The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) are hosting a free online commercial cannabis cultivation permitting workshop.
The free workshop is ideal for new and existing commercial cannabis cultivators. Those interested in attending can follow the link below and register. The online workshop is limited to 200 participants so early registration is recommended.
Workshop Details:
Friday, Feb. 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. 

Registration link: www.wildlife.ca.gov/cannabis
CDFA will provide an overview of the state's cannabis cultivation licensing program and review the requirements for cannabis farming. CDFW will cover Lake and Streambed Alteration agreements and how to limit environmental impacts. The State Water Board will review the cannabis policy, permitting process and other important information. Other regulatory agencies may participate as well.
Questions can be submitted at the end of the final presentation.
To learn more about CDFW's cannabis program, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/cannabis or email askcannabis@wildlife.ca.gov. To report environmental crimes, such as water diversions, pollution and poaching, call the CalTIP hotline at (888) 334-2258 or text information to "TIP411" (847411).
For information on the California Cannabis Track-and-Trace Metrc System, please visit CDFA's webpage at calcannabis.cdfa.ca.gov, call (833) CALGROW or (833) 225-4769 or send an email to calcannabis@cdfa.ca.gov. To report suspected illegal cannabis cultivation or related complaints, call (833) WEED-TIP or (833) 933-3847.
To learn more about the State Water Board's role in cannabis cultivation permitting, please visit waterboards.ca.gov/cannabis. For permitting and compliance assistance, email dwq.cannabis@waterboards.ca.gov or call (916) 341-5580 (Cannabis Cultivation General Order), or email cannabisreg@waterboards.ca.govor call (916) 319-9427 (cannabis cultivation water rights).
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SACRAMENTO - As one of his first bills for 2020, Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) introduced a measure to force the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to be more accountable.

Last fall, many Californians experienced multiple Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) as a result of poor planning for wildfires by utilities. The vast majority of these power shutoffs affected residents throughout the 1st Senate District, including some of the Senator's staff and their families.
While utility companies are largely to blame for not maintaining their infrastructure, the California Public Utilities Commission is responsible for regulating utilities and holding them accountable for promises they made in exchange for rate increases; Promises that would improve their response to natural disasters and wildfire safety through upgrades and maintenance, which has been severely lacking over decades.

SCA 7 will give voters a say on the election of CPUC commissioners rather than being appointed. Elected commissioners would be subject to the same provisions of the California Constitution that apply to other state elected officials, including to the ability to recall, their compensation, and monitoring conflicts of interest. Individuals elected to these positions would represent the customer, not the Governor or his Administration.

"Commissioners need to know who they're working for - the customers," said Senator Brian Dahle. "Making them interview for the job and perform with the voters in mind will change their perspective, for the better."
It's time for the people of California to have confidence in their utilities that the power will remain on, prices will be steady and reasonable, and ensure that utilities are performing the necessary upgrades along with ongoing maintenance programs to prevent future catastrophic fires, making PSPS a thing of the past.


Senator Brian Dahle represents California's 1st Senate District, which contains all or portions of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Shasta Counties.

Date: February 6, 2020
 
For Immediate Release
 
The excitement of each year’s Fair begins with the arrival of the Exhibit Guide. Fair Manager John Steffanic says it’s time to get excited! The theme for the 2020 Plumas Sierra County Fair is “Young at Heart”. “At first, I was trying to get a theme that was all about our youth,” said Steffanic, “But when the Fair Board hit on Young at Heart, I thought about how we could celebrate both ends of the age spectrum.” He further described it as those with young hearts, and those that feel like they have young hearts. It truly doesn’t matter how old or young you are, the whole Fair Experience begins with entering something in the 2020 Plumas Sierra County Fair, August 12 – 16. The exhibit guide is filled with divisions and classes that let everyone who lives in the area show what they have made, grown or raised.
 
The number of competitive exhibits is a direct reflection of the health of any Fair, and the Plumas Sierra County Fair Board is constantly urging everyone to take a look at the exhibit guide and enter something. Last year saw the most dramatic increase in exhibits in decades! Part of the credit goes to better outreach through the schools and organizations, but a huge chunk of the credit goes to the PSCF Foundation, the non-profit group that supports our local Fair. The Foundation covered entry fees in most of the divisions offered in an effort to break down some of the barriers some novices may feel when entering something for the first time. Well, it worked! Total entries jumped up by over 500, compared to most years that might see a 100 entry swing up or down. They have decided to do it again; all entries in the Floriculture building, except for the gardens and table settings, are free. All entries in the Home Arts building, except for quilts and professional divisions, are free. And new this year, all sculpture and poetry entries in the Art Barn are free.
 
The steps are simple; browse the exhibit guide, decide what you might like to enter, fill out the entry form, turn it in to the Fair office by the deadline (Most are July 24, many of the Floriculture entries are due just the week before the Fair), and then bring your entries to the Fair on the dates shown in the guide. Since there are no fees, feel free to enter as many things as you want. For instance, if you think you might want to enter your homemade bread, go ahead and enter it. When Fair time comes, and maybe there is a reason you can’t get the bread done, it’s no big deal. You aren’t out any money, but at least you could have entered the bread if you had gotten around to it.
 
There are many categories that are not what some people would think of at a Fair. There are certainly the classics; jelly, baked goods, zucchini, flowers and needlepoint. But there are also divisions that are unique, and might not require a particular skill to enter. There is a Division for Giftwrapping. Do you write poetry? Enter your poems. Make a shadow box. The Fair actually provides the box, so all you have to do is gather the items you want to display, and come to the fairgrounds to arrange them in the box. Last year, we had a shadow box full of things that were found on the fairgrounds with a metal detector that was fascinating. You can enter soap or candles you have made. You can decorate a cake, pie or confection, even if you didn’t make it, the judging is on the decoration. Enter jerky, or salsa. Crochet a rug, sew a Christmas tree skirt. There are categories for all these.
 
If you have an African Violet, or a cactus, or a Boston Fern that thrives in your home, please share it with everyone by entering it in the Floriculture Building. Some people don’t have a green thumb, but love plants. There are several divisions for silk or dried flower arranging. Finally, everyone should know that to enter something from your garden, you only have to turn in an entry form the Friday before the Fair. Perhaps it is some cut flowers, or some fresh carrots or onions. Don’t forget about the oddities; largest vegetable, oddest shaped vegetable or the heaviest tomato. These are all things the public needs to see!
 
Printed Exhibit Guides are available at all Plumas Bank branches and public libraries. Copies can also be picked up at the Fair Office. A downloadable version is available on the Fair website; www.plumas-sierracountyfair.net. The Fair has also taken the extra step of breaking the book down by sections for those that still have dial up and don’t necessarily need the entire book. Livestock entries are due on June 19 and most all other entries are due July 24.

