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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), a senior Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, on Tuesday introduced, H.R. 2412, the New Energy for America Act which extends investment tax credits (ITC) for energy efficient residential and commercial property through 2021.
“The ITC is one of the most important tools we have that supports the deployment of solar energy in the United States,” said Thompson. “Since 2006, when the residential and commercial ITCs first took effect, employment in the U.S. solar industry has grown to 175,000 jobs at more than 8,000 solar companies. It has a proven track record of success and it’s important that we extend it.”
“The solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is paying huge dividends for America. Today, the solar industry is pumping $18 billion a year into our economy and creating tens of thousands of new jobs,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “By 2016, we will be generating enough clean solar energy nationwide to power 8 million homes, offsetting 45 million metric tons of damaging carbon emissions – the equivalent of removing 10 million cars off our roads and highways. We applaud Congressman Thompson for his continued leadership on issues vital to our economy and environment – and thank all of the original co-sponsors for joining him in this important effort to build a clean energy future for America.”
In 2008, the ITC was extended for eight years. Over the past eight years, the ITC has leveraged billions in investment in American solar facilities, resulting in installed capacity equal to 97 percent of total solar in America.
The installed cost of solar power has also fallen by 73 percent since 2006, and prices continue to drop while efficiencies of solar panels have increased.
However, the U.S. solar energy is facing a steep cliff with the looming expiration of the residential and commercial ITCs at the end of 2016. If the credits are allowed to expire, these gains in the solar industry will be placed at risk before the cost of solar energy reaches parity with traditional energy resources.
Thompson’s bill addresses this by extending residential and commercial ITCs for an additional five years, the point at which many energy analysts believe that the cost of solar will reach grid parity in most U.S. electricity markets.
The New Energy for America Act would also extend the ITC credits for other promising clean energy technologies, such as fuel cells, stationary microturbines, combined heat and power property, small wind and geothermal heating and cooling property.
H.R. 2412 has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has begun accepting applications for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), authorized by emergency drought legislation (Assembly Bill 91).
An estimated $10 million will be available for competitive grant funding to provide financial assistance to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations.
The funding is made available through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the proceeds of California’s greenhouse gas Cap and Trade program.
Agricultural operations can apply for funding up to $150,000 per project. The funding can be supported by a broad range and/or combination of irrigation and water distribution-related practices that provide quantifiable water savings and greenhouse gas reductions.
Prospective applicants must access the “Application Guidelines” at www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/SWEEP for detailed information on eligibility and program requirements.
To streamline and expedite the application process, CDFA is partnering with the State Water Resources Control Board, which hosts an online application using the Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool (FAAST).
All applicants must register for a FAAST account at https://faast.waterboards.ca.gov .
Growers will be able to access the FAAST application system on May 18 at 8 a.m. PDT.
Applications and all supporting information must be submitted electronically using FAAST by Friday June 29, 2015 at 5 p.m. PDT.
CDFA will hold five application workshops to provide information on program requirements and the FAAST application process (see below).
CDFA staff will provide guidance on the application process, provide several examples and answer any questions. There is no cost to attend the workshops.
Individuals planning to attend should email
SWEEP application workshops:
Sacramento - May 28, 2015
1 to 4 p.m.
California Department of Food and Agriculture
1220 N St., Auditorium
San Martin- June 1, 2015
1 to 4 p.m.
Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner's Office
80 W. Highland Avenue, Building K
Tulare- June 2, 2015
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office
4437 S Laspina
Ventura- June 3, 2015
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Ventura County Cooperative Extension
669 County Square Dr., Suite 100
Oroville – June 9, 2015
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Butte County Farm Bureau
2580 Feather River Blvd.
Prospective applicants may contact CDFA’s Grants Office at
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – With a broad show of support, Senator Mike McGuire’s Online Vacation Rental legislation, SB 593 was again approved Wednesday by a second Senate committee with a 4-2 vote from members of the Governance and Finance Committee.
Last month, SB 593 was also approved with a unanimous vote in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee.
After approval on Wednesday, Senator McGuire’s critical legislation regulating Online Vacation Rental Businesses will now proceed to the Senate floor for a vote.
The premise of SB 593 – the Thriving Communities and Sharing Economy Act – is simple. This bill reinforces local laws already on the books.
Where vacation rentals are legal, the bill will assist local jurisdictions in their regulation and collection of tourist taxes.
Where vacation rentals are illegal by local ordinance, the bill will prohibit online vacation rental businesses (OVRB’s) from making a rental.
“As with any business that starts up and finds success, there are challenges and I hope we can work together to tackle the issues associated with home sharing and the impacts countless California communities and neighborhoods have witnessed over the last several years as this industry has taken off. This business of home sharing has evolved from its roots of couch surfing – this is a multibillion-dollar business. Our bill is simple: All it does is make online vacation rental businesses follow local laws, just like the rest of us,” Sen. McGuire said.
