Mar 21, 2025

Advocacy   |   Community and Economic Development Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 470 (McKinnor)—Telephone Corporations: Carriers of Last Resort

RCRC opposes Assembly Bill 470, authored by Assembly Member Tina McKinnor. This measure would allow any Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) telephone service provider to abandon its obligations

Mar 21, 2025

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife EPA Announces Plans to Revise WOTUS Rule

On March 12, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that EPA will work with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to review the definition of “Waters of the United States.”  The agencies

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Solid Waste Management CalRecycle to Restart SB 54 Single Use Packaging Regulatory Process

On Friday, March 7, Governor Newsom withdrew CalRecycle’s long-anticipated SB 54 regulations, which were expected to be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for final approval before the deadline

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Forest and Public Lands Stewardship Legislation Introduced to Expand Smith River National Recreation Area to Include Oregon

On March 12, California’s U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla joined Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden in introducing the Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, which would expand the Smith River National Recreation Area by 58,000 acres. This legislation should help boost the local fishing and recreation industries

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife Senate Committee Advances Bill to Enact Water Settlement Between Tule River Tribe and the U.S. 

On March 7, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs advanced legislation introduced by California’s U.S. Senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, which would formally recognize the reserved water rights of the Tule River Tribe and quantify

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife U.S. Representatives Jim Costa and Adam Gray Urge Presidential and Gubernatorial Cooperation on Central Valley and State Water Projects

On March 10, U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (D-Tulare) and Adam Gray (D-Madera) sent a letter urging President Trump and Governor Newsom to work together to address

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Agriculture Congress Introduces Bicameral Legislation to Improve Access to Agricultural Disaster Relief

On March 12, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-Monterey), Kat Cammack (R-FL-03), Zoe Lofgren (D-Monterey), and Austin Scott (R-GA-08), announced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to improve access to federal agriculture disaster programs.

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Forest and Public Lands Stewardship EMBER Act Reintroduced as Part of Larger Congressional Package

On March 11, Congressman Ken Calvert (R-Riverside County) reintroduced the Ending Major Borderland Environmental Ruin from Wildfires (EMBER) Act, which would reduce the threat of wildfires along the southern border and protect

Mar 14, 2025

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife FISH Act Reintroduced in Congress

On March 6, the Federally Integrated Species Health Act (FISH Act) was introduced by Representative Ken Calvert (R-Riverside County) in the 119th Congress. This measure seeks to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by transferring certain functions from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the

Mar 13, 2025

Advocacy   |   Air Quality Call For Support Letters: RCRC Sponsored Measure Senate Bill 496 (Hurtado) – Advanced Clean Fleets

RCRC, in coalition with local government partners, is sponsoring Senate Bill 496, authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado. This measure would provide more flexibility for local agencies implementing the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) mandate by ensuring disaster service workers are able to effectively respond to emergency situations, creating