The Barbed Wire - June 6, 2014

June 6, 2014
Conference Committee Starts and Stalls
Senate Hears Cap and Trade Budget Proposals
Bay Delta Conservation Plan Public Comment Period Extended
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to Consider Fee-to-Trust Legislation
Senate Transportation Appropriations Markup
HHS Announces $300 Million in ACA Funds to Expand Services at Health Centers
Applications Being Accepted for Governor’s Environmental Economic Leadership Award Program
USDA Announces Regional Conservation Partnership Program
STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Conference Committee Starts and Stalls

This week, the Joint Budget Conference Committee began work on finalizing decisions on key Budget issues of difference between the Senate and Assembly budget plans. Currently, the Conference Committee has addressed Human Services, Health, Education, Higher Education, and Resources, and is expected to pursue the remaining topics through the end of the week. However, agreement has been reached on very few issues in any of these categories, and most issues slated to be addressed have been “held open” for further discussions. Items are left “held open” when Conferees feel like they need additional information or the issue requires more negotiation before a final outcome can be reached. The final product on most, if not all, of these issues will be most likely be determined in private leadership meetings, rather than during a public Conference Committee hearing, and will be unknown until the Budget and associated trailer bills are addressed on the Floor of each house. The final Budget is constitutionally required to be passed before midnight on Sunday, June 15.

For additional information regarding the Conference Committee or individual Budget issues, please contact the RCRC Governmental Affairs staff at (916) 447-4806.

Senate Hears Cap and Trade Budget Proposals

The state Senate Budget Subcommittee held an information hearing on Wednesday on the Senate and Assembly Budget proposals to permanently allot the state’s funds from the Assembly Bill 32 Cap and Trade program.  Both Senator Darrell Steinberg and Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon presented their proposals to a packed room of stakeholders, each detailing how the funds would be allocated under their respective schemes. 

The Senate proposal allocates 25 percent of Cap and Trade funds going forward to transit projects, and 20 percent to high speed rail.  In contrast with the Governor’s proposal, which allots roughly 15 percent of the funds to resources projects, the Senate version only proposes 7 percent to go to forestry, water, and solid waste projects.  The Assembly plan allots a large block of money, approximately 38 percent of the total, to state agency projects of all types, including high speed rail, forestry/fire management, solid waste, and wetlands restoration projects.  State agencies would have to compete for the funds through the Strategic Growth Council.  The Assembly proposes an additional 38 percent to sustainable communities and affordable housing projects, in contrast to the Senate’s proposed 20 percent.  

While the public was allowed to comment at the hearing, there was little discussion by the committee of any recommendations other than those offered by the Senate and Assembly.  RCRC has long advocated for more spending on forest management, including funding projects by the U.S. Forest Service, as well as using Cap and Trade funds for Williamson Act subventions.  The proposals now move to the Budget Conference Committee for the two houses to hammer out a deal and to reconcile with the Administration.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Regulatory Affairs Advocate Staci Heaton at (916) 447-4806 orsheaton@rcrcnet.org.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan Public Comment Period Extended

The public comment period on the draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and associated draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) has been extended, for a second time, until July 29, 2014. 

RCRC and other stakeholders have submitted letters requesting an extension on submitting comments due to the length and complexity of the BDCP, as well as the fact that the draft Implementing Agreement had not yet been released. The extension on the public comment period was announced in conjunction with the release of the draft Implementing Agreement, which is woven into virtually every aspect of the BDCP, and is a critical element of the document.

The draft BDCP and draft EIR/EIS can be accessed here. RCRC’s letter requesting a comment period extension may be accessed here.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at (916) 447-4806 orkmannion@rcrcnet.org.

Senate Indian Affairs Committee to Consider Fee-to-Trust Legislation

Next Wednesday, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will consider legislation that would amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes (S. 2188).  The legislation, introduced by Committee Chair Jon Tester (D-MT), would allow any federally-recognized tribe to take land into trust.  The legislation is concerning to local governments because it does not provide them with a seat at the table when making land use decisions.  Should the measure be enacted, it would overturn theCarcieri decision without any substantive reforms to the fee-to-trust process.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Cyndi Hillery at (916) 447-4806 orchillery@rcrcnet.org.

Senate Transportation Appropriations Markup

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation to fund the Department of Transportation for Fiscal Year 2015.  The bill contains $607.8 million in transit formula grants for rural areas, the same amount that was appropriated for FY 2014.  Another noteworthy provision in the bill is the appropriation of $550 million for TIGER grants, which are competitively awarded grants for road, rail, transit, and port projects.  The bill requires that at least 20 percent of the funding for TIGER grants must go to projects in rural areas, and also provides a lower minimum grant amount ($1 million as opposed to $10 million) for rural projects.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Analyst Randall Echevarria at (916) 447-4806 orrechevarria@rcrcnet.org.

HHS Announces $300 Million in ACA Funds to Expand Services at Health Centers

Earlier this week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced $300 million in available funding, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to assist the Nation’s community health centers with the enhancement of health services, including the hiring of additional medical providers, in order to better serve newly insured patients.  Health centers are community-based organizations that serve medically underserved communities who have limited access to health care services.

Health Center applicants must be able to demonstrate how these funds would be used to expand medical personnel and services to underserved populations in their communities.  

Applications must be submitted by July 1, 2014. Detailed information on this funding opportunity can be accessedhere.

Applications Being Accepted for Governor’s Environmental Economic Leadership Award Program

Earlier this week, the Administration announced that applications are being accepted for the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) Program.  Established in 1993, the GEELA program recognizes individuals, organizations, businesses, and local governments that have demonstrated exceptional leadership in conserving California's resources, protecting and enhancing the environment, building public-private partnerships, and strengthening the State’s economy.  Award recipients will be chosen from 14 different categories.  This year a new category has been added – Agricultural Ecosystem Services – which will recognize farmers and ranchers for innovative ideas relating to water conservation, crop production and land management.

Applications are due by Friday July 11, 2014.  Detailed information on the GEELA program and instructions on how to apply can be accessed here.

USDA Announces Regional Conservation Partnership Program

Last week, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that several conservation projects will be funded throughout California through the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The RCPP was created as part of the 2014 Farm Bill.  Secretary Vilsack has identified California’s Bay Delta Watershed as one of eight critical conservation areas that will compete for one third of the total available funding.

Detailed information on the RCPP and instructions on how to apply can be accessed here.

STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.

ACR 84 (Rodriguez): Emergency Medical Services Week.  ACR 84 proclaims the week of May 18 – May 24, 2014 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week.  The resolution honors the EMS staff, many of whom are volunteers, who provide emergency medical services throughout their local communities.  Status: Passed out of both the Assembly and the Senate.  RCRC Position: Support

AB 1512 (Stone): Corrections: Inmate Transfers.  SB 1512 would extend until July 1, 2018 a county’s ability to contract with another county for jail bed capacity for specified eligible inmates upon authorization from the county Board of Supervisors.  Status:  Passed out of the Senate.  RCRC Position: Support

SB 1353 (Nielsen): Local Government: Williamson Act.  SB 1353 would eliminate the sunset date on the alternative Williamson Act funding program giving counties that opted into the program the ability to continue this alternative funding mechanism for the Williamson Act.  The program works by shortening the length of Williamson Act contracts by 10 percent in exchange for the forfeit by landowners of no more than 10 percent of their tax benefit.  Status: Passed out of the Assembly Local Government Committee.  RCRC Position: Support