Climate Mitigation and Adaptation News

May 24, 2023

View CRCRC's Newest Resource: Capital Region Water Project Landscape Analysis

This landscape analysis is meant to take stock of the ongoing water management and groundwater-related efforts and projects currently being planned and implemented throughout the Capital Region. This includes an overview of the priorities, ongoing projects, and recent challenges to practitioners in the field throughout 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

This analysis was put together through a series of interviews conducted with representatives of various organizations working on water-related efforts throughout the Capital Region. For readers not involved with water policy, this landscape analysis can serve as a window into the field. For those who work in water this report can, hopefully, provide an insight into what your peers have been hard at work on while potentially facilitating additional regional coordination around this work.

Additional context and this full report is available here.

The Program for the 2023 California Adaptation Forum is

Now Available!

The draft program for this year’s California Adaptation Forum is live! With 63 breakout sessions and 3 plenaries, #CAF23 is the prime space for adaptation leaders to exchange knowledge, foster innovation, and build mutual support to accelerate climate adaptation efforts and create equitable and resilient communities throughout the state.

Additional information on rates and registration logistics is available here.

Learn from a Local: Karen Ross, Secretary of the CDFA

June 1, 2023 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Learn from a Local is a new speaker series, hosted by AgStart, a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurs advancing innovation in agriculture, food, and health. On the 1st Thursday evening of every month, AgStart will host a local speaker from the agriculture, food, and health world to speak on a topic relevant to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The goal is to offer a space to learn about our region and connect with local individuals while expanding the AgStart community. This event will take place in the AgStart Event Center: 1100 Main St., Suite 170, Woodland, CA 95695.

Karen Ross was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture on January 9, 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom. In re-appointing Secretary Ross, Governor Newsom cited her unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and here in California, in areas including environmental stewardship, climate change adaptation, and trade. Secretary Ross was initially appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2011.

Register for this event here.

2023 California Climate & Energy Forum

June 13th - 14th, 2023

By attending the CCEC Forum, you will have the opportunity to hear directly from community leaders, decision-makers, and technical experts on emerging trends and recent developments facing the adaptation field while learning about tangible approaches and strategies to put new knowledge to use. In addition to the cutting-edge projects, research, strategies, tools, and resources showcased and discussed in the sessions, the opportunities to network are invaluable — so much so that for some attendees, this is the primary reason they attend the Forum!

Additional information on rates and registration logistics as well as the full forum program is available here.

California Hydrogen Leadership Summit

June 19th - June 20th, 2023

"The California Hydrogen Leadership Summit explores the policies, programs and incentives needed to accelerate production, use, and storage of hydrogen, which is essential to California’s ability to meet emissions goals and address climate protection, air quality, energy resilience and sustainable economic growth needs.

Join leaders from the energy sector, transportation industry, academia and representatives from California state government, including legislative and administrative staff responsible for implementing climate change, air quality, energy diversity and conservation policies."

More information on this event available here.

Survey: Where do you want to see new electric vehicle charging stations in Placer County?

Do you own or lease an electric vehicle or have thought about driving one in the future? Placer County’s Community Resource Development Agency is asking you to take 10 minutes to help shape the county’s future for electric vehicle readiness. 

This May and June, county residents and visitors are encouraged to take three, 3-minute surveys to better inform Placer County planners on the general perception of electric vehicles in our region, travel patterns for people that drive – or are interested in driving – an electric vehicle and what locations in unincorporated Placer County would be best targeted to install new EV charging stations.

The three surveys will help inform staff on the best ways to pursue and spend future grant money that will be dedicated to electric vehicle readiness in the county.

Information about Placer County’s EV Readiness Guide, which is currently being developed, can be found on the county’s website by clicking here.

All three 3-minute surveys can be found by clicking here.

Share an Update through this Newsletter!

If you or anyone at your organization has updates you would like to have promoted through this newsletter, utilize this form to submit them to be included in this newsletter! This can include any updates, upcoming projects, or opportunities for collaboration that you would like to share with the broader CRCRC network!

Join CRCRC's Building Decarbonization Working Group!

Are you working on building decarbonization in California's Capital Region? Join

CRCRC's Building Decarbonization Working Group! This group meets the fourth Thursday of each month from 3:00 - 4:00 PM.

If you are looking for specific input/ guidance or have any updates related to recent building decarbonization efforts that you would like to share with other participants from the region you are encouraged to complete this interest form and join the working the working group!

Here’s how to give feedback on Sacramento 2040 plans for climate, city growth)

CapRadio

The city of Sacramento is encouraging the public to give feedback on its draft plans for the next two decades, which includes goals to support adding 69,000 homes and 77,000 jobs by 2040. A self-guided online workshop is available through the end of August and prompts the public to give comments on Sacramento 2040, which includes a general plan update and the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). Read this full article here.

