The Barbed Wire - January 23, 2015

January 23, 2015
Wildfire Disaster Funding Act Reintroduced in Both Houses
Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center
President, Congress Call for Increased Infrastructure Investment
House Hearing on Medicare Reimbursement Rates
Representative Bill Shuster Eyes Transportation Funding Source
House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Membership Set – California’s Calvert to Continue as Chair
BULLETIN BOARD
REGULATORY UPDATE

Wildfire Disaster Funding Act Reintroduced in Both Houses

This week, the Senate’s companion measure to H.R. 167 (Simpson, R-ID/Schrader, D-OR), which is still waiting bill number assignment, was introduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).  Like the original Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFA) previously introduced, these two measures would change the way wildfire disasters are funded.  The ultimate goal is to help protect fire prevention and forest management money from being used on fire fighting in the forests. 

The original WDFA, S. 1875 (Wyden, D-OR) and H.R. 3992 (Simpson, R-ID), was strongly supported by RCRC.  However, this package of bills failed to gain passage during the last Congressional session.  The bills have now been reintroduced in both houses, indicating continued strong support for the issue, and the need to address fire funding prior to the start of another fire season.  

The WDFA supported by RCRC and a broad coalition of other local government, environmental, and community groups, would effectively separate fire suppression costs of the most catastrophic fires from other budgeted forest activities.  This special set aside would prevent “fire borrowing,” or the action of taking funding out of critical fire prevention and forest health programs to pay for the costs of responding to catastrophic and particularly costly wildfires.

RCRC continues to push for a policy change to fund fire disasters in the same manner that other types of disasters are funded, and allow for critically needed fire prevention projects to be completed to end the vicious cycle of wildfire disaster in California and throughout the west.

Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center

The U.S. EPA has announced the EPA’s new Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center (Center).  The Center, which is intended to serve as a resource to communities to improve their wastewater, drinking water and stormwater systems, can be accessed here.

The Center supports the Build America Investments Initiative, a government-wide effort to increase infrastructure investment and promote economic growth by creating opportunities for state and local governments and the private sector to collaborate, expand public-private partnerships, and increase the use of federal credit programs.

President, Congress Call for Increased Infrastructure Investment

During the State of the Union address this week, President Obama again urged Congress to enact a “bipartisan infrastructure plan.”  The President proposed funding infrastructure investment by closing an unspecified corporate tax loophole, and has not publicly supported an increase in the federal gas tax.  He reiterated this position during the State of the Union address.  Federal highway and transit funding will run out on May 31, 2015, and Congress will need to act to fund the program prior to that date. 

Infrastructure investment has also garnered increased attention in Congress this week, as Representatives John Delaney (D-MD) and Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) have reintroduced legislation to create a $50 billion infrastructure bank that would be funded by allowing corporations to repatriate a portion of their overseas earnings tax-free, in exchange for the purchase of bonds to fund the infrastructure bank. 

House Hearing on Medicare Reimbursement Rates

This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health held a two-day hearing on the physician reimbursement rate under Medicare known as the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).  Members and witnesses supported a permanent legislative solution, colloquially known as the “doc fix,” to the broken Medicare physician reimbursement formula.  Despite the fact that there is agreement on the need to increase the reimbursement rate, finding a financial offset to pay for the fix continues to be a major delay in finding a permanent solution.  A permanent legislative fix is currently estimated to cost around $140 billion.  Some of the offsets discussed at the hearing this week were increasing the age of eligibility for Medicare, prescription drug reform, the President’s recent proposal to charge wealthier seniors more for Medicare physician services and drug coverage, and streamlining Medicare into a single annual deductible.  Members are working to pass a legislative fix before the current temporary “doc fix” expires on March 31, 2015.  

Like Medi-Cal, physician reimbursement rates for Medicare directly impact patient access to healthcare.  In rural areas, with a disproportionate percentage of retirement age individuals, likely utilizing Medicare, the need to ensure a sufficient pool of providers who accept Medicare is particularly necessary.  The reimbursement rate for physicians is a direct contributor to the availability of these services in rural areas.