Barbara Hill
2020 has brought some changes to the ESVCC. After five years of extensive research and hard work which resulted in important restructuring and improving the chamber, Mike Wellbourne is taking a well-deserved retirement as president. I have stepped in to fill his shoes and continue to improve and update our position as an organization that supports local businesses and our community as well as promoting tourism with fun events for residents and visitors alike.
For those who don’t know me, I’m a 20-year resident of Sierra Brooks and a firefighter and EMT with the Loyalton volunteer Fire Department. I’m retired from charter school teaching and being a Tahoe Forest Hospital Surgery Department Sterile Processing Technician and Instrument Specialist. I like to think that the requirements of good planning, attention to detail, working on a tight schedule, communication and supervision in both of these professions will serve me well as president. I have a board and active members who are willing to help me in our chamber goals. This year’s new active members are Genelle Wagnitz, Kayte Puckett, Sharon Dryden, Karen Rickman, Bill Bryan and Joani Taylor-fillman, who has taken my former position as secretary.
You can help give back to Loyalton by joining East Sierra Valley Chamber of Commerce and becoming an active member. Your ideas and assistance are valuable! Join us at our meeting held the first Saturday of each month and find our what activities are being planned.  Get involved and help support your hometown!

BY JOHN SEELMEYER

Nearly 3.5 million square feet of new industrial space was constructed in the Reno-Sparks region last year, and all indicators point to another banner year of industrial development during 2020.
Just to put things into perspective, last year’s new industrial development created space roughly equivalent to four Meadowood Malls.
Colliers International, a commercial real estate brokerage, says in a new study that the industrial space constructed in the Reno area last year was occupied almost as quickly as it was built.  That’s particularly remarkable because developers hadn’t yet inked leases for about half the new space before they started construction, betting a tenant would arrive before the building was done.
About 6 percent of the industrial space in the region is currently vacant.
The low level of vacancies signals to developers that they need to keep building manufacturing and warehouse space, says Doug Roberts, a partner in Panattoni Development Co., a major industrial developer.
“The only reasons there would be a slowdown in industrial development would be lack of available sites to develop, the increasing costs of both land and construction, and macro factors such as a domestic or global economic slowdown,” says Roberts.
His company doesn’t think a recession is likely, so about the only factors that could dampen development, he says, would be a lack of available land or construction costs that rise faster than rents.
That’s somewhat worrisome, Roberts says, because landlords and developers recently have faced difficulties convincing tenants to pay higher rents for industrial spaces in Reno despite increasing construction costs. 
Colliers International says landlords these days seek rents that average 55 cents a square foot for industrial spaces — the rate is higher for small spaces, lower for big ones. The average is up by 1 cent a square foot since last fall.

John Seelmeyer is a business writer and editor in Reno. In his 40-year career, he has edited publications in Nevada, Colorado and California and written several thousand published articles about business and finance.

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Date: February 10, 2020
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

$12.8B budget also proposes strategic investments in programs for land management, bolstering conservation and recreation activities, law enforcement, energy development and public infrastructure
WASHINGTON - Today, President Donald J. Trump proposed a $12.8 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget for the Department of the Interior, including a new, innovative $50 million initiative that would begin to transform and build a more stable and permanent wildland firefighting workforce to better align with the challenges of prolonged periods of wildfire activity and the need to more aggressively implement active vegetation management.
Overall, $1 billion is being requested specifically for wildland fire programs to protect Americans and their communities. The President continues to prioritize the health, safety and wellbeing of Americans by investing in the federal wildland fire workforce to implement active vegetation management practices, reduce hazardous fuel loads and suppress active wildfires on public lands.
“In 2019, we treated over 1.4 million acres, but we must recognize that the length of our fire season is getting longer; fires are large; and risks are higher. Therefore, we must innovate to strengthen our wildland fire and active management capability,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. “We are also extremely appreciative of today’s proposal to once again include the creation of the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund, and we remain optimistic that Congress will finally address the tremendous backlog caused by insufficient funds to appropriately maintain our National Parks, our Indian schools and Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management facilities.”
In addition to these highlights, the budget strikes a balance between development and conservation; fulfills trust responsibilities for Alaska Native and Tribal communities; improves visitor experiences at our nation’s natural and historical areas; enables reliable water supplies and delivery to people in the West; and makes strategic investments to increase broadband access in rural areas, critical mineral development and law enforcement.
Fighting and Reducing Wildfire Risk by Investing in Stronger Fire and Forestry Management Programs

• $1 billion for wildland fire programs. 
  • $227.9 million for fuels management and $368.1 million for preparedness, including a $50 million increase in proposed funding for the wildland fire management program to bolster our workforce, tackle the challenges of our wildfire season and more aggressively implement active vegetation management.
  • $384 million for wildfire suppression, which will be supplemented by additional emergency suppression resource authority in the event of another severe fire season.
• $123.1 million for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) forest and timber management activities and $54.1 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) Tribal Forestry programs.

Protecting Our People and Our Borders by Supporting Law Enforcement and Emergency Response Activities

• $930.6 million for Department’s law enforcement activities along our border, on Tribal lands and on Interior-managed public lands.
• Nearly $20 million for BIA to continue the fight against opioids in Indian Country.
  $138 million for the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) natural hazards program, which monitors programs for earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and coastal areas.
• $8.5 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Law Enforcement Program's efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking by disrupting organized crime networks endangering wildlife and people around the world.

Expanding Recreation and Access on Public Lands and Stewarding Conservation

• $5 billion for land management operations, 39 percent of the entire 2021 request.
• $1.5 billion for infrastructure maintenance and construction in the budgets for the BLM, NPS, FWS and Indian Affairs.
  • Infrastructure improvement continues to be a priority as the Department manages an asset portfolio worth more than $300 billion that includes roads, bridges, trails, water systems, laboratories, employee housing, visitor centers, schools and campgrounds.
• An additional $12.6 million ($86.8 million total) for visitor services at National Wildlife Refuges, including expanded hunting and fishing opportunities.
• $75.7 million for BLM recreation management activities, supporting public recreation use at public land areas.
• $10 million for land acquisitions to enable the public to access previously unavailable areas for recreation.
• $249.5 million for USFWS’ wildlife and habitat management programs across the 568-unit National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as $156.1 million for fish and aquatic conservation programs.
• $326.9 million for the National Park Service (NPS) cultural and natural resources programs and roughly $83.5 million for wildlife habitat management and protection in BLM’s natural conservation areas.

Facilitating Responsible Energy Resource Management

• $796.1 million in energy development programs for oil, gas, coal and renewable energy, including oversight and inspection programs to ensure safe development of these resources.
• $188.8 million for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to responsibly manage development of the nation’s offshore energy and mineral resources, and $204 million for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to strengthen the Federal offshore oil and gas inspection program.
• An increase of $3 million ($18.9 million total) for the BLM’s coal management program to improve capacity for leasing, permitting, inspections, and fair market value assessments.
• $29.5 million to support the review and siting of geothermal, wind and solar energy projects on public lands, along with rights-of-way applications to connect these projects to transmission lines.
• $25.7 million for the BIA for energy and mineral development programs in support of Tribal communities.

Upholding Our Commitments to Indian Country and Insular Areas

• $2.8 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).
• A new allocation of $16.5 million to expand broadband access, including $13.5 million to expand and upgrade broadband access on tribal lands and Bureau of Indian Education schools.
• $3 million in new funding supporting the Presidential Task Force for Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Improving Government Services

• $19.5 million for the Departmental Ethics Office, continuing the Department’s strong ethics reforms in hiring more than double the number of staff than at the end of 2016 and having greater consistency and coordination by consolidating the Departmental Ethics Office within the Solicitor’s Office.
• $1.9 million (new funding) for enhanced Department-wide Freedom of Information Act coordination, response and technical assistance.
• $1.5 million to support field special assistants who coordinate regional efforts, encourage bureau collaboration and leverage the Department’s new regional structure to help improve administrative services.
• $13.7 million to implement efficiencies in administrative functions such as human resources, acquisition of goods and services, and information technology.
• $18 million for the Department to accelerate the implementation of Department of Homeland Security directed cybersecurity requirements.

Bureau Highlights
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
The BLM’s budget advances Presidential priorities such as enhancing conservation stewardship commitments, improving visitor experiences and recreational activities on public lands and water, driving economic growth, spurring job creation and continuing to produce domestic energy in a safe and responsible manner. The overall proposed 2021 budget for BLM is $1.2 billion and includes these notable allocations:

• $116.8 million for the wild horse & burro management program, an increase of more than $15 million, coupled with program direction that could lay the groundwork for a long-term strategy to reduce the on-range population and achieve appropriate management levels.
• Sustained funding for a strong renewable energy development program ($29.5 million total), $11.8 million for other minerals resources management, and an increase of $3 million ($18.9 million total) to support improvements to the Federal coal management program.

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
The BOEM continues to play a key role in achieving the Nation’s energy strategy by promoting energy security, environmental protection and economic development through responsible management of offshore energy and mineral resources. The President’s FY 2021 budget request reflects careful analysis and focuses on the execution of BOEM’s mission, including offshore oil and gas exploration and leasing, offshore renewable energy, marine minerals management and science-based analyses.

BOEM’s budget proposal continues to support efforts that are vital to advancing the President’s Executive Order 13795, Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy, which requires BOEM to develop and implement a new National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (National OCS Program) in conformity with the provisions of the OCS Lands Act.
The overall proposed 2021 budget for BOEM is $188.8 million.
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
The BSEE continues to ensure safe and environmentally sustainable exploration development and production of America’s offshore energy resources. The overall proposed 2021 budget for BSEE is $204 million and supports:

• Its SPEAR program (Safety Performance Enhanced by Analytical Review), which improves safety performance using data analytics and communicates critical data and information to external stakeholders.
• BSEE!SAFE program, which is a newly launched and a first-of-its-kind direct communication between a safety regulator and front-line workers.
  • BSEE is the only safety regulator in the world delivering critical safety information directly to several thousand workers through text messaging.
• Offshore safety and environmental programs by allocating $196.3 million to BSEE’s base operations funding (excludes a one-time cancellation of prior-year balances).
  Oil spill research by allocating $12.7 million.

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)
The OSMRE continues to deliver its core oversight mission and support State and Tribal programs to ensure effective, consistent and high-quality regulatory and enforcement programs. In 2019, OSMRE completed five mining plan decision documents, and managed $291 million in mandatory Abandoned Mine Land reclamation grants provided to the 25 coal-producing States and three Tribes with an approved AML program. OSMRE continued to promote utilization of the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), with 70 percent of all trees planted on FRA prepared areas. A total number of 4,447,721 trees were planted during FY 2019 with 3,123,940 utilizing FRA on 5,635 acres.
The FY 2021 budget provides the resources required to build on past accomplishments, streamline processes, achieve management efficiencies, and provide technical assistance and training to OSMRE's State and Tribal partners. The overall proposed 2021 budget for OSMRE is $116.2 million.
Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
The BOR manages, develops and protects water and water-related resources in the interest of the American public. The 2021 proposed budget emphasizes funding for operation, maintenance and rehabilitation activities—including an increase of $14.3 million for dam safety at Reclamation facilities. Notable allocations in the proposed budget include:

• $437.3 million for construction, planning and management of water supply and reliability projects.
• $112.1 million for Indian water rights settlement, fulfilling Tribal obligations.
• $33 million to build on the 2019 biological opinion and upcoming record of decision for the Central Valley Project in California to help address California’s current water supply and ecological challenges.
• $55.9 million for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund to protect, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and associated habitats in the Central Valley and Trinity River Basins.
• $60 million to develop, evaluate and directly implement Reclamation-wide policies, rules and regulations as well as other administrative functions.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The USGS supports energy security, critical mineral resource assessments, natural hazard monitoring and research to inform resources management. The overall proposed 2021 budget for USGS is $971.2 million and supports:

• Monitoring the Nation's earthquakes via the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) and through support of several regional seismic networks operated by university partners.
• Operating the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System.
• Developing the Landsat 9 ground station, keeping pace with NASA satellite development to meet a fiscal year 2021 launch, and developing recommendations for follow-on Earth observation tools and systems to affordably meet the needs of future geospatial users.
• Releasing USGS assessments of undiscovered, technically recoverable energy resources (including oil and gas, methane hydrates, coal, uranium, and geothermal) in priority basins in the United States and globally; continuing the fundamental geological, geophysical, and geochemical research that underpins these assessments.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
The FWS works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the benefit of the American people. The overall proposed 2021 budget for FWS is $1.4 billion and includes these notable allocations:

• $525.3 million for National Wildlife Refuge System operations and maintenance.
• $70.2 million for habitat conservation programs, including $57.2 million to support voluntary, citizen and community-based conservation on private lands.
• An increase in funding, totaling $86.8 million, for visitor services in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which offers wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities to more than 59 million people each year.
• $244.1 million to conserve, protect and enhance listed and at-risk fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, specifically $28.6 million for conservation and restoration activities, including the proactive conservation of at-risk species. These funds support real results, such as the Service’s 2019 announcement that the Kirtland’s warbler is recovered and no longer requires Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection.

National Park Service (NPS)
The NPS system covers 85 million acres at 419 park units and served more than 318 million visitors in 2018. The NPS asset portfolio includes more than 5,500 miles of paved roads, 21,000 miles of trails and 25,000 buildings. In 2019, NPS leveraged $175 million in recreation fees to address priority maintenance projects to improve the visitor experience. The NPS estimates that in FY 2020 and FY 2021, $200 and $205 million in fee revenues respectively will be utilized for similar facility and infrastructure projects.
The proposed budget for the NPS prioritizes core mission capacity, increases recreational and public access and invests in critical infrastructure improvements. The 2021 proposed budget for NPS is $2.8 billion and includes these notable allocations:

• $2.5 billion for operations of the National Park system with $844.2 million for facility operations and maintenance.
• $366.2 million for law enforcement programs and other park protection activities to ensure the safety of park visitors.
• $11 million for collaborative activities with States, gateway communities and lands adjacent to NPS units.
• An increase of $3 million is proposed ($4 million in total) for infrastructure resiliency projects at the most urgent sites to mitigate wildfire risk to visitors, staff and park infrastructure.

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
The BIA prioritizes operations and program assistance to American Indians, Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives. The 2021 proposed budget for BIA is $1.9 billion and includes these notable allocations:

• $390.4 million to directly support 191 law enforcement programs and 96 corrections programs run either by tribes themselves or by the Office of Justice Services.
• $81.7 million to support Consolidated Tribal Government programs, which also promote tribal self-determination by giving tribes the flexibility to combine and manage contracted programs and grants that are similar or compatible in order to simplify contracting.
• A new allocation of $8.5 million to expand broadband access.
• $25.7 million to support domestic energy abundance and economic development of energy resources on Tribal lands.

Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)
The BIE provides quality education opportunities for Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives. The BIE’s budget request began being presented separately last year in a historical action to recognize the distinct and separate responsibilities and missions of the Indian Affairs’ two bureaus. The FY2021 budget request will continue to advance BIE reforms, provide autonomy and accountability, streamline services, maximize government efficiencies and build capacity. It prioritizes direct school operations, school improvement and completion of the Bureau’s Strategic Direction and reform efforts to improve service and technical assistance for BIE-funded schools. The Bureau estimates the requested budget will support staffing of 2,894 FTEs in 2021. The overall proposed 2021 budget for BIE is $944.5 million and includes these notable allocations:

• An increase of $5 million to expand broadband access at BIE-funded schools for a 21st-century learning environment, where educators and students in remote locations can access innovative resources, support online testing and collaborate with experts worldwide.
• $728.7 million for Elementary and Secondary programs at 169 BIE schools and 14 dormitories.
• $97.9 million for Post-Secondary Programs to operate two postsecondary institutions, administer grants to 29 Tribally operated colleges, and fund two Tribal technical colleges.
• $62.8 million for BIE facility improvements.

Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BFTA)
The 2021 proposed budget for BFTA (formerly the “Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians”) is $108.4 million in support of its mission to honor America’s trust responsibilities while providing stewardship of trust assets.
Office of Insular Affairs (OIA)
The 2021 proposed budget for OIA includes $89.2 million to help strengthen economic and health capacities in the U.S. territories. A list of accomplishments and actions demonstrating the Trump Administration’s strong commitment to the U.S. insular areas in 2019 can be found online.
The entire Department’s proposed FY 2021 budget has been posted online.
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About the U.S. Department of InteriorThe Department of the Interior conserves and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, provides scientific and other information about natural resources and natural hazards to address societal challenges and create opportunities for the American people, and honors the Nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper.

U.S. Department of the I

Route 49 Partners, LLC announces the purchase of Loyalton Mobile Home Park. Route 49, LLC affiliated with the owners of M3 Multifamily, a national apartment owner/operator, intends to renovate and enhance the 10-acre mostly vacant parcel with new manufactured homes under quality care and professional management. The rental housing will consist of new, high quality, manufactured homes that will be owned by the property owners, with attractive common areas and responsible on-site management.
Doug Lawler, a full-time resident of Sierra Brooks and a Managing Partner of Route 49, LLC, who previously worked for M3 Multifamily as National Director of Maintenance overseeing a portfolio of 2,000 apartments in Reno, Tucson, Austin, San Antonio and Nashville, will be responsible for on-site development and operations. Lawler recognizes the Loyalton site has a difficult history in the community, stemming mainly from poor management and care. Lawler intends to provide the neighborhood with a housing development they can feel good about, and one that will provide reasonably priced new rental housing or their family and friends. "I love Loyalton, I moved here to start my family in a wholesome and country environment, a place filled with deep family roots. It is my home and I want to make sure that we not only provide quality homes, but also provide quality and proactive management that will make sure all of our residents are thoroughly screened and abide by the rules and regulations of the community that will ensure an enjoyable living place for all."

Route 49, LLC will also be renovating and managing the JD Mobile Home Park in Vinton.

 
People v Cameron Michael Massey (CR03795X)
 
On January 7, 2020, Cameron Michael Massey, age 30, of Loyalton, was found in to be in violation of his probation.  He was sentenced to two years in state prison following a conviction of Penal Code section 29800 (felon in possession of a firearm). 
 
People v. Levi Hyde-Beverage (CR03971X)
 
On January 7, 2020, Levi Hyde-Beverage, age 27, of Loyalton, was found to be in violation of his probation, following a conviction for a violation of Penal Code section 288(c)(1), lewd acts with a minor, a felony.  He was sentenced to two years state prison.
 
People v. Charles Clinton White (CR04034)
 
On January 7, 2020, Charles Clinton White, age 36, of Loyalton, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23152(b), DUI with a prior, a misdemeanor.  He was put on 4 years summary court probation, ordered to 10 days in jail, pay a fine, 2 year license suspension and complete a DUI class.
 
People v. Bryan Dean Evans (19CR04072)
 
On January 21, 2020, Bryan Dean Evans, age 58, of Loyalton, was convicted of violating California Code of Regulations 14 CCR 708.5(b)(1), failing to timely turn in deer tag, an infraction.  He was ordered to pay a fine.
 
People v. Collin Andrew Bell (19CR4075)
 
On January 24, 2020, Collin Andrew Bell, age 21, of Portola, was convicted of violating Penal Code section 141(a), preparation of false evidence, a misdemeanor.  He was placed on three years formal probation and ordered to pay a fine. 
 
 
People v. Anthony Raymond Walker (CR4035)
 
On January 24, 2020, Anthony Raymond Walker, age 58, of Auburn, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23152(b), DUI.  He was placed on 3 years summary court probation, ordered to attend a DUI class, and pay a fine. 

 
Company Shares Tips in Case Outages Occur 
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) meteorologists are forecasting strong winds Sunday and into Monday throughout much of Northern and Central California. PG&E is urging its customers to take the necessary steps to be prepared and stay safe.
A weather system moving through PG&E’s service area will produce a chance for light precipitation early Sunday into Monday for primarily the central and southern Sierra and southern San Joaquin Valley; most locations will remain dry this weekend.
 
In the wake of the passage of weather system, strong gusty north or northeast winds are expected by early Sunday and into Monday for the northern half of the territory with widespread 30-45 mph gusts and stronger gusts of 50—70 mph over the elevated terrain and Sierra.
 
Winds on Monday will remain breezy to gusty, but not as strong as Sunday, with winds expected to decrease Monday afternoon and night.
 
To be clear, PG&E will not be calling a Public Safety Power Shutoff as fuel and soil moisture values remain high due to winter season precipitation.
 
