Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.
Workshop Registration is Open For 2021 Off-Highway Vehicle Grants and Cooperative Agreements
Mark your calendars for upcoming grant opportunities for local governments and other entities to manage off-highway vehicle recreation. On January 6-7, 2021, a virtual workshop will be held to offer technical assistance on applying for and/or learning about projects. These grant dollars support planning, acquisition, development, maintenance, administration, operation, enforcement, restoration, and conservation of trails, trailheads, areas, and other facilities associated with the use of off-highway motor vehicles, and programs involving off-highway motor vehicle safety or education. Applications are due March 1, 2021 and will be awarded mid-summer 2021. For more information and how to register, see here.
GO-Biz Announces Cannabis Equity Grants Available for Local Jurisdictions
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has announced $15 million is available in Fiscal Year 2020-21 for cities and counties to promote equity and eliminate barriers to populations and communities that were disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition. Local Jurisdictions may be awarded up to $75,000 for assistance on cannabis equity program development, or up to $5 million in assistance for cannabis equity program applicants and licensees to gain entry to the state’s regulated cannabis marketplace. Grant applications must be submitted by February 1, 2021. Grants will be awarded no later than May 14, 2021. For more information on this grant and how to apply, see here.
California Water Commission Water Conveyance Public Workshops
The California Water Commission is conducting a series of public workshops as part of its efforts to assess a potential state role in financing conveyance projects that could help meet needs in a changing climate. The Commission encourages broad participation, with the goal of learning from diverse voices across the state. For more information, visit the Programs and Topics page.
Workshop Schedule
All workshops are from 2:45-5 p.m. (entry to meeting site opens at 2:30 p.m.)
Southern California – Thursday, December 10, 2020 (registration open now)
Northern California – Tuesday, January 12, 2021 (registration open December 14, 2020)
Central California – Tuesday, January 26, 2021 (registration open December 14, 2020)
Public Comment Open for Madera Groundwater Sustainability Plans
Four groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) for the Madera subbasin are online at DWR’s SGMA Portal and are open for public comment through December 23, 2020.
Public comments on the GSPs are welcomed and encouraged – a SGMA Portal account is not necessary. Information about how to comment on a plan can be found in a fact sheet in English and Spanish.
For questions, email sgmps@water.ca.gov.
DWR Offers $26 Million in Competitive Grants for COD Basins
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the final Proposition 68 Implementation Proposal Solicitation Package for the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program. The program will award $26 million to critically overdrafted groundwater basins for Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) implementation projects that address drought and groundwater challenges, groundwater recharge projects, or projects that prevent or clean up contaminated groundwater used for drinking water. Round 1 grant applications must be submitted using DWR’s online submittal tool and will be accepted through January 8, 2021. A Round 2 solicitation is expected to open in Spring 2022, and will offer at least $77 million in additional grants for medium priority, high priority, and critically overdrafted basins. For more information visit the Grants and Loans webpage, or email SGWP@water.ca.gov.
USDA Launches AskUSDA to Improve and Streamline Customer Experience
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched AskUSDA, a centralized contact center that offers customer service and consistent information for the public. If you are looking for USDA information, the AskUSDA site makes it easy, providing information from across the organization all in one place. With a unified search function that provides the top 10 results from across the USDA, and access to live chat agents on weekdays between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST, AskUSDA assures that farmers, researchers, travelers, parents, and more have efficient access to the information and resources they need. Representatives are also available by phone on weekdays between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at (833) ONE-USDA. Inquiries can also be sent via email at any time to askusda@usda.gov.