Representative Bill Shuster Eyes Transportation Funding Source

During a speech yesterday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Conference, House Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA), stated his support for passing a long-term reauthorization of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).  While details of his proposal with respect to the funding mechanism went without much detail, Chairman Shuster discussed the potential to fund MAP-21 through repatriation of off-shore corporate tax dollars, which would be done in conjunction with a massive overhaul and restructuring of the federal tax code.  Chairman Shuster’s comments are in line with other supporters, primarily President Barack Obama, who has called on Congress to support MAP-21 Highway Trust Fund programs through corporate tax reform.  

MAP-21 was slated to expire at the end of September 2014; however, Congress passed the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 to extend MAP-21 and provide a short-term funding boost to the Highway Trust Fund through May 31, 2015.  With the temporary extension of funding for the Highway Trust Fund set to expire at the end of May 2015, Congress will need to renew dedicated funding to keep MAP-21 federal highway programs operating.  As part of the reauthorization efforts, RCRC continues to advocate for a long-term reauthorization of the bill to ensure that counties have adequate time to plan and prioritize projects, and for the renewal of dedicated funding for both locally owned on-system bridges and High-Risk Rural Roads, which were both eliminated under MAP-21.

House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Membership Set – California’s Calvert to Continue as Chair

The House of Representative’s Interior Appropriations Subcommittee has finalized its current membership.  As expected, Representative Ken Calvert (R-Riverside) will continue to serve as Chair, and Representative Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) will be the subcommittee’s new Ranking Member.  Chairman Calvert is the only Member of the California House Delegation on this subcommittee; however, there are several Members from Western states, including Representative Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Representative Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Representative Mark Amodei (R-Nevada), and Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Washington).  A number of resource-related programs, agencies, and issues are handled in this subcommittee, primarily from a funding perspective, although in recent years a variety policy-authorizations have caught the attention of subcommittee members.  

BULLETIN BOARD

SALCP Application Forms and Background Documents Available

Click here

DWR Groundwater Webpage Updated

Click here

Used Oil Competitive Grant Program: Second Cycle (FY 2015-16)

Click here

Statewide Water Management Workshop March 26 in Oroville

The Butte County Department of Public Health and the Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation, along with RCRC and several other co-sponsors, are hosting a Water Management Workshop on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at the Gold Country Casino in Oroville.  Presentations and panels for the workshop include: Statewide Approach to Water Resource Management, Implementation Approaches to Water Management, California Water Law and Water Management, Current Local Water Management Approaches, and Stakeholder Perspectives and Roles.

Additional information for the Workshop can be accessed here

SGC Adopted the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program

The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) adopted the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program 2014-15 Guidelines on January 20, 2015.  The AHSC NOFA will be released the week of January 26, 2015.  Concept proposals are due to the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) on February 19, 2015, with full applications due to HCD April 15, 2015.  Awards are expected in late June.  The Guidelines can be accessed here.  

The SGC will be hosting six outreach workshops throughout the state in early February to share more information about the program and how to submit a concept proposal.  The workshops will feature a two-hour morning presentation and afternoon small group or one-on-one consultations.  The workshop notice and registration information can be accessed here.  

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.  

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status for West Coast Distinct Population Segment of Fisher: Proposes to list the west coast distinct population of fisher as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Status: Draft published on October 7, 2014 for a 90-day comment period.  The comment deadline has been extended to February 5, 2015.  The proposed regulation and related documents can be accessed hereRCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org

Grazing Regulatory Action Project:  Develops a program to enhance the environmental benefits and mitigate water quality impacts of livestock grazing.  Agency: State Water Resources Control Board Status: Board recently completed invitation-only listening sessions with targeted stakeholders.  Initial public meetings to discuss the project are in process.  An initial draft proposal is expected in early 2015.  Information on the program can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: Staff is seeking input from member counties.  RCRC Advocate: Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org