[00:00:07]
AND TODAY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH, WE'RE BEGINNING TODAY AT 11:07.[Roll Call]
MADAM CHAIR, OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, WOULD YOU TAKE THE ROLE? OR MADAM CLERK? DIRECTOR COFFEY. HERE. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.HERE. CHAIR WAESPI. HERE. ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL JASON BERGER OR JASON ROSENBERG.
JASON. HERE. ASSISTANT. BOTH OF THEM. ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER ALISON BROOKS.
HERE. TODAY'S MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
STAFF IS PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT MAY DO SO BY PROVIDING A COMMENT IN PERSON, JOINING LIVE VIA ZOOM WITH THE LINK PROVIDED ON THE AGENDA.
LOCATED ON THE PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO OUR SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF MAY 7TH
[Approval of Minutes]
AND ALSO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF JUNE 4TH.SO I'M GOING TO HANDLE THOSE AS ONE, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS OR COMMENTS.
I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE.
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF BOTH MEETINGS ARE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN OUR ACTION ITEMS ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUPPORT OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
[Action Items]
A NUMBER OF ITEMS. WELCOME, ERICH.ERICH PFUEHLER DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME PROPOSED LEGISLATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR SUPPORT.
FIRST BILL IS FROM ONE OF OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS, JOSH HARDER.
IT'S REGARDING THE GOLDEN MUSSLE, WHICH IS A NEW EXOTIC SPECIES THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO THE DELTA THROUGH THE PORT OF STOCKTON IN 2024. AND THIS IS REALLY A PILOT PROJECT FOR THE DELTA AREA TO EXPLORE WAYS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF GOLDEN MUSSLES AND ALSO EVENTUALLY ERADICATION.
VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH WITH THE ZEBRA MUSSEL INFESTATION MANY YEARS AGO.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROGRAM AT THE PARK DISTRICT TO MONITOR FOR THAT.
SO EVENTUALLY LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS PILOT PROJECT COULD HELP LEAD TO SOME FUNDING.
THERE WAS $15 MILLION ANNUALLY ALLOCATED IN THE LEGISLATION FOR A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THAT COULD EVENTUALLY SUPPORT PARK DISTRICT EFFORTS. SECOND BILL IS A EFFORT TO QUANTIFY AND CAPTURE CARBON FROM THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WORK THAT ALL AGENCIES ARE DOING, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
BASICALLY, THE IDEA IS REDUCING THE BIOMASS INTO SOMETHING AKIN TO BIOCHAR, LIKE OUR CARBONIZER DOES, OR INJECTING IT DEEP INTO THE EARTH AND ENSURING THAT IT CAN BE STORED THERE FOR 1000 YEARS.
THE TWO METHODS OF STORAGE THAT THEY IDENTIFY IN THE BILL ARE SECURE GEOLOGICAL STORAGE OR LONG DURATION UTILIZATION. SO BIOCHAR WOULD MEET THE SECOND DEFINITION.
AND UNDER THAT DEFINITION, THE TAX CREDIT WOULD BE $12 VERSUS $36 FOR THE MORE LONG TERM STORAGE.
THIS YEAR, IT CALLS ON STATES TO SET ASIDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIR FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION MONEY TO ENSURE BICYCLES PEDESTRIANS ARE SAFE, AND ALSO THAT ACCESS IS EQUITABLE.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS HAD A COMPLETE STREETS PROGRAM SINCE 2008, BUT THIS WOULD QUANTIFY IT FOR OTHER DISTRICTS OR OTHER STATES, AND THEN WOULD ALSO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IF IT WERE TO EVENTUALLY BE INCLUDED IN A FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILL.
[00:05:08]
COMMITTEE HAS ALSO SEEN THIS BILL BEFORE. THIS IS THE ONGOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN ADMINISTRATIONS ON REDUCING SINGLE USE PLASTIC IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS. THIS LEGISLATION CALLS FOR ESSENTIALLY WHAT WAS THE BIDEN POLICY THAT WOULD CALL FOR A PHASE OUT INSTEAD OF A COMPLETE IMMEDIATE BAN BY 2032.SO THIS WOULD CODIFY THAT PROCESS THAT WAS REVERSED BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
AND THEN THE LAST BILL WE HAVE WITH REGARD TO CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTER, IT REALLY IS A PROGRAM TO PRACTICE, MORE RECRUITING, EFFORTS TO GET YOUTH INTO SOME OF THESE FACILITIES, AND ALSO HAVE BEING TRAINED IN WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING, RANGELAND MANAGEMENT AND FORESTRY.
INTERESTING THING IN THE LEGISLATION TO ME WAS THAT IT ALSO CALLS ON SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CORPS TO ACTUALLY WORK ON THE HOUSING FOR WILDFIRE, HOUSING UPGRADES FOR WILDFIRE OR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR LIST OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR SUPPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION ON 1842, THE, I REALLY LIKE WHEN YOU PUT THESE SUPPORT ON, WHO OPPOSES AND WHO SUPPORTS ON THE CHART.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFICS ON. BESIDES, SCHIFF WAS AN ORIGINAL SPONSOR ON THE OPPOSITION TO THAT 1842? I DON'T KNOW. OTHER THAN SOME OF THE TAX YOU KNOW, ANTI-TAX FOLKS.
BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S.
JUST THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT THIS BILL IN PARTICULAR.
AND BOY, WE'VE HAD A BUSY WEEK THIS WEEK, SO I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK INTO IT.
AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR MUNICIPALITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT THERE ARE SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT WERE OPPOSED BECAUSE IT MIGHT INFRINGE ON THEIR ABILITY TO CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THINGS ARE INJECTED AND ALSO THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT, LIKE I SAID, THE LIQUEFACTION INJECTIONS AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, SO, I DON'T KNOW.
CERTAINLY OUR CARBONIZER AND OUR CHARCOAL IS LIKE A NO BRAINER.
