The Barbed Wire - April 26, 2019

RCRC Chair Testifies in Support of Adventure Trails Bill

On Tuesday, RCRC Chair Matt Kingsley (Inyo) was in Sacramento to testify before the Senate Natural Resources Committee in support of Senate Bill 402 related to the extension of a pilot program for the use of Off-Highway Vehicles on the Adventure Trails system in Inyo County.  

Existing law allows local designation of combined-use (having non-registered vehicles such as “quads” and “ATVs”) roadways for up to three miles, per approval from the California Highway Patrol (CHP).  In 2011, the Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 628 (Conway) which permitted Inyo County, with approval from the Board of Supervisors and the CHP, to allow combined-use designations for up to ten miles.  Inyo County has unique circumstances that warrant this pilot project.  Less than two percent of its ten thousand square miles is privately-owned and many of its nearly eighteen thousand residents use a OHVs as a common mode of transportation.  In addition, Inyo County’s economy relies on tourism as it constitutes the largest financial contributor. 

In 2016, the Legislature enacted Senate Bill 1345 (Berryhill) to continue the pilot until January 1, 2020.  The current pilot, as authorized under both AB 628 and SB 1345, does not create new trails or roads and only speaks to converting existing public county roads for combined-use.  The intent is to create a better network of trails by connecting recreational areas to motorist services.  SB would simply continue a pilot project for Inyo County to better regulate, manage, and analyze their combined-use roadways with OHVs. 

Senator Borgeas’ press release on SB 402 passing out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee can be accessed here.  RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.

CPUC Authorizes Pilot Program to Provide Eligible Foster Youth with Smart Phone and Prepaid Service

On Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted to approve the iFoster Lifeline Pilot Program within the California Lifeline Program.  The two-year pilot program will provide a smartphone and monthly cell phone service, including unlimited voice, unlimited text, unlimited data, and hotspot capabilities, free of charge to up to 33,000 current and former foster youth ages 13 to 26 inclusive across California through a simple eligibility and application process.  RCRC staff joined iFoster and a number of its partners at the PUC hearing to testify in support of this groundbreaking program. 

In December 2017, RCRC and its affiliate, National Homebuyers Fund, Inc. (NHF), allocated a total of $400,000 to support the iFoster 1 Laptop Program in 35 of RCRC’s member counties.  The one-time contribution provided a laptop to every eligible foster youth and former foster youth aged 16-21 in care within 35 of RCRC’s member counties (1,139 individuals). 

Currently, only about 1 in 20 rural foster youth have regular access to technology.  This lack of access makes it even more difficult for rural foster youth to navigate academic and career pathways, stay connected to their support network, access the resources they need, and remain safe, thus impeding their ability to transition from foster care into successful and self-sufficient adulthood.

“The 1 Laptop Program for Foster Youth will change the legacy of many of California’s current and former foster youth, providing them with access to essential resources, job training and the connectivity needed to succeed in today’s online world,” said Greg Norton, President and CEO of RCRC, and President of NHF.

Early results of the RCRC/NHF investment have shown that providing rural foster youth with access to technology helps bridge the gap to securing employment, improving academics, and enrolling in higher education.

The iFoster Lifeline Pilot Program builds upon the 1 Laptop Program, and will help advance the bridging of the digital divide facing many California foster youth.  RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.  An article from U.S. News & World Report outlining the program can be accessed here.

RCRC Hosts Board of Directors Meeting in Inyo County

Nearly 50 locally elected officials, county leaders, and staff will descend upon Inyo County next week as the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) hosts its Board of Directors meeting at The Oasis at Death Valley.  Inyo County Supervisor Matt Kingsley serves as the 2019 Chair of the 36-member county organization.  Read More…

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund

On April 12, 2019, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai announced a new rural broadband initiative at the FCC dubbed the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF).  The new program will invest $2 billion annually in rural broadband deployment, and replace the Connect America Fund (CAF) as the Commission’s primary investment vehicle in rural broadband deployment.  

The legal authorization for CAF is set to expire in 2020.  RDOF will invest $2 billion annually in rural broadband deployment projects over a ten-year period for a total investment of $20 billion.  RDOF will also raise the minimum speed threshold from 10 megabits per second (mbps) download and 1 mbps upload speeds to 25 mbps download and 3 mbps upload. Increasing the minimum speed threshold will require applicants to provide faster internet connections for rural customers, in order to be eligible for program funding.

The RDOF launch is a welcome announcement for rural communities that faced uncertainty for the future of the FCC’s investment in rural broadband deployment.  Rural communities will continue to advocate for more funding for rural broadband, but the RDOF will carry on CAF’s legacy for broadband investments in underserved rural areas.

