The Barbed Wire - July 8, 2016

July 8, 2016
RCRC’s 2016 Annual Meeting – REGISTER TODAY!!!
A Full Ballot in November
Additional Public Meetings Set for USFS Early Adopter Forest Plan Updates
State Water Board Seeks Comment on Proposed Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material
Caltrans Releases Draft Transportation Guidelines
FAA Extension
House Conservatives Push for Six-Month CR
BULLETIN BOARD
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
REGULATORY UPDATE

RCRC’s 2016 Annual Meeting – REGISTER TODAY!!!

RCRC’s 2016 Annual Meeting will be held September 28-30 at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Placer County.  This year’s program will feature experts discussing a wide range of topics of interest to rural counties including:

In Insider’s Perspective on the U.S. Supreme Court;

Implementation of a Medical Marijuana Regulatory Scheme in California;

Expert Commentary on the Current Political Landscape; and,

Navigating the Foster Care System.

To register for RCRC’s 2016 Annual Meeting, click here.

A Full Ballot in November

Currently, there are seventeen qualified ballot measures slated for the November 8, 2016 ballot.  The measures cover the gambit of public policy from taxes to marijuana. The full list of measures numbering from Proposition 51 through 67 that have qualified can be accessed here.

Additional Public Meetings Set for USFS Early Adopter Forest Plan Updates

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has scheduled four additional meetings for the month of August to take public comment on the draft land management plans and draft environmental impact statement for the Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests.  The three forests are the first in California to have their forest plans updated using the revised National Land Management Planning Rule adopted by the USDA Forest Service in 2012, and are among the first in the nation to go through the new process.  

Forest plan updates have long been controversial, as national forests, states, local governments, tribes, and other stakeholders have not always reached agreement on the best use and management tactics for federally managed forest lands.  Local governments, in particular, have local land use authority, and have specific interests in making sure national forest lands are managed in a way that best serves the surrounding communities.  With the 2012 Planning Rule removing some of the requirements for forests to consult with local governments and other entities to ensure consistency with other land use plans, the outcome of the early adopter forest plans is particularly vital to future planning efforts. 

The draft plans and environmental impact statement are out for public comment until August 25, 2016, with the August public meetings taking place in Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Bakersfield, and Clovis.  Details on the public meetings, project documents, and instructions on filing comments, visit the Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests Land Management Plans Revision can be accessed here.  

State Water Board Seeks Comment on Proposed Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material

The State Water Resources Control Board is seeking public comment on their proposed Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State for inclusion in the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters and Enclosed Bays and Estuaries and Ocean Waters of California.  The proposed Procedures consist of three major elements: 1) a statewide wetland area definition; 2) wetland delineation procedures; and 3) Procedures for the regulation of dredged or fill discharges to waters of the state.  

The State Water Board will accept both written and oral comments on the proposed California Ocean Plan and Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bay, and Estuaries of California Plan amendments. Written comments must be received by 12:00 PM on Thursday, August, 4, 2016 at:

Jeanine Townsend, Clerk to the Board

State Water Resources Control Board

P.O. Box 100, Sacramento, CA 95812-2000 (mail)

1001 I Street, 24th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 (hand-delivery)

Sacramento, CA 95814

Comment letters may be submitted electronically, in pdf text format (if less than 15 megabytes in total size), to the Clerk to the Board via e-mail at commentletters@waterboards.ca.gov.

If the file is greater than 15 megabytes in total size, then the comment letter may be submitted by fax at (916) 341-5620.  Please indicate the subject line: “Statewide Dredged or Fill Procedures.”

The proposed Procedures and additional information can be accessed here.

Caltrans Releases Draft Transportation Guidelines

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently released their initial draft of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and California Transportation Plan (CTP) Guidelines for public comment.  The RTP Guidelines help Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPA) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) conduct long-range transportation and land-use planning in their regions.  The CTP Guidelines outline California’s long-range transportation plan – spanning a 20 year horizon – that provides a policy framework to guide how transportation funding is invested and how investment decisions are made at all levels of government.  While Caltrans is charged with preparing the draft guidelines for public comment, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) is charged with adoption of the guidelines. 

