Reception with Councilmember Noack & Latest News
Thank you for joining us | Informative conversation with Assemblymember Grayson
Thank you to everyone who joined us last week for our conversation with Assemblymember Tim Grayson. We heard from the Assemblymember on a wide range of issues including state budget reserves, transit funding and accountability, careers in the energy industry, ending the misuse of CEQA, the Green Empowerment Zone, cryptocurrency, stability of regional banks, and the challenges facing healthcare providers.
Big thank you to our Capitol Series sponsors, and to Contra Costa Community College District for hosting.
Be on the look out for information on the rest of the 2023 Capitol Series soon!
Registration Open | Join EBLC in recognizing new MTC Commissioner Sue Noack
Join the East Bay Leadership Council as we recognize and celebrate Pleasant Hill City Council Member Sue Noack's recent appointment to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Council Member Noack will play a critical role in representing the needs and vision of Contra Costa County's 19 cities on this Bay Area-wide commission.
This reception will be an opportunity to hear from and network with Council Member Noack along with other key business and civic leaders in the East Bay.
Light food and refreshments will be provided.
DATE / TIME / LOCATION
Tuesday, June 20
5:00 - 7:00 PM
Contra Costa Transportation Authority
2999 Oak Road #100, Walnut Creek
COST
Member Ticket: $25.00
Non-Member Ticket: $45.00
Task Force Recording Available | Learn about water, energy, and environment legislation
The East Bay Leadership Council's Water, Energy & Environment Task Force recently hosted Katharine Moore, Chief Consultant to the California Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, and Laura Shybut, Deputy Chief Consultant of the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy. As consultants to the legislature, Moore and Shybut are tasked with tracking and analyzing relevant bills moving through the California Senate and Assembly.
Moore contextualized this year's budget spending by sharing that the anticipated budget shortfall is approximately $31.5 billion. With that in mind, fund allocation in the May Revise has been shifted to the state's top priorities, including flood and groundwater management, disaster relief, and CalFire, while drought and coastal resilience spending have been reduced.
Moore went on to summarize the current line up of bills focused on sea level rise planning, coastal restoration projects, fishing and offshore wind, cultural burns and fire prevention treatments, data collection on water, and outdoor access to state parks. She also discussed energy-related bills that would establish health protection zones and operator liability, along with ongoing negotiations to draft climate resiliency bonds.
Shybut emphasized a recent shift away from focusing on infrastructure safety to infrastructure reliability and development to meet demand and clean energy goals. Achieving this will be made possible in part by pushing Inflation Reduction Act funds along with other federal dollars into state projects.
Special thanks to Moore and Shybut for joining us and providing a real-time overview of California legislation and the goals of key state players and agencies. EBLC will continue to track and share information about these bills throughout this legislative session.
Inflation Reduction Act | Funding and incentive opportunities in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County stands to receive substantial federal funding for the transition to a clean energy economy through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Projects focused on infrastructure electrification, expanded energy sources, workforce transition and training, equity for low income and environmentally impacted individuals, and many more are eligible for funding. There are also various incentives available through the IRA that Contra Costa County residents can take advantage of to increase the sustainability of their homes, businesses, and transportation choices.
To find out more about IRA funding and incentives please read through Contra Costa County's resource page!
Build the Bench | Are you interesting in running for elected office?
Are you interested in running for local office? If so, we hope you will consider applying for the East Bay Leadership Council's candidate training program. Since 2017, our Build the Bench program has served as an important step in the winning campaigns of more than a dozen alumni.
We are proud of this early success and grateful to the individuals who welcome us into their public service journey. The strength of this program will always be in the people who participate.
The 2023 Build the Bench program will begin soon, and is a great opportunity for community leaders interested in running for office to gain the tools necessary to lead a successful campaign.
You can learn more about the program and apply to participate in our upcoming class at www.buildthebench.com.
Must Read | California Democrats sideline Gavin Newsom's plan to build big things faster
CalMatters – Dealing a blow to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democratic legislators shot down his ambitious attempt to reform state environmental law and make it easier to build big infrastructure projects in California.
In a 3-0 vote, a Senate budget committee found Newsom’s package was too complex for last-minute consideration under legislative deadlines. The cutoff for bills to pass out of their house of origin is June 2, just two weeks after the governor rolled out his proposal to adjust the landmark California Environmental Quality Act.
The 10 bills include measures to streamline water, transportation and clean energy projects with an eye toward helping the state meet its climate goals. The proposals also took aim at an environmental law commonly referred to by the acronym CEQA that critics have long decried as a tool to bog down housing and other projects.
The committee members – two Democrats and one Republican – said no, for now, even as they expressed support for Newsom’s overarching goal.
“The overwhelming agreement is that we need to build clean faster and cut green tape,” said Committee Chair Sen. Josh Becker, a Democrat from San Mateo. “That’s been a legislative priority for me and will continue to be a legislative priority. Although today we are rejecting the governor’s trailer bill proposals based on process, as seven days is insufficient to vet the hundreds of pages of policy nuance in these proposals, we look forward to working with the administration on all of these critical issues.”
What else is #TeamEBLC reading?
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Join #TeamEBLC
If your company is not a member of the East Bay Leadership Council, we hope you will consider joining us. Learn more about our work and the benefits of membership at www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com
Join #TeamEBLC
If your company is not a member of the East Bay Leadership Council, we hope you will consider joining us. Learn more about our work and the benefits of membership at www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com