March 2023

By: Ian James, Los Angeles Time

March 11, 2023 - With torrential rains drenching California, state water regulators have endorsed a plan to divert floodwaters from the San Joaquin River to replenish groundwater that has been depleted by heavy agricultural pumping during three years of record drought.

The State Water Resources Control Board approved a request by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to take more than 600,000 acre-feet from the river and send much of that water flowing to areas where it can spread out, soak into the ground and percolate down to the aquifer beneath the San Joaquin Valley. The amount of water that’s set to be rerouted under the plan is more than

Merced County Farm News

Flush with rain, California plans to replenish drought-depleted groundwater with floodwaters

the annual supply for the city of Los Angeles. Some of the water will also be routed to wildlife refuges along the San Joaquin River starting next week, officials said.

The plan is intended to address potential flood risks, capitalize on California’s near-record snowpack and capture some of the high flows from the latest extreme storms to store water underground.

“We are taking steps to maximize groundwater recharge in a way that the state of California has never really done before,” said Erik Ekdahl, deputy director of the State Water Board’s water rights division. “This is an immense opportunity to help recharge these depleted aquifers.”

State officials said their order allows the Bureau of Reclamation to manage flood flows from Friant Dam and change points where water is diverted along the San Joaquin River.

Where water sinks into the ground and replenishes the aquifer, it could help address declines in water levels that have left families with dry wells in rural areas across the Central Valley. Stabilizing water levels could also help alleviate the widespread problem of collapsing ground triggered by overpumping, which has caused costly damage to canals and other infrastructure.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said after the three driest years in state history, “California is taking decisive action to capture and store water for when dry conditions return.”

Newsom has sought to prioritize capturing stormwater and recharging groundwater as central pieces of his administration’s strategy for adapting to more intense water extremes with climate change. On Friday, the governor’s office announced that he had signed an executive order enabling the

capture of water from the latest round of storms.

The Bureau of Reclamation manages the dams, reservoirs and canals of the Central Valley Project and sends water to contractors including large agricultural irrigation districts and other agencies. The state order allows the federal government to deliver floodwater from the Mendota Pool, a small reservoir on the San Joaquin River, to be used for replenishing groundwater.

The water, which would otherwise have flowed down the San Joaquin River, will be available for irrigation districts and other agencies to divert for replenishing groundwater for more than four months. Under temporary contracts with the federal government, they will be able to send water through canals to areas with permeable soils that allow for groundwater recharge.

See 'Groundwater' Page 7

Ag groups appeal to budget committees for farm bill funding

By: Philip Brasher, Agri-Pulse

March 14, 2023 - Some 400 farm groups are appealing to the House and Senate Budget committees to provide “sufficient budgetary resources” to write a new farm bill.

“Just as there are many pressures on the federal budget, there are many pressures on U.S. farmers and others throughout the agricultural supply chain who provide food, feed, fuel, fiber, and other products to consumers across the United States and abroad,” the

organizations say in a letter Tuesday to the chairmen and ranking members of the budget panels.

Congress is not expected to agree on a budget resolution this year, but the House at least could vote on a version. Republicans, who narrowly control the House 222-213, are trying to agree among themselves on a blueprint for slashing spending on many domestic programs.

The farm groups’ letter says rising tensions with China “underscore the need in the next farm bill for a more meaningful, predictable farm safety net

and the need to invest more into trade promotion programs to help diversify agricultural markets.”

The letter goes on to say that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “COVID-19 and other supply chain disruptions, nontariff trade barriers erected by multiple countries, and devastating natural disasters have tested the effectiveness of current farm policy. Increased production input costs have as well, with USDA projecting that most expense categories will remain above their 2021

from the Director's Desk

Breanne Vandenberg

When your Farm News hits your mailbox, MCFB will have completed three of our four scheduled Coffee Talks. These events have allowed our members the opportunity to hear from the Merced County District Attorney and Sheriff’s Departments. We have been fortunate to have Sheriff Vern Warnke, District Attorney Nicole Silveira, Ag Crimes Investigator Jay Struble and Ag Crimes Detective Thomas Griffin in attendance to field questions and inform attendees of how landowners can better protect their properties.

We have covered several topics including Owner Applied Numbers (OAN), SmartWater, trespassing, drones and how to best protect properties. Each of these topics is beneficial for property owners to understand; however, the biggest take away is realizing how closely these two offices are now working in conjunction with one another. A much smoother transition of information is being shared between the two. If you call one ag detective and they cannot make it out, your chances of the other one responding are very high.

We have also increased our distribution of information to aid these departments. We have been fortunate that they have taken part in our Farm News, but they also send us details for our weekly e-newsletter. The weekly, electronic edition has allowed for quick dissemination of information regarding stolen equipment. Please update your email on file if you are not receiving our weekly e-newsletter.

We plan to schedule more for later in the year, but for now our last Coffee

Talk is scheduled for Thursday, March 30 at Joe Scoto’s Crocker Ranch. If you have the time, I strongly encourage you to attend. Event begins at 8am with coffee and donuts provided. Please call our office to RSVP or for the event address.

I write this as we continue to brace our county for another round of storms that, unfortunately, are projected to

create additional flooding. This has proven the need to maintain an even balance between clean creeks and habitat. We can no longer allow for unnecessary growth which only creates additional trouble in times of crisis. My sincerest hope is that everything our communities have experienced is not forgotten. We know many tend to overlook these necessary actions when

multi-year droughts occur, however that is the best time to execute. We are in continuous conversations on the matter and will work to ensure your troubles are not put to the side.

I hope to see many of you at our upcoming Annual Meeting on Friday, March 24. Please purchase your tickets through our Farm Bureau Store or by calling our office.

OAN – Owner Applied Number

By: Merced County District Attorney's Office

The Merced County District Attorney’s Office is providing this information on OAN’s to help you understand what an OAN is and why an OAN is important. I will also discuss some of the benefits of applying an OAN on your personal property.

What is an OAN?

An OAN is a ten-digit number that is uniquely assigned to an individual, business or corporation. The OAN is stored in a statewide database. When property with your OAN is stolen, the stolen property can be entered into the stolen property system. When property with your OAN is recovered, the marked property can be traced and returned to you from anywhere in the United States.

The OAN does not replace the VIN and/or serial number. This is a secondary identification number applied to your personal property.

How do I obtain an OAN?

The California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force (CRCPTF), through the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, has an existing OAN program in place. To obtain your own OAN, visit the California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force web page at: www.crcptf.org. On the left side of the page, click on “OAN Info.” This will take you to the online OAN application. Complete the online application and a member of the CRCPTF will get back to you with your OAN.

Once you have you OAN, store the information in a safe location for further reference if you need it. Remember, this is a unique number assigned to you, your business and/or your corporation.

The OAN numbers issued are also uniquely coded by county. All Merced County OAN’s start with CA024. The county code is determined by the applicant’s address and noted on the OAN application.

What can an OAN be applied on?

An OAN can be applied to metal, plastic and just about any surface type.

How do I apply my OAN to property?

When applying your OAN to metal, it can either be stamped or etched in. In order to stamp the OAN into a metal surface, you will need a stamp gun. Stamping works well for heavy gauge metal. You can use an engraver on lighter gauge metal and plastic.

