The Barbed Wire - February 26, 2021

RCRC Unveils First Phase of 2021 Fire Prevention and Response Legislative Package

The first phase of RCRC’s 2021 Fire Prevention and Response Package has been introduced in the Legislature, with a number of sponsored bills designed to work together to help increase the pace and scale of forest management, restoration, and wildfire prevention in California. 

RCRC member counties contain much of California’s forested lands, including more than 70 percent of the State’s national forest lands. While rural communities have historically borne the majority of destruction caused by high severity wildfires, wildfire risk has now become a statewide public safety concern impacting all regions of the state as identified high fire risk areas rapidly increase due to overgrown vegetation in forests and wildlands, climate change and impacts of renewed drought conditions in California.  Wildfires are also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and compromise the quality and quantity of much of the State’s water supply. The health and resilience of our forests and wildlands impacts every Californian. 

In response to the annual uptick in recent years in the acreage and severity of catastrophic wildfires across California, RCRC is proposing a comprehensive Fire Prevention and Response Package to address a number of program areas that are vital to improving the health of the state’s forests and wildlands while also helping safeguard communities in high fire risk areas from the impacts of catastrophic wildfires. The first phase of the package has been introduced, and focuses on ensuring the state works with federal land managers to meet its forest management commitments while streamlining onerous permitting requirements for community wildfire mitigation efforts. Bills in the package include: 

• Assembly Bill 1431 (Frazier) – Codifies the numerous goals and commitments for fuels treatment and vegetation management by the state as established in the 2018 Forest Carbon Plan, and requires an annual progress report to the Legislature;
• Assembly Bill 1154 (Patterson) – Exempts from CEQA egress route projects undertaken by a public agency that are recommended by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection for community fire safety mitigation; and,
• Assembly Bill 1458 (Frazier) – Exempts projects approved by a state or local agency to mitigate the threat of wildfire from lake and streambed alteration permitting requirements. 

The second phase of RCRC’s package will focus on funding for forest management, woody byproduct utilization and forest workforce development, addressing the gross underreporting of pollution from wildfire smoke in the state, as well as helping low-income residents in high fire risk areas harden their homes against the devastating impacts of catastrophic wildfires. 

For more information on RCRC’s Fire Prevention and Response Package, please contact Staci Heaton at sheaton@rcrcnet.org or John Kennedy at jkennedy@rcrcnet.org. 

Bill of the Week: AB 926 (Mathis) -- Fire Prevention: Local Assistance Grant Program: Roadside Vegetation Management and Defensible Space

RCRC has expressed support for Assembly Bill 926, authored by Assembly Member Devon Mathis (R-Inyo). Currently, communities face significant funding issues to implement wildfire mitigation strategies around local roads and critical infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and potential evacuation routes. While CAL FIRE offers grant programs to local agencies such as counties, fire safe councils and resource conservation districts for other types of projects, critical infrastructure clearance is currently not included in the grant structure. 
 
AB 926 seeks to expand the parameters of current CAL FIRE local assistance grant programs to include local projects for vegetation clearance around roadsides, as well as defensible space around critical infrastructure.  Adding these projects to CAL FIRE’s current grant structure will allow local agencies to expand their ability to safeguard communities from wildfires in high fire areas of the state. RCRC’s letter is available here. For more information, contact Staci Heaton, RCRC Senior Regulatory Affairs Advocate, by email or call (916) 447-4806.

Coming March 5th - Redistricting Webinar Series- Part 1

CSAC and RCRC have teamed up to bring you a two part webinar series that will break down all you need to know about redistricting for your county. The Redistricting Webinar Series – Part 1  focuses on legal requirements, including the Voting Rights Act and changes as a result of AB 849 (2019), and will be of interest to county counsel, redistricting staff, and others who need a working knowledge of the technical aspect of redistricting. The webinar series is open to all supervisor and county staff. Register now for Part 1, occurring on Friday, March 5, 10am-12pm. 

Presenters

• Chris Skinnell, Nielsen Merksamer
• Marguerite Leoni, Nielsen Merksamer
• Douglas Johnson, National Demographics Corporation

Date: Friday, March 5, 2021
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Register now!

Part two (date to be announced) will be a conversation with county supervisors and staff on best practices and what you can expect the redistricting process to look like on the ground. If you have any questions please reach out to Dorothy Poole (RCRC) or Ada Waelder (CSAC).

