The Barbed Wire - October 23, 2015

October 23, 2015
State Water Board Loan Principal Forgiveness for Green Projects
California Water Commission Approves SGMA Basin Boundary Regulations
CTC Adopts Active Transportation Program Recommendations
Quarantined Shasta County Hatchery to Reopen
House Leadership Changes
House Committee Releases Draft Bill to Reauthorize National Park Fees Program
Land and Water Conservation Fund Update
House Committee Moves Transportation Bill
BULLETIN BOARD
REGULATORY UPDATE

State Water Board Loan Principal Forgiveness for Green Projects

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has announced that effective with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund’s (CWSRF) 2015 Capitalization Grant from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State Water Board will provide CWSRF loan (principal) forgiveness to projects that address water or energy efficiency, mitigate storm water runoff, or encourage sustainable project planning, design, and construction.  The State Water Board has approximately $30 million available in loan forgiveness from the 2015 Capitalization Grant.  Detailed information can be accessed here.  

California Water Commission Approves SGMA Basin Boundary Regulations

This week, the California Water Commission approved the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) emergency regulations for groundwater basin and subbasin boundary modifications.  The emergency regulations will next be submitted to the Office of Administrative law for processing.  It is anticipated that the emergency regulations will take effect on January 1, 2016, as required by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).  

The emergency regulations detail the information required, the process for requesting a modification of the existing boundaries of basins and subbasins as identified in Bulletin 118, and the methodology and criteria DWR will use to approve basin boundary modification requests.  Detailed information on the basin boundary regulations can be accessed here.

CTC Adopts Active Transportation Program Recommendations

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) met earlier this week to review staff recommendations for the Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 2 awards for the Statewide and Small Urban and Rural components of the program.  

For the ATP Cycle 2 awards, more than 600 applications were submitted for a total funding request of more than $1 billion.  However, there is only roughly $360 million available, and ultimately a number of well-deserving projects will go unfunded.  The Statewide component of the program supported 86 awards, of which 19 funded projects were awarded to RCRC member counties for a total funding amount of $24.64 million or 13.7% of total funding available.  The Small Urban and Rural component of the program supported 27 awards, which 21 funded projects were awarded to RCRC member counties for a total funding amount of $26.44 million or 74.4% of total available funding.  The complete list of the adopted recommendations can be accessed here.

The ATP was established by Senate Bill 99 (2013), which consolidated several state and federal transportation programs that support active transportation, including the Transportation Alternatives Program, Recreational Trails, and Safe Routes to Schools Programs. 

Quarantined Shasta County Hatchery to Reopen

Darrah Springs Hatchery, operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), was partially released from quarantine on October 9, 2015 after being in quarantine since May because of whirling disease.  

Extensive DNA testing of the fish by a commercial sciences lab have determined that all the trout in the hatchery building and the lower rearing ponds are free of the disease, and the hatchery is resuming normal operations for that portion of the facility.  Part of the hatchery is still infected, and the DFW will have to destroy some fish.  The fish rearing areas still infected will be dried up and not utilized until the water supply can be either disinfected through a water treatment system or pathology testing verifies that the water supply no longer is infected.  Approximately 160,000 fish will be euthanized.

Darrah Springs Hatchery supplies catchable trout for waters in Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties, and is one of 21 state-run hatcheries that provide millions of fish for California anglers.

House Leadership Changes

After nearly two weeks of uncertainty, it appears that House Republicans have settled on a candidate for Speaker of the House.  Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan is expected to be approved as the next Speaker, replacing John Boehner, when the House votes on October 28, 2015.  California Representative Kevin McCarthy will remain as House Majority leader.

House Committee Releases Draft Bill to Reauthorize National Park Fees Program

The House Natural Resources Committee released a draft bill to reauthorize and reform the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA).  The legislation would dictate where, when, and how federal agencies can charge fees for the use of national parks, forests, and other public lands.  Current authorization for the program is set to expire on September 30, 2017.  The proposed bill would extend the program authorization until the end of 2022.  Last month the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the same issue.  

Land and Water Conservation Fund Update

The federal authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) expired on September 30, 2015.  This is the first time in the program’s 50 year history that Congress has allowed its authorization to expire, and program supporters and detractors have already begun messaging possible impacts to the program.  

Supporters of the conservation program worry that without an official authorization the LWCF programs will go unfunded when Congress settles on funding priorities later this year.  Program detractors, however, believe the program is in need of reform, but acknowledge the programs will most likely still receive funding through the annual appropriations process.  The programs are currently being funded at $300 million while the government is being funded by a Continuing Resolution that lasts until December 11, 2015.

At the center of the funding dispute is a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report that claims the fund still has a surplus of approximately $20 billion.  In total, since 1965, CRS reports the fund has received $37 billion from fees on offshore oil and gas drilling projects.  However, while the fund may have a large surplus on paper, Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment, believes that money has been spent.  Prior to expiration of the program, the LWCF was authorized to collect $900 million in fees, but Congressional appropriators routinely only appropriated $300 million for the fund’s programs, while allowing the difference to be spent on general fund purposes.  Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), has insisted nothing will change with the program’s funding.  While the programs funding seems to be safe for now, the future of the program remains in doubt.   

House Committee Moves Transportation Bill

On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved H.R. 3763, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (STRRA).  The bill is similar to the Senate-passed bill, as it authorizes federal highway, bridge, and transit programs for six years, but only provides enough funding for three years.  

Funding is continued at current levels, with slight increases each year for inflation.  Of interest to RCRC Counties, the bill protects funding for off-system bridges, and provides additional funding for locally-owned bridges on the federal highway system.  It also takes steps that will enable states to devote more money to address rural road fatalities.  Given the changes in House leadership, it is unclear when the bill will be considered by the full House of Representatives.  The current authority expires on October 29, 2015, so another extension is expected.

BULLETIN BOARD

State Water Board to Hold Workshops on Groundwater Sustainability Program

Click here

Handbook on Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Implementation (update)

Click 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.  

Draft Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy.  Mandated by Senate Bill 605 (Lara), establishes strategies to reduce emissions from short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon and methane.  Agency: California Air Resources Board Status: Draft published for public comment, comment period ends October 30, 2015.  Workshops scheduled in three locations: Sacramento, Diamond Bar, and Fresno.  Draft Strategy and related documents can be accessed here.  RCRC Comments: RCRC is seeking member county input.  RCRC Advocate: Staci Heaton sheaton@rcrcnet.org