Another option for applying your OAN number to metal is to weld the number on the metal. This option does require someone that knows how to weld. When welding the OAN number, the weld must be legible.

When applying your OAN to plastic, it can be etched or branded in. In order to brand your OAN into plastic, you can use a tire brander. The tire brander holds the numbers and letters of your OAN, heats the letters, and then transfers them on to the plastic. This in turn leaves a brand of your OAN on the plastic.

Why use an OAN in agriculture?

Most farmers and ranchers have equipment that either does not have an identifying number or the identifying numbers are worn off from use. When an OAN is applied, it is either stamped, etched or burned into the property. The OAN is applied in locations that are difficult to remove and preserved in day-to-day use.

There are countless pieces of equipment, used daily, that may not have even come with an identifying number from the manufacturer. When you apply your OAN to your equipment, you now have a way to identify the equipment as yours if it is stolen.

There should be an OAN on all your personal and/or business equipment. As of February 15, 2023, there are 243 OAN’s assigned in Merced County.

For assistance in obtaining your OAN, applying your OAN to personal property, or for any questions, please contact:

Jacob Struble

Thomas Griffin

Merced County District Attorney’s Office Merced County Sheriff’s Department

AG Crime Investigator AG Crime Detective

209-564-2165 cell 209-906-0090 cell

jay.struble@countyofmerced.com

thomas.griffin@countyofmerced.com

from the President's Corner

Joe Sansoni

Wow, what a cold and wet start to 2023 we have had so far! I pray that everyone, their crops and livestock are managing to weather the rain and frigid temperatures without too much struggle. As an almond grower, I am concerned because it has not been a good pollination season so far. We had two or three nice afternoons in the very early stages of the bloom when the bees were happy and busy, however it isn’t likely that much actual pollination occurred because for the most part the pollinators had not yet come into bloom, only the early varieties. Possibly the self-fertile varieties may fare a little better this year because of that. As I write this, we are going on a solid week to ten days of essentially zero bee hours, with more to come. Only two days in the upcoming 10-day forecast are expected to be over 55 degrees, at 57 and 58, then back to 55 or below. The bees don’t fly much until temps reach 55 at a minimum. Any activity seen at the hives at these lower temps are mostly newly hatched workers getting navigationally oriented, or workers simply testing the

weather conditions, realizing it’s too cold, and returning immediately to the hive. They will also not fly in windy or rainy conditions. So it has not looked good so far for the almond bloom. I saw pictures of almond orchards and beehives way up north in Glenn County that had 5-6” of snow on them! As bad as it is for the almonds, it’s actually an even worse disaster for the bees and their keepers! The bees struggle to make it through extended periods of cold, inclement weather when they are not able to forage. My beekeepers are headed back down from Oregon to do another round of feeding in order to keep the hives strong and ready to pounce in the hopes that the weather will shift to warmer temperatures and more pleasant conditions before the bloom drops completely. Local beekeepers are no doubt doing the same. Unfortunately many bees are trucked in from much farther away, and those hives are in peril of dying out or being severely diminished by the time their keepers make it back to pick them up postbloom. Whatever the scenario, it creates both economic as well as hive health hardships for the beekeepers that will extend far past the almond bloom. The almond bloom essentially subsidizes the pollination for many other crops that bloom later, so a reduced workforce of bees coming out of the almonds will affect the ability to pollinate other crops and will undoubtedly force an increase in pollination costs for those crops as well as for next year’s almond pollination. Some growers are saying a short crop year could actually be good for the almond industry, as that would help eat up the large carryover inventory and push prices up for the following year. A huge crop this year would likely be an even bigger disaster than a short

one! However, I’m still hoping we get a few nice days before it’s all over. I really enjoy listening to the hum of the bees working the flowers on a pleasant afternoon!

On a different topic, this month we will be holding our 105th Annual Meeting on the 24th. I feel like this is an appropriate time to address some of the challenges MCFB and other County Farm Bureaus are facing when it comes to membership. The demographic of agriculture is slowly but surely changing across the nation, and it hits here close to home too. Little by little, smaller farms are selling out, going out of business, or being absorbed by larger farming companies or neighboring operations. Often it’s a result of an older generation coming to the end of their active days and not having anyone in succession to take over. In other situations it simply doesn’t make economic sense to keep a small operation going, especially if it is not diversified or has insufficient equity to sustain itself through downturns in the crop economy. This has of course already been happening throughout the past few decades and is to be expected, however it is a trend that is picking up speed at an alarming rate. Here in California’s Central Valley we are facing yet another unique challenge to all farming operations but especially smaller ones as SGMA regulations come online while our precious water resources are simultaneously being squandered much of the time due to hopelessly outdated environmental ideologies and practices. (I know we’ve had a record rainfall winter so far in 2023 but don’t think for a second that we are out of the woods regarding drought and water scarcity for agriculture.) Smaller farming operations simply don’t have the land or capital resources to be able to fallow a third or more of their acreage in a dry year and keep going. They will become victims and fall by the wayside. It’s a harsh and unfortunate reality. So how does all this

relate to membership challenges for Farm Bureau? It’s pretty simple. The same amount of acreage will be getting managed (whether fallow or productive in a given year) by an ever-decreasing number of stakeholders. All those small farming operations were a membership each…sometimes multiple memberships within one family. As they sell out or get absorbed, the membership gets diluted and the revenue to Farm Bureau diminishes a little bit more each year. Some of the large scale or investment farming operations that absorb smaller operations do not even maintain Farm Bureau memberships. This is a problem that is facing every single county Farm Bureau in the state, and has been generating quite a bit of discussion locally within our own MCFB board as well as at the state level at CFB. The reality is that at some point very soon we will be forced to either raise dues substantially, or else implement a completely new type of dues structure entirely, such as by a per acre basis. If we do nothing, Farm Bureau will slowly but surely reach a point of insolvency both at the local as well as state level. Folks, we simply cannot allow that to happen! Many members think that the $275 annual dues are already steep enough. However, consider the fact that Farm Bureau is your primary line of political and regulatory defense, direct farm support across a multitude of issues, and lobbying at local, state and national levels. Sure, there are plenty of crop-specific and brand-specific advocacy groups working to benefit their grower members as well, but Farm Bureau is the one entity that ties it all together and works closely with other organizations for the benefit of ALL in agriculture! I encourage anyone who reads this to think about it and reach out to myself, any of our board members or staff with ideas and feedback on this issue that could help us define a fair and workable path that would ensure the sustainability of our great organization.

I hope to see you at Annual Meeting!

Merced County Farm Bureau’s Mission Statement

Merced County Farm Bureau is an independent, nongovernmental, grassroots organization that advocates for the men and women who provide food, fiber, and nursery products for our community, state, and nation.

Merced County Farm Bureau exists for the purpose of improving the ability of individuals engaged in production

agriculture to utilize California resources to produce food and fiber in the most profitable, efficient and responsible manner possible, guaranteeing our nation a domestic food supply.

Merced County Farm Bureau supports policies and legislation that promote and protect our Country’s number one industryagriculture for future generations and the security of our nation.

Farm Bill

continued from page 1

levels in 2023 both in nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars.”