Board of Forestry Holds Webinar to Discuss Latest Draft of State Fire Safe Regulations

This week the Board of Forestry (BOF) held its first webinar to discuss the latest draft of the State Fire Safe regulations, released February 8th.  RCRC, along with the California State Association of Counties and the Urban Counties of California, submitted comments to the BOF last week on the revised proposal, outlining the extremely detrimental impacts the new regulations will have in all areas of that state, but particularly in rural areas. The most concerning aspect of the rulemaking is the ban on any building construction, including wildfire rebuilds, on existing roads that fail to meet minimum standards.

The State Fire Safe regulations set forth basic wildfire protection standards for development in the State Responsibility Area and, beginning July 1, 2021, the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones of the Local Responsibility Area.  As reflected in our comments, the BOF proposal will have extremely detrimental impacts on rural areas of the state, essentially creating “no-build zones” in some communities, prohibiting all residential and commercial building construction, including disaster rebuilds.

For updates from the BOF on the Fire Safe Regulations and other activities of the BOF Resource Protection Committee, subscribe to email updates here.  And, for more information, please contact Tracy Rhine.
 

Insurance Commissioner Plans New Rules on Wildfire Risk Transparency

Earlier this week, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced plans to develop new rules to give policyholders open access to their wildfire risk scores.  The rules would be designed to help both homeowners and businesses be better informed on how to improve their wildfire risk rating based on potential mitigation actions, such as fire-hardening and creating defensible space.

Currently, policyholders rarely have access to their wildfire risk scores, even though most insurers utilize them as a primary factor in policy costs and whether they will write or renew coverage in a given area.  The proposed rules by the Commissioner’s office would allow policyholders to better evaluate how they can improve their risk scores through wildfire mitigation actions, as well as helping them make better, more informed decisions when they buy or sell property or build a home. 

The Commissioner’s Office will hold a public prenotice workshop on March 30, 2021 on the wildfire risk score rulemaking, and will follow with a workshop on April 6 proposing new rules clarifying the review process for insurance company rate filings.  More information, including the text of both regulations and how to register for both workshops, can be found on the Department of Insurance website here.

Update on Coronavirus Relief Legislation

On Monday, the House Budget Committee held a virtual markup to amalgamate various legislative components that have been submitted by House committees so there is one vehicle for President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.  The House Budget Committee subsequently advanced the $1.9 trillion coronavirus (COVID-19) relief package, sending the legislation to the full House for a vote. However on Wednesday, the House Budget Committee released new text of the relief bill, revealing provisions for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, extending and increasing unemployment benefits, and sending stimulus payments of $1,400 to most taxpayers. The biggest point of contention in the updated measure is language that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. It remains unclear whether such a provision would successfully pass the Byrd Rule under budget reconciliation requirements as well as whether all 50 Democrats in the Senate would even support such a measure.  

One of the key components of the $1.9 trillion package is monies for states, counties, cities and tribal governments. As such, RCRC officially supports this component of the package and has continually advocated for direct funding to counties to be included in any next round of federal coronavirus relief, regardless of county size and with minimal restrictions on the use of those monies. As this relief package contains direct payments to counties and moves through the congressional process, this remains RCRC’s top federal priority.

Western Public Lands Package

On Tuesday, the White House released a policy statement saying the Biden Administration “strongly supports” a House package aimed at protecting lands and waters in Arizona, Colorado, California and Washington.  The bill, the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act, attempts to protect key public lands and waters in the above-mentioned states.  However, House Republicans are pushing back on some of the legislation’s provisions through a series of amendments, though changes will likely face an uphill battle in the Democrat-controlled House.  Among the amendments are “measures that would require approval from counties that would be directly impacted by the wilderness designations, delay the mining portion of the bill to ensure the country’s uranium is ethically sourced, and grandfather in prior recreational activities.”  While the legislation itself has a good chance of passing the House of Representatives, if it is introduced in the Senate, it would still have to contend with the filibuster.  In the previous Congress, bipartisan consensus was able to be reached on a similarly ambitious conservation bill, however that effort largely gained traction following support from former President Trump and Republican senators who were facing reelection. 

Infrastructure the Focus of Two Congressional Hearings

While the White House has largely remained silent on the details of the next economic stimulus plan as it focuses on enacting a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 reconciliation relief bill, this has not stopped Congress from beginning preliminary hearings on various infrastructure and green transportation related topics:

• On Tuesday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held a hearing on “Building Back Better: The Urgent Need for Investment in America’s Wastewater Infrastructure.”  During the hearing, Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) expressed his support for major facility funding, stating “I’m going to push for a very ambitious number and then we’re going to find ways to pay for it.”  Chairman DeFazio did not specify how much money he will seek, but a water infrastructure bill that the Committee cleared last September included a $20-billion, five-year authorization for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program, although it went no further in the 116th Congress.  Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk), who chairs the Committee's Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, also previewed her plans to soon introduce legislation to reauthorize the SRF program.
   