SO JUST HAVE SOME HESITATION AND MAYBE BEFORE IT GOES TO THE BOARD FOR FULL FINAL, I APPRECIATE HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CONCERNS AND WHETHER THEY'RE LEGITIMATE OR NOT. OKAY. YEAH. NO, THAT'D BE GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
YEAH, ERICH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. SAME WITH A SENATE BILL 1842 WITH THE BIOCHAR.
I'M WONDERING JUST. I DON'T KNOW. BUT I MEAN, THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT EVERYBODY DOES.
WELL, WE GOT A BUNCH OF WASTE. LET'S BURY IT UNDERGROUND FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AGENCIES LIKE OURS THAT CREATE BIOCHAR IN A AT OUR LEVEL OF PRODUCTION? I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN WHAT OTHER AGENCIES MIGHT PRACTICE THE SAME.
I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST THREE CARBONIZERS IN THE STATE NOW.
AND I BELIEVE WHEN WE WENT TO THE US FOREST SERVICE LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A WHOLE PROGRAM UNDER LAST ADMINISTRATION, EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE USES FOR BIOCHAR, INCLUDING, I BELIEVE, LIKE ROOFING SHINGLES.
AND THERE WERE SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT THE DIRECTOR BROUGHT OUT AND SHOWED AND SHOWED US SO I THERE HAVE TO BE MANY OTHER AGENCIES THAT PRACTICE THAT. SO, I'M.
YEAH, I'M FOLLOWING UP BECAUSE THAT PRESENTATION WE WENT TO LAST YEAR WAS PRETTY INTERESTING. THEY WERE TOTALLY INTO IT. ARE WE GOING TO VISIT THEM AGAIN WHEN WE GO IN OCTOBER? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT? ARE WE GOING TO VISIT THOSE FOLKS AGAIN IN OCTOBER? WELL I DOUBT THEY'RE STILL THERE. SO NO, I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE.
[00:10:05]
I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE STOPPING BY THE FOREST SERVICE.OKAY. OKAY. AND THEN ON, GOSH. WELL, I TOTALLY SUPPORT AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT.
SENATE BILL 1926 AND HOUSE RESOLUTION, I GUESS IT IS 3604 THE REDUCING WASTE IN NATIONAL PARKS.
YOU KNOW, THIS, IF WE GOT BACK TO THE WHAT THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAD DONE, IT LEADS TO THE ELIMINATION AND SALE OF DISTRIBUTION OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS SUCH AS SINGLE USE PLASTIC BOTTLES, UTENSILS, STRAWS, PACKAGING.
I AM IN TOTAL SUPPORT OF THIS, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE PERSON TO ASK THIS, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DO THIS IN THE PARK DISTRICT, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A MILLION TIMES. IT'S ALWAYS, OH, WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT NEXT TIME.
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT. AND I HOPE WE HAVE THE WILL TO DO THAT SOMEDAY.
BECAUSE AS A FORMER PARK RANGER, I'LL GUARANTEE YOU THAT PLASTICS ARE PROBABLY THE GREATEST QUANTITY OF GARBAGE THAT IS STREWN AROUND OUR PARKS AND MAKES OUR PARKS LOOK LIKE HECK, OCCASIONALLY.
DON'T REPLY. IT'S OKAY. SO THESE, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FROM THE PUBLIC? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. HEARING NONE.
I THINK WE HAVE THE CHARGE OF RECOMMENDING TO THE FULL BOARD OUR SUPPORT OF THESE RESOLUTIONS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO DO THAT? I KIND OF WANTED TO KNOW.
NO, NO. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD, WE'VE GOT TIME. WELL, NO.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD DO THEM SEPARATELY OR LEAVE THAT OUT.
WHICH ONE IS THAT? THE 1842, THE INJECTION. THE BIOCHAR WILDFIRE REDUCTION AND CARBON REMOVAL ACT. BUT IT'S ALSO FOR NOT JUST BIOCHAR. IT GOES INTO LIQUID INJECTION AND CO2 MOVEMENT, CO2 GAS ALL.
OKAY, I'LL MOVE THAT. THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION AS PRESENTED.
-1942. OR 1842. SECOND. SO. WHAT I'M NOTICING IS THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TITLE AND THE ITEM PRESENTED ON THE SLIDE. I SEE 1942 IN THE TITLE, IN 1842 ON THE SLIDE.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S 1942. OKAY, MINUS THAT. SO BE IT.
AND I SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND WHAT'S THE TIMELINESS OF WHEN DO THESE BILLS ARRIVE? AND WHEN IS OUR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT? I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON.
OKAY. DO WE WANT TO SUPPORT 1942? NO, SORRY. ALL RIGHT.
AND YOU'LL ABSTAIN? OR DO WE WANT TO HOLD IT OVER? WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON 1942.
WHEN IT COMES TO US AT THE BOARD. OH, OKAY. SO I'LL MOVE THAT.
WE SUPPORT S.1942, AND YOU'LL NEED TO. SORRY, I THINK THERE IS A CONFUSION.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE 1842. ERICH, CAN YOU CONFIRM WHICH ONE IT IS? BECAUSE THE, IT SAYS 1942 ON THE TITLE, BUT IN THE STAFF REPORT AND THE SLIDE, IT SAYS 1842.
ARE YOU LOOKING IT UP? WELL, ACTUALLY, YES. IT'S 1842.
ALL RIGHT. MY MOTION APPLIES TO 1842. AND I WILL SECOND IT.
[00:15:01]
SO I, GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.WE'RE APPROVING THE ONE YOU WANT TO ABSTAIN ON.
OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND MOVEMENT AND WE TAKE A VOTE, AND I NEXT CALL THE VOTE.
YOU WOULD. MY THEORY IS, IS THAT YOU WOULD ABSTAIN.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND WE JUST VOTE? YES.
SO ALL IN FAVOR? NO. I GET TO SAY THAT. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE.
AYE. OPPOSED AND ABSTAIN. ABSTAIN. WE HAVE THE MOTION PASSES WITH TWO YESES AND ONE ABSTENTION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE'LL MOVE NOW TO. TO.
OH THE RADKE CHAMPION AWARD. EXCELLENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
FANTASTIC TO SEE YOU. FLORA CSONTOS LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE 2025 NOMINEE FOR THE RADKE CHAMPIONING ADVOCACY AWARD.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, THIS AWARD IS AWARDED TO AN ADVOCACY CHAMPION WHO HAS BEEN A LEADER FOR PARK DISTRICT, STATE OR FEDERAL SUPPORT. IT WAS NAMED FOR THE LATE TED RADTKE, WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE PARK DISTRICT BOARD FOR 36 YEARS.
AND PICTURED HERE ARE A COUPLE OF THE RECENT RECIPIENTS.
THEY INCLUDES SENATOR TIM GRAYSON FOR HIS WORK BACK IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY, OUR CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER, ASSEMBLY MEMBER REBECCA BAUER-KAHAN, AND MANY OTHERS.
WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A DELEGATION FULL OF LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATES AND LEADERS.
THIS YEAR ASSEMBLY MEMBER LORI WILSON IS NOMINATED.
SHE'S A CHAMPION OF POLICIES THAT PROMOTE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
SHE SERVES ON THE DELTA PROTECTION COMMISSION.
SHE AUTHORED AND INTRODUCED AB769, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, IS PARK DISTRICT SPONSORED LEGISLATION AND IS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THE PUBLIC RESOURCE CODE ARTICLE 3 SINCE THE CODES INCEPTION IN THE 30S.
AND SHE NOT ONLY AUTHORED THE LEGISLATION, SHE ACTIVELY CHAMPIONED AND REALLY ENGAGED WITH THE WITH THIS BILL, WITH THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, AND REALLY ADVOCATED FOR ITS ADVANCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SHE ALSO STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE CLIMATE BOND, PROPOSITION 4.
SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY CLIMATE BOND BILL WORKING COMMITTEE, AND HER WORK HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF GRAZING AS THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE AS WELL. AND THERE ARE SOME PHOTOS HERE WHEN SHE VISITED BIG BREAK REGIONAL SHORELINE THERE AT THE TOP, BACK ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS AGO. AND SHE'S ALSO PICTURED AT A COMMITTEE HEARING WITH OUR MANAGEMENT ANALYST LISA BALDINGER, ADVOCATING FOR AB769. WE WANT TO MAKE MENTION OF SOME ADDITIONAL FANTASTIC FOLKS IN OUR DELEGATION WHO REALLY DESERVE A LOT OF APPRECIATION FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR LEADERSHIP IN 2025.
I'LL START JUST BRIEFLY WITH U.S. SENATOR ALEX PADILLA AND HIS WORK.
HE SECURED FUNDING FOR WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORK.
HE SECURED LANGUAGE IN THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT TO EXPEDITE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY AT THE FORMER OAKLAND ARMY BASE. NEXT TO HIM THERE. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JOHN GARAMENDI, WHO SECURED FUNDING FOR MARTINEZ BAY TRAIL AND RICHMOND BAY TRAIL AND TOOK A STRONG LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE TIGER II GRANT FUNDING AS WELL.
ROUNDING OUT THE FEDERAL FOLKS, CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER, WHO CHAMPIONED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD, THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT OF CHICAGO 50.
AND HE IS A PREVIOUS AWARD WINNER. IN THE STATE SENATE, TWO FOLKS, WE WANT TO HONORABLE MENTION STATE SENATOR JERRY MCNERNEY, WHO ADVANCED A BUDGET ASK REGARDING WATERSHED, LAKE AND POND HEALTH THIS YEAR.
HE IS ALSO AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR'S EAST BAY HILLS LEGISLATION.
SB-392 AND IS A PREVIOUS AWARDEE OF THE RADTKE AWARD.
[00:20:06]
THANK YOU. THAT'S THE INFORMATION FOR THIS YEAR AND WE WELCOME ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF 769? I BELIEVE WE WILL COVER THAT IN THE NEXT ITEM.
OKAY. GREAT QUESTION. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS WORK ON THE PROPOSITION BOND AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPDATE ON THE AB769.
I DID TAKE A LOOK. I RELY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS GUIDE WHERE THEY GIVE RANKS AND SCORES TO VOTING RECORDS FOR FOR FOLKS. AND I DID NOTICE THAT LORI WILSON HAS DROPPED FROM 83% TO 76% TO 60% THIS YEAR ON HER VOTING RECORD. PRIMARILY BECAUSE SHE'S ABSTAINED ON NINE VOTES.
THANK YOU. SO JUST KIND OF A HEADS UP OR A CAUTIONARY, YOU KNOW, WE.
I'M SURE SHE'S ALSO DONE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS FOR US, LIKE ALL OF OUR OTHER RAD KEY CHAMPIONS, BUT I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD RAISE THAT UP JUST AS AN AWARENESS.
IF I MAY SPEAK TO THAT. SO, AS YOU SAW IN THE SLIDE.
LISA BALDINGER, LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST, AS YOU SAW IN THE SLIDE DECK, I HAD THE HONOR OF GOING UP TO SACRAMENTO AND SITTING WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILSON THROUGH A COMMITTEE MEETING ON WHICH SHE WAS ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT IS THAT SHE WAS WANTING TO HEAR HER QUESTIONS ANSWERED BEFORE VOTING ON CERTAIN BILLS, WHICH WAS JUST INTERESTING TO WITNESS HOW DEEPLY SHE WAS ENGAGING.
SO SIMILAR TO OUR LAST VOTE ON FEDERAL BILLS.
THANKS, I APPRECIATE THAT. SO THE ABSTAINS AND ALSO, AS MOST ELECTED OFFICIALS DO, SHE'S LOST POINTS FOR ACCEPTING A LOT OF MONEY FROM BIG OIL COMPANIES, SO I GUESS THAT MAKES SOME SENSE OF WHY SHE'S BEEN DROPPING OVER TIME.