The letter says funding also is needed to address issues such as crop insurance, conservation, rural development, food security and research.

“As you work to build the federal budget for fiscal year 2024, we seek your support for providing sufficient resources to the committees to craft the next farm bill," the letter concludes.

The farm groups’ appeal follows the House Agriculture Committee’s approval last week of a letter that called on the House Budget committee to

provide "adequate resources" for the next farm bill to compensate for the “ineffectiveness” of existing commodity programs.

The 400 groups have a variety of different priorities for farm bill spending, Christy Seyfert, the American Soybean Association’s executive director of government affairs, told AgriPulse.

“At ASA, we want to improve the Title I farm safety net for soybean producers, protect and enhance crop insurance that is critically important for risk management, and increase investments in trade promotion programs to help diversify and expand agricultural markets, among other needs,” she said.

New COVID-19 Tax Credit Bill Introduced

By: Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil

Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil

(D-Jackson) introduced SB 375 to provide employers with financial relief from the cost of compliance with the new COVID-19 workplace safety standards that took effect in early February. SB 375 would provide an annual credit against state payroll taxes to reimburse employers for costs such as testing, masking, ventilation systems, exclusion from work, and other pandemic-based regulatory compliance costs.

“California still has some of the most rigid COVID-19 workplace standards in the country,” said Alvarado-Gil. “To the extent that our state government demands that California be the outlier, I believe the state should bear those costs, not employers who are still recovering from the shutdown in 2020.”

For three years, California employers have complied with stringent workplace safety requirements related to COVID-19. More than 61,000 California businesses permanently closed their doors during that time, and roughly 2.5 million Californians lost their jobs. SB 375 is supported by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG).

“Winegrape growers thank Senator Alvarado-Gil for her leadership in taking on this issue,” said Michael Miiller, CAWG’s Director of Government Relations. “Economic recovery from a global pandemic does not happen by

Merced County Farm News

Published monhtly by Merced County Farm Bureau

Phone (209) 723-3001

Fax (209) 722-3814 646 S. Hwy 59, Merced CA 95341

Email: dflake@mercedfarmbureau.org (USPS 339-500)

Entered as Second Class matter, Jan. 20, 1948 at the US Post Office in Merced, CA. Subscription is included in membership. Singles issues are 50 cents. Merced County Farm News is printed by Wesco Graphics, 410 E. Grant Line Road, Suite B, Tracy, CA 95376

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Merced County Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 1232, Merced, CA 95341; telephone (209) 723-3001; FAX (209) 722-3814. Merced County Farm Bureau does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products advertised in Merced County Farm News, nor does Farm Bureau assume responsibility for statements or expressions of opinion other than in editorials or in articles showing authorship by an officer, director or employee of the Merced County Farm Bureau or its affiliates.

Merced County Farm Bureau Staff

Breanne Vandenberg

Executive Director

Lorraine Passadori

Program Director

Denelle Flake

flipping a switch. The average wine industry employer will take two to three years to fully recover. In the midst of that recovery, the new COVID-19 regulation will significantly increase the cost of doing business with no measurable or quantifiable protections for employees.”

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, 29 states have COVID-19 hospitalization rates comparable to or lower than California’s. According to statista.com, 14 states have COVID-19 death rates comparable to or lower than California’s. It is important to note that every one of those red and blue states alike, said Alvarado-Gil, has repealed or substantially scaled back any COVID-19 workplace safety standards.

California’s emergency COVID-19 regulation ended in January and was replaced by the new regulation, which will stay in effect for all of 2023 and 2024. SB 375 provides an annual tax credit which would be capped at $100 per employee for small employers and $50 per employee for large employers.

“The COVID-19 Prevention NonEmergency Regulations make employers liable for a community-spread virus. This is nonsensical, especially in rural communities where small businesses are the backbone of the economy,” concluded Alvarado-Gil.

Senator Alvarado-Gil represents the 4th Senate District, including the counties of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne.

Farm News Editor/Project Specialist

Alexxis Rudich

Project Assistant/ESJ Grower Relations

Board of Directors

Pres: Joe Sansoni 761-9284

1st VP: Alan Sano 559-905-1240

2nd VP: David Barroso 652-6437

Sec/Treas: Tim Lohman 988-3545

Past Pres: Eric Harcksen 620-1953

District 1

Sean Davis 769-1804

Joe Maiorino 564-6791

District 2

Bob Vandenberg 704-5568

District 3

Mike Martin ............................ 675-1907

Chad Perry 675-4474

District 4

Jean Okuye 756-2421

Galen Miyamoto 761-5366

District 5

Brent Chipponeri 652-3473

John Van Ruler .......................648-3877

District 6

Dante Migliazzo 769-9525

Bill Arnold. 761-0542

District 7

GIno Pedretti III 756-1612

Tom Roduner 769-9353

District 8

Julie Giampaoli 201-8434

Joe Scoto 761-0489

Directors at Large

Jim Johnston 564-7551

Jeff Marchini 769-9116

Bob Giampaoli ....................... 769-4973

Dan Dewees 658-4343

Louie Bandoni 761-0625

Michael Serrano 485-1935

Mariposa County Farm Bureau Staff

Blog: We Have Seen The Future Of Water In California

By: Paul H. Betancourt, The Business Journal

We have seen the future of water in California this winter and it does not look good.

After 200% rainfall and historic snowpack, what do we have? They keep saying we are not out of the drought. But when it starts raining like this, that is — by definition — the end of a drought. How much rainfall do they need? Actually, I probably shouldn’t ask that. I probably won’t like their answer.

There are no average rainfall years in California.

There are wet years and dry years. We are idiots because we do not catch the rainfall from the wet years and save it for the dry years.

Last fall, I read the journals of famous American geologist Josiah Whitney’s right-hand man, William H. Brewer, who walked up and down California in the early 1860s and documented what he saw. One of the things he recorded was San Francisco rainfall. For the 1862 rain season, the area had 49.27 inches of rain. Two years later it was 10.08 inches. I am not here to argue about climate change, but I will point out this was the 1860s, long before the Industrial Revolution kicked in.

They are not serious about climate change.

How do I know this? Years ago, they were saying the future was less snow and more rainfall. If they were serious about climate change, they would build more storage to capture the rainfall they anticipate. But they don’t.

Now some of you are going to ask about groundwater storage. Fair enough. I have been asking for 20 years now. Groundwater storage where? I hear them talk about groundwater storage in Sacramento, but I have not found anyone to tell me, “OK, here are the sites we are going to use, and they can hold so much water.” What I do hear is, “We are not going to build anymore reservoirs because that is bad for the environment. We are going to use groundwater storage.” When I ask for details, they look a little confused. The end result? What we saw in January, a gazillion gallons of water running out to sea.

The State of California is better at turning fresh water into salt water than

it is in taking care of our water needs for today or preparing for the future.

We have seen the future of water in California this winter and it does not look good.

They have mismanaged the water system the same way they have mismanaged the Sierra forests.

In the name of caring for the environment, they have mismanaged the Sierra forests and those forests will not be healthy again in my lifetime. Destroying the forests took a generation or two. We all watched this month what the future of water looks like in California and it does not look good. The dry years they scream “drought” and the wet years they let all that fresh water run out to sea. I hope Shasta will be full. Why isn’t the San Luis Reservoir full?