• On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing entitled, “Building Back Better: Investing in Transportation while Addressing Climate Change, Improving Equity, and Fostering Economic Growth and Innovation.”  During the hearing, Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Delaware) praised the Environment and Public Works Committee’s legacy of bipartisanship, citing the Committee’s work on S. 2302, America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019, as an example of a collaborative path forward. Ranking Member Shelley Capito (R-West Virginia) supported Senator Carper and stated that she was encouraged by preliminary conversations with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Pete Buttigieg of the Department of Transportation on the next economic stimulus package.  However, Ranking Member Capito cautioned that bipartisan support for infrastructure legislation would not extend to “a multi-trillion-dollar package stocked full with ideologically driven, one-size-fits-all policies that tie the hands of states and communities.”

ICYMI: Law Enforcement in Rural California, a Hometown California Interview with Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon

In the latest episode of Hometown California, RCRC Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul Smith, speaks with Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon about the realities of being a peace officer in rural California. In the small and remote County of Lassen, Sheriff Growdon serves as both Sheriff and Coroner, as do many of his counterparts in other rural areas of the State. Home to two state prisons, one federal prison, and a military base, Lassen County has some unique law enforcement challenges.
 
Hear how law enforcement in a rural county-- and particularly is a very, very rural county-- is different than other areas of the State. Sheriff Growdon discusses the importance of mutual aid and explains how customer service and community assistance are keys for successful crime prevention. Listen as Sheriff Growdon talks about the challenges of some state mandates and how COVID-19 has impacted law enforcement and community support in Lassen County during the pandemic. Listen here.
 
And, next week Hometown California will be having a conversation about the campaign to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom. So take a moment to catch up on past episodes, and subscribe on your favorite podcast listening app so you don’t miss what’s coming up!

RCRC 2020 Annual Report Now Available!

RCRC’s 2020 Annual Report is now available online! The annual report is prepared for the RCRC Board of Directors to highlight many of the significant actions taken on issues impacting California’s rural counties, and to outline the wide array of advocacy efforts RCRC staff engaged in on behalf of California's rural communities. And, 2020 was a year unlike any other in recent memory. During the year, RCRC and its affiliate organizations faced challenges head-on and worked tirelessly. Read about RCRC’s work during 2020, and learn more about the many facets of RCRC’s advocacy and community enrichment efforts in the 2020 Annual Report available here.

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

General Plan and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports Webinar, March 10th

All jurisdictions are required to submit their General Plan Annual Progress Report (APR) and their Housing Element APR to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) by April 1 of each year. Learn about the latest changes to the APR requirements as well as how to obtain technical assistance from OPR and/or HCD in order to meet this year's deadline!

Speakers:

• Helen Campbell, AICP, OPR Senior Planner
• Edwin Sun, HCD Analyst
• Sydney Bennet, HCD Analyst
• Annelise Osterberg, HCD Analyst

Moderated by OPR Community Planning and Development Manager, Erik DeKok, AICP

Date:  Wednesday, March 10, 2021 
Time:  12:00pm to 1:00pm
Register Now  |  View Live on YouTube

Save the Date for Forest Stewardship Workshop

The University of California Cooperative Extension has announced upcoming training opportunities to help landowners develop sustainable plans to improve and protect their forest lands. Online workshops will be offered weekly from March 22, 2021 through May 27, 2021, with an in-person session scheduled in Humboldt County on Saturday, April 24, 2021. For more information, see here.

Career Opportunities

• Shasta County Seeks Assistant County Executive Officer

Shata County is seeking an Assistant County Executive Officer to assist the County Executive Officer (CEO) in accomplishing countywide strategic planning, alignment and regional partnerships to achieve the Board and Public Safety goals. This position will also assist in strategic financial planning, to further resiliency, leveraging resources locally and ensuring existing allocations further CEO, Board and department goals. The application filing deadline is March 8, 2021. Apply online or view additional details here.

• County of Del Norte Seeks County Administrative Officer

Del Norte County is seeking a dynamic professional who can lead County Administration and improve the services it provides for the community. The "Results Based Accountability" model of delivering and assessing services will be the primary tool by which the new County Administrative Officer will be evaluated. ln addition, the successful candidate should have excellent team building skills and be adept at forging and strengthening partnerships with all other community development agencies in the community. For more information,see the job bulletin here.