SB 593 – the Thriving Communities and Sharing Economy Act – will empower local control by providing the data required to gather desperately needed funding for parks, road improvements, fire and police services and promote safe neighborhoods.
“As cities and counties have witnessed, online vacation rental businesses are often about one-way sharing. They share all the benefits of a local community’s services, but they often share none of the responsibilities. Local governments are left to shoulder the burden of enforcement and expense associated with this expanding industry,” McGuire said.
Airbnb’s efforts to try to resolve these issues on a city by city basis have not worked. Even after a deal had been struck, in San Francisco for example, there is no enforcement mechanism in place, which is why the San Francisco Planning Department reported that their newly adopted ordinance isn’t working.
In the case of the city of Malibu, the city council even had to subpoena records from Airbnb, just to kick-start negotiations, which ultimately led to a settlement this week requiring Airbnb to directly collect the tourist tax on behalf of the residents sharing their homes.
“While many vacation rental hosts are simply trying to pay their bills and follow the laws, there are exceptions in every industry. These exceptions are very costly to the communities we represent. We have seen, in many cities, management companies buying up hundreds of apartments or condos in what was a traditional neighborhood and renting them out as lodging units, leading to significant conflict due to congested streets, lack of parking and full time residents having to deal with a new hotel popping up in their neighborhood – not to mention the loss of affordable housing units for working families and seniors,” McGuire said.
SB 593 simply requires Online Vacation Rental Businesses to provide municipalities the same information that 431 cities and 56 counties currently require via their local tourist tax laws: address, number of room nights stayed by the tourist and the room rate. That’s it.
SB 593 has garnered broad support.
California State Association of Counties Executive Director Matt Cate said, “The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) greatly appreciates Senator McGuire’s leadership in making sure local communities have the ability to regulate on-line hosting platforms. In particular, we support the Senator’s legislation to ensure cities and counties can collect transient occupancy taxes that fund critical services in our communities.”
Since the last hearing in Senate Transportation and Housing – which received an 8-0 vote in support, there has been a lot of discussion about the issue of privacy.
Airbnb has already been providing the same nonpersonal information SB 593 would require in the State of New York, San Francisco, and Portland.
In addition, the city of Portland already requires platforms to provide the address information and more to be given to the cities in order to uphold their ordinances.
Airbnb has already stated in a letter to their hosts that they provide this information to the city of San Francisco. This bill seeks to provide the same information to the remaining cities in California that need the information in order to uphold their own ordinances.
Within the terms of service for many platforms including HomeAway, VRBO, and Airbnb, the platforms state that at their discretion, the hosts authorize the platforms to provide information to local governments relating to the collection of Tourist Taxes or administrative proceedings.
As a Sonoma County supervisor, McGuire worked to create a system that actually increased the number of vacation rentals in his region.
Testifying in support of SB 593 at Wednesday morning’s Senate hearing were: West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath, Santa Monica City Councilmember Gleam Davis, Truckee Police Chief Adam McGill and Sonoma County small businesswoman Liza Graves.
McGuire (D-Healdsburg) represents Northern California’s Second Senate District, which includes Lake County.
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DAVIS, Calif. – USDA Rural Development California State Director Glenda Humiston today encouraged farmers, ranchers and cooperatives to apply for the $30 million available to develop new value-added product lines.
Funding is available through USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program.
“We want to ensure that California's agricultural producers are aware of this opportunity to help improve the bottom line for their operations,” said Humiston. “Value-Added Producer Grants help promote entrepreneurship opportunities, which in turn strengthen our rural economies. This program also highlights the many benefits of local and regional food systems.”
Approximately $30 million in grants are available nationwide. Paper applications will be accepted until July 7, 2015, and electronic applications submitted through www.grants.gov are due July 2, 2015.
More information on how to apply can be found on page 26528 of the May 8, Federal Register.
The VAPG program helps agricultural producers grow their businesses by turning raw commodities into value-added products, expanding marketing opportunities and developing new uses for existing products.
Grants may be used for working capital and planning activities and applicants must provide matching funds equal to their grant award.
Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups.
Funding priority is given to military veteran, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers, small- to medium-size family farms, farmer/rancher cooperatives, and mid-tier value chain projects.
Last year, seven VAPGs totaling $719,914 were awarded in California, helping a total of 4,000 farmers.
For example, Sunsweet Growers, Inc, a more than 300 member cooperative based in Yuba City, received a $200,000 working capital grant to help market their new D'Noir Prune Juice.
And McClelland's Dairy, a family-owned organic dairy in Petaluma, received a $46,000 planning grant to evaluate the feasibility of an on-farm cheese processing facility.
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