The Barbed Wire - January 13, 2017

January 13, 2017
RCRC/NHF Funded PROTECT Program Rolls Out in California's Rural Counties: California Partnership Launches First Statewide Education Program to Fight Human Trafficking
RCRC Releases The Rural Rundown of the Governor’s 2017-18 Proposed Budget
RCRC Affiliate Golden State Finance Authority Provides $1.5 Million Grant for Fire Disaster Victims in Lake and Calaveras Counties
State Updates Controversial Environmental Health Screening Tool
HCD Announces CDBG Program Redesign
HCD Hosts No Place Like Home Workshop in Shasta County
Congress Continues Work to Repeal Obamacare
DOT Secretary Nomination Hearing
Confirmation Hearing Dates Set for Several Trump Cabinet Nominees
BULLETIN BOARD
REGULATORY UPDATE

RCRC/NHF Funded PROTECT Program Rolls Out in California's Rural Counties: California Partnership Launches First Statewide Education Program to Fight Human Trafficking

A public-private collaboration of law enforcement, government, education and human trafficking leaders today announced the launch of PROTECT, an education program designed to reduce human trafficking in communities across California. PROTECT is being rolled out throughout 35 rural California counties over the next three years, with the goal of reaching potentially 325,000 students and teachers.  Read More…

RCRC Releases The Rural Rundown of the Governor’s 2017-18 Proposed Budget

On Tuesday, the Brown Administration released details of the Governor’s 2017-18 proposed Budget.  The Rural Rundown, is an in-depth look at the Governor’s 2017-18 proposed Budget, its implications for member counties, details of RCRC’s advocacy efforts on specific issue items, and an insider perspective into the reasoning and rationale behind elements of the proposal.  Read More...

RCRC Affiliate Golden State Finance Authority Provides $1.5 Million Grant for Fire Disaster Victims in Lake and Calaveras Counties

In 2015, two wildfires raged through Lake and Calaveras Counties causing wide-spread devastation. The Valley Fire (Lake) scorched over 76,000 acres, destroyed nearly 2,000 residential properties and killed four people. It is considered the third-worst fire in California history based on total structures burned. The Butte Fire (Calaveras) burned 64,000 acres, destroyed 549 homes and claimed the lives of two individuals.  Read More…

State Updates Controversial Environmental Health Screening Tool

Earlier this week, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) released the final update of the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool, known as CalEnviroScreen 3.0, after a series of public hearings and comment periods in late 2016.  CalEnviroScreen has long been the subject of controversy among many stakeholders due to what many, including RCRC, believe is the inappropriate use of the tool for allocation of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds. 

While the original purpose of the tool was to help the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) prioritize resources for cleanup and abatement projects and outreach efforts by CalEPA’s boards and departments, CalEPA has mandated that the tool be used as the sole method of identifying disadvantaged communities for Cap-and-Trade funding purposes.  As a result, some of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in the state are excluded from receiving earmarked Cap-and-Trade funds, and more than half of California’s counties are shut out completely.  These include counties that have had devastating climate-related disasters in recent years, such as high severity wildfires that produced much of the State’s black carbon emissions.

The updated CalEnviroScreen 3.0 and related documents can be accessed here.

HCD Announces CDBG Program Redesign

In response to state and federal funding reductions reflected in the Governor’s 2017-18 proposed Budget, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced it would be undergoing efforts to redesign the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.  HCD stated ”historic reductions in the CDBG annual allocations, combined with significant programmatic concerns from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, such as California’s low expenditure rate, require HCD to reconsider how the CDBG program is designed and operated.”  

While the details have yet to be released, HCD plans to host public meetings to collect feedback on how to restructure the program, which will likely include a review of other HCD programs that can be leveraged to continue to advance state and federal policy goals.  Additionally, the program restructuring will require both statutory and regulatory changes.  

RCRC staff will work with the Legislature, State Agency, and local government partners to advocate in support of rural and small county community and economic development programs throughout the CDBG restructuring process.  

HCD Hosts No Place Like Home Workshop in Shasta County

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) held its third regional public meeting on the No Place Like Home (NPLH) program this week in Redding (Shasta County).  As with the previous workshops, HCD staff provided a detailed overview of the Draft NPLH framing document, which outlines the implementation structure of the program, including funding protocols and data reporting requirements for the program.  Staff representatives from several RCRC member counties including Shasta, Butte, Tehama, and Siskiyou participated in the meeting, providing important feedback on the challenges of implementing this program in rural areas of the state.  

RCRC will continue collaborative efforts to further address county issues throughout development of the NPLH Program Guidelines, and will engage our rural county stakeholders to provide technical guidance on key provisions moving forward.  HCD will be holding three more regional workshops, as well as a webinar on January 26, 2017.  The deadline to provide public comment to HCD on the proposed framework document is January 31, 2017.

Detailed information on the NPLH program and regional meetings can be accessed here.

Congress Continues Work to Repeal Obamacare

Congress took a step closer to repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through an early Thursday morning vote in the Senate.  The Senate voted 51-48 on a budget resolution that will be used as a vehicle to repeal Obamacare.  Senate committees will now begin the process to draft specific language to repeal the healthcare law.  

The Senate Finance as well as the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees and the House Ways and Means as well as the Energy and Commerce Committees will take the lead on the repeal bill.  The House is anticipated to vote on the bill today to formally start the House committee process to repeal the ACA.