Local governments and transportation stakeholders are urged to review the draft RTP and CTP Guidelines and provide input by Friday, August 5, 2016.  The draft CTP Guidelines are available here.  The draft MPO RTP Guidelines are available here.  The draft RTPA RTP Guidelines will be released in the coming days.

FAA Extension

This week, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee unveiled a long-term proposal to extend the Federal Aviation Administration beyond the July 15 expiration without the controversial air traffic control spinoff provisions.  The bill provides a long-term extension of the authorization of FAA’s programs and taxes through September 30, 2017 at current funding levels.  The extension contains policy provisions such as language addressing drones, pilot standards and training, air traffic control staffing, aviation security addressing TSA wait times, and consumer protections.  The House and the Senate are expected to pass the extension next week.

House Conservatives Push for Six-Month CR

Congress will be in recess from July 16 through September 5 and again for the entire month of October.  The anticipated legislative calendar means only 22 legislative days remain for the House and Senate before the November election.  With such little time left, members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus continue to advocate to take the threat of a government shutdown off the table by voting next week on a continuing resolution to fund the government through next March at current spending levels.  Freedom Caucus members have openly discussed their disappointment with past lame-duck negotiations over funding with the President, believing House Republican leadership caved on too many important issues.  The conservative strategy, if successful, would likely result in a short and unproductive lame-duck session after the November elections.  House leadership has not publicly weighed in on the strategy, although some individual House appropriators have already signaled an unwillingness to give up on the appropriations process.  Senate leadership has not addressed the strategy.   

BULLETIN BOARD

WCB Stream Flow Enhancement Program

The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) has released its Proposal Solicitation Notice and Application for the Stream Flow Enhancement Program.  

Click here

DWR Releases Draft Approved Changes to California Groundwater Basin Boundaries

Click here

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Legislature adjourned for Summer Recess on Friday, July 1, 2016.  The Legislature will reconvene on Monday, August 1, 2016 to wrap up the 2016-17 Legislative Session at the end of August.

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  Click “Read More” to access information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.  

AB 2678 (Gray): State-Designated Fairs: Funding.  Assembly Bill 2678 would dedicate the State portion of the sales and use tax collected from transactions at fairgrounds except for Los Angeles to support small and medium sized fairs.  Status: Awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

AB 2781 (Garcia): Supplemental Environmental Projects.  Assembly Bill 2781 would direct 10 percent of all penalties collected by California Environmental Protection Agency boards, departments, and offices to fund environmental projects in disadvantaged communities using Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code for the definition (CalEnviroScreen) of a disadvantaged community (DAC).  Status: Awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Oppose

SB 1170 (Wieckowski): Public Contracts: Water Pollution Prevention Plans: Delegation.  Senate Bill 1170 would prohibit a public entity, charter city, or charter county from delegating to a contractor the development of a plan, as defined, used to prevent or reduce water pollution or runoff on a public works contract, except as provided.  The bill would also prohibit a public entity, charter city, or charter county from requiring a contractor on a public works contract that includes compliance with a plan to assume responsibility for the completeness and accuracy of a plan developed by that entity.  Status: Awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.   RCRC Position: Oppose

SB 1188 (McGuire): Wildlife Management Areas: Payment of Taxes and Assessments.  Senate Bill 1188 will return the ‘may’ back to ‘shall’ in Fish and Game Code Section 1504 making future Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments required rather than permissive.  Status: Awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

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.  

2030 Target Scoping Plan Update Concept Paper: Provides opportunity for public input prior to the release of the Draft 2030 Scoping Plan Update later in 2015.  Offers four high-level concepts for achieving greenhouse gas reductions by 2030 for public review and comment.  Agency: California Air Resources Board Status: Draft available for public comment, comments due by July 8, 2016.  Draft proposal and related documents can be accessed hereRCRC Comments: Click here. RCRC Advocates: Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org and Mary Pitto mpitto@rcrcnet.org