Oct 10, 2025

Advocacy Federal Government Shutdown Update

The federal government remains shut down with no agreement in sight. The Senate has yet to advance a stopgap funding bill. Without a significant change in stance from either party, and with no compromise on the horizon, the upper chamber is expected to continue voting on the same Continuing Resolutions. Thus far

Oct 10, 2025

Advocacy   |   Forest and Public Lands Stewardship Bill of the Week: BECCS Advancement Commission Act of 2025 (H.R. 5597)

Last week, RCRC expressed support for a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by U.S. Representative Jim Costa (CA-21, D-Fresno) and Representative Blake Moore (UT-1), which would create a commission to provide recommendations to help advance Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technologies

Oct 10, 2025

Advocacy   |   Energy Governor Signs Measure Eroding Local Control Over Small Geothermal Projects

On October 6, Governor Newsom signed AB 531 (Rogers, D-Santa Rosa), which expands the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) AB 205 opt-in-permitting program to include smaller geothermal energy projects under 50MW.  In doing so, the law allows project developers to bypass local permitting processes

Oct 10, 2025

Advocacy   |   Solid Waste Management RCRC Submits Comments on CalRecycle’s Draft SB 54 Single Use Packaging Regulations

On October 7, RCRC submitted comments on CalRecycle’s latest draft regulations seeking to implement the SB 54 single use packaging law

Oct 10, 2025

Advocacy   |   Public Safety and Emergency Management CPUC Proposes to End Crucial Wildfire Risk Reduction Program at the End of 2025

On September 18, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a Proposed Decision that would effectively end the state’s BioMAT program on December 31, 2025. RCRC has long-supported biomass energy generation and extension of the BioMAT program’s sunset date

Oct 10, 2025

Advocacy   |   Community and Economic Development CPUC Advances Proceeding on Communications Emergency Preparedness and Network Resiliency Program

Last week, RCRC joined a new rulemaking at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to examine the telecommunications emergency preparedness and network resiliency program. This existing program includes

Oct 03, 2025

Advocacy Federal Government Shutdown Begins: What It Means for Rural Communities

The federal government shut down on October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., following the rejection of H.R. 5371 in the U.S. Senate. Federal agencies have begun implementing contingency plans, due to a lapse in appropriations. While essential services such as Social Security and Medicare continue, many departments are reducing operations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), which provide critical support to rural areas, are among those affected.

Oct 03, 2025

Advocacy   |   Solid Waste Management Governor Signs RCRC Bill Increasing Funding for Rural CUPAs

On October 1, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 993 (Hadwick), co-sponsored by RCRC and the California Association of Environmental Health Administrators. AB 993 expands eligibility

Oct 03, 2025

Advocacy   |   County Operations Cannabis Equity Grants Announced

The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GoBiz) announced the opening of the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions with $15 million available for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Local jurisdictions can be awarded

Oct 03, 2025

Advocacy   |   Forest and Public Lands Stewardship Padilla, Schiff Announce Bipartisan Bills to Support Over 2,000 Acres of Tribal Land Management

On September 29, the U.S. Senators of California, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, announced a trio of bipartisan, bicameral bills to promote Tribal management of over 2,000 acres of land in California. The bills would transfer federal land to