Applications are due by March 4, 2021. Application materials are found here.

• County of Del Norte Seeks Local Transportation Commission Executive Director 

The Del Norte County Local Transportation Commission (DNLTC) seeks proposals to provide the services of an Executive Director. The Executive Director provides services in transportation administration, planning, coordination, and has training and experience to perform all aspects of the job. The DNLTC expects an agreement with the successful candidate to be entered into on or before June 30, 2021. The contract will be for a term of five years commencing on July 1, 2021. Submission deadline is March 5, 2021. For more information, see here.

Support for Installation of Electric Vehicle Ports Available Through Southern California Edison’s Expanded “Charge Ready” Program

Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Charge Ready program will launch this summer with the goal of supporting the installation of roughly 38,000 electric vehicle charging ports across the SCE service area over four years. Charge Ready will locate approximately half of those charging ports in communities most heavily impacted by the combined effects of economic, environmental, and public health burdens. The program will also help expand the promise of electric vehicles to more people by supporting charging station installations at multifamily dwellings like apartments or condo complexes. 
 
New program features and benefits include: 

• Multiple program offerings for commercial and multi-family properties.
• Rebates for the purchase and installation of qualified EV charging stations.
• No or low-cost installation and maintenance of the electric infrastructure.
• New multi-family construction program options and features.
• Technical assistance to install EV charging stations, as well as access to resources, qualified vendors, and more!

 
To find out more about the upcoming Charge Ready program enhancements and when the program will be open for applications this summer, sign up for updates today.

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ASSISTANCE

Resource pages, deadline extensions, and available programs to assist communities impacted by COVID-19.

DWR Provides Tips for Holding Online Meetings to Address Groundwater Sustainability Plans

As Groundwater Sustainability Plans are being developed to meet the January 2022 deadline, several counties (and water agencies) have asked for advice for engaging stakeholders and interested parties through online resources.  In response to community interest, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) Sustainable Groundwater Management Office has put together examples, tips, and tactics to consider. The DWR tips are available here.

Coronavirus Relief Available from the Small Business Administration

The federal Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering several coronavirus relief options to help alleviate the financial hardships resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19). The programs have received an overwhelming number of applications from businesses, so be sure to check the SBA website for the latest updates on the status of these programs.

• The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides loan forgiveness for retaining employees by temporarily expanding the traditional SBA 7(a) loan program. After initial funding was quickly depleted, the program received an infusion of an additional $310 billion, allowing the SBA to resume the program on April 27, 2020. Be sure to check the SBA website for the most recent information on the application process and availability of funds.
• The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Emergency Advance provides up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficulties.
• SBA Express Bridge Loans can be used to bridge the gap for businesses while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan; small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly.
• SBA Debt Relief provides a financial reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are interested in programs for other disasters, the SBA Disaster Loan Assistance portal is available here.

Economic Development Resources for Communities and Businesses Impacted by the Coronavirus

The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) has assembled resources for communities and business impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The page will be continually evolving as new resources become available. To go directly to the CALED resources, click here.

Use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds for Infectious Disease Response

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds may be used for a range of eligible activities that prevent and respond to the spread of infectious diseases such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Check out the Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Infectious Disease Response for guidance and additional information.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) County Resource Page Available

The California State Association of Counties (CSAC), RCRC’s local government partner, continues to provide excellent up-to-date state and federal information to counties on this ever-changing pandemic event.  We encourage visiting CSAC’s COVID-19 resource page, which contains vital links to all CSAC COVID-19 advocacy letters and resources.  CSAC’s staff continues to work around the clock to update activities so that all of California’s counties can remain properly informed.

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE

Information related to the current status of legislation and regulations impacting California’s rural counties.

ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry): Local Government Financing: Affordable Housing. ACA 1 would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent for approval of local bonded-indebtedness and specially dedicated taxes imposed for specified uses. Status: ACA 1 has been recently introduced and awaits consideration from the Assembly.  RCRC Status: Support

AJR 5 (L. Rivas): Wild and free-roaming horses and burros. AJR 5 would urge the federal government to declare a moratorium on all further wild horse and burro round-ups and would urge the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service to introduce and support populations in areas of California where wild horses and burros were historically present.  Status: AJR 5 has been recently introduced and has not yet been referred to an Assembly policy committee.  RCRC Status: Pending

Assembly Bill 1 (C. Garcia): Hazardous Waste: Assembly Bill 1 establishes several new governance, policy, and fiscal reforms to improve the Department of Toxic Substances Control, including significantly increasing several fees and repealing several important fee exemptions. Status: AB 1 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Assembly Bill 33 (Ting): Natural Gas: Prohibits new public buildings from having natural gas connections and utilities from subsidizing natural gas line connections. Status: AB 33 is awaiting consideration in the Assembly Utilities and Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  RCRC Status: Watch

Assembly Bill 318 (Levine): Hazardous waste: Assembly Bill 318 excludes from classification as hazardous waste green waste that has not been contaminated by a hazardous or toxic chemical during production, harvest, or processing.  Allows those green wastes to be disposed in a permitted solid or hazardous waste landfill or composting operation.  Status:  AB 318 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. RCRC Status:  Pending

Assembly Bill 322 (Salas): Energy: Electric Program Investment Charge program: Assembly Bill 322 requires the Energy Commission to allocate at least 20% of all funds appropriated for the Electric Program Investment Charge program (roughly $25 million annually) to bioenergy projects for biomass conversion. Status: AB 322 is awaiting consideration in the Assembly Utilities and Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  RCRC Status: Support 

Assembly Bill 332 (ESTM): Hazardous waste: treated wood waste: Assembly Bill 332 seeks to reestablish a statutory pathway for the alternative management and disposal of treated wood waste in a landfill.  STATUS:  AB 332 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.  RCRC Status:  Support.

Senate Bill 30 (Cortese): Building Decarbonization: Senate Bill 30 prohibits state agencies from designing or constructing a state facility that is connected to the natural gas grid and prohibits state agencies from funding projects for the construction of residential and nonresidential buildings that are connected to the natural gas grid. Status: Senate Bill 30 awaits consideration by the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. RCRC Status: Watch

Senate Bill 38 (Wieckowski): Beverage Containers: Senate Bill 38 replaces the existing Beverage Container Recycling Program (Bottle Bill) with a new recycling program administered by beverage container manufacturers, increases the CRV from $0.05 to $0.10 per container if the state fails to achieve specified recycling rates, and significantly expands the types of containers subject to CRV. Status: SB 38 awaits consideration by the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 42 (Wieckowski): Department of Toxic Substances Control:  Senate Bill 42 establishes a new Board of Environmental safety to oversee the Department of Toxic Substances Control, consider permit appeals, and propose regulatory changes and establishes an ombudsperson to make and receive public complaints and suggestions.  SB 42 is anticipated to be amended to also include many of the fiscal changes suggested by the Administration to address DTSC’s structural deficit. Status: SB 42 awaits consideration by the Senate Environmental Quality committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 52 (Dodd): State of Emergency: Power Outages. Senate Bill 52 clarifies that deenergization events (also known as PSPS events) qualify as events for which a state of emergency or local emergency can be declared under the California Emergency Services Act. Status: SB 52 awaits consideration in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 99 (Dodd): Community Energy Resilience Act of 2021: Senate Bill 99 requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and implement a grant program for local governments to develop community energy resilience plans. It also sets forth guiding principles for plan development, including equitable access to reliable energy and integration with other existing local planning documents. Status: SB 99 awaits consideration in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.  RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 207 (Dahle): Photovoltaic Recycling Advisory Group: Senate Bill 207 seeks to spur the recycling and reuse of solar photovoltaic panels by requiring an advisory group to make recommendations to ensure that, to the extent possible, all solar photovoltaic panels in the state are reused or recycled at the end of their lives in a safe and cost-effective manner. Status: SB 207 awaits consideration by the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status:  Support

Senate Bill 244 (Archuleta): Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: fire prevention: Senate Bill seeks to prevent lithium-ion battery fires by requiring the state to develop training and best practices for the detection, safe handling, and suppression of fires that originate from discarded lithium-ion batteries in solid waste collection vehicles, transfer and processing stations, and disposal facilities.  Status: SB 244 awaits consideration from the Senate Environmental Quality and Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 286 (Min): County Officer Elections Top-Two Advance. Senate Bill 286 would require the top-two vote-getters seeking election to a county office to face-off in a General Election.  In other words, candidates for county supervisor, sheriff, et. al who receive 50% +1 in the Primary would face an opponent at the General Election.  Status: SB 286 awaits consideration in the Senate Elections & Constitutional Amendments Committee and the Senate Governance & Finance Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose