The Barbed Wire - April 01, 2016

RCRC Addresses California Cannabis Industry Association 2016 Policy Conference

Earlier this week, RCRC Senior Legislative Advocate Paul A. Smith served on a Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (MMRSA) panel discussion at the California Cannabis Industry Association’s (CCIA) 2016 Policy Conference in Sacramento.  Smith provided background on the MMRSA, and served as the local government representative on the panel.  

Highlights from the presentation included RCRC’s cornerstones of importance related to any effort to construct a medical marijuana regulatory program:  maintaining local control; the ending of the collective model in favor of a strict licensing scheme; providing explicit county taxing authority; and mitigating the environmental damage from cultivation.  In addition to articulating these points, Paul also focused on the next steps being taken in the implementation of the new regulatory approach, and the concerns RCRC member counties have.

Moderated by CCIA Executive Director Nate Bradley, other panel participants included Lori Ajax, Chief of the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation, Amy Jenkins, Legislative Advocate with Platinum Advisors, and Janus Norman, Vice President of Government Relations with the California Medical Association.  

RCRC Sponsoring North State Summit on Human Trafficking – Counties Encouraged to Attend

The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is sponsoring a Regional Information Summit on Human Trafficking in Redding on April 7, 2016.  The North State Summit is hosted by the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T.) Institute, an innovative research-based think tank developed to bring together leaders from multiple state and local systems to create a unified and comprehensive system of support to respond to and prevent human exploitation and trafficking.  

The information received from the North State Summit will help the H.E.A.T. Institute Blue Ribbon Commission develop a report containing concrete recommendations to guide policymakers, elected leaders, and local communities in developing a collaborative, comprehensive, holistic and consistent response to the commercial sexual exploitation of children in California.  Representatives from local government, law enforcement, criminal justice, health and human services, and the nonprofit sector will be on hand to participate in this discussion. 

Details on the North State Summit can be accessed here.  Please RSVP to Justin Caporusso at (916) 447-4806 or jcaporusso@rcrcnet.org.

DWR and Bureau of Reclamation Seek Continuance on WaterFix Water Right Change Petition

Late this week, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) received a letter from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation requesting a 60-day continuance of all dates and deadlines associated with the California WaterFix (twin tunnels) water right change petition hearing.  

On March 28, 2016, the hearing officers also received a request from several parties to dismiss the petition.  On March 29, 2016, the State Water Board received additional requests to delay and stay the hearing pending resolution of several matters. 

In response to the requests, the upcoming deadlines have been suspended.  A ruling will be issued in the near future formally addressing the requests and providing additional information about the hearing schedule.  Petitioners are directed to confirm by noon on Friday, April 1, 2016 that they will be prepared to proceed without further delay should the 60-day continuance be granted.

County Family Submits Comments on SGMA Draft Emergency Regulations

RCRC and CSAC submitted joint comments this week on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Draft Emergency Regulations for Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) and Alternatives.  The draft regulations describe the required plan elements and the criteria that DWR will use to evaluate the plans.  The deadline for comments on the draft regulations had been extended one week to April 1, 2016.  

RCRC and CSAC recommended significant changes to the draft regulations stating “RCRC and CSAC believe that the draft regulations are overly prescriptive and expansive and would add unnecessary complexity and increased costs on local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA’s) in the development of GSPs.”  RCRC and CSAC also urged the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to reevaluate the draft regulations and ensure that requirements beyond that which are required in statute are imposed only where there is sufficient justification to do so.

The SGMA requires the DWR to adopt final regulations by June 1, 2016.  The joint comments can be accessed here.

U.S. DOT Announces Airport Funding

This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the availability of $5 million through the Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP).  

SCASDP funding provides assistance to offer carriers subsidized air service to and from an underserved airport, an underserved airport to secure air service to and from the underserved airport, and an underserved airport to implement measures that will improve air service costs and availability of air service.  In the past, the SCASDP has provided support to airports located in the following RCRC member counties: Butte, Del Norte, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, and Shasta.  Applications are due by May 2, 2016.  Additional information on the SCASDP funding can be accessed here. 

Senator Feinstein Preparing Bill to Exempt Turf Rebate Income from Federal Taxes

Senator Dianne Feinstein is expected to introduce legislation next week to exempt water conservation rebates from federal taxes.  Her bill is similar to H.R. 4615 (Huffman), which is supported by 10 California Democrats and one Republican.  

The legislation is in response to turf rebates issued primarily in California to encourage water conservation.  Water customers are receiving federal 1099 forms that require rebates over $600 to be reported as taxable income.  RCRC is working with a coalition of California water districts and other organizations from western states to either amend the tax code or seek administrative relief from the IRS, which is considering whether the drought constitutes special circumstances under which the IRS can grant an income exemption without congressional action.

Senator Feinstein Asks Obama to Increase Pumping from Bay Delta

Senator Dianne Feinstein recently sent a letter asking the President to instruct the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to maximize pumping under the terms of the biological opinion that protects Delta Smelt.  

The letter states that “this year’s El Nino has highlighted a fundamental problem with our water system:  A dogmatic adherence to a rigid set of operating criteria that continues to handcuff our ability to rebuild our reserves…  Just last week, flows in the Sacramento were as high as 76,000 cubic feet per second…  Yet the Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service are now considering reducing pumping due to concerns about larval smelt.”  The federal agencies have been considering whether to reduce pumping based on estimates that 10 percent of larval and juvenile smelt could be harmed.

Senator Feinstein’s letter highlights just one of several operational issues the Bureau of Reclamation is being asked to review in light of operational needs, including climate change.

Bipartisan House Coalition Requests Robust LWCF Funds

The Land and Water Conservation Fund saw its authorization lapse for the first time in the program’s 50 year history last September.  House leaders controversially allowed the program’s authorization to lapse in order to leverage reforms of the program.  

The House Natural Resources Committee held hearings examining potential changes to the LWCF, but reform efforts were ultimately met with little support.  The LWCF was funded and reauthorized without reforms for an additional 3 years by the federal spending bill that was passed in December 2015.  Now unburdened by an authorization fight over the program, lawmakers are asking for robust funding for the LWCF in the FY2017 appropriations bill.  A letter authored by California Representative Mike Thompson and co-signed by 200 bipartisan lawmakers was sent to the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee this past week detailing the important programs the LWCF funds and the need to support the programs at a higher funding level.  Congress is set to begin the appropriations process after they return from the current recess which ends April 11, 2016.

BULLETIN BOARD

RCRC-Sponsored H.E.A.T. Institute North State Informational Summit on Human Trafficking

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