JUST MY HOMEWORK SHARING. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? YEAH. AND ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, I SUPPORT ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON.
SHE WON THE AWARD FROM CARPET. TWO YEARS AGO.
CAME TO OUR PRESENTATION, WAS VERY ENGAGED, SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE'VE ALSO MET WITH HER AS THE REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT I SUPPORT THIS.
I'M KIND OF WONDERING THE PHILOSOPHY, THOUGH, OF I'M LOOKING AT, I GUESS WE'VE HAD EIGHT RECIPIENTS.
SIX OF THEM ARE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OR CONGRESS MEMBERS.
DOES THAT EVER COME TO MIND? DO WE DO WE, OR.
AND YOU GUYS, I GUESS, ARE THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, RIGHT. OR.
YES, AT THIS POINT. AND DO YOU KNOW, THAT'S PERFECTLY OKAY, BUT DO YOU.
DO YOU LOOK BEYOND. I MEAN, STRATEGICALLY, THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON.
BUT PICKING SOMEONE THAT HAS NOT ONLY HELPED THE PARK DISTRICT BUT HAS A POTENTIAL, DOES GOOD WORKS STATEWIDE AND HAS A POTENTIAL TO HELP THE PARK DISTRICT. IS THAT COME INTO PLAY AT ALL? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK THEY'RE THEY'RE MANY THINGS CAN BE ON THE TABLE.
AND IT REALLY EACH YEAR HAS CHANGED SO MUCH EVEN SINCE THE RADKE AWARD BEGAN AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
I'LL SEE IF OUR DIVISION LEAD WANTS TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING ELSE.
ERICH PFUEHLER, DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK PART OF WHY WE'RE SEEING THAT TREND IS THE GOOD WORK OF THIS TEAM AND THAT WE ARE REALLY SEEING PRODUCTION FROM OUR DELEGATION AT A LEVEL THAT HADN'T REALLY BEEN, WE HADN'T REALLY BEEN SEEING EARLY ON IN THE RADKE AWARD PROCESS.
SO THAT'S GENERALLY WHY IT STAYED MORE LOCAL, BUT CERTAINLY WE LOOK AT STATE LEADERS AND TO SOME EXTENT EVEN FEDERAL LEADERS. A GOOD EXAMPLE MIGHT BE SOMEONE LIKE JARED HUFFMAN WHO WOULD BE A GOOD WORTHWHILE PERSON IN TERMS OF ALL THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE, BOTH ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA AND THEN ALSO IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL WORK.
SO WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO ADVISEMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR FUTURE AWARDS.
[00:25:09]
EARLY IN THE MORNING. WE MOVED TO AN INCREDIBLE VENUE AT DRAKE'S FOR EDUARDO GARCIA.I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN UNDER A BRIDGE ALMOST WITH REPRESENTATIVE DESAULNIER AND ALSO, OH, BEEN TO A VERY NICE PLACE UP IN SACRAMENTO FOR SENATOR GLACIER. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DO IT, BUT LET'S I WOULD SUPPORT DOING SOMETHING NICE.
NOT BIG, JUST NICE. AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT A BIG DEAL.
MAKE IT SO THEY WANT TO COME OUT. I THINK THAT FROM WHAT I KNOW OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILSON, WHICH IS HARDLY ANYTHING, BUT WHEN WE GAVE HER THE CARPET AWARD, IT WAS OUT OF HER DISTRICT DURING THE WEEK THEY WEREN'T IN SESSION, BUT SHE WAS VERY HAPPY TO COME, VERY HAPPY. AND SOME OF THESE FOLKS REALLY ENJOY THESE AWARDS.
I REMEMBER EDUARDO GARCIA WAS LATE AS HECK TO OUR DEAL AT DRAKE'S IN OAKLAND, BECAUSE HE WAS TALKING WITH GOVERNOR BROWN AT THE TIME AND HAD SOME HIGH-LEVEL TALKS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND HE SAID, WAIT, DON'T LEAVE.
I'LL BE OVER THERE. AND HE GOT OVER THERE AND THEN REALLY ENJOYED THIS. SO I THINK IT HAS SOME VALUE AND I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY MAXIMIZE THAT VALUE. YEAH. AS YOU ILLUSTRATED, WE HAVE HAD DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. OFTEN THAT'S IN DEFERENCE TO THE AWARDEE AND THEIR PREFERENCE.
AND THEN ALSO AFTER COVID, WE WENT TO A MORE IN PARK OUTDOORS FORMAT.
BUT WE CAN EXPLORE DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES. AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILSON YOU KNOW, MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE MAY END UP DOING IN SACRAMENTO AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, BIG BREAKS, REALLY THE ONLY FACILITY IN HER DISTRICT.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING IT.
AND SO ANY COMMENT? YEAH. ERICH, CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI IS GOING TO BE CARRYING THE, WE'RE SUBMITTING THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT PIECE FOR THE BAY TRAIL AGAIN, IS THAT HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK? YEAH. HE'S STILL ADVANCING THE RICHMOND BAY TRAIL GAP FUNDING.
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION IN THE HOUSE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH THEY CAN RECEIVE PER ASK. SO IT'S BEEN REDUCED A FAIR BIT, BUT HE IS STILL IT'S STILL IN THE QUEUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND HE DID OBTAIN FUNDING FOR US FROM PRIOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
YES. IT'S THROUGH THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROGRAM.
AND HE HAS YET TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. CORRECT. WHERE I'M GOING IS A LIKELY PROPOSED RECIPIENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I THINK. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC? NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC? NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC.
THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AS THE NOMINATION OF OUR 2024 RADKE AWARD WINNER.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION? OKAY, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD ASSEMBLYMEMBER, LORI WILSON. OH, PARDON ME, I WILL SECOND THAT.
STAND STRONG. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. GO AHEAD.
