The Barbed Wire - September 20, 2019

September 20, 2019
Register for RCRC’s 2019 Annual Meeting in El Dorado County!!!
Meet RCRC Chairman’s Circle Sponsor Ygrene Energy Fund
Governor Announces First State Wildfire Innovation Contracts
RCRC Files De-Energization Comments to the California Public Utilities Commission
House Passes Continuing Resolution
Agriculture Appropriations Update
Cannabis Banking Update
KEEPING UP

Register for RCRC’s 2019 Annual Meeting in El Dorado County!!!

Have you registered for RCRC’s 2019 Annual Meeting?  This year’s conference will be held September 25-27 at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel in El Dorado County.  This year’s program will feature experts discussing a wide range of topics on critical issues shaping California’s future.  Read More…

Meet RCRC Chairman’s Circle Sponsor Ygrene Energy Fund

Ygrene Energy Fund is the nation’s leading provider of residential, multi-family, and commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing.  The award winning Ygrene program provides immediately accessible financing with no upfront payments for energy and water efficiency improvements, renewable energy, electric vehicle charging stations, and, in certain locations, fire prevention measures and seismic retrofitting.  Watch this brief video to learn more, and be sure to connect with them at RCRC’s 2019 Annual Meeting in El Dorado County.  Read More…

Governor Announces First State Wildfire Innovation Contracts

On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced two contracts selected as the first projects for the Wildfire Innovation Sprint, which will be undertaken as a result of the Governor’s January 8, 2019 Executive Order.  

Wildfire Innovation Sprint is a new procurement process designed to modernize the way state contracts for development of technology systems to help acquire cutting edge fire response technologies for future fire seasons.

The initial contracts selected as a result of a Request for Innovative Ideas issued by the Administration both will be based in the RCRC member counties of Butte, Monterey, Napa and San Luis Obispo, and include:

  • A $383,000 contract with Technosylva to develop a prototype to predict wildfire patterns in real time using an advanced cloud-based modeling subscription.
  • A $1.6 million contract to Northrop Grumman to create an early wildfire detection system using remote sensors that interface with local computer systems to help dispatch resources in real time.

The Governor hopes these types of innovative contracts will help predict future fire patterns to expedite both fire response and public safety efforts to help save property and lives.

RCRC Files De-Energization Comments to the California Public Utilities Commission

On September 13th, RCRC filed comments with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) noting de-energization experiences faced by many rural communities since last Fall.  Due to the complexity of de-energization procedures, this is the second phase and first “track” of comments in the De-Energization CPUC Proceeding.  

RCRC responded to a more in-depth examination of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), which focused on efforts to reach Access and Functional Needs populations, the overall de-energization strategy, as well as consistency with notification and communication issues.  The CPUC is not expected to make a subsequent ruling or decision in this phase of the Proceeding until the first quarter of 2020.

RCRC’s comments can be accessed here.

House Passes Continuing Resolution

On Thursday, the House passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that would extend government funding from September 30th until November 21st.  The CR is a stopgap spending measure that temporarily funds the federal government until Congress enacts a long-term appropriations measure that would fund the government through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020. 

The Senate is expected to pass the short-term CR by the end of next week.  Assuming President Trump signs the bill, the CR would grant Congress two additional months to negotiate appropriations for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Agriculture Appropriations Update

This week the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the spending measure that would fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and related programs for Fiscal Year 2020. 

The bill includes $3.1 billion for rural development programs including various loan programs to help fund water and electric infrastructure projects, rental assistance programs, and Distance Learning/Telemedicine grant programs.  The bill also includes $835.2 million in funds for conservation programs for farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners.  In addition, the spending measure is notable for excluding several proposals from President Trump’s budget request that would dramatically cut several federal programs benefitting rural areas.

Cannabis Banking Update

Last Friday, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced he hopes to hold a vote on cannabis banking legislation before the end of the year.  Chairman Crapo said he was compelled to act by the impact the cannabis banking prohibition has on businesses such as plumbers or construction companies that provide ancillary services to cannabis firms and do not interact with the drug whatsoever.  

Chairman Crapo hinted he will draft his own legislative fix to the cannabis banking prohibition but his bill will likely borrow heavily from the SAFE Banking Act.  Earlier this week, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) confirmed Democrats were discussing a potential vote in the House for the SAFE Banking Act by the end of the month.  Democratic aides speculated the cannabis banking bill will likely reach the floor sometime next week.  The SAFE Banking Act had been previously held up in the House over disputes with progressive members who opposed cannabis legislation that did not include legalization, criminal justice reforms, or contributions to minority-business owners. The bill’s prospects in the House were likely improved by Chairman Crapo’s change of tone and by an endorsement from the Minority Cannabis Business Association.

KEEPING UP

Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.

 

Charles McKee Appointed Monterey County Administrative Officer

Click here