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AENR Bulletin Articles

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Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources Recent News

News about AENR-related bills, budget actions, regulatory proposals, and more, as featured in the CSAC Bulletin.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Cal OES Offers Disaster Advice to CSAC Policy Committee

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 16, 2017

The California Office of Emergency Services (OES) recently offered some sage advice about how to apply for disaster assistance, and provided an update about how the office is responding to several rounds of severe storms, issues with water infrastructure, and tree mortality. The presentation came during the recent CSAC Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee meeting.

CSAC Bulletin Article

PILT Language Clarification Introduced

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

CSAC Bulletin Article

Who’s Responsible for Pharmaceutical Waste?

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson introduced SB 212, a placeholder bill on extended producer responsibility for pharmaceutical waste. A working group comprised of many stakeholders, including CSAC as well as other local government partners and industry members, is meeting on this issue to identify areas of consensus on the complicated issue to deal with a product’s lifecycle and potential impacts.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Assembly Committee Supports $3 Billion Bond for Parks, Water

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

The Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee voted to support a $3 billion state bond to finance parks, water, climate adaptation, coastal protection, and outdoor access programs. This is the first step in a lengthy process for AB 18 (Garcia) which eventually will require passage by the legislature and voter approval.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Request for Comment: Emergency Declarations for Port Districts

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

On behalf of a stakeholder, CSAC is soliciting comments about the idea of allowing local port districts to declare a local emergency. Existing law authorizes local governments to declare a local emergency when certain conditions exist within local boundaries. Staff would like your feedback about extending this authority to port districts established under the Harbors and Navigation Code. Please contact Betsy Hammer (bhammer@counties.org) with your comments.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Are California’s GHG Reduction Programs Fair to Disadvantaged Communities?

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

How have California’s programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions impacted disadvantaged communities? It’s an interesting question, with no clear cut answer, according to a recently released report.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Another Informational Hearing on Cannabis

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

The Assembly Health, Agriculture, and Business and Professions Committees held a joint meeting on cannabis this week. Members heard from a panel of government officials with responsibility for creating and developing cannabis policy and regulations, including the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, the Department of Justice, the Highway Patrol, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Public Health.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Water Board Takes Action to Extend Conservation

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

February 9, 2017

CSAC Bulletin Article

Governor Declares State of Emergency to Address Storm Damage

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

January 26, 2 017

Governor Brown issued two disaster proclamations this week, covering much of the state and offering some additional help for counties that suffered damage from recent extreme weather. These proclamations can help communities secure state and federal funding to respond to the severe winter storms in December and January that included high winds and substantial rainfall and caused flooding, mudslides, erosion, debris flow, and damage to roads and highways.

CSAC Bulletin Article

January Storms Bring Needed Precipitation; Drought Outlook Uncertain

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

January 19, 2017

As one winter storm rolls into another and saturated lawns begin to flood, Californians are zipping up raincoats and stepping into galoshes. How is all this precipitation affecting the drought? The answer: to be determined.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Cannabis Summit Connects Local Regulators with Industry Experts

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

January 19, 2017

CSAC Bulletin Article

CEQA Reform Bill Introduced

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

January 12, 2017

CSAC Bulletin Article

Tree Mortality Task Force Unveils New Mapping Tool

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

January 12, 2017

The Tree Mortality Task Force met earlier this week. The group, which is led by the Governor’s Office, Cal Fire, and Cal OES, was created last year upon the Governor’s declaration of an emergency related to tree mortality.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Cannabis Clean-up Legislation Introduced

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

January 5, 2017

Assembly Bill 64 (Bonta, Cooley, Jones-Sawyer, Lackey, and Wood) may seem rather dry in its current form, but it will likely be a hot bill in the upcoming legislative session: it is expected to be the vehicle for cleanup legislation related to recreational and medical cannabis.

CSAC Bulletin Article

CSAC Comments on State Water Conservation Plan

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

December 22, 2016

CSAC offered comments this week on the state’s draft plan for achieving long-term efficient water use and meeting drought preparedness goals. The plan is part of California water agencies’ efforts to implement Governor Brown’s Executive Order B-37-16 aimed at making existing water conservation requirements more permanent.

CSAC Bulletin Article

CARB Releases 2030 Scoping Plan Discussion Draft

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

December 15, 2016

How should California meet aggressive air quality goals, when the deadline is still 13 years away? The California Air Resources Board recently released a discussion draft of the 2030 Target Scoping Plan update. The draft presents the latest approach to achieve SB 32 climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

CSAC Bulletin Article

SGMA Compliance: New Information Available

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

December 15, 2016

The State Water Resources Control Board recently released a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that can help counties as they work to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act by forming Groundwater Sustainability Agencies.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Cannabis Briefing in the State Capitol

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

December 8, 2016

As Legislators came back to town this week, work in the Capitol geared up with a staff briefing on Proposition 64: Adult Use of Marijuana Act. CSAC, along with the League of California Cities, the California Police Chiefs and representatives from the Cannabis Industry presented as part of a panel discussion on the implementation of Proposition 64 and what lies ahead.

CSAC Bulletin

Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee Recap

Cara Martinson Betsy Hammer

The CSAC Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources Policy Committee met on November 29 at the 122nd Annual Meeting with Supervisor Diane Dillon, Napa County, presiding as chair. The meeting agenda and attachments are available here.

Platform updates approved. The committee reviewed and approved updates to the portions of the California County Platform under the purview of the AENR committee. The CSAC Board of Directors will take action on the platform updates in 2017.

CSAC Bulletin Article

Fighting Tree Mortality: Progress as We Move Out of Peak Fire Season

Cara Martinson

November 17, 2016

As much of the state is transitioning out of peak fire season, the Governor’s Tree Mortality Task Force is continuing its work to address the impact of more than 66 million dead trees in California. Drought conditions are extending into a sixth year in the state and more and more counties are being impacted by the tree mortality crisis.

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