PG&E has electric and vegetation crews on alert and in position to be able to respond should outages occur.
 
Storm Safety Tips:

• Drive safely:When you’re behind the wheel, look out for fallen limbs and other debris in the roadways.
• Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 911 and by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
• Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
• Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup.
• Have fresh drinking water, ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer.
• Secure outdoor furniture: Deck furniture, lightweight yard structures and decorative lawn items should be secured as they can be blown by high winds and damage overhead power lines and property.
• Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should make sure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
• Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
• Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 811 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.

Other tips can be found atpge.com/beprepared
 
About PG&E
 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary ofPG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visitwww.pge.com/ andwww.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
 

The Superior Court of California, County of Sierra is seeking nominations of Sierra County citizens interested in serving on Sierra County’s Juvenile Justice Commission (“JCC”). Interested parties are strongly encouraged to nominate themselves.

The JCC will be made up of a minimum of seven individuals at least two of which are recommended to be between the ages of 14 and 21 years. The JCC is tasked with oversight of the County’s juvenile justice operations, as well as nominating individuals to be considered for appointment as the County’s new Chief Probation Officer.
Commission members serve a two year term, and the County provides reimbursement of up to $25.00 in expenses per meeting for attendance at up to two meetings per month. The time commitment for service is anticipated to be greater during the first quarter of service due to the County’s need to hire a new Chief Probation Officer. Thereafter, it is estimated the time commitment will be 1-4 hours per quarter.
Additional information and nomination forms for service are available by contacting the Court Executive Office at (530) 289-2930, or by visiting the Court’s website at: https://www.sierra.courts.ca.gov/divisions/4791.htm.
Please do not delay in acting as the Court needs to form this Commission now. 

​

Caltrans Proposes Safety Improvements Including Turnouts and Curve Realignment
 
NEVADA COUNTY – Caltrans is hosting an open house in February to seek community comments about a proposed safety improvement project on State Route 20 in Nevada County.
 
The event will be Monday, February 10, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Eric W. Rood Administrative Center, Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, 950 Maidu Avenue in Nevada City. Community members can view project displays and review materials, including environmental documents. Caltrans staff members will be available to answer questions and receive comments from the public.
 

 
Caltrans proposes to improve highway safety by modifying the alignment of two non-contiguous segments of the highway and adding turnouts. The $55.3 million project calls for updating these roadway segments to current standards by increasing the curve radii, widening shoulders to eight feet, adding turnouts in both directions and improving the vertical profile grade. Additionally, the project will widen an existing turnout to standard width. Construction is estimated to start in fall 2021.
 
Caltrans District 3 is responsible for maintaining and operating 4,385 lane miles in 11 Sacramento Valley and Northern Sierra counties. For project updates, follow Caltrans District 3  on Twitter @CaltransDist3 and on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.
 

 
 

 

Sacramento, Calif. (February 5, 2020) – The California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) today announced the appointment of Patty Ciesla to the position of Executive Director.
“The CFSC Board and staff welcome Patty as Executive Director,” said Kate Dargan, Co-Chair of the CFSC. “She brings a wealth of expertise and experience in fire prevention, finance and grant programs to the California Fire Safe Council. She will leave her position as Executive Director of the Santa Clara County Firesafe Council and begin her duties in the Sacramento office of CFSC.”
“Patty will take the CFSC Executive Director position held by Larry Davis, a former Schwarzenegger administration appointee, who was chosen to serve as Interim Executive Director. The CFSC Board and staff thank Larry for his stewardship during the search for a permanent Executive Director,” said Bob Roper, Co-Chair of the CFSC.
 As Executive Director of the Santa Clara Firesafe Council, Patty successfully built practices to comply with grant management and reporting as mandated by the United States Forest Service. She built strong relationships with California Executive Directors of firesafe councils, fire chiefs, and other leaders in Firewise and Firesafe communities to promote the mission of wildfire prevention and regional readiness.
“As a fire safe council leader with five years of success at the county and regional level, I am already deeply connected to the CFSC mission and am excited at the opportunity to usher the California Fire Safe Council through its transition to become a more powerful leadership organization,” Ciesla said.
Ciesla holds a BA degree in Human Biology (With Honors) from Stanford University where her thesis centered on how the environment can impact human health and safety.
 
                  The California Fire Safe Council has been mobilizing Californians to protect their homes, communities and environments from wildfires for over 25 years. Working with local California Fire Safe Councils, fire departments, community associations and homeowners, CFSC has provided more than 900 grants totaling more than $100 million dollars since incorporating in 2004. CFSC has a deep history of providing capacity building and technical assistance to the more than 150 local Fire Safe Councils in California, and in facilitating cross-sectoral investments in wildfire resilience.
For more information visit www.cafiresafecouncil.org
​

 

SACRAMENTO – Today Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) introduced Assembly Bill 2079, which would prohibit an investor-owned utility from making campaign contributions to state elected officials and candidates. During the 2018 election cycle, PG&E gave nearly $1 million in direct candidate contributions.
 
“As PG&E seeks to emerge from bankruptcy, the most important part of restructuring is to loosen its grip on the State Capitol,” Assemblyman Kiley said. “Governor Newsom has sharply criticized PG&E’s negligence, and rightly so. But it was California’s political leadership that let them get away with it. This was ultimately a failure of politics.”
 
In the last six years, PG&E has been convicted of six felonies following a gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people; found responsible for over 1,500 fires in California, including the Camp Fire that killed 85 people; and criticized for recurring power shutoffs throughout its service territory. An investigation by the Wall Street Journal found that “PG&E Corp. knew for years that hundreds of miles of high-voltage power lines could fail and spark fires, yet it repeatedly failed to perform the necessary upgrades.”
 
Electric utilities like PG&E, while privately-owned, are uniquely intertwined with the State of California. In many ways, they behave like arms of the state – claiming monopolies on entire regions, seizing property through eminent domain, and enjoying a fixed rate of return. At the same time, they are under intensive state direction and control over prices, operations, and purchases.
 
Assemblyman Kevin Kiley represents the 6th Assembly District, which includes the Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado County communities of Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Loomis, Orangevale, Penryn, Rocklin, Roseville, and Sheridan.
 