Recess

Congress broke for recess on April 12, 2019 without reaching an agreement with President Trump on an emergency supplemental disaster relief package.  Staffers have continued negotiations throughout the two-week recess, but a major breakthrough is not expected to occur until the legislative session resumes on Monday.  

Negotiations stalled during the first two weeks of April from a dispute between Democrats and President Trump over how much disaster relief to provide Puerto Rico.  Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) left a meeting with the White House on April 11, 2019 feeling optimistic that a deal could be brokered, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) hinted House leadership will aim to vote again on disaster relief funding the week of May 6, 2019, at which point Democrats and Republicans will hope to have come to a deal on a final bill.

Rural California Benefits from the Economic Development Agency

Earlier this month, the Economic Development Agency (EDA) granted Mendocino County $397,180 to assist recovery efforts in the wake of the Redwood Valley Fire, and Santa Rosa $800,000 to support business growth in wildfire impacted areas.  Housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA is tasked with working with state and local governments to spur economic growth and job creation.  Grants to Mendocino County and Santa Rosa are the latest examples of EDA investment in rural California.  

Despite critical investments in rural counties, particularly those recovering from recent wildfires, the Trump Administration proposed to eliminate the EDA in its budget request for Fiscal Year 2020.  Democrats in the House will block the President’s budget request in Congress and negotiate with Republicans over the final budget for months.  It is critical that Congress fully funds the EDA and provide financial certainty for rural counties.

Bill of the Week: Assembly Concurrent Resolution (Aguiar-Curry) – Officer Natalie Corona Memorial Highway

RCRC has lent its support to Assembly Concurrent Resolution 66, authored by Senator Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters).  ACR 66 designates a portion of Interstate 5 in the County of Colusa as the “Officer Natalie Corona Memorial Highway.” 

On January 10, 2019, Officer Corona was killed in the line of duty.  Officer Corona was well-respected and beloved by her law enforcement peers, the Arbuckle community, and the entire Davis community.  RCRC believes dedicating a portion of Interstate 5 from Greenbay Road to Salt Creek Drive in Colusa County to the life and work of Officer Corona is a fitting tribute.

RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.  Currently, ACR 66 awaits action on the Assembly Floor.  Please contact Paul A. Smith, RCRC Vice President Governmental Affairs, at (916) 447-4806 or psmith@rcrcnet.org for more information.

THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST

The Rural Rundown discusses the legislative and regulatory issues impacting California’s rural counties, featuring commentary and interviews from individuals committed to improving the quality of life in rural California. 

The Rural Rundown can be accessed here. 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  Click “Read More” to access information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties. 

Assembly Bill 134 (Bloom): Safe, Clean, Affordable, and Accessible Drinking Water. Assembly Bill 134 would require funding from a Safe Drinking Water Fund or Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to be displayed in the Governor's annual budget and requires at least every five years the Legislative Analyst Office's to provide an assessment of the effectiveness of expenditures. Status:  AB 134 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Watch

Assembly Bill 217 (Garcia, E.): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water. Assembly Bill 217 establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and provides that moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a stable source of funding to secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure. Status:  AB 217 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 247 (Dahle): Disaster Relief: Carr and Klamathon Fires. Assembly Bill 247 provides that the state share for disaster project allocations to local agencies is up to 100% of total state eligible costs connected with the Klamathon fire that started on July 5, 2018, in the County of Siskiyou, and the Carr Fire that started on July 23, 2018, in the County of Shasta. Status:  AB 247 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 297 (Gallagher): Emergency Average Daily Attendance. Assembly Bill 297 would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to extend the period during which it is essential to alleviate continued reductions in average daily attendance attributable to a state of emergency declared by the Governor in November 2018, for a school district where no less than five percent of the residences within the school district or district facilities were destroyed by the qualifying emergency. Status: AB 297 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 343 (Patterson) Forestry: Biomass Energy. Assembly Bill 343 would require the California Natural Resources Agency to create and implement a program to offset the costs of transporting fuels to a biomass energy facility. Status: AB 343 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 394 (Obernolte): California Environmental Quality Act: Exemption: Fire Safety. Assembly Bill 394 expedites fire safety improvements for subdivisions that are at significant fire risk and lack a secondary escape route. Status: AB 394 passed out of the Assembly, and now awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 616 (Patterson) California Forest Carbon Plan: Report. Assembly Bill 616 would  require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency, to prepare and submit to the Legislature and appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, on or before January 1, 2021, and by January 1 of each year thereafter, until January 1, 2025, a report on the progress made and policies and resources needed to achieve specified wildland fire prevention goals for fuel treatment and vegetation management. Status: AB 616 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 883 (Dahle) Fish and Wildlife: Catastrophic Wildfires: Report. Assembly Bill 883 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife, in consultation with Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, on or before a certain date, and by certain day of each year and thereafter, to study, investigate, and report to the Legislature on the impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat resulting from any catastrophic wildfire that occurred during that calendar year. Status: AB 883 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1080/Senate Bill 54 (Gonzalez): Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction. AB 1080/SB 54 would establish the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, which would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to adopt regulations to source reduce and recycle 75 percent of single use packaging and products sold or distributed in California by 2030. Status: AB 1080/SB 54 awaits consideration in their respective Appropriations Committees.  RCRC Status: Support if Amended

