnership with the California State Association of Counties, Urban...
On November 3rd, RCRC formally opposed the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) Proposed Decision that would terminate the state’s BioMAT program on December 31, 2025. The BioMAT program requires the CPUC to establish a new feed-in-tariff program for small...
The Little Hoover Commission, an independent state oversight body, released a report on the high costs of electricity in California and made several policy recommendations to address high energy prices. Unfortunately, the Little Hoover Commission’s report does...
On Tuesday, more than 600 experts and thought leaders in the wildfire mitigation space convened in San Francisco to discuss policies, technologies and strategies to further address California’s catastrophic wildfire issue. The Red Sky Summit, hosted by the...
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits lapsed in many states over the weekend for the first time in the program’s 60-year history, as the federal government shutdown continues. However, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) planned to...
On November 5, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing to consider the “Nomination of Glen Smith to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development”. In his testimony, Mr. Smith outlined what he considers three core...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Steven Orihuela, of Bishop, has been appointed to the 18th District Agricultural Association Eastern Sierra Tri County Fair Board. Orihuela has been Tribal Chairman at...
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications. For rural Californians, unreliable power has become the norm – High Country News RCRC’s...
On November 4, 2025, California will hold a Statewide Special Election to determine the fate of Proposition 50. Remember to vote, either in person or by mail to make your voice heard. At the September meeting of the RCRC Board of Directors, the board received a...
The Federal shutdown continues with no clear pathway to resolution, as Senate Democrats left town Thursday. Speaker Mike Johnson canceled votes in the House for the fifth straight week, in an effort to put pressure on Senate Democrats to accept the House-passed...
On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-35-25 which declares a state of emergency on wildfire risk and enables swifter action to implement prescribed fire. The Order acts as a companion to Executive Order N-4-25, which was issued earlier this year...
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) is seeking public feedback on a Clean Energy Permitting Initiative Playbook and Toolkit. The effort aims to provide a resource outlining best practices, as well as providing guidance regarding how to...
On October 24, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) introduced the Rural Hospital Fairness Act, which would reinstate Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status for hospitals that were designated as such prior to 2002; still held active CAH status as of December 31, 2024;...
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities. RAI Releases Foundational UCSB Study on Rural California’s Fire and EMS Capacity The Rural Advancement Institute (RAI)...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Melissa Fitch, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Fitch has been Instructor at the Arc of California since 2025,...
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications. Proposition 50 sparks debate on rural representation in Northern California – Action News Now...
On October 21, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry convened a markup to consider the Fix Our Forests Act (S.1462 | one pager). The measure passed out of committee on a vote of 18 to 5, with Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Cory Booker...
A court filing submitted Monday, October 20, in a federal court in San Francisco revealed that the Department of the Interior plans to lay off 2,050 employees across 89 offices, including 272 positions within the National Park Service (NPS). The layoffs were set to...
Glenn County’s only hospital, Glenn Medical Center, closed its doors on September 30 after losing a federal designation critical to its financial survival. The closure has left thousands of residents without nearby emergency care and sparked bipartisan efforts in...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Andrew “Dru” Alejandre, of Corning, has been appointed Executive Secretary of the California Native American Heritage Commission. Alejandre has been Tribal Liaison at Emic...
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications. Keeping Water Affordable in California – Public Policy Institute of California Water agencies all...
This week, RCRC President and CEO Patrick Blacklock presented $115,200 to ten Modoc County nonprofits at the Modoc County Board of Supervisors meeting. The funds were raised by rural community and business leaders from across the state, during RCRC’s County...
On October 13, the Governor took action on the measures that remained on his desk for consideration. Of the 917 bills sent to the Governor’s desk during this legislative year, 794 were signed, and 123 vetoed. Of those measures, RCRC-sponsored Assembly Bill 993...
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced upcoming public forums for PG&E customers to share feedback on the utility’s proposed 2027 General Rate Case (GRC). PG&E is seeking an 8 percent increase in revenues—approximately $1.24 billion...
On October 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued policy guidance directing regional offices to work with local, state, Tribal, and federal partners to remove barriers in State Implementation Plans (SIPs) that discourage prescribed fires. In the...
The federal government shutdown continues with no agreement in sight. On Thursday this week, the Senate once again did not advance the House-passed stopgap funding bill. The House remains out of session, at the direction of Speaker Mike Johnson. Negotiations over...
Sarah Dukett
Senior Policy Advocate
Leigh Kammerich
Senior Policy Advocate
John Kennedy
Senior Policy Advocate
Staci Heaton
Senior Policy Advocate
Tracy Rhine
Senior Policy Advocate
Eric Will
Policy Advocate
Mary-Ann Warmerdam
Senior Vice President Governmental Affairs