NO ON PROP. 13
Jon Coupal Nov 24, 2019




In a bit of irony, this March there will be a Proposition 13 on the California statewide ballot. But unlike the landmark taxpayer protection of 1978, the Prop. 13 of 2020 will put taxpayers on the hook for $27 billion.
There’s another big difference between Prop. 13 (1978) and Prop. 13 (2020). The first was the result of a massive grassroots campaign by citizen taxpayers and homeowners striking back against out-of-control property taxes while the fake Prop. 13 was put on the ballot by the California legislature.
Prop. 13 (2020) is a huge $15 billion statewide school bond chock full of hidden traps for taxpayers. First, it reflects typical credit card math by Sacramento politicians because it would borrow $15 billion from Wall Street and then make taxpayers pay it back plus 80% in total interest costs. That’s an additional $12 billion we’ll be forced to pay, bringing the entire bill to $27 billion.
While no one disputes the need for adequate school facilities, the problem is that the state’s education establishment has failed to show that it uses existing school facility bond money effectively. California voters already have approved big school bonds, including a recent 2016 $7 billion measure, only to see much of those funds squandered. (Remember the infamous Belmont High School scandal when LAUSD wasted hundreds of millions building the nation’s most expensive high school on top of a toxic waste site?)
But this measure also presents a huge threat to homeowners. While it is true that the bond itself will be repaid out of the state’s general fund, local school districts are required to provide matching funds except on very rare occasions. Those matching funds are generated by local bond measures which are repaid exclusively by property owners.

Currently, there are strict limits on how much bond debt local school districts are allowed to carry. But a hidden provision of Prop. 13 (2020) nearly doubles the limits school districts can borrow. This means huge increases in property taxes are a near certainty. Who pays property taxes? We all do, either directly in property tax bills or through higher rents and other costs. Unlike the Prop. 13 from 1978, this Prop. 13 puts all taxpayers at risk of higher taxes.
There are other hidden landmines in this bond proposal including a preference for school construction projects that employ a “project labor agreement.” This gift to the construction trade unions can easily add 25% to 30% to the cost of school construction and freeze out responsible construction companies. That additional cost is money that could be spent building and refurbishing more school projects that benefit our children.
Of course, the real problem here is that the governor and legislature have failed to make the actual education of California’s youth a priority. Instead of spending the state’s $21 billion surplus on upgrading school facilities and providing high quality education for our children, the governor and the legislature are wasting our money on pet projects like high speed rail. That surplus money could have gone into solutions for our education system without new debt.
California’s schools are consistently ranked near the lowest in the country.
Rather than throwing $27 billion into school construction projects, our state needs a long-term solution to achieve a high standard of excellence in reading, writing and math. To do that we must reform teacher tenure, make it easier for school districts to fire bad employees, ensure more taxpayer dollars go directly into the classroom, restore the exit exam and expand school choice.
The fake Prop. 13 appearing in March does nothing to improve classroom instruction or help our children succeed.
Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (hjta.org).



In a bit of irony, this March there will be a Proposition 13 on the California statewide ballot. But unlike the landmark taxpayer protection of 1978, the Prop. 13 of 2020 will put taxpayers on the hook for $27 billion.
There’s another big difference between Prop. 13 (1978) and Prop. 13 (2020). The first was the result of a massive grassroots campaign by citizen taxpayers and homeowners striking back against out-of-control property taxes while the fake Prop. 13 was put on the ballot by the California legislature.
Prop. 13 (2020) is a huge $15 billion statewide school bond chock full of hidden traps for taxpayers. First, it reflects typical credit card math by Sacramento politicians because it would borrow $15 billion from Wall Street and then make taxpayers pay it back plus 80% in total interest costs. That’s an additional $12 billion we’ll be forced to pay, bringing the entire bill to $27 billion.
While no one disputes the need for adequate school facilities, the problem is that the state’s education establishment has failed to show that it uses existing school facility bond money effectively. California voters already have approved big school bonds, including a recent 2016 $7 billion measure, only to see much of those funds squandered. (Remember the infamous Belmont High School scandal when LAUSD wasted hundreds of millions building the nation’s most expensive high school on top of a toxic waste site?)
But this measure also presents a huge threat to homeowners. While it is true that the bond itself will be repaid out of the state’s general fund, local school districts are required to provide matching funds except on very rare occasions. Those matching funds are generated by local bond measures which are repaid exclusively by property owners.
Currently, there are strict limits on how much bond debt local school districts are allowed to carry. But a hidden provision of Prop. 13 (2020) nearly doubles the limits school districts can borrow. This means huge increases in property taxes are a near certainty. Who pays property taxes? We all do, either directly in property tax bills or through higher rents and other costs. Unlike the Prop. 13 from 1978, this Prop. 13 puts all taxpayers at risk of higher taxes.
There are other hidden landmines in this bond proposal including a preference for school construction projects that employ a “project labor agreement.” This gift to the construction trade unions can easily add 25% to 30% to the cost of school construction and freeze out responsible construction companies. That additional cost is money that could be spent building and refurbishing more school projects that benefit our children.
Of course, the real problem here is that the governor and legislature have failed to make the actual education of California’s youth a priority. Instead of spending the state’s $21 billion surplus on upgrading school facilities and providing high quality education for our children, the governor and the legislature are wasting our money on pet projects like high speed rail. That surplus money could have gone into solutions for our education system without new debt.
California’s schools are consistently ranked near the lowest in the country.
Rather than throwing $27 billion into school construction projects, our state needs a long-term solution to achieve a high standard of excellence in reading, writing and math. To do that we must reform teacher tenure, make it easier for school districts to fire bad employees, ensure more taxpayer dollars go directly into the classroom, restore the exit exam and expand school choice.
The fake Prop. 13 appearing in March does nothing to improve classroom instruction or help our children succeed.
Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (hjta.org).


‹Legislative report card promotes truth to protect taxpayers

In a bit of irony, this March there will be a Proposition 13 on the California statewide ballot. But unlike the landmark taxpayer protection of 1978, the Prop. 13 of 2020 will put taxpayers on the hook for $27 billion.
There’s another big difference between Prop. 13 (1978) and Prop. 13 (2020). The first was the result of a massive grassroots campaign by citizen taxpayers and homeowners striking back against out-of-control property taxes while the fake Prop. 13 was put on the ballot by the California legislature.
Prop. 13 (2020) is a huge $15 billion statewide school bond chock full of hidden traps for taxpayers. First, it reflects typical credit card math by Sacramento politicians because it would borrow $15 billion from Wall Street and then make taxpayers pay it back plus 80% in total interest costs. That’s an additional $12 billion we’ll be forced to pay, bringing the entire bill to $27 billion.
While no one disputes the need for adequate school facilities, the problem is that the state’s education establishment has failed to show that it uses existing school facility bond money effectively. California voters already have approved big school bonds, including a recent 2016 $7 billion measure, only to see much of those funds squandered. (Remember the infamous Belmont High School scandal when LAUSD wasted hundreds of millions building the nation’s most expensive high school on top of a toxic waste site?)
But this measure also presents a huge threat to homeowners. While it is true that the bond itself will be repaid out of the state’s general fund, local school districts are required to provide matching funds except on very rare occasions. Those matching funds are generated by local bond measures which are repaid exclusively by property owners.
Currently, there are strict limits on how much bond debt local school districts are allowed to carry. But a hidden provision of Prop. 13 (2020) nearly doubles the limits school districts can borrow. This means huge increases in property taxes are a near certainty. Who pays property taxes? We all do, either directly in property tax bills or through higher rents and other costs. Unlike the Prop. 13 from 1978, this Prop. 13 puts all taxpayers at risk of higher taxes.
There are other hidden landmines in this bond proposal including a preference for school construction projects that employ a “project labor agreement.” This gift to the construction trade unions can easily add 25% to 30% to the cost of school construction and freeze out responsible construction companies. That additional cost is money that could be spent building and refurbishing more school projects that benefit our children.
Of course, the real problem here is that the governor and legislature have failed to make the actual education of California’s youth a priority. Instead of spending the state’s $21 billion surplus on upgrading school facilities and providing high quality education for our children, the governor and the legislature are wasting our money on pet projects like high speed rail. That surplus money could have gone into solutions for our education system without new debt.
California’s schools are consistently ranked near the lowest in the country.
Rather than throwing $27 billion into school construction projects, our state needs a long-term solution to achieve a high standard of excellence in reading, writing and math. To do that we must reform teacher tenure, make it easier for school districts to fire bad employees, ensure more taxpayer dollars go directly into the classroom, restore the exit exam and expand school choice.
The fake Prop. 13 appearing in March does nothing to improve classroom instruction or help our children succeed.
Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (hjta.org).