Assembly Bill 1111 (Friedman): Office of Sustainable Outdoor Recreation. Assembly Bill 1111 would stablish the Office of Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in state government. Requires the office to undertake certain activities, including supporting the outdoor recreation economy of the state by engaging in specified activities. Requires the office to create an advisory committee to provide advice, expertise, support, and service to the office. Authorizes the office to receive the assistance and funds from public and private sources. Status: AB 1111 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1144 (Friedman): Self-Generation Incentive Program. Assembly Bill 1144 requires the California Public Utilities Commission to establish pilot projects to install community energy storage systems in high-fire threat districts.  Status: AB 1144 67 passed out of the Assembly, and now awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1236 (Lackey): Public Resources: Greenhouse Gases. Assembly Bill 1236 seeks to increase in-state recycling and help local governments comply with Senate Bill 1383 organic waste recycling mandates by, among other things, requiring CalRecycle to develop a program environmental impact report for compost facilities, hereby reducing costs, delays, and the risk of litigation for those projects.  Status: AB 1236 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1375 (Bigelow): Disaster Relief: Dead and Dying Tree Removal. Assembly Bill 1375 would provide that the state share for removal of dead and dying trees in connection with the Governor's Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued on October 30, 2015, is not more than a certain percentage of total eligible costs. Status: AB 1375 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 73 (Bigelow): California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. ACR 73 would designate May 2019 as the California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. Status:  ACR 73 awaits consideration in the Assembly Rules Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 19 (Dodd): Water Resources: Stream Gages. Senate Bill 19 requires the California Department of Water Resources to develop a plan to deploy a network of stream gages that includes a determination of new needs as well as opportunities for reactivating existing gages. Status:  SB 19 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 45 (Allen): Wildfire, Drought, and Flood Protection Bond Act 2020. Senate Bill 45 enacts the Wildfire, Drought, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which, if approved by voters, authorizes the issuance of bonds to finance projects to restore fire damaged areas, reduce wildfire risk, create healthy forests and watersheds, reduce climate impacts on urban areas and vulnerable populations, protect water supply and water quality, protect rivers, lakes and streams, reduce flood risk, protect fish and wildlife from climate impacts, and protect coastal lands and resources. Status: SB 45 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 62 (Dodd): Endangered Species: Accidental Take. Senate Bill 62 extends the sunset date on a provision allowing an “accidental take” of candidate, threatened, or endangered species resulting from acts that occur on a farm or a ranch in the course of otherwise lawful routine work. Status: SB 62 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 200 (Monning): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. Senate Bill 200 establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and provides that moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a stable source of funding to secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure. Status: SB 200 awaits action in the Senate – Second Reading File. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 209 (Dodd): California Wildfire Warning Center: Weather Monitoring. Senate Bill 209 would establish the California Wildfire Warning Center, a statewide network of automated weather and environmental monitoring stations conducting fire weather forecasting and threat assessment to aid in wildfire prevention and response.  Status: SB 209 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 253 (Dodd): California Agricultural Conservation Program. Senate Bill 253 requires the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming under the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, to assist government agencies to incorporate the conservation of natural resources and ecosystem services practices into agricultural programs. Requires the Department of Food and Agriculture with advice from the panel, to establish and administer the California Agricultural Conservation Program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature. Status:  SB 253 awaits action in the Senate – Second Reading File. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 414 (Caballero): Small Systems Water Authority Act of 2019. Senate Bill 414 creates the Small System Water Authority Act of 2019 and states legislative findings and declarations relating to authorizing the creation of small system water authorities that will have powers to absorb, improve, and competently operate noncompliant public water systems. Status: SB 414 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 462 (Stern): Community Colleges: Forestland Restoration Workforce. Senate Bill 462 would require the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges, working in collaboration with the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, to establish a model curriculum for a forestland restoration workforce program that could be offered at campuses of the California Community Colleges. Status: SB 462 awaits action in the Senate – Second Reading File. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 724 (Stern): California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter. Senate Bill 724 makes a number of changes to the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (commonly known as the Bottle Bill).  In addition to providing regulatory relief to retailers, the bill adjusts payments and incentives to stabilize existing recycling businesses and bring more recyclers to rural and unserved areas. Status: SB 724 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support