The Delta smelt? If you can’t pump and fill your reservoirs when there is record rainfall from NINE atmospheric river events, you are never going to fill those reservoirs.

Why should we save water if they don’t?

How many gazillion gallons of water ran out to sea in January? OK, I am a little frustrated.

I know — we live in a desert. I have long been committed to caring for the environment and being careful with water. But you get my point — they have washed a lot of water into the ocean and they want us to take spit baths and not water our yards.

If we are not going store rainfall in a winter like this, when are we going to store

water?

We have seen the future of water in California this winter and it does not look good.

So, what do we do?

There is no reason every reservoir should be filled to the brim by the start of summer. But what are we going to get? I predict there will be water restrictions by June 1.

The good news from these storms is there is a LOT of snow in the Sierra. They may have wasted all the rain fall,

but they will have a harder time wasting all that snow.

We need to keep beating the drum. We can care for the environment AND provide water for our farms and our communities — if we don’t keep flushing all that beautiful, blessed rainfall out to sea.

We have seen the future of water in California this winter with the way Sacramento wants to manage things. It does not look good. I think we can do better.

What's the Future of Agriculture? Summit Looks Ahead

By: Patty Guerra, UC Merced

UC Merced researchers will discuss the campus's Experimental Smart Farm, as well as pressing agricultural issues, at a one-day summit later this month at California State University, Fresno.

The summit, What is the Future of Agriculture in California, is free to attend either in person or virtually March 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by The Maddy Institute, in partnership with UC Merced, Livermore Lab Foundation, Fresno State, CSU Bakersfield, CSU Stanislaus and Climate Now, the summit will address the current and future climate reality for the greater San Joaquin Valley as well as the opportunities and challenges ahead.

The Maddy Institute, named for longtime California legislator Kenneth

L. Maddy, is a nonprofit collaboration between four public universities in California's San Joaquin Valley (Fresno State,CSU Bakersfield,CSU Stanislaus, and UC Merced) designed to advance public understanding of public policy issues impacting the Valley and support student development in government and public policy careers.

Sessions led by the participating universities are planned to delve into topics including sustainable groundwater management, the economics of agriculture and climatesmart practices.

UC Merced Professor Tom Harmon, who co-leads the Smart Farm, will moderate a panel discussion of the project, including research into new technologies, new ways to gather, manage and assess soil and water data, and ways to reduce farm costs while supporting better working conditions and higher yields. Taking part in the

panel will be Smart Farm coordinator Danny Royer, graduate student and researcher Humberto Flores Landeros and Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) executive director Leigh Bernacchi, all from UC Merced, as well as Pauline Canteneur of FarmWise, a Bay Area farm robotics company.

Another UC Merced researcher, Ph.D. candidate Jose Rodriguez-Flores, will take part in a panel discussion of profitable repurposing of agricultural lands.

California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross will provide the keynote address.

The summit will also serve as a forum for ranchers, farmers, academics, corporations and government representatives to discuss and plan for what California agriculture might look like in 2045, the year when the state of California has committed to reaching

net-neutral greenhouse gas emissions. An industry-focused panel, with representatives from several major and mid-size producers, will address specific challenges. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory soil scientist Jennifer Pett-Ridge will provide an overview of the natural land solutions as well as emerging carbon friendly technologies designed to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere.

Fresno State President Saúl JiménezSandoval will host a conversation with state and federal elected officials. They will discuss the state of agriculture policy in California.

The event is free and open to the public with both in-person and virtual opportunities. For those attending in person, the event will be held at the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State.

To register and learn more, visit: https://www.fresno.climatenowevents. com/ .

Groundwater

Sweet Potato Joe from page 1

continued from page 1

the former Florence Cardoza of Merced in 1942.

Some floodwaters will also pour into wildlife refuges, among them the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Mendota Wildlife Area and Los Banos Wildlife Area.

The State Water Board said in its order that the changes allow for capturing “high flows that would otherwise go unused,” easing pressures on flood-control infrastructure and helping to address chronic declines in groundwater levels.

Environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Bay Institute objected to the plan, saying in a letter that the water diversions would allow for lower flows in the San Joaquin River than called for under a 2006 legal settlement, and would likely be harmful for Chinook salmon.

After the war, and during his life as a sweet potato farmer, he served as President of the California Sweet Potato Council, and US Sweet Potato Council, where he was a Director for over 20 years. He was the first California farmer to attend the National Sweet Potato Convention, among other industry firsts. Joe served as President of the Merced County Farm Bureau, and was on the Board of Directors of the Nisei Farmers League. He formed the California Sweet Potato Growers Co-op in Livingston, along with several other local growers, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

from environmental groups for another decision last month, when they petitioned the State Water Board to temporarily waive water-quality rules in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in an effort to store more water in reservoirs. The board ended that waiver on Thursday, saying the latest rains and snow make it no longer necessary.

Newsom set a goal last year, as part of his water supply plan, to increase average annual groundwater recharge by about 500,000 acre-feet. The State Water Board said that since December it has signed off on diverting about 790,000 acre-feet of water for groundwater replenishment as well as supplies for wildlife refuges.

Most of the water pumped from wells in the Central Valley supplies farms that produce a wide variety of crops, from almonds to tangerines.

known as the “Voice of Livingston.” From 1946 to 1996, he announced all the Livingston High School football games, lending his strong voice to the community by also announcing everything in Livingston from parades to radio programs. He served on the Livingston Elementary School Board and the Merced County Recreation Commission for many years. Joe’s acting skills even benefited the Livingston Little Theater Group, where he starred in several productions, most notably as Elwood P. Dowd in “Harvey”.

can allow for eventual cutbacks in wellwater use to be somewhat less severe than the reductions would otherwise need to be.

flows above that level.

“While the order does not completely dry up the San Joaquin River, it will divert most of the water that was supposed to flow down the river under the court-approved settlement agreement, primarily to benefit corporate agribusinesses in

His interests and community involvement were very diversefrom serving as a founding member of the Livingston Medical Group, to past-President of Livingston Rotary, to being

Scientists found in a recent study that the depletion of groundwater in the valley has accelerated in recent years. They estimated that groundwater losses since 2003 have totaled about 36 million acre-feet, or about 1.3 times the full water-storing capacity of Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir.

His love of baseball began at an early age and became a life-long interest that manifested itself into a devotion to the sport for over eighty years. He organized the first kid’s hardball team in Merced County in the early 50’s. He was particularly fond of American Legion Baseball, serving as a coach, sponsor, announcer

As state officials have increasingly prioritized aquifer recharge, they have pointed out that there is vast storage space available underground, and that replenishing groundwater is one of the simplest and most economical ways to take advantage of wet years.

Local water agencies have started to plan recharge projects as they begin to implement plans to curb excessive pumping, as required under the state’s 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

There has also been a growing focus among water management officials on finding ways to ease the permit process to use storm water for aquifer recharge, and to invest strategically in infrastructure to move water to areas where permeable soils make for fast paths to the groundwater.

The State Water Board said the single request from the federal government cleared the way for large-scale recharge without the need for approving numerous smaller permits.