OKAY, I WILL MAKE THE SECOND. ANY COMMENT? DISCUSSION.
HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. AYE. AYE. OH. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE NOW TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, AND WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE ON STATE LEGISLATION.
[Informational Items]
ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, LISA BALDINGER, LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST.AND I'M HERE TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON STATE LEGISLATION AS IT MOVES FORWARD.
SO TO BEGIN, JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'LL BE PRESENTING, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE TWO BILLS THE PARK DISTRICT IS SPONSORING THIS YEAR TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE AN UPDATE THERE. WE'RE THEN GOING TO BE DISCUSSING SB-131, WHICH WAS THE BUDGET ACT.
AND THEN JUST A FEW KEY HIGHLIGHTS AND NEXT STEPS.
SO TO GET US STARTED. SB-392, THIS IS THE EAST BAY HILLS CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
[00:30:03]
AND OUR AUTHOR IS NOW SENATOR TIM GRAYSON. AND THIS BILL IS MOVING FORWARD QUITE SWIFTLY.SO I'M FOLLOWING SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMITTEE STAFF TO REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT MAKES THE EAST BAY HILLS AN AREA OF STATE SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN CALIFORNIA. THEY NOTED THAT THEY HAD UNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT REGION, IT PROVIDES RECREATION, BUT WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT, WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL? AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITHIN THE EAST BAY HILLS, THERE'S SOME UNIQUE GRASSES THAT ONLY EXIST THERE WITHIN THE STATE.
AND ADDITIONALLY IT'S THE SCIENTIFIC LOCATION OR IT'S LOCATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY OF RAINBOW TROUT, WHICH IS A WELL KNOWN AND APPRECIATED SPECIES.
SO WITH THAT CONTEXT, IT'S MOVING FORWARD TO POTENTIALLY BECOME THE SECOND AREA OF CONSERVATION WITHIN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE FIRST BEING COYOTE VALLEY DOWN IN THE SANTA CLARA AREA.
NEXT WE HAVE OUR LEGISLATION THE COMMITTEE WAS ASKING ABOUT, SO I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHAIRS, WITH THE COMMITTEE STAFF, AND REALLY ACTIVELY ENGAGING ON THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND ITS IMPORTANCE. AS FLORA NOTED IN HER PRESENTATION, THIS IS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO THIS SECTION OF THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE SINCE THE 1930S. SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE WE ARE SEEKING AMENDMENTS.
AS IT'S MOVED THROUGH THE SENATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE.
I DO WANT TO FLAG THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO THE BILL, SO THE COMMITTEE CHAIR REQUESTED LOWERING THE ADMINISTRATIVE LIMIT FROM THE CONNECTION TO THE GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH WAS 200,000, IN ALIGNMENT WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, TO NOW BE $150,000 WITHIN THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE.
WHEN WE ASKED FOR A REASON IN CONTEXT ON THIS CHAIR, IT WAS SIMPLY THAT THE 200,000 FELT TOO HIGH TO THE TO THE CHAIR, AND SO THEY WANTED TO LOWER IT BY 50,000 WAS THE FULL EXPLANATION WE WERE PROVIDED.
SO THAT IS NEXT. MOVING TO THE SENATE FLOOR BEFORE ADVANCING TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.
I WILL NOTE BOTH THESE BILLS WERE QUITE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF FISCAL IMPACT, SO THEY DIDN'T GET SLOWED DOWN THROUGH THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.
AND THAT'S ALSO LIKELY A POSITIVE THING AS GOVERNOR NEWSOM CONSIDERS SIGNING THEM.
ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO A STATE BUDGET UPDATE.
SO JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW FOR FISCAL YEAR 2526, IT WAS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR NEWSOM ON JUNE 27TH, AND MOST OF THIS INFORMATION I'LL BE SHARING WAS ALSO SHARED WITH THE BOARD MEMO THE WEEK OF SIGNATURE.
SO IN TOTAL, ABOUT 300, A LITTLE OVER 300 BILLION IN TOTAL SPENDING.
SO THE TWO AREAS THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON IN THIS STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL ARE GGRF GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND, AND THEN THE PROPOSITION FOUR ALLOCATIONS AND ANY LANGUAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO STARTING WITH GGRF, THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING ABOUT 1 BILLION IN CUTS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
OR IT WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET BILL. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO REDUCE EXCUSE ME, TO MANAGE FOR CLIMATE IMPACTS AND PROMOTE LAND STEWARDSHIP. SO WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING ON GGRF DISTRIBUTION.
IT'S REALLY, IT'S A RESTART OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM, WITH THE GOVERNOR PRIORITIZING HIGH SPEED RAIL AS SORT OF HIS NUMBER ONE AND THEN LETTING THE LEGISLATURE HAVE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE REST.
SO WHAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR FROM OUR DELEGATION IS SUPPORT FOR DIRECT FUNDING TO PUBLIC RESOURCES, CODE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND CARING OF OUR OPEN SPACES.
IT'S SIMILAR TO A PROGRAM THAT'S LIKELY ADVANCING FOR STATE PARKS.
SO JUST REALLY TAILORING TO PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE 5500 AGENCIES LIKE OURS.
AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS IT WOULD BE FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE DO, THE STEWARDSHIP WORK, THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION, AND IT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE A MEANS OF MAINTENANCE FUNDING THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY RECEIVE FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PARCEL TAX MEASURE FF.
SO NEXT UP IS OUR PROPOSITION FOR BOND ALLOCATION.
I'LL NOTE WE ARE STILL EXPECTING A FUTURE TRAILER BILL ON PROP 4.
[00:35:04]
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD AND CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY.SO I WAS HOPING BY THIS COMMITTEE MEETING WE'D HAVE A BIT MORE INFORMATION.
BUT THAT TRAILER BILL HAS YET TO COME FORWARD.
SO WHEN WE DO, WE'LL BE ABLE TO UPDATE THE COMMITTEE AND THE FULL BOARD.
AND SO JUST TO BRING IT TO THE COMMITTEE'S ATTENTION, WHAT THIS IS ALLOWING FOR IS FOR ANY PROJECT WHICH RECEIVES PROPOSITION 4 FUNDING, THEY WILL ALSO RECEIVE AN EXEMPTION FROM CEQA.
THERE'S ALSO A CLAUSE TO WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION INVESTMENTS, AND THAT'S SPECIFIC TO SOME CRITERIA OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THAT PRESCRIBED BURN OR THAT MITIGATION TO A BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE. SO WE CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL ON THAT, BUT IT'S A BIT MORE SPECIFIC THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY UNDERSTOOD.
HOWEVER, SOMETHING I WANT TO NOTE FOR THIS COMMITTEE IS THAT AT THIS TIME, THE PARK DISTRICT, WE'RE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CEQA EXEMPTION IS AS AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SUPPORT AND PROTECTION FOR OUR PROJECTS.
HOWEVER, THERE'S NO PLANS TO OMIT OR PASS THROUGH THE SECRET PROCESS.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH ALL OF OUR CURRENT PROCESSES WITH TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND UTILIZING CEQA FOR ALL PROJECTS AS APPROPRIATE.
ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT UP IS JUST WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRACK FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL TRAILER BILLS. LIKE I MENTIONED, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON ONE FOR THE PROPOSITION FOR FUNDING. AT THIS TIME. WE'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, EXCUSE ME, OUR DELEGATION ON THE PROPOSITION 4 FUNDING PRIORITIES, AS WELL AS, AS I NOTED, THE GGRF, GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUNDING IN RELATIONSHIP TO STEWARDSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL MAINTENANCE WORK.
WE'RE SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND AND ENGAGE ON HOW THAT CEQA CRITERIA IS BEING IMPLEMENTED, JUST TO MAKE SURE IT HELPS TO SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK THAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE SUPPORTED IN RELATIONSHIP TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS WHILE STILL SUPPORTING THE CUTTING THE GREEN TAPE INITIATIVE, AS APPROPRIATE. AND AS THINGS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND CHANGE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES BOTH IN MEMO FORMAT AS WELL AS HERE AT THIS COMMITTEE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU LISA. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? FROM THE BOARD.
I GUESS IT'S A QUESTION. GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THERE'S QUITE A CONTROVERSY.
I GUESS THE SIERRA CLUB FILED SOMETHING AGAINST AB-131, AND THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING FILED ON SB-684, WHICH I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM OR HOW THEY WENT FORWARD, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S PROBABLE LAWSUITS CHALLENGING THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE FILED. LIKE I SAID, I HAVE A COPY OF A LETTER WITH ABOUT 100 AGENCIES AND AN INTERESTING ARTICLE THAT SAYS NOW YOU CEQA, NOW YOU DON'T. THAT IF ANYONE NEEDS TO READ, GIVES A REALLY GOOD BACKGROUND ON THE PROS OF THIS CHANGE AND THE GRAY AREAS OF THE POTENTIAL FOR CONCERN. SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SB-684, AND ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY LAWSUITS? AND THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED AS A NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY TO REVIEW ALL OUR PROJECTS CAREFULLY. I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT SPECIFIC BILL.
AND BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE. IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS THE ASSEMBLY BILL AND THE SENATE BILL, BUT THEY WERE SIMILAR. BUT I'D JUST BE CURIOUS IF THEY BOTH PASSED AND IF THEY OVERLAP.
AND YEAH, IF THE LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN ANY LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED YET.
THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THAT. THANK YOU. BIG BILLS FOR CALIFORNIA.
YEAH. LISA, SO, THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT REPORT. I WAS WONDERING.
I KNOW IT'S NOT OUR CONCERN. WELL, IT'S OUR CONCERN, OF COURSE, BUT IT WON'T AFFECT US TOO MUCH.
BUT CAN YOU TELL ME THE STATUS OF THE GRAYSON BILL THAT WAS GOING TO ELIMINATE THE QUIMBY FEES FOR OTHER, SMALLER PARK AGENCIES? I WOULD BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE UPDATE ON 684 AS WELL.
OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK THEY PUT UP THE SECOND YEAR BILL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I HAD HEARD, THANK YOU.
NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO ASK HER FOR FUTURE. HOLD ON.
LET ME FIND MY NOTES, JUST A SECOND. THIS IS JUST STATE BILLS.
SORRY. THE SUPERFUND POLLUTER PAY BILLS. THERE'S, I BELIEVE TWO OF THEM.
THEY'RE IN MY NOTES SOMEWHERE. IT'S NOT IN YOUR UPDATE.
[00:40:07]
AND THEY ALL TRICKLED DOWN TO BROWNFIELDS AND AS WHERE ACQUIRING MORE CONTAMINATED LANDS AND THE POTENTIAL IF WE, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMES BACK WITH THE BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM.BUT IT WAS A, THERE ARE TWO BILLS UNDER THE SUPERFUND POLLUTER PAY.
YES. SO I PULLED UP SB-684 AND THAT IS ONE OF THE SUPERFUND BILLS.
SO IT'S MOVING FORWARD. IT LOOKS LIKE IT PASSED THE SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE, BUT IT HASN'T GONE FURTHER THAN THAT, SO WHEN I.
SO SB-684 WHEN I LOOK INTO THAT A BIT MORE. THAT WOULD BE AN UPDATE ON THE SUPERFUND.
AND AB-1243. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GREAT.
IF THERE'S NOTHING FROM THE PUBLIC, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT.
THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE TO THE STATE ADVOCATE UPDATE.
ERICH PFUEHLER DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR ADVOCATE IS ONLINE.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, AND I'M SURE REID WILL TOUCH ON THIS AND EXPAND ON IT.
