Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.
Local Government WOTUS Scoping Comments Due to EPA October 4
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the Federalism Consultation comment period for its revision of the definition of “Waters of the United States,” often referred to as the WOTUS rule, to October 4, 2021. The revision is taking place in light of changes made to the WOTUS rule during the Trump Administration, and EPA is seeking comments from local governments on the potential impacts further changes to WOTUS could have on locally-controlled infrastructure.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has developed a Waters of the U.S. Action Center portal, which includes full information on the rulemaking and a template for writing comments. The portal can be accessed here.
Career Opportunities - Shasta County
Shasta County is seeking a Deputy County Exeuctive Officer. The position closes October 1, 2021 at 5 p.m. For more information, click here.
The County is also seeking a Public Information Officer. The position closes September 20, 2021 at 5 p.m. For more information, click here.
California Air Resources Board Offers Webinars on Regulatory Compliance Training
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is offering a variety of training webinars for regulatory compliance on issues affecting public fleets such as Off-Road Regulations, Truck and Bus Rules, and Diesel Truck Rules.
The In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulation (Off-Road Regulation) requires fleet owners to report to CARB, label their off-road vehicles, and reduce emissions from older equipment. This course provides detailed information to help fleet owners understand and comply with the Off-Road Regulation:
Date: October 14, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
Date: December 9, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
The Compliance Overview: Truck & Bus Rule, Off-Road Regulation, and Portable Equipment course include the following topics:
Truck and Bus Regulation:
- Regulation Applicability
- Engine Model Year Schedule
- Exemptions & Extensions
- How to Report for Regulation Flexibilities
- Broker and Dispatcher Requirements
- DMV Registration
Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP):
- Regulation Applicability
- Program Updates
Advanced Clean Truck (ACT)
- Manufacturers ZEV Sales Requirements
- One-Time Reporting
- Future ZEV Rules
In-Use Off-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation:
- Regulation Applicability
- Requirements Currently in Effect
- Future Compliance Deadlines
Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) & Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM):
- PERP Eligibility
- Program Requirements
- ATCM Program & Updates
- Enforcement & Inspections
Date: December 16, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
CARB is also offering a new course to provide an overview of several new programs and they associated regulations that will help the state reach carbon neutrality:
Date: September 28, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
Date: October 12, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
Date: October 26, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
Date: November 11, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Webinar: Register
California Climate and Energy Collaborative to Host Virtual Policymakers Session - Rebounding Resiliency
The California Climate & Energy Collaborative (CCEC) is hosting an exclusive virtual session for California policymakers and elected officials on key energy and climate priorities as a part of the 12th Annual CCEC Forum, on Thursday, September 30th, from 1:00 to 2:30 P.M. Policymakers across California face difficult decisions about how to best rebound from the hardships of 2020 and 2021 in ways that support their broader energy, climate, and equity goals. This session will provide elected officials the opportunity to hear relevant policy updates from featured experts who will also facilitate deeper discussions through subsequent breakout sessions. Breakout sessions are designed to allow attendees to ask questions directly to featured experts and forge connections with other jurisdictions by exchanging knowledge and best practices with fellow local policymakers.
Featured speakers and breakout room facilitators include:
- Erik de Kok, Deputy Director at California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
- Alana Mathews, Director of Policy Resources and Training at Prosecutors Alliance of California
Date: September 30, 2021
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Register
U.S. Treasury Announces ARPA Reporting Deadline Extensions for Counties Impacted by Wildfire or Technical Difficulties
The U.S. Treasury Department has announced some important ARPA reporting deadline extensions for counties impacted by wildfire and technical glitches on the Treasury reporting website. You can find details and important links below:
COUNTIES EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH ARP REPORTING: The U.S. Treasury understands that some recipients have had technical problems that have made it difficult for them to submit their reports on time. Treasury continues to assist individual recipients and hopes to resolve remaining technical issues as soon as possible. Those recipients who made a reasonable effort to file before the deadline will not be counted as late if they experienced technical issues in the reporting system that prevented them from filing on time.
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM THE U.S. TREASURY FOR COUNTIES IMPACTED BY WILDFIRES: The U.S. Treasury recognizes that some local jurisdictions and tribal governments may be unable to timely submit reports due to health and public safety concerns in their area. Any jurisdiction that is covered by a Governor or Tribal declared state of emergency and remains unable to submit the report due to emergency conditions should notify Treasury, providing a clear explanation of why the report has not been submitted, and proposing a specific date by which the report will be ready for submission. Treasury will document this information in its reporting system so that such jurisdictions would not be included in any public reporting by Treasury about jurisdictions that failed to submit reports in a timely manner. This request and related explanation should be sent to SLFRP@treasury.gov. The Interim Report and the Recovery Plan Performance Report (Recovery Plan), if applicable, should be submitted through Treasury’s State, Local, and Tribal Support portal via the following link: https://portal.treasury.gov/cares/s/slt.
TuCARE Hosting Annual Forest Tour and Summit
Tuolumne County Alliance for Resources and Environment (TuCARE) is hosting its annual forest tour on October 7th and summit on October 8th in Sonora, California to engage the community and responsible agencies in a dialogue about the pertinent issues relative to natural resources. This year’s theme is “Making our Communities Safe” and will feature a variety of speakers discussing what it takes to make communities truly fire safe. The summit is open to the public while the forest tour is limited to elected officials and groups who advocate for vegetation management for wildfire prevention. Information on the summit is available here and the tour registration form is available here.
FEMA Announces Application Period for 2021 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will begin accepting applications on September 30, 2021 for $1.16 billion in FY 2021 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants, providing localities the opportunity to receive Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation grants. These grants recognize the growing hazards of extreme weather events and the need for risk mitigation activities to promote climate adaptation and resilience. The financial assistance through the BRIC program may fund state and local government pre-disaster capability and capacity building activities, mitigation projects, and cover management costs.
FEMA informational webinars can be accessed here, and more information can be viewed here or at www.grants.gov. The FEMA application period closes on January 28, 2022.
Access the State Grants Portal for a Multitude of Funding Opportunities
Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities delivered straight to your inbox.