RCRC has challenged AT&T’s efforts to prematurely abandon its Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) obligations. RCRC seeks to support the transition to modern communications technologies and ensure that rural communities are not left behind. Recent Federal Communications...
On Monday, June 15, the Legislature passed the Budget Act of 2026 (Senate Bill 101). It now goes to the Governor’s Desk, where he has until Monday, June 29, to act on it. While the Legislature has now fulfilled its statutory obligation to pass a budget by the June...
Last week, a new coalition was announced to advance the manufacture of mass timber products using woody biomass across the state of California. The California Mass Coalition was recently formed after several months of discussions between forest land managers,...
On Thursday, June 18, Governor Newsom announced that the state will be contributing an additional $268.9 million from the California Water Commission to the Sites Reservoir project. In the announcement, the Governor called Sites Reservoir a key component of his...
On Thursday, June 18, Governor Newsom highlighted the grand opening of Yreka Carnegie, a recently renovated vacant historic library that will serve as a rural hub for business innovation, entrepreneurship and community connection serving Siskiyou County and the North...
On Wednesday, June 17, Governor Newsom announced that California State Parks is offering a special free version of its Historian Passport, normally priced at $50, through July 6th. Once claimed online, the pass is valid for the remainder of 2026. The pass entitles the...
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released onboarding tools designed to assist Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) as they bring on new board members and staff. These resources include an Onboarding Checklist and a Handbook Template to familiarize...
On June 17, Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and John Curtis (R-UT) introduced the FIRE SMART Act. This bipartisan legislation would expand funding eligibility for water infrastructure projects with wildfire suppression benefits in high-risk rural areas. The measure would...
On June 17, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $25.5 million in grant funding for technical assistance providers that help small, rural, and Tribal communities address wastewater infrastructure challenges and comply with the Clean...
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. Colorado and California bills take aim at battery recycling gaps – Resource Recycling SB 501, authored...
On Monday, June 15, in the late evening hours, the Legislature passed the Budget Act of 2026 (Senate Bill 101). The measure now heads to the Governor’s Desk, where he must act by June 29th. Although 2026-27 fiscal year begins July 1st, it is expected that...
Across California, AT&T customers are receiving notices stating that their traditional landline service will be discontinued and encouraging them to switch to alternative technologies. While these letters may sound definitive, they can be misleading and do not...
RCRC, along with CSAC and Cal Cities, opposes Senate Bill 222, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). This measure seeks to impose a permitting mandate on local governments. Specifically, SB 222 would require cities and counties to offer remote...
On Thursday June 11, CAL FIRE provided notice of an upcoming five-day public comment period from Thursday June 18 to Tuesday June 23 on their proposed CO2 emergency regulations. The rulemaking from the Office of the State Fire Marshall – Pipeline Safety Division...
On Friday June 26, the SB 54 Advisory Board will devote their meeting to reviewing the draft SB 54 Producer Responsibility Plan. The draft plan will be published by Circular Action Alliance on its website by June 15. This meeting will be an important opportunity for...
The California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names (CACGN) is in the early stages of developing regulations to implement AB 2022 (Ramos, 2022), legislation that established a process for identifying and renaming geographic features and places with names determined...
On May 27, North State Public Radio podcast “Nancy’s Bookshelf” aired Episode #815: In the Line of Fire, which featured Butte County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Katie Simmons in a conversation about her work in disaster recovery and emergency management for...
On June 10, James Gallagher (R-CA) was sworn in as the U.S. Representative for California’s First Congressional District. Speaker Mike Johnson administered the oath of office following Gallagher’s victory in the June 2 special election to fill the seat...
On June 8, the Senate Agriculture Committee voted 12 to 11 along party lines to advance the nomination of Glen Smith to serve as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Undersecretary for Rural Development. The nomination now moves to the full Senate for a...
On June 10, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and ten Senate colleagues sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum requesting information on the use of National Park Service (NPS) recreation fee revenue to fund beautification projects in Washington, D.C. The letter...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Sarah Carrillo, of Tuolumne County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Tuolumne County Superior Court. Carrillo has served as Assistant General Counsel at the...
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. Manage existing predators before bringing back grizzlies – Sacramento Bee Sierra County Supervisor Lee...
The Barbed Wire will be on hiatus June 5th during RCRC’s Board of Directors Meeting taking place in the County of the Chair (Mariposa County). The Barbed Wire will return June 12,...
The Assembly and Senate faced deadlines this week to pass bills introduced in 2026, out of the house in which they were introduced (known as the “House of Origin”). Policy Committee hearings in the second house will commence next week and conclude at the end of the...
CalRecycle will host a webinar on how SB 1383 intersects with SB 54 on Wednesday, June 17, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The webinar will also cover Circular Action Alliance’s (CAA) Reimbursement Program; jurisdiction enforcement; jurisdictions assessing the SB 54...
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $648 million in grant funding for firefighters and other first responders nationwide on May 18. The funding is available through Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG); Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency...
On May 20, Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Joe Neguse (D-CO), announced the recent introduction of the Public Lands Workforce Stability Act (H.R. 8523). This measure would prohibit Reductions in Force (RIFs) at the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the...
Prior to departing Washington for the Memorial Day Recess, Republican leaders in both chambers delayed action on the $72 billion budget reconciliation package focused on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) funding. Senate...
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities. GSFA Boosts Homebuyer Assistance for National Homeownership Month GSFA is offering a limited-time enhancement to its...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Sarah Mangum, of Woodland, has been appointed to the California Educational Facilities Authority. Mangum has been Associate Vice Chancellor of Budget and Institutional...
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