THE GOVERNOR HAS ESSENTIALLY USED GGRF AS PART OF THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS TO REAUTHORIZE IT FOR ANOTHER 15 YEARS, AND IS LEAVING THE BULK OF THE DESIGNATION OF THE FUNDING UP TO THE LEGISLATURE, EXCEPT FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL AND WILDFIRE MITIGATION. SO WITH THAT, I SEE REID IS ON THE SCREEN.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT REID, THE EXPERT, TAKE IT OVER AND TALK MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR GGRF AND THE STRATEGY THAT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF. WELCOME, REID. GREAT. I'M HAPPY.
THANK YOU. HAPPY TO. SORRY. I'M IN AN AIRPORT, SO I APOLOGIZE IF THERE'S BACKGROUND NOISE.
I'LL TRY TO SPEAK AS CLEARLY AND LOUDLY AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU.
THANK YOU, ERICH. AND MAYBE BEFORE I JUMP IN ON GGRF, I DO WANT TO SAY IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM, AND KUDOS TO ALL OF THEM, IN PARTICULAR LISA ON THOSE TWO SPONSORED BILLS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TOUGH BACK AND FORTH BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT LISA HAS REALLY HELPED OUT ON, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY TO THIS GROUP.
THEY HAVE BEEN HELD THIS YEAR. ONE OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN GET A VOTE.
FOR GGRF, AS ERICH MENTIONED, THIS IS THE YEAR WHERE THERE'S A REAL, HONEST DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ENTIRE CAP AND TRADE PROGRAM OR STATE'S CLIMATE PROGRAM, AND HOW THE MONEY THAT IS GENERATED FROM THAT PROGRAM THAT GOES INTO THE GGRF ACCOUNT, HOW THAT WILL BE SPENT. SO FAR OVER THE LAST YEAR OUR EFFORTS FOR YOU AND THE BROADER CONSERVATION COMMUNITY HAVE CREATED TRACTION FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO SAY SOME PORTION OF THAT GGRF MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT ON NATURAL AND WORKING LANDS. SO THAT HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE TO GET THE LEGISLATURE TO SAY THAT.
NOW WHEN THEY DO THE FINAL NEGOTIATIONS, WHEN THEY ALL COME BACK IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS, THE QUESTION IS, WILL THEY PUT ENOUGH MONEY IN NATIONAL WORKING LANDS? OR WILL THEY PUSH US OFF INTO THE FUTURE? AND PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE.
AND I KNOW YOUR TEAM IS ALREADY WORKING ON YOUR OWN DELEGATION, AND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE YOUR OWN MEMBERS IN THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NATIONAL WORKING LANDS INVESTMENTS DO NOT GET PUT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE FINAL NEGOTIATIONS BY MID-SEPTEMBER. THE THIRD ELEMENT OF THE UPDATE, THOUGH, IS JUST TO SAY YOU BELONG TO A BROADER GROUP CALLED CWNRP THAT HAS BEEN AMPLIFYING YOUR MESSAGE.
IT'S BEEN TRYING TO GENERATE A BROAD COALITION OF SUPPORT.
SO IT'S NOT JUST UP TO YOU GUYS IN YOUR OWN DELEGATION TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NATURAL AND WORKING LANDS, BUT THERE'S EFFORTS TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROMOTE AND GET TO THEIR LEGISLATORS AS WELL.
CWNRP WILL CONTINUE TRYING TO WORK WITH OTHER COALITIONS, BUILD THAT BUILD THEIR OWN COALITION OUT SO THAT HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE SESSION, WE CAN ALL, YOU KNOW, GIVE OURSELVES A HIGH FIVE THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOME NATURAL AND WORKING LANDS FUNDS.
[00:45:03]
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THAT TYPE OF NATURAL AND WORKING LANDS BUCKET, IT DOES ALLOW US TO THEN ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT SOME SPECIFICS.AND THAT IS WHERE YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT THROUGH. WHAT ARE THINGS THAT COULD BENEFIT YOUR ORGANIZATION IN PARTICULAR? AND WE ARE TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR A SPECIFIC DIRECTED INVESTMENT TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURSELF EACH AND EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S POLICY INVOLVED IN WHATEVER.
TRAILER BILL. BUDGET BILL. POLICY BILLS ARE PART OF THIS PACKAGE.
IT WOULD ALSO BE VERY CLEAR THAT YOU COULD APPLY FOR GRANT DOLLARS FOR BLOCK GRANT DOLLARS, THAT IS. SO THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC DIRECT INVESTMENTS AND SPECIFIC POLICIES WE'RE TRYING TO ADVANCE.
WE'VE MADE THAT ARGUMENT, BUT NOW WE'RE IN THE CRUNCH PERIOD OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS TO MAKE SURE THE LEGISLATURE PUTS THAT IN AND ALLOWS US TO ALSO ADVANCE MAYBE SOME MORE SPECIFIC GAPS FOR YOU. THE POLITICS ARE SUCH.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PARTIES, WHICH DOES INCLUDE LABOR, WHO ARE BENEFITING FROM THE EXISTING INVESTMENTS FROM GGRF, ARE OBVIOUSLY ASKING FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS TO CONTINUE.
SO YOU COULD RUN INTO A SITUATION WHERE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR DECIDE TO KEEP SPENDING THIS GGRF MONEY LIKE THEY'VE SPENT IT BEFORE, WHICH WOULDN'T CREATE A LOT OF MONEY FOR US TO ACCESS.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS THAT WE MAY RUN INTO OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS.
BUT WHY DON'T I STOP THERE? HOPEFULLY I GIVE ENOUGH OF AN OVERVIEW SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHY WE'RE IN THIS CRUNCH TIME, AND WHY IT COULD BE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY BOTH TO MAKE SURE MONEY IS GOING TO AGENCIES THAT YOU BENEFIT FROM, AND POTENTIALLY ALSO GIVES YOU VERY DIRECT FUNDING.
WHAT WAS THE FULL NAME AGAIN? ERICH. CLEAN WATER NATURAL RESOURCES AND PARKS.
