The Barbed Wire - August 3, 2018

August 3, 2018
FINAL Room Block Released for RCRC’s 2018 Annual Meeting in Napa!!!
Legislature Returns from Summer Recess
RCRC Participates in Economic Development Summit
EPA Update
Farm Bill Update
California Missing Out on Farm Aid
THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST
BULLETIN BOARD

FINAL Room Block Released for RCRC’s 2018 Annual Meeting in Napa!!!

RCRC’s 2018 Annual Meeting will be held September 19-21 at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa in Napa County.  This year’s program will feature experts discussing a wide range of topics of interest to rural counties, including school safety, the changing face of media, cybersecurity, the current political landscape, and more. 

The room block at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa has sold out.  However, RCRC has contracted with the Hilton Garden Inn, located adjacent to the Napa Valley Marriott & Spa, for a second (and final) block of rooms.  Read More…

Legislature Returns from Summer Recess

On Monday, the Legislature is set to return from their month-long Summer Recess to finish out the final month of the 2018 Legislative Session.  The Regular Session is scheduled to adjourn on August 31, 2018, which gives the Legislature a handful of weeks to address a number of outstanding issues. 

Of particular interest to rural counties will be legislative proposals related to wildfire response/wildfire liability for utilities, tribal cannabis, and the enactment of a properly funded scheme to address water quality issues in poor, rural farm communities that have nitrate contamination.

RCRC will provide updates on these issues as they develop.  Be sure to subscribe to RCRC’s Podcast, The Rural Rundown, where RCRC staff will dive a little deeper into the issues impacting California’s rural counties as the 2018 Legislative Session winds down.

RCRC Participates in Economic Development Summit

Last week, RCRC Chief Economic Development Officer Barbara Hayes participated in the Central Sierra Economic Development District (CSEDD) Summit and Workshop held at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys.  The event brought together local elected officials, workforce, community, and economic development professionals, as well as education and business representatives from the five-county area (Calaveras, Alpine, Amador, Tuolumne, and Mariposa) represented by CSEDD. 

In addition to Ms. Hayes, featured speakers included Gurbax Sahota, President & CEO of California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED), Kim Dolbow Vann, State Director of USDA Rural Development, and Rich Gordon, President & CEO of the California Forestry Association.  The speakers set the stage for discussion and strategic planning in the afternoon.

Director Vann took advantage of this important gathering to present David Thoeny, Executive Director of the Central Sierra Economic Development District, with the largest local assistance grant presented by USDA this year.  The grant will support the district’s work in the development of workforce and economic development efforts in the biofuels sector.

The event was very well attended by individuals who are committed to and engaged in the economic success of the five-county central Sierra region.  Throughout the day, the value of partnerships and cooperation was evident across the five-county area, as local economic and workforce development professionals leverage resources and expertise for the benefit of the region.  The facilitated strategic planning session will yield an economic development action plan for the region to cooperatively execute.

EPA Update

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held a hearing entitled, “Examining EPA’s Agenda: Protecting the Environment and Allowing America’s Economy to Grow.”  The only witness to testify was Acting Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Andrew Wheeler. Senators used this hearing as an opportunity to gain insight on how Mr. Wheeler, if awarded the position of full-time EPA Administrator, plans to maintain clean air, water, and land while simultaneously bolstering the U.S. economy. 

In his opening testimony, Mr. Wheeler highlighted three areas he will prioritize as EPA Administrator:

  • State and local governments, and Indian Affairs;
  • Permitting and enforcement actions; and,
  • Risk communication.

In these areas, Wheeler plans to provide stakeholders and partners with more certainty in the agency’s decisions and policymaking process.

The hearing was led by EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) who focused on the economic burden of federal environmental regulations.  In his opening statement, Barrasso criticized the Obama-era Waters of the United States rule which broadens the bodies of water facing federal regulation.  Mr. Wheeler committed to working with the chairman to rollback Obama-era regulations that hinder the U.S. economy.  In general, Mr. Wheeler expressed an interest to repeal policies that conflict with economic interests.

Farm Bill Update

This week, the Senate voted to send the Senate’s version of the reauthorization of the Farm Bill to a conference committee with the House.  Congress can now initiate the final step of the legislative process where selected members of the House and Senate will meet to iron out the differences between each chamber’s version of the 2018 Farm Bill.    

The greatest challenge for the selected conferees will be to reconcile the bill’s different approaches to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as the food stamps program.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) reiterated this week that he would like to have the 2018 Farm Bill enacted into law before September 30, 2018, when many of the 2014 Farm Bill programs expire. 

California Missing Out on Farm Aid

This week, the Trump Administration announced it would administer $12 billion in relief for U.S. farmers targeted by retaliatory tariffs from U.S. trading partners.  The Administration’s plan is meant to soften the blow of these tariffs, but California is largely left out of the current relief package.  

Members of California’s Congressional delegation are lobbying President Trump and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to include California’s specialty-crop markets in the final proposal.  Representatives Jeff Denham (R-Stanislaus), Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) David Valadao (R-Kings), Ed Royce (R-Orange), Ken Calvert (R-Riverside), Jim Costa (D-Fresno), Jimmy Panetta (D-Monterrey), Julia Brownley (D-Ventura), Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), and Ami Bera (D-Sacramento) sent a letter to the President highlighting the impact of recent tariffs on California’s specialty-crop markets and asking for support for their state’s producers.

THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST

The Rural Rundown discusses the legislative and regulatory issues impacting California’s rural counties, featuring commentary and interviews from individuals committed to improving the quality of life in rural California. 

The Rural Rundown can be accessed here

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

California River Parkways Grant Program: Concept Proposal Solicitation

Click here

HCD Announces Extension to ESG Balance of State Applications

Click here

CalPERS Joins Cal OES at Local Assistance Center in Redding

Click here

USDA Seeks Comments on Rural Broadband Initiative

Click here