‹Legislative report card promotes truth to protect taxpayers

 
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after introducing H.R. 5774, the Clearing Lines along Electrical At-Risk Zones (CLEAR Zones) Act. H.R. 5744 builds off current law resulting from the passage of Congressman LaMalfa’s Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, which provided a process through the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to remove trees that posed a hazard to nearby power lines. The CLEAR Zones Act extends the area around utility rights-of-way that must be kept safe from hazard trees, accelerates the review process by providing for a categorical exemption from environmental assessments, and ensures plans will be approved within 60 days.
 
LaMalfa said: “Trees along power lines serve as potential sources of ignition and catastrophic fire in our forests. The longer utility companies must wait for a hazardous tree removal permit approval, the more at-risk power lines become to hazard trees falling upon them This bill builds on our previous effort to expand the safety zone in order to be more effective. The bill reduces lengthy wait times to do effective active forest management and increases the buffer zone near power line rights-of-way, allowing improved fire prevention and better protection of homes, buildings, wildlife and the forest itself.“
 
Current law states that the Secretary must review and approve the management plans “to the maximum extent practicable” in 120 days. The CLEAR Zones Act would cut this period in half and requires the Secretary to approve the submitted plans within 60 days in order to more quickly manage vegetative overgrowth and trees that pose a hazard to powerlines. This legislation also extends the distance for clearing trees and parts of trees from 10 feet to 50 feet on either side of the powerline. Lastly, the approval process is given a categorical exemption from the environmental assessments of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act to ensure that critical habitats and public lands are not burned due to excessive environmental reviews and lawsuits.
 
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
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Map details – click to view largerTo fulfill the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) mission of building sustainable, recreation-based communities, Connected Communities will change the economic future of Sierra, Plumas, Lassen and Butte County forever. Linking 15 California mountain communities across four economically disadvantaged counties by approximately 300 miles of new motorized and non-motorized trails, the Lost Sierra Master Trails Plan and Connected Communities project will be a historic collaboration between federal land managers, regional government, local businesses and concerned citizens.
SBTS is a Quincy, California-based 501c3 focused on building what the organization calls #dirtmagic – multiple-use motorized and non-motorized trails for public use – in the Lost Sierra region of the Northern Sierra Nevada range. Since its founding in 2003, SBTS has built 93 miles of new trail and maintained 1,163 miles of existing trail while employing a full-time Professional Trail Crew and contributing 89,800 hours of volunteer labor.

Click to view largerConnected Communities is the most significant project in SBTS history, linking Loyalton, Sierraville, Sierra City, Downieville, Quincy, Graeagle, Portola, Taylorsville, Greenville, Chester, Westwood, Susanville, Jonesville, Truckee and Verdi, Nevada, providing a world-class network of trails that all user groups can enjoy. This trails-focused effort will support severely disadvantaged communities through recreation-based economic growth.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation generated $887 billion in consumer spending annually, ranking fourth of all consumer spending nationwide.

Click to view larger“Recreation is a powerful economic sector, eclipsing the previous boom and bust cycles of mining and timber in Northern California,” said Greg Williams, SBTS Executive Director. “More importantly, recreation is sustainable, and building trails is a perfect dirt avenue to educate users about public lands and healthy watersheds.” (view Connected Communities presentation)
Connected Communities will focus on the Northern Sierra Nevada range, home of both the Yuba and Feather Rivers; critical watersheds delivering more than 65 percent of California’s clean drinking water. Proposition 68, The Clean Water and Parks Act, was passed on June 6, 2018, authorizing $4 billion in general obligation bonds for state and local parks, environmental protection and restoration projects and water infrastructure projects. Central to Prop 68 is educating the public about these important environmental efforts, and getting the public outdoors on trails to see these efforts firsthand is an effective and engaging way to learn while bolstering the economies of watershed communities.
Through Proposition 68 grant funding, and the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) Resilient Communities Grant Program, SBTS was recently awarded a $360,525 planning grant to get started with Phase 1 of the Connected Communities project. This funding through the Phase 1 work includes inventory, planning and mapping of the new network of trails, as well as community outreach and input, land manager agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU). SBTS will provide an official Trails Feasibility Study and a Regional Master Trails Plan for Connected Communities.
“Trails on public lands are proven to create local employment, attract visitors and new businesses, and improve the health and economy of mountain communities,” said Lynn Campbell, North Central Area Representative, SNC. “The SBTS project collaboratively envisions and supports Proposition 68 and SNC’s Resilient Communities objectives by creating a new system of world class multiple-use trail experiences through public lands at the top of California’s key Sierra Nevada watersheds. We are happy to support this vision to preserve and celebrate the character of rural communities and create new opportunities for prosperity in the Sierra Nevada.”
Connected Communities will also identify areas within each community where high-quality trail access would create benefits for residents, businesses and visitors. Delivering these trails to “Main Street” of each community will bring in visitors patronizing restaurants, accommodations and services, as well as enabling residents to easily access their local public lands without the use of a vehicle.
Connected Communities Phase 2 will be NEPA/CEQA Environmental Studies on 300 miles of new trail, with a projected cost of $792,000. Phase 3 will be where shovels hit the dirt, constructing the trails on National Forest lands using Challenge Cost Share, Voluntary Services Agreements, locally hired Trail Crews, student trail crews and volunteers. Projected cost of constructing 300 miles of trail is approximately $7,920,000.
SBTS is using The John Muir Trail as a model for this project, an iconic hiking trail running 211 miles through the Sierra Nevada, constructed between 1915 and 1938. But where the John Muir trail remains in extremely rugged and remote terrain, far from any communities, Connected Communities will bring the trail into town, helping drive the economic health of each community.
Through the course of the Phase 1 planning cycle, SBTS will be holding town hall meetings in each Connected Communities town, gathering input from local residents. For more information on town hall dates, the Connected Communities project and how the public can engage, visit: sierratrails.org/dirt-magic

Click to view the Connected Communities presentation.None of this Connected Communities work would be possible without the support and cooperation of partners. All Connected Communities partners as of November 2019 are listed below.