AND THAT'S A GROUP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM PARKS AND CLEAN WATER AGENCIES, I ASSUME.
SO IT'S A FAIRLY BROAD BUT LARGELY RESOURCE LAND MANAGEMENT-ORIENTED AGENCIES AND ENTITIES.
YEAH, THAT'S ACCURATE. AND WE PARTICIPATE REGULARLY, I ASSUME.
AND WE'RE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT, I HOPE. CORRECT.
YEAH. GOOD. WHO'S THE REPRESENTATIVE, YOU? PRIMARILY.
GOOD. GOOD. EXCELLENT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR REID? COMMENTS? NO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. COLIN GO AHEAD.
NO, THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PROCEED, UNLESS THERE'S, THAT'S IT.
SAFE TRAVELS [INAUDIBLE], SAFE TRAVELS. OKAY.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
REID. THANK YOU. VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION. APPRECIATE IT.
GOOD LUCK UP THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE WILL NOW MOVE
[Announcements]
TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? OR FOR THE BAD OF THE ORDER, OR FOR ANYTHING OF THE ORDER? NOTHING. WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK STAFF. I'VE BEEN ON OUR RECESS.I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WITH ELISA MÁRQUEZ, SUPERVISOR ELISA MÁRQUEZ DOWN AT COYOTE HILLS.
IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EVENT. I THINK THESE ARE SO VALUABLE, AND WE DO SUCH A GOOD JOB WITH NOT ONLY LEGISLATIVE STAFF, BUT WE BRING A A I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS. WE BRING A POLITICIAN DOWN THERE IN TROUBLED, TROUBLED TIMES WHERE IF YOU TOLD ME I HAD TO REPRESENT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE,
[00:50:09]
NO MATTER WHO THEY WERE, AND PUT ME IN A HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM, IN THIS DAY AND AGE, I'D BE SCARED TO DEATH.BUT TO GET THEM OUT THERE IN A BEAUTIFUL SETTING LIKE COYOTE HILLS AND HAVE A WONDERFUL NATURALIST, THE NATURAL STAFF KIND OF SMOOTHS EVERYTHING OVER.
TALKS ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD. TALKS ABOUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS WE'VE GOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR. AND THEN THE POLITICAL PERSON GETS TO TALK ABOUT, ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT CONCERNS IN THEIR WARD.
IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL ATMOSPHERE IN MY OPINION.
AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE GOT IT DOWN TO WHERE IT'S WORKING REALLY, REALLY WELL.
THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND IN RESERVING THE PICNIC TABLE, WORKING WITH THE SUPERVISOR'S STAFF.
AND AS YOU SAW, THE MAYOR OF FREMONT CAME OUT.
WE HAD ATTENDANCE FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER IRWIN'S OFFICE, SO IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
THANK YOU. SIMILARLY, WARD SEVEN HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL WALKING TALKS.
CONGRESSMAN DESAULNIER UP AT BIG BREAK AND SUPERVISOR SCALES-PRESTON AT MARTINEZ SHORELINE.
BOTH WENT VERY WELL. AND AGAIN WE HAD REAL, JUST TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM STAFF.
AND I GUESS WE HAVE TWO COMING UP WITH JUST LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANT TO DO IT.
MONICA WILSON OUT IN ANTIOCH, AND KIM, I'M FORGETTING KIM'S LAST NAME WITH CLAYTON.
CLAYTON. YEP. WE'LL BE GOING TO CLAYTON RANCH AS WELL. AND WE ARE AT CLAYTON.
TO YOUR POINT, THEY ARE BECOMING QUITE POPULAR. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR INR TEAM TO SEE HOW WE CAN DEVELOP A SORT OF A MANAGEMENT TOOL TO BE ABLE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO ALL OF THEIR REQUESTS, BUT PACE THEM OUT. SO THAT WAY OUR TEAM CAN GIVE THEIR BEST TO EACH EVENT.
YEAH. AND COORDINATING ALL THE STAFF THAT NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
ABSOLUTELY. WE ALSO HAVE AN EVENT TOMORROW. OUT IN ANTIOCH WITH CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER OR WHILE WE DON'T HAVE IT. BUT CONGRESSMAN MIKE DESAULNIER IS GOING TO BE DOING A PUBLIC MEETING TOMORROW AS WELL.
SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. HE'S AT SMITH'S LANDING SEAFOOD GRILL.
SO I GUESS THIS IS UNDER ANNOUNCEMENTS AT 6:30.
IT'S A GREAT LOCATION. IT'S WHERE WE HAD OUR PAC HOLIDAY DINNER.
SO AWESOME. AND HE'S GOT HIS DOG WALK COMING UP AT BROWNIES, SO.
YOU DON'T NEED A DOG TO COME, BUT YOU SHOULD EXPECT DOGS TO BE THERE.
I'M STILL LOOKING. YOU COULD BRING A GOAT. I CAN BRING A GOAT? IF YOU WANT. [LAUGHTER] THAT'S TEMPTING ACTUALLY.
AND ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, WE, THIS COMMITTEE IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OUR GREAT PRESENTATIONS AND ALL THE GREAT WORK OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DOES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE GREAT STAFF SUPPORT. AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME ALLISON BROOKS HERE TO, IS HER FIRST MEETING AND I HOPE IT CONTINUES.
YES. ALLISON THE MIC. OH, GREAT TO BE ON THE DAIS WITH YOU.
I HAVE PARTICIPATED EARLIER MEETINGS, BUT I'LL BE MORE ACTIVE IN THE FUTURE.
I'M STILL KIND OF GETTING MY ARMS AROUND EVERYTHING.
THAT ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING. SO IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WELCOME. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT LET ME GIVE ME ABOUT NINE MORE SECONDS AND WE'LL GET IT RIGHT AT.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT. NOON. CHECK YOUR WATCHES.
NOT ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTER. I GUESS 11:58. THAT'S THE BIG BOARD UP THERE.
SORRY TO RAIN ON THAT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.