Ekdahl said. “The amount of water that will be rediverted here is still relatively low compared to how much water will be flowing in the system.”

The Newsom administration and the federal government drew criticism

The water that’s used to replenish the aquifer will help local agencies move toward goals of addressing overpumping under the groundwater law, said Thomas Harter, a professor of water resources at UC Davis.

Harter said 600,000 acre-feet is “a significant chunk, and it’s certainly an important stepping stone toward future wet years and getting to these goals.” He said the water stored underground

and booster for over fifty years. This led to his being appointed the third Area Commissioner of Baseball. All of these years of being involved in baseball in Livingston culminated in the community baseball field being renamed the “Joe F. Alvernaz Baseball Field,” something he was so proud of.

“To the degree we can increase the supply, and we can only do that by capturing these large flood flows and storing them, that’s our main card in this game,” Harter said. “It’s not going to take away the need to reduce the demand, but it will lessen the need to do that.”

Ann Willis, California regional director for the group American Rivers, said she thinks the newly approved plan is a good approach to recharge severely depleted groundwater.

Joe was predeceased by his parents, Joe and Mabel Alvernaz, brothers, Arthur and John Alvernaz, and sister, Mary Geyer. He was also predeceased by his oldest son, Joey Alvernaz, in 1980 and by his wife of 64 years, Florence, in 2007.

“It expedites the regulatory process to take advantage of these higher flows when they’re available,” Willis said. “This is a positive thing that we’re doing this, and I think we’re going to learn a lot from it.”

She said the minimum river flow required under the permit seems too low to support a healthy San Joaquin River, but flow gauges have recorded rising

He is survived by five children, Judy Blevins, James (Colette) Alvernaz, and Benjamin (Debbie) Alvernaz of Livingston; Cecelia (James) Simon of San Diego, and Susan (Randall) Wilson of Mariposa, a sister, Cecelia Luker of Atwater, 17 grandchildren and 13

great grandchildren.

His light on earth has dimmed, but heaven is brighter as he has joined Florence, the true love of his life.

“I think right now we have plenty of water to do both — both recharge and environmental flows,” Willis said. “But that isn’t always true. And we should be mindful about which one of those objectives we prioritize when there isn’t enough water to go around.”

So long to our Dad, coach, neighbor and everyone’s friend. He will be deeply and painfully missed, yet celebrated, honored and never forgotten.

While the state takes advantage of the storms to store water underground, efforts to rebuild depleted groundwater reserves will take time, said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. She said state officials are working with local agencies to expand these efforts and improve the permitting process for more recharge projects.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to Grace Nursing Home in Livingston or to the Joe F. Alvernaz Memorial Fund to benefit youth baseball in Livingston.

“We hope that over the course of these next series of storms, we can identify those projects and get those recharge systems activated,” Nemeth said. “We know drought conditions will return to California, and it’s really these moments that we have to capture, so that we can be resilient in the event of future dry conditions.”

Sweet Potato Joe was the Farm Bureau President from 1983-1986 and hired long-time staff member Lorraine Passadori when she showed up in her clown costume for the interview. Agriculture lost a strong advocate that will truly be missed. We will continue to keep his family in our thoughts and prayers.

Merced County Fair Board Officers Selected for 2023

Vicky Banaga succeeds Kim Rogina as the new President of the Fair Board

By: Merced County Fair

MERCED, CALIFORNIA, March 16, 2023 – The Merced County Fair is proud to announce the 2023 officer positions for the 35th District Agricultural Association Board of Directors, which was voted on at the February 13th board meeting. Those positions are: Vicky Banaga, President; Luis Lara, First Vice President; and Mark Erreca, Second Vice President.

“The passion for our Fair and our community that Vicky Banaga brings to the table is energizing,” said Teresa Burrola, CEO of the Merced County Fair. “I look forward to working alongside her and the rest of our Fair Board and team to put on this year’s Merced County Fair filled with vibrant music, attractions, delicious food and educational experiences. We want to invite our entire community to come out and come celebrate with us.”

Board President, Vicky Banaga of Le Grand was first appointed to the Merced County Fair Board in 2015 and also served as the Revenue Control Officer from 1996 – 2006. Vicky has been Chief

Business Official at the Le Grand Union Elementary School District since 1977. She’s served on several boards in the community, and has been a member of the Merced Elks and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“Community is everything. Serving the people of Merced County is my passion; it’s a shared passion that also drives the Merced County Fair,” said Vicky Banaga, President of the Merced County Fair Board. “We all have an obligation to give back and make our community better – the Merced County Fair does this by bringing families, friends, and community together in a positive, safe and fun environment. It’s where our youth showcases their hard work and projects. It’s where we celebrate the talents of our community. It’s where people create new memories to treasure and evoke wonderful memories of the past. For me, my most treasured childhood memory of the fair was meeting Slim Andrews, the ‘49er’ when he came to the Merced County Fair in 1963. I was six years old. He was a local celebrity and I was so excited to meet him. My smile in the picture says

it all.”

“The fair becomes part of who you are, it gets in your blood. I truly feel blessed to be a lifelong Fairgoer and now serving on the Merced County Fair Board with a great group of people, playing a part in this annual tradition that brings so much joy to our community. This year’s fair will be a big celebration indeed, so todos vengan a la fiesta – the Merced County Fair!” continued Banaga.

First Vice President, Luis Lara of Atwater was first appointed to the Merced County Fair Board in 2019. He has served as a Sergeant for the California Highway Patrol since 2011. Prior to that, Lara held several different positions and locations within the California Highway Patrol since joining it in 1998. He has also served as an instructor at Merced Community College since 2013. Lara is Secretary Treasurer for the Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union Board of Directors. He previously served on the Merced County Spring Fair Board from 2013 to 2018 and as a Board Member of the McSwain Union

Elementary School District.

Second Vice President, Mark Erreca of Los Banos was first appointed to the Merced County Fair Board in 2003. He is the Owner of Erreca Cattle Company and has been a realtor since 1994, currently with PMZ Real Estate. Mark is Chair of the Merced County Planning Commission and Past President of the California County Planning Commissioners’ Association. He is a Board Member of the Grassland Resource Conservation District.

Highlights:

2023 Merced County Fair | The 2023 Merced County Fair will kick-off the summer, June 7-11. Entertainment announcements are expected in the next month. The community is encouraged to participate in the fair’s Competitive Exhibits; more details can be found here.

Stay In The Know | Want to be the first to know about concerts, new featured food items, admission discounts and more? Then sign up for our email newsletter at (www.mercedcountyfair. com/contact-us) or connect with us on our social media handles.

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New cost estimate for high-speed rail puts California bullet train $100 billion in the red

By: Ralph Vartabedian, CalMatters

When Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his scaled down blueprint for the California bullet train four years ago, he proposed building a 171-mile starter segment in the Central Valley that would begin operating in 2030 and cost $22.8 billion.

Today, the blueprint is fraying — costs now exceed future funding, an official estimate of future ridership has dropped by 25%, and the schedule to start to carry people is slipping. That’s raising fresh concerns about the future of the nation’s largest infrastructure project.

New cost figures issued in an update report from the California High-Speed Rail Authority show that the plan to build the 171-mile initial segment has shot up to a high of $35 billion, exceeding secured funding by $10 billion.

