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.

March 28, 2019

CSAC recently submitted comments to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regarding its development of rules for Investor Owned Utility (IOU) Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) procedures.

This rule will provide clarity in the event that an IOU decides to shut off power to its customers and includes potential procedures of how to notify local governments and communities of shut offs.

March 21, 2019

CSAC and our wildfire coalition partners sent a letter to the Governor and Legislature regarding the California’s increasingly devastating wildfires. The letter reaffirms the coalition’s commitment to working with the Legislature and Administration to address both the root causes of the growing threat of catastrophic wildfire and on critical safety measures that will help to prevent future events. The letter also reiterates our opposition to any changes in utility liability law, specifically to the constitutionally protected property rights doctrine of inverse condemnation.

March 7, 2019

CSAC has been tracking and analyzing hundreds of bills that have been introduced this session. This week, the CSAC AENR team provides you with bills of interest in the area of wildfire and disaster. We are actively soliciting feedback on the following measures.  

March 7, 2019

CSAC and several county engineers joined a broad coalition of water agencies and business industry stakeholders at a public workshop of the State Water Resources Control Board to support changes to a draft Waters of the State regulation.

Dave Leamon, Chair of the CEAC Flood Control and Water Resources Policy Committee and Stanislaus County Public Works Director and Dr. Mark Strudley, Santa Cruz County Flood Control Division Manager both testified at the hearing, expressing the impacts the proposed regulations would have on counties.  

February 21, 2019

February 14, 2019

January 31, 2019

CSAC is actively monitoring the complex situation related to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)’s official filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy this week. As a key stake holder in a wildfire coalition that includes insurance companies, wildfire victims groups, other local government advocates, and consumer protection attorneys, CSAC’s top priority is ensuring that our communities are safe and that people who are trying to recover from a disaster can be made whole.

January 24, 2019

On January 14, the State’s Forest Management Task Force met for the first time this year. This was also the first time the group had met under the new administration. The Task Force heard presentations from the Board of Forestry, the Governor’s Office, and the CPUC on key legislation and rulemakings related to forest management.

Board of Forestry Rulemaking Updates:

January 24, 2019

January 11, 2019

CSAC is encouraging boards of supervisors statewide to adopt a local resolution requesting action from Governor Gavin Newsom on a major recycling issue related to Chinese trade import policies. Local governments are partners with the state in meeting California’s recycling and waste diversion goals. California has been largely successful in achieving and making progress towards these goals and others over recent years.

January 11, 2019

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will hold a public meeting to consider adoption of proposed final amendments to both the Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters of California (Ocean Plan), and the forthcoming Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California (ISWEBE Plan).

These amendments will include a State Wetland Definition and Procedures for Discharges of Dredged or Fill Material to Waters of the State.

During the latest State’s Forest Management Task Force meeting, Mariposa County Supervisor Rosemarie Smallcombe was featured in a roundtable of local leaders who shared their views on how to improve alignment of regulatory programs between multiple environmental agencies and the best ways to create complimentary sources of revenue for local forest health projects.