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Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 22 February 2020

Created: 22 February 2020

Last Updated: 22 February 2020

SACRAMENTO – Continuing his commitment to strengthen, innovate and grow California’s economy, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the creation of his Council of Economic Advisors.

The council will advise the governor and director of the California Department of Finance Keely Martin Bosler on wide-ranging economic issues and deepen relationships between the Administration and academic researchers to keep California moving toward an economy that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

The council will be co-chaired by Laura Tyson, professor at the Graduate School and faculty director of the Institute for Business & Social Impact at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, and Fernando Lozano, professor of economics at Pomona College.

The council will include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and the Governor’s Chief Economic and Business Advisor Lenny Mendonca, as well as top academics.

The group will meet and advise the governor upon request, and be convened and guided by the Department of Finance’s Chief Economist Irena Asmundson.

“For California to continue thriving, we need our economy to work for everyone in every corner of the state,” said Gov. Newsom. “Our state is experiencing its longest economic expansion, with record-low unemployment – 3.9 percent – increases in personal income, and billions in investments, but this expansion has unevenly benefited people across the state. We need to invest for the future, adapt to a changing climate and keep our budget balanced. This Council will keep its pulse on what’s happening in our economy while making policy recommendations to prepare us for what’s to come.”

Gov. Newsom announced the following members of the Council of Economic Advisors:

– Fernando Lozano (co-chair), Professor of Economics at Pomona College;
– Laura Tyson (co-chair), professor at the Graduate School and faculty director of the Institute for Business & Social Impact at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business;
– Irena Asmundson, chief economist of the California Department of Finance;
– Susan Athey, economics of technology professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business;
– Renee Bowen, associate professor of economics, pastor faculty fellow, and director of the Center for Commerce and Diplomacy at the University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy;
– Christopher Costello, professor of natural resource economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Bren School, and director of the Environmental Market Solutions Lab;
– Mary Gray, senior principal researcher at Microsoft Research, E.J. Safra Center for Ethics Fellow, and Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society Faculty Affiliate at Harvard University;
– Hilary Hoynes, professor of public policy and economics and holder of the Haas Distinguished Chair in Economic Disparities at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-director of the Berkeley Opportunity Lab;
– Eleni Kounalakis, lieutenant governor of California, chair of the Governor’s International Affairs and Trade Development Interagency Committee and the Governor’s representative on international affairs and trade;
– Lenny Mendonca, chief economic and business advisor to the governor and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz);
– Maurice Obstfeld, class of 1958 professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley;
– Marianne Page, professor of economics and director of the Center for Poverty Research at the University of California, Davis;
– Manuel Pastor, distinguished professor of sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, director of the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity and the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration, and the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change.

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Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture

Published: 22 February 2020

Created: 22 February 2020

Last Updated: 22 February 2020

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is preparing to release grant solicitations for the next round of Healthy Soils Program projects.

Approximately $25.2 million is available in this round.

There are several new programmatic changes that aim to make the application process easier, provide enhanced tools to assist with information required in the application, and achieve better alignment with USDA programs.

“These changes are critical to ensure we receive as many applications as possible,” said CDFA secretary Karen Ross. “We want to make sure our farmers and ranchers can participate in carbon sequestration and help establish agricultural sustainability into the future.”

To better align the Healthy Soils Program with USDA's EQIP program, the 2020 USDA Conservation Practice Standard Payment rates will be adopted. As a result, payment rates have increased for 11 practices and reduced for 16 practices.

CDFA is currently engaged in initiating research work with scientists and economists to evaluate Ecosystem Services or Co-benefits payment rates for each practice.

“The NRCS is delighted to partner with CDFA leadership to further soil health initiatives to better support California farmers and ranchers,” said USDA NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. “The CDFA Healthy Soils Program supports NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which furthers the Soil Health initiative.”

Other changes are as follows:

Technical Assistance – Thanks to the Strategic Growth Council, CDFA is funding $4.36 million to continue to build out its capacity to offer technical assistance. This technical assistance offered through non-profit organizations, Resources Conservation Districts, and University of California Cooperative Extension Service (UC ANR) is free to farmers and ranchers who might need help gathering required information to apply and assistance filling out online grant applications. Free technical assistance is also available to farmers and ranchers during project implementation and reporting. All designated providers of technical assistance will be posted on the CDFA Technical Assistance webpage. CDFA encourages farmers and ranchers to utilize these free services.

Inclusion of Budgetary Payments in the COMET-Planner Tool – Thanks to a collaboration between USDA NRCS, Colorado State University, the California Air Resources Board and CDFA, the COMET-Planner tool has been updated to include payment rates by USDA NRCS. This new function eliminates the need for farmers and ranchers to complete an additional separate budget worksheet in the application.

Utilization of Re-Plan Tool for Agricultural Field Identification – Thanks to a collaboration between the Strategic Growth Council and CDFA, the Regional Conservation Planning and Development Tool (Re-Plan) will be utilized to allow for applicants to identify several important required reporting parameters, including field location and size, conservation practices to be implemented, and AB 1550 Priority Populations.

Easier Electronic Application – The Healthy Soils Program team at CDFA has worked to reduce the number of questions in the electronic application. As a result, the new application is more streamlined.

Rolling Application Period with First-Come Award Process – CDFA is introducing a rolling application period over four months on a first-come, first-serve basis until all funds are awarded. This will allow those applicants who are ready with projects to apply immediately and get their applications reviewed. At the same time, those who need additional time to plan their project will be allowed more time to review the application material and determine the best fit for their agricultural operations.

The Healthy Soils Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities.

The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more.

At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities and low-income households across California.

For more information, visit California Climate Investments.

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Written by: Mendocino National Forest

Published: 21 February 2020

Created: 21 February 2020

Last Updated: 21 February 2020

WILLOWS, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest is offering two roadside hazard tree fire salvage sales for bid.

The sales are called M3 and Pine Mountain.

The Forest Service will receive sealed bids in public at the Mendocino National Forest Supervisor’s Office at 825 N. Humboldt Ave. in Willows at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.

The Pine Mountain sale is located about 15 miles northwest of Upper Lake on the Upper Lake Ranger District and has an estimated volume of 5,977 MBF of Douglas fir.

The M3 sale is located 12 miles northwest of Stonyford on the Grindstone Ranger District. It has an estimated volume of 650 MBF of ponderosa pine, 268 MBF of Douglas fir, 122 MBF of white fir, 85 MBF of sugar pine and 6.5 MBF of incense cedar.

Complete information concerning the timber, the conditions of sale and submission of bids, a prospectus and bid form are available to the public at the Forest Supervisor’s Office and online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/resources/mendocino/landmanagement/resourcemanagement.