The cost of that partial system is now higher than the $33 billion estimate for the entire 500-mile Los Angeles to San Francisco system when voters approved a bond in 2008.

What’s worse, that full system cost is set at up to $128 billion in the update, leaving a total funding gap of more than $100 billion for politicians to ponder.

Ethan Elkind, who watches California transportation issues as director of the climate change program at UC Berkeley’s law school, said the mounting problems cloud the project’s future.

“It is in jeopardy,” Elkind said. “It is dicey. There is no path forward for the full Los Angeles to San Francisco system. It is important that they get something done.”

The $128 billion price tag does not include cost updates for two separate segments between Palmdale and Anaheim, because the rail authority in the past has not updated costs until it completes environmental assessments. There could be additional jolts of sticker shock when those costs are added in the future.

“It is clear that additional funding will be necessary to deliver the… operational Merced to Bakersfield system for passenger service,” the report says.

The roughly $10 billion cost

increase on the Merced to Bakersfield line includes $3.9 billion mostly for the decisions to have elevated stations and track realignments in Merced and Bakersfield; $2.1 billion for higher inflation; and $3.7 billion in contingency or reserves for future cost increases.

Brian Kelly, rail authority chief executive, said in an interview that the higher costs, which have affected projects all over the nation, represents a “tougher challenge.”

“There has never been an easy time for this project,” he said. “Nothing’s ever been easy here. This project has never had full funding.”

Kelly notes that the range of estimates for the Central Valley segment goes from a high of $35 billion down to $28 billion. The price tag of the project has grown since 2008, exceeding all the prior cost ranges.

Potential engineering risks

The current struggle follows a period when the project had strong support from the Biden Administration and Congress. But the Republican seizure of the House in 2022 elections could auger tougher times ahead.

Bakersfield native and now House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has long called the project, which would serve his own district, a boondoggle.

“In no way, shape, or form should the federal government allocate another dollar to California’s inept high speed rail,” McCarthy said in a statement to CalMatters. “The California High Speed Rail Authority has missed countless timelines and deceived the public about costs which are exorbitantly higher than originally estimated.”

Among nonpartisan state analysts, the reliability of the new cost estimates is likely to come under sharp scrutiny, including by the state-appointed Peer Review Group.

Bill Ibbs, a retired UC Berkeley civil engineer who serves on the group and has consulted on international high speed rail projects, said he is concerned about the lack of attention to engineering risks.

“They don’t directly address the hard core engineering issues,” Ibbs said, particularly the 38 miles of mountain tunnels that are planned for Southern California alone. “What are the major engineering challenges that lie in front

of you and why aren’t you talking about them in this report?”

Population decline = ridership decline

The report also indicates that the date for operating the 171-mile system could stretch out to 2033 from 2030, which would delay the public benefits and account for cost pressures.

And possibly more worrisome is a cut to the projected future ridership by 25%, owing to the reality that the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally reduced the use of public transportation and California’s expected population growth has fizzled. An important justification for the bullet train since its inception was an expectation that population growth would necessitate improved passenger rail. The report nonetheless asserts the system would perform comparable to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor passenger loads.

Those factors are beyond the rail authority’s ability to control, though it has struggled with construction problems of its own in the Central Valley over the last 10 years.

More than 1,000 change orders, originated by the rail authority or by contractors, have been approved and account for much of the cost growth. They include big ticket items, such as miscalculating the need for massive barriers to prevent freight trains on nearby tracks derailing and crashing into a bullet train. About 20 change orders for that item alone run over a half billion dollars.

Construction has been held up because of problems relocating utilities, such as underground sewers, water lines and gas pipes. Currently, about half of the 2,800 projects to relocate underground utilities have not been completed, according to a separate status report issued by the rail board’s finance and audit committee. Two dozen major structures, such as viaducts and bridges, have not even started construction.

Hoping for some federal dollars

But those problems are being solved and major disputes over change orders are in the rear view mirror, the report said. Out of 2,300 parcels of land for the rail, only 92 remain to be acquired.

Newsom adopted his plan for a starter California high-speed rail system in 2018, based on a strategy that

demonstrating an operational system in the Central Valley would stoke public support for building the more expensive passages through coastal mountains to the Bay Area and Southern California.

That idea preceded significant cost growth that has outstripped funding, leaving Democrats in the Legislature increasingly skittish and Republicans calling for a full blown retreat.

“It is on life support now,” said Sen. Brian Jones, a San Diego County Republican and Senate minority leader. “The governor has not been able to deliver on any of his promises.”

At this point, Jones says the project should be stopped and potentially the existing structures in the Central Valley demolished if they can not be repurposed.

Democratic leaders have declined or did not respond to requests for interviews.

“While this news is difficult, the Administration continues to review all available options, including ongoing efforts to receive additional federal dollars,” wrote Daniel Lopez, the deputy communications director for Newsom, in a statement to CalMatters. “Federal funding will be helpful in completing the Merced to Bakersfield segment on schedule, and the Administration believes that the Authority is wellpositioned to compete for significant funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and other federal funding sources.”

Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Long Beach Democrat who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, issued a statement that she would hold an oversight hearing March 28 to hear from the rail authority. It is regular practice to hold a hearing after a new project update.

Kelly believes there is a reasonable path forward. The report, issued on March 1, sets a goal for the rail authority to obtain $8 billion in federal grants under the Bipartisan Instructure Law enacted by Congress last year.

The entire pool of money for rail enacted in the infrastructure law is $75 billion, so $8 billion would appear to be

High-Speed Rail

continued from page 10

a reasonable share for California. But the Biden Administration and Congress were far more generous to the Amtrak system in the law, allocating roughly $24 billion to its operations while failing to set aside any guaranteed chunk of money for California. Moreover, there are other passenger rail systems in California, which may want a share of any money headed to the Golden State.

Kelly acknowledges that the $8 billion goal is “aggressive and rightly so” because California is paying for 84% of cost so far. “If the national government wants to get a national cleaner, faster electrified rail system it has to do better than 16% And so we’re going to make that case.

“I think it’s reasonable and a prudent ask,” Kelly said. The state will know by early next year whether it will get the lifeline. Without it, the funding shortfall will be breathtaking. Before then, the Senate and Assembly will hold hearings in the next month.

Will voters OK more spending?

“It is certainly a significant funding gap,” said Helen Kerstein, who covers the rail project at the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. “Absent very significant additional federal funds, the state will need to contribute additional funding to get that segment from Merced to Bakersfield completed.”

Kerstein notes that the project failed to get a funding boost from the general fund when the state was flush with surplus tax receipts in recent years and now the state is struggling with a deficit and the likelihood of more to come. At the same time, there are other priorities.

Kerstein adds, “It’s going to be tough.”

Elkind, the UC Berkeley law professor, said ultimately the state will have to go back to voters and ask for another bond issue if there is any hope to build the complete system.

“It’s going to be harder to go back to the voters and ask for more funding, but I think that’s ultimately what’s going to be needed, which is why it’s so critical that they finish this first segment,” he said.

“It is incredibly sad that it’s going to take two decades from when the voters approved this just to get the first essentially 25% of the system going — which is also the 25% of the system that is serving the fewest number of people population wise in California along the route.”

