Jan 31, 2025
Advocacy Federal Funding Update: The Freeze, The Thaw, and What Comes NextLess than 48 hours after its initial release, a memo ordering the freeze of more than $1 trillion in federal grants, loans, and financial assistance was rescinded by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)....
Jan 31, 2025
Advocacy | Community and Economic Development Rural Counties Testify at CPUC Hearing for Last Mile Broadband FundingOn January 30, more than 25 members of the public made comments at the California Public Utilities Commission hearing requesting that the Commission approve funding for broadband projects in Monterey and Calaveras counties. Along with...
Jan 31, 2025
Advocacy | Forest and Public Lands Stewardship California Legislators Urge U.S. House Leadership to Reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) ProgramOn January 27, a bicameral bipartisan group of twenty-three California Legislators sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, strongly urging them to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination...
Jan 31, 2025
Advocacy | Energy CPUC Releases Safety Updates for Energy Storage Systems and Electric Generation FacilitiesOn Monday, January 27th, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a Draft Resolution (ESRB-13) to enhance the safety and reliability of electric generation and energy storage facilities by updating CPUC General Order 167. The Draft Resolution...
Jan 24, 2025
Advocacy USDA Announces Key Slate of Presidential AppointmentsOn Tuesday, January 21, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced appointments for several senior staff positions. Those appointments include: Kailee Tkacz Buller Appointed as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Preston Parry...
Jan 24, 2025
Advocacy | Forest and Public Lands Stewardship U.S. Senators Call on Treasury Department to Swiftly Publish Data on Impact of Natural Disasters on Homeowners InsuranceOn January 17, Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and six other Senators in urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Federal Insurance Office (FIO) to immediately publish data and analysis...
Jan 24, 2025
Advocacy | Forest and Public Lands Stewardship Fix Our Forests Act Heads to U.S. SenateThe Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471), passed the U.S. House of Representatives on January 23, 2025, with a bipartisan vote of 279-141. This legislation, sponsored by House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Representative Scott...
Jan 24, 2025
Advocacy | Forest and Public Lands Stewardship Congress Introduces Variety of Bipartisan Measures to Strengthen Wildfire Resilience and RecoveryIn the wake of, and continuing battle with, the Los Angeles fires, several pieces of bipartisan legislation have been introduced, or reintroduced, in efforts to strengthen Wildfire Resilience and Recovery. On January 17, Sen. Alex...
Jan 24, 2025
Advocacy | Forest and Public Lands Stewardship Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 1 (Connolly) – Residential Property Insurance: Wildfire RiskRCRC supports Assembly Bill 1, authored by Assembly Member Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael). The measure would require the California Department of Insurance (CDI) to identify and consider additional property-level and community-wide wildfire mitigation measures to...
Jan 24, 2025
Advocacy RCRC Priorities a Topic of Discussion During Inaugural WeekA number of Supervisors from California counties made the trek to Washington, DC for the inauguration, including RCRC Chair, Supervisor Geri Byrne (Modoc County) and Second Vice-Chair, Bob Nelson (Santa Barbara County). Extending their stay...