November 14, 2019

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has opened an investigation to examine recent Public Safety Power Shut-off (PSPS) events and ensure utilities are held accountable for their actions during these events. The formal investigation will assess whether the state’s investor-owned electric utilities (IOUs) properly balanced the need to provide safe and reliable service when planning and executing their recent PSPS events. Initiating this investigation is one of several actions the CPUC is taking in response to recent PSPS events.

November 7, 2019

CSAC thanks all the counties that recently responded to our request for information regarding October Public Safety Power Shutdown (PSPS) events. CSAC will continue to accept any information from counties regarding PSPS costs, as the information you provide will help CSAC continue to advocate for resources to help mitigate future impacts of PSPS events. CSAC will gladly take information related to the following questions or any other information related to a county PSPS experience.

October 24, 2019

CSAC engaged with Cal OES this week to work with counties impacted by this week’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. CSAC worked with state leaders to host a series of conference calls to facilitate dialogue and answer questions with the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs), local governments and state leaders. The PSPS events began on Wednesday and are expected to last potentially through the weekend, in some areas due to high wind events, and red flag warnings.

October 18, 2019

Signed

SB 19 (Dodd) (Chapter 361, Statutes of 2019)

September 19, 2019

September 12, 2019

September 5, 2019

August 22, 2019

CSAC’s Senior Legislative Representative, Cara Martinson met with several legislators as part of a major lobbying day effort on SB 54 (Allen) / AB 1080 (Gonzalez). These two measures are companion bills that would require the adoption of regulations requiring covered entities to reduce the waste associated with single use packaging and products 75 percent by 2030.

August 1, 2019

The Bureau of Cannabis Control was appropriated $10 million in grant funds to award to cities and counties that have local equity programs focusing on inclusion and support of persons in the cannabis industry who were negatively or disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition.

July 18, 2019

CSAC submitted a public comment letter to Cal Recycle in response to recently proposed changes to its SB 1383 Organic Waste Diversion regulations. CSAC has been actively engaged in this regulatory process since the passage of SB 1383 (Lara) in 2016.

The recently released text did include several changes that will benefit counties, however CSAC has ongoing concerns regarding the implementation of the proposed regulations and the heavy cost burden that will ultimately be borne by local rate payers.

June 28, 2019

Cal Recycle released an updated version of its SB 1383 Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Regulations for a 15-day public comment period. The public comment period is open now and closes on July 5 at 5 p.m.  These regulations will require individual local jurisdictions, including counties, to require residents to separate and sort their own organic waste and pass a series of local ordinances by January 2022 to implement and enforce a state wide organic waste diversion program.

June 13, 2019

June 6, 2019

May 30, 2019

May 23, 2019

CSAC Responds to CPUC Proposed Decision on Public Safety Power Shut-Offs

May 9, 2019

CSAC recently submitted comments to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regarding De-Energization proceeding R.18-12-005. On April 26, the CPUC issued a Proposed Decision for these Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) de-energization procedures, which incorporated feedback from CSAC and other interested parties.

May 9, 2019

FEMA announced the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Post Fire program as part of the agency’s implementation of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) of 2018. Section 1204 of the DRRA allows FEMA to provide HMGP Post Fire assistance to any area that received a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) declaration on or after October 5, 2018. In previous fiscal years, funding for this program has been provided through appropriations. Now, it is a permanent, eligible HMGP program of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

May 2, 2019

The Commission on Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery met in Ventura County this week to continue their efforts in developing recommendations to the Legislature on how best to socialize the costs associated with catastrophic wildfire. The Commission heard expert testimony on a number of topics, and CSAC testified on several panels addressing issues related to utility liability, the creation of a wildfire fund and community wildfire mitigation.

April 18, 2019

The California Office of Emergency Services is working on statewide outreach plan regarding public safety power shutoff events. They are holding several listening sessions to gather input from local government officials to help shape planned outreach and education efforts. The next listening session will take place on April 19 at 10 a.m. The agenda for the meeting can be found here.

April 11, 2019

On April 2, the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted an updated version Waters of the State regulation. These regulations define the scope of protected waters of the state and how to interact with these protected water bodies and wetlands.

April 4, 2019

CSAC is requesting feedback on the following bill. Please send any comments to Legislative Analyst Nick Cronenwett at ncronenwett@counties.org.

March 28, 2019

CSAC’s Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources team requests feedback on the following bills. Please send any comments to Legislative Analyst Nick Cronenwett at ncronenwett@counties.org.