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EPA Proposes Stringent National Drinking Water Standards for Six PFAS

By: Perkins Coie, JDSupra

For the first time and after much anticipation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for key “forever chemicals.” The proposed rule would establish near-zero limits for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in a move the EPA characterizes as “a major step to protect public health” by “leveraging the latest science.”[1] Several legal, policy, and scientific factors will determine the fate of the EPA’s proposed standards and shape their impact on key stakeholders.

This Update summarizes the proposed PFAS drinking water standards, briefly discusses potential implications, and outlines key next steps in the EPA’s process to adopt a final rule.

Overview of First-Ever National Drinking Water Standards for PFAS

The proposed rule marks the first national legally enforceable drinking water standards proposed for PFAS. Specifically, it would establish legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and health-based, nonenforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for six PFAS in drinking water.[2]

The proposed rule would regulate two common PFAS—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)—as individual contaminants subject to numeric MCLs and MCLGs. The EPA based the proposed MCLG of zero upon its determination that “there is no dose below which either chemical is considered safe,” and its proposed MCL reflects its conclusion that four parts per trillion (4 ppt) represents the lowest feasible and technically achievable standard available.[3]

For the remaining four PFAS subject to the rule, the EPA has proposed a “hazard index” formula to limit any mixture of the covered PFAS that would result in an unreasonable health risk.

According to the proposed rule, the EPA elected to use this approach instead of individual numeric MCLs because these PFAS compounds are commonly found together, and exposure is assumed to act in a cumulative manner.[4]

The proposed rule also requires public water systems to monitor for PFAS concentrations and take steps to address any exceedances of the proposed

standards. First, public water systems must monitor for the six covered PFAS at varying frequencies depending on previous results. Second, public water systems must notify consumers if monitoring detects exceedances of MCLs “as soon as practicable but not more than 30 days after the system learns of the violation.”[5] Third, public water systems with PFAS exceedances must “take action” to provide acceptable drinking water within three years after promulgation. This can be accomplished through the installation of water treatment or “other options such as source remediation or connecting to an uncontaminated water system.”[6]

Ongoing Implementation of EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap

The proposed rule adopting enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS represents the latest and most consequential step towards the Biden administration’s implementation of policymaking around PFAS in the environment. We briefly review some of the previously implemented policies and rules below:

• PFAS Strategic Roadmap (October 2021). The EPA established overall federal policy reflecting an integrated approach to addressing PFAS pollution. The overall policy stresses the need for additional research, pollution prevention, and remediation. Five core principles underpin the roadmap, including (1) accounting for lifecycle effects of PFAS, (2) addressing upstream sources of PFAS, (3) holding polluters accountable, (4) ensuring science-based decisionmaking, and (5) prioritizing protection of disadvantaged communities.

• Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (December 2021).

The EPA finalized a rule to expand PFAS testing nationwide by requiring monitoring for 29 PFAS in drinking water. Monitoring will occur from 2023 through 2025 at thousands of drinking water systems nationwide and will generate new data critical to assessing the prevalence and distribution of PFAS in U.S. public water systems.

• Interim Updated Drinking Water Health Advisories (June 2022). The EPA adopted nonenforceable health advisory levels (HALs) for PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, and GenX. Significantly, the EPA reduced the interim HALs for PFOA and PFOS, which it originally

set in 2016 at 70 ppt combined, down to 0.004 and 0.02 ppt, The June 2022 interim HALs were notable because they reflected levels at which PFOA and PFOS cannot be detected by most laboratories using the EPA's standard methodology.[7]

• Designation of PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances (September 2022). The EPA proposed to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which would increase PFAS release reporting and enable EPA-led cleanup without an “imminent and substantial endangerment” finding. The EPA received public comments and is currently developing its final rule.

Legal, Policy, and Scientific Considerations for the Proposed Rule

Adoption of national primary drinking water standards for these six PFAS would have far-reaching effects. Regulated stakeholders will closely scrutinize the environmental, economic, and scientific bases of the rule. Some key legal, policy, and scientific factors that are likely to be weighed during and after adoption of final MCLs include the following:

• Cost/Benefit Analysis. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires the EPA to set primary drinking water standards as close to the MCLG as “feasible,” taking account of best available treatment technologies and cost considerations.[8] The sufficiency of the EPA’s consideration of the costs and benefits of its proposed rule could be subject to challenge.

• Scientific Consensus. Drinking water standards also must be based on best available peer-reviewed science.[9] The EPA’s ability to set scientifically sound standards depends on the availability of health effects and occurrence data. While the EPA has studied PFAS meaningfully over the past several years, the sufficiency of the scientific basis for the proposed rule may still be subject to challenge.

• Uniformity. Many states have previously proposed or issued their own binding drinking water standards or guidance for the covered PFAS. A national primary drinking water standard would promote uniformity and regulatory certainty, although

states that have previously adopted more lenient standards would need to conform to new federal minimum standards.

• Cleanup Standards. The EPA and state environmental regulators sometimes use MCLs as de facto cleanup standards at contaminated sites.[10] Parties responsible for cleanup at sites impacted by PFAS, including sites where regulatory closure previously has been granted subject to “reopener” clauses, could face increased costs as a result.

• Discharge Standards. Similarly, the EPA and states may use MCLs to inform discharge standards for industrial wastewater, stormwater discharges, and/or discharges of treatment residuals pursuant to permits issued under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and state water quality laws.

• Disadvantaged Communities. The degree to which the proposed rule would achieve federal policy to prioritize disadvantaged communities is also a significant factor. Disadvantaged communities may bear disproportionate health risks from PFAS pollution in drinking water supplies,[11] although smaller and rural water systems and their ratepayers could also bear an outsized cost burden to comply with the proposed rule.

Opportunities for Public Participation

Before promulgating a final rule, the EPA provides opportunities for affected stakeholders to participate in the rulemaking process, including through the following:

• The EPA will accept written public comments for 60 days after publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register (Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0114), which is forthcoming. Comments on the information collection provisions submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must be submitted within 30 days after Federal Register

• The EPA will be holding informational webinars on March 16, 2023 (General Overview) and March 29, 2023 (Technical Overview).

• The EPA will also be accepting oral comments during a public hearing on May 4, 2023, which has a registration deadline of April 28, 2023.

• The EPA anticipates finalizing this regulation by the end of 2023.

Will California’s misused environmental law finally be reformed?

By: Dan Walters, CalMatters

“Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it” is an old quip attributed — probably erroneously — to Mark Twain.

It could be legitimately applied to the California Environmental Quality Act, a 53-year-old law originally meant to prevent government agencies from ignoring the impacts of their public works projects but later expanded, mostly by judicial decisions, to private developments as well.

CEQA’s use, or misuse, as a weapon in the state’s perpetual battles over housing has been well documented. Opponents of housing projects in their neighborhoods use it to stall construction and labor unions use it to leverage developers into agreements to use union workers.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown decried such uses and said reforming CEQA is “the Lord’s work” but was an agnostic about doing it, apparently convinced that opposition from environmental groups and unions, two of the Democratic Party’s most influential allies, would make reform impossible.