• US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region 5
• Tahoe National Forest
• Lassen National Forest
• Plumas National Forest
• Plumas County Board of Supervisors
• Plumas County Dept. Public Works
• City of Portola
• Sierra County Board of Supervisors
• City of Loyalton
• Lassen County Board of Supervisors
• City of Susanville
• Butte County Board of Supervisors
• Sierra County Land Trust
• Feather River Land Trust
• Lost Sierra Chamber of Commerce
• Center for Economic Development, California State University, Chico
• State of Nevada, Off-Highway Vehicle Program
• Nevada County Woods Riders
• Truckee Dirt Riders
• 707 Trail Riders
• International Mountain Bicycling Association
• Chico Velo
• Susanville Area Bicycle Association
• Pacific Crest Trail Association

The Mt. Hough Trail built by Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship navigates to the town of Quincy in the valley below.

Sacramento – California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has awarded $67 million for landscape-scale land management projects intended to restore and maintain healthy forests, conserve working forests, and enhance carbon storage in California’s forests. The grants were awarded by CAL FIRE’s Forest Health and Forest Legacy Programs to local and regional partners and collaboratives implementing forest treatment and conservation activities on state, local, tribal, federal, and private lands. This year’s funded projects are distributed between 13 counties covering the length of California, from Siskiyou to San Diego.

CAL FIRE funded 17 Forest Health grants, targeting over 130,000 acres of California’s forestlands for restoration through a suite of activities. Activities include thinning dense and degraded forests; reducing hazardous fuel loads to change extreme fire behavior across the landscape; managing for drought, insects and disease; and applying prescribed fire for ecological restoration. Some of the overstocked forest material will be converted to bioenergy. Reforestation efforts will result in planting approximately 170,000 trees that will sequester carbon, provide habitat for wildlife, and stabilize soil in severely burned areas. Through a handful of these projects, CAL FIRE will make an investment in human capital, to ensure that a workforce is available and appropriately trained to staff new wood products and forestry operations needed in the state. Finally, research components on a portion of these projects will help gather information on best management practices and monitor the impact of forest treatment activities over time. CAL FIRE intends to announce the award of an additional $2,000,000 in stand-alone research projects in the next two months.

CAL FIRE’s Forest Legacy Program funded the establishment of conservation easements on three separate properties, totaling nearly 4,700 acres, in Humboldt County. The easements will protect these high-quality forestlands threatened with development and ensure the forests continue to provide for carbon storage and enduring natural resource, economic and recreational opportunities.

CAL FIRE’s Forest Health grants were made available through California Climate Investments (CCI), a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars toward achieving the state’s climate change goals while also strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment-particularly in disadvantaged communities. Since taking office, Governor Newsom has directed a significant investment in proactive forestland health maintenance, fire prevention and climate resiliency. The Governor has made available $1 billion over the next five years, beginning this year, for the purpose of active forestland management. Within the next month, CAL FIRE expects to award up $45 million from CCI for Fire Prevention projects.
XXX

 
By Jon Coupal
It’s no secret that public sector labor organizations hate Proposition 13 because it remains one of the few barriers to their unfettered access to our wallets and pocketbooks.

Whether in the courts, legislature, initiative measures or “public education” campaigns, their relentless resistance to that landmark initiative has continued unabated for over forty years.

Much to their frustration, however, Prop. 13’s popularity has remained consistent during that same period of time.

Today, the most significant threat to Proposition 13 is the proposed “split roll” initiative which is currently in the signature gathering phase. This proposal, labeled as The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020, is a $12 billion property tax increase. It dismantles one of Prop. 13’s most important protections, the limitation on annual increases in taxable value. Under Prop. 13, the taxable or “assessed” value of property can only increase two percent per year. This provision provides predictability and stability in tax liability for all property owners, whether the property is residential or commercial.

A key backer of the “split roll” initiative is, not surprisingly, the California Teachers Association, one of the state’s most powerful special interests.  They are the chief purveyor of the myth that, somehow, Prop. 13 is the cause of the decline in educational quality. Fact check: California now spends 30% more on a per-pupil inflation-adjusted basis than it did in the mid-70’s when California schools were some of the best in the nation.

The sad truth is that no level of taxation or debt is too heavy for the union bosses at CTA, notwithstanding the fact that California ranks among the highest in the nation in teacher pay and benefits. The problems preventing quality education are due to the failure to pursue meaningful reforms, such as merit pay and school choice.

As in years past, the defenders of Prop. 13 are preparing for a tough fight in November. But of great concern is the extent to which split roll backers will enjoy several unfair advantages. For example, our Attorney General has a history of putting his thumb on the scales of the election process in ways that favor his political backers, including CTA. Almost certainly, he will prepare a “title and summary” for the ballot pamphlet that neither accurately reflects what the split-roll measure really does nor the harm that it will cause.
To continue reading, please click here.

Nevada City, Calif. –Beginning Monday, February 3, 2020, the US Forest Service will conduct widespread prescribed fire activities near the Extension, Baker Ranch and Marysville Road areas adjacent to the community of Camptonville.  The prescribed fire activities include pile burn units that are part of the Camp Fuels Reduction Project. In total, these activities will encompasses over 200 acres. Prescribed fire activities are expected to last through Thursday, February 6, 2020.

To assist in these prescribed fire activities, additional resources have been ordered to the Tahoe National Forest including a twenty-person firecrew as well as personnel from the neighboring Plumas National Forest and the Mooretown Rancheria.
Current conditions allow for prescribed fire activities to proceed as determined by approved Burn Plans. Burn Plans describe specific conditions under which prescribed pile burn activities may be conducted. This includes analysis of current fuel conditions, weather, available firefighting personnel, and opportunities for smoke dispersal. 
The goal of these prescribed fire activities is to reduce the severity of future wildfires, provide added protection for local communities, and reestablish natural ecosystems utilizing fire. Reducing hazardous fuels through prescribed fire activities is the most effective and cost-efficient treatment that influences future fire behavior and suppression success, and increases forest health.
Smoke from prescribed fire activities is normal and may continue for several days after ignition. Smoke may settle in low lying areas at night or in the morning and usually disperses during normal daytime warming. All prescribed fire activities are monitored closely for smoke dispersal and, if necessary, action is taken to mitigate concerns as they arise. Fire personnel closely patrol prescribed fire activity areas during ignition and for several days after. Forest Service fuels management personnel work closely with the California Air Resources Board and local air quality management districts to minimize smoke impacts to communities.
For more information, or to receive prescribed fire notifications via e-mail, call or email Gabe Foster, District Fuels Technician at (530) 288-3231 or gabe.foster@usda.gov.

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