Sacramento youth get the green light for green jobs 

Sacramento News & Review

Hope. That’s what Josh Fryday, California’s chief service officer who oversees the California Volunteers state office, envisions its $6.9 million grant made to the City of Sacramento will provide to 600 local youth from underserved communities through employment opportunities and career pathways in sustainable sectors. Beginning in the summer of 2023 and running through May of 2024, apprenticeships and on-the-job training with community-based organizations and public agencies will focus on some of the world’s most pressing challenges including climate change, food insecurity and local COVID-19 recovery. Read this full article here.

Winners and losers in Newsom’s California budget deficit plan

CalMatters

What are the big takeaways from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s updated 2023-24 budget proposal, the so-called May revise? The impact of climate change. Fiscal restraint with a looming recession. And almost certainly, no tax increases to cover the growing budget deficit. The spending plan Newsom unveiled Friday anticipates a $31.5 billion deficit, up from $22.5 billion projected in his January proposal. He calls for spending $306 billion, which is just 1% less than the record $308 billion budgeted for this year, and he seeks to protect the state’s continued investments in some programs, such as in housing and health care, while stopping short of adding any costly new initiatives. Read this full article here.

How Gavin Newsom wants to close California’s $31.5 billion budget shortfall

CapRadio

California’s expected budget deficit has grown to $31.5 billion, standing in stark contrast to $100 billion surpluses of the past two years. It’s driven largely by lagging tax revenue from high-income earners. Governor Gavin Newsom is currently presenting his $306.5 billion spending plan. It includes plans for filling the deficit, which has grown from the $22.5 billion shortfall predicted in January. The deficit is “well within our expectation and well within our capacity to address,” Newsom said. Read this full article here.

‘Nastier’ heat waves possible for Northern California this summer. Here’s the latest outlook

The Sacramento Bee

Predicting the weather can be a bit like trying to catch the wind. Meteorologists thought May would be cool and rainy — but only 0.28 inches of rain has fallen since the beginning of the month, there’s no chance of precipitation in the latest forecasts and the heat index hit 100 by mid-May. Last year, experts said we’d have a dry winter. We all know how that went. One thing is clear: With climate change, weather patterns are becoming more intense and unpredictable. Read this full article here.

As Sacramento summer heat approaches, unhoused people, housing advocates call for support

CapRadio

The temperature already felt like the wrong side of 80 degrees when Sacramento Homeless Union president Crystal Sanchez gathered with residents of the Camp Resolution community and others Tuesday morning. They presented an update on how the encampment has grown in the past five weeks since signing a lease with the city, and residents said they need water. Almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy, in the middle of the press conference, water arrived, with community members hauling multi-packs of bottled water into the camp. Read this full article here.

Concerns for grass fires throughout Sacramento County

region grows

ABC10

With all this heat in the region, it's starting to dry out quickly and bring concerns for grass fires. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District is asking everyone to participate in weed abatement now before the 100 degree red flag days. Wet winters have left us with tall dry grass that may look harmless in reality, it’s anything but. Read this full article here.

"Fluctuating fire zones": How this year's wildfire risk will vary depending on environment

CBS Sacramento

With California's wildfire season soon approaching, the question remains: what type of impact will the wet and rainy winter have on it? Although the winter storms help bring moisture to the soil, they've also helped grass grow throughout California. It's because of that growth that grasslands and foothills areas will be at a higher risk for more intense fires this year. Read this full article here.

DWR Delivers $143.7 Million to Local Communities to Address Regional Water Supply Challenges and Build Climate Resiliences

Department of Water Resources

After California kicked off May with yet another round of rain — with a few more to come throughout the week — California’s major reservoir levels continued to tick up, with many already well above their historic averages, and some even nearing their total capacity. California reservoir levels: Charts show water supply across the state

While the latest rain has added to the state’s major water supply reservoirs, the most dramatic shifts were seen in the early months of the year, when several large winter storms swept through, completely changing California’s drought outlook, water supply and snowpack. Read this full article here.

Half of US West out of drought, but not fully recovered

CBS Sacramento

Nearly half of the U.S. West has emerged from drought this spring, but the welcome wet conditions haven't entirely replenished the region, scientists said Tuesday. Hydrologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said deep snowpack across much of the West will bring short-term relief, but the equally deep "bathtub rings" at Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs are a reminder of the long road to bringing supply and demand in balance. Read this full article here.

The Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative is a membership based collaborative network designed to promote greater climate change resilience planning coordination in the six-county Sacramento Region. The purpose of this collaborative network is to create a forum where leaders from government, academia, environmental and community groups, the business community, and labor can come together to exchange information, identify vulnerabilities and data gaps, leverage resources, and advance comprehensive solutions in an effort to create stronger, sustainable, and economically viable communities in the Capital Region.