DOT Secretary Nomination Hearing

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing to consider the Honorable Elaine Chao to be Secretary of the Department of Transportation.  Chao previously served as the Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush, and was the Deputy Secretary of Transportation under President George H.W. Bush. 

During the hearing, Secretary Chao was asked a number of questions about the new Administration’s policy positions across all modes of transportation.  With respect to rural communities, Secretary Chao praised the previous Congress for their ability to pass the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, and said she would work to ensure that the successful balance in the bill that was struck between urban and rural areas was kept.  Secretary Chao also recognized the need in rural communities to have easy access to affordable air service and pledged to not only keep the essential air service (EAS) program but to find ways in which to improve the program.

Given President-elect Trump’s emphasis on infrastructure, many Senators asked if Chao could provide more details on the Administration’s infrastructure proposal.  In response, Secretary Chao stated that the President-elect’s vision for an infrastructure proposal will be “ambitious, futuristic, and comprehensive,” and she will be starting with forming a task force and establishing a process to address infrastructure issues.  Chao said that we need to continue to be creative, innovative and consider other options for funding our aging infrastructure.

Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) has not yet announced a date for Secretary Chao’s nomination to be considered, but it is anticipated that the Committee would vote on her nomination soon after inauguration.  There has been no opposition to her nomination by members on the Committee.

Confirmation Hearing Dates Set for Several Trump Cabinet Nominees

This week, multiple Senate Committees announced hearing dates for several of President-elect Trump’s cabinet nominees.

Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), announced that her committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT), on Tuesday, January 17, 2017.  Murkowski also announced that her committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Secretary of the Department of Energy, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, on Thursday, January 19, 2017.   Additionally, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, John Barrasso (R-WY), announced that his committee will hold a confirmation hearing for the nominee for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Attorney General for the State of Oklahoma Scott Pruitt, on Wednesday, January 18, 2017.  President-elect Trump has yet to nominate someone for the Secretary for the Department of Agriculture.  Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Pat Roberts (R-KS), stated that his committee will not be able to consider a nominee for Ag Secretary until after the President-elect in inaugurated, as a result of a number of procedures that need to happen prior to a hearing.  Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s name has been mentioned recently as a possible candidate. 

BULLETIN BOARD

Department of Water Resources Releases Flood Emergency Response Dashboard and Resources

Click here

Sutter County Seeks Human Resources Director

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Free Drinking Water Workshops Available for Small Rural Systems

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EPA Launches New Program with $1 Billion in Loans Available for Water Infrastructure Projects

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2017 Champion of Technology Awards Nominations Now Being Accepted

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Notice of Public Workshops: Suction Dredge Mining

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REGULATORY UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to submit comments on regulatory matters to state and federal regulatory bodies, and to provide a copy to RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  Click “Read More” to access information related to the current status of regulations impacting California’s rural counties.  

Revised Draft Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (SLCP Strategy).  The revised Short-Lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP) Reduction Strategy and relevant Appendices have been released for public review and comments.  The SLCP Reduction Strategy addresses black carbon, methane, and hydroflourocarbons (HFC) emissions and lays out a range of options to reduce SLCP emissions in California, including regulations, incentives, and other market-supporting activities.  Agency: Air Resources Board.  Status: The revised SLCP Reduction Strategy and relevant Appendices was released on November 28, 2016, with comments due by January 17, 2017.  Three SLCP Strategy workshops were held the week of December 12, 2016.  The Revised Draft SLCP Reduction Strategy and Revised Draft Environmental Analysis (Appendix E) will be considered at the March 23 and 24 ARB monthly meeting.  The revised SLCP Reduction Strategy, notice of the public workshops, and related documents can be accessed hereRCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org and Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org

General Plan Safety Element Review and Assessment. The proposed rule establishes a standardized review process for the Board of Forestry review of a draft element or a draft amendment to the safety element of a county or a city’s general plan that contains State Responsibility Area (SRA) or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Agency: Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board) Status: The proposed rule was re-published December 23, 2016, with comments due by February 7, 2017.  The Board anticipates holding a public hearing on March 8, 2017.  The proposed rule can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org

Regulating Suction Dredge Mining to Protect Water Quality.  Five public workshops have been scheduled in early 2017 to solicit input on what action should be taken to protect water quality from suction dredge mining in accordance with Senate Bill 637. Agency: State Water Resources Control; Board (State Water Board)  Status:  The workshops have been scheduled in Fresno on January 17, 2017; in San Bernardino on January 18, 2017; in Orleans on January 24, 2017; in Redding on January 25, 2017; and in Sacramento on February 6, 2017.  The notice can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org

Draft 2017 Update to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP).  The CVFPP is a long-range plan for improving flood risk management in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river Basins.  The plan provides a comprehensive framework for system-wide management and flood risk reduction planning and is required to update every five years.  This first update refines the overall near- and long-term investment needs established in the CVFPP, and includes recommendations on policies and financing that support comprehensive flood risk management actions locally, regionally, and system-wide.  Agency: Department of Water Resources. Status: The draft was released on December 30, 2016, with comments due by March 31, 2017.  Five public outreach hearings have been scheduled in February and March throughout the Central Valley.  The draft update, draft Supplemental Program EIS, and scheduled workshop details can be accessed hereRCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org