The Legislature has been willing to exempt specific projects, such as sports arenas, from the CEQA process, as well as some narrow categories of housing. But the broad reform that CEQA’s critics say is necessary has long been a non-starter.

The politics of CEQA may be changing.

Last year, the state Supreme Court decreed in a suit against the University of California, that expanding the number of students admitted to UC Berkeley was an environmental

impact that had to be considered under CEQA. The decision would effectively have forced the university to turn away thousands of students it had planned to admit for the 2022-23 school year.

Moreover, the underlying concept of people as an impact would hand opponents of housing projects throughout the state a potentially powerful weapon.

The plaintiff in that suit was a local organization calling itself Save Berkeley’s Neighborhoods, which alleged that having more students would degrade the community’s ambiance — very similar to the opposition of local groups to state-imposed housing quotas.

The Legislature reacted with lightning speed, passing legislation declaring that college enrollment is not a “project” requiring mitigation under CEQA.

However, another group, Make UC a Good Neighbor, had also filed a CEQA

suit challenging both UC Berkeley’s long-range development plan and a UC housing project in UC-owned People’s Park, the site of numerous anti-war demonstrations in the 1960s that today is mostly covered by homeless encampments.

Last week, a state appellate court rejected the challenge to UC’s development plan but declared that the People’s Park project needed more work and — more importantly — decreed that UC “failed to assess potential noise impacts from loud student parties in residential neighborhoods near the campus, a longstanding problem that the EIR improperly dismissed as speculative.”

If upheld by the state Supreme Court, the latter declaration would once again give NIMBY opponents to housing developments a powerful weapon. They could contend that housing for

low-income families would bring noise or other undesirable impacts to their neighborhoods.

In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted, “A few wealthy Berkeley homeowners should not be able to block desperately needed student housing for years and even decades. CEQA needs to change and we are committed to working with the legislature so California can build more housing.”

It raises this question: How far are Newsom and the Legislature willing to go on CEQA reform?

They could write a narrow exemption as they did on the previous UC Berkeley case, they could make a wider change affecting CEQA’s effect on housing, or they could go whole hog and do a topto-bottom overhaul of the law to return it to its original purpose before it was weaponized.

Words are cheap. Only actions count.

Flood efforts surge forward with another round of storms

By: Jonathan Whitaker, Merced County Times

With the community already rattled by the widespread damage from the January floods, city and county crews, along with state partners, appeared to have quadrupled their efforts to protect residents, homes and infrastructure as not one, but two, atmospheric rivers passed overhead in recent days.

As of Wednesday morning, just before the Times press deadline, it appears the region may have been spared the kind of flooding that swept through the areas of Planada, McSwain and West Bear Creek in Merced weeks ago, temporarily displacing thousands of residents and causing millions of dollars in property damage.

Mercedians woke to nothing but clear blue skies on Wednesday morning, though they experienced quite a heavy downpour late Tuesday afternoon. Down the highway, residents in Tulare County were not so lucky as areas near waterways were experiencing severe flooding and evacuation orders.

More rain is expected as early as Sunday, March 19, and peak rainfall is expected on Tuesday, according to forecasts.

Flood alerts remain in the region as attention turns to water flows on Mariposa Creek in the Le Grand area, along with the Merced River and Bear Creek.

“Our area of concern right now is Mariposa Creek in the Le Grand area,” Sheriff Vern Warnke told county leaders Tuesday morning. “Don’t know where that water is going to go if the Army Corps of Engineers’ prediction comes to fruition. It’s going to be more water coming down that creek than the Merced River. We don’t know what’s going to happen. Fortunately the debris has been removed because I was very fearful of the bridge over Fresno Road.”

Flows increased on the Merced River — another area of concern — as of Wednesday, from 6,000 cubic feet per second up to 6,500 cubic feet per second below New Exchequer Dam.

For the folks along Bear Creek, Sheriff Warnke said he was pretty confident the waterway will manage increased flows. “It’s going to rise obviously, but we flew over those two dams yesterday, and I really think there is some room behind them to hold back the water that is predicted,” he said.

In any case, Warnke assured leaders

that his rescue teams were in strategic positions across the county, and that the Emergency Operations Center was ready to deploy dozens of additional deputies at a moment’s notice if needed.

And that’s just one part of a massive effort that has been ongoing between local and state agencies in the Merced area and across the county. Over a week ago, the state’s Department of Water Resources sent two specialists to assist city and county engineers as they made evaluations and prioritized projects in the region, particularly along Bear Creek.

City and county Public Works personnel and engineers led six California Department of Corrections crews with a total of 103 workers. Within a week’s time, they placed some 200,000 sandbags in flood impacted areas, including along Bear Creek all the way from Highway 59 to R Street. This also included the construction of Muscle Wall near the residential area of Hwy. 59 and Bear Creek. A majority of the materials were secured by the legislative efforts of State Senator Anna Caballero, State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, and Assembly member Esmeralda Soria.

Crews fortified and provided maintenance for virtually every creek in the county, including Cottonwood / Deadman’s, Fahrens, Black Rascal, Mariposa, Miles, Quinto and Garza, and Dutchman’s.

During the preparation, a county contract effort with Ceres Environment has also been cleaning up flood debris from the previous storms — nearly 3,000 cubic yards, along with 4,000 additional yards collected through dumpsters located in impacted areas.

Five potential shelters were created in a matter of hours, including at the Merced County Fairgrounds, the Atwater Community Center, the Christian Life Center in Merced, the Al Gorman Community Center in Gustine, and the Los Banos Community Center. During the current weather event, the high point of use was at the Fairgrounds with up to 41 people seeking shelter, but that number has come down significantly, according to officials.

Merced City Manager Stephanie Dietz announced on Monday that: “Out of an abundance of caution, both the City of Merced and Merced County declared a new emergency so that whatever preventative measures and or if there are any damages incurred by our residents, they would be eligible for a new claim under FEMA, so that the

claim limits would not be applicable from the January flood. [The new emergency declaration] would open up opportunities for our residents to seek reimbursements from either the state or federal governments.”

Regarding assistance related to the January floods, county officials said Tuesday that they have asked FEMA officials to stay in the region until April 15 — well past the scheduled March 16 deadline in order to accommodate struggling local residents.

Since early January, a combination of the county’s Human Services and Housing Authority, along with CALOES, the Department of Housing and Community Development, Catholic Charities disaster case managers, the United Way and other communitybased organizations have worked to assist those families who have been displaced from homes or are facing other hardships.

Some 45 households found temporary relief at the Felix Torres Migrant Housing complex in Planada. Twenty-seven of those families have since identified their own housing plan, and 18 families remain in need of short or longer term housing solutions. Of the latter, 10 have been placed in newly available housing units at Felix Torres while repairs are completed to their homes, or permanent housing has been identified. The remaining eight were placed in a hotel until a more permanent solution can be identified.

Merced County has submitted a request for Direct Housing Assistance for the 2023 flooding event through CAL-OES. Officials say it’s a long process that takes time; however, the program does provide temporary housing in the form of recreational vehicles or manufactured housing units. Eligibility for direct housing is based on the extent of damage to the survivor’s house, whether insurance to cover damages is available and other factors.

District Attorney Nicole Silveira showed up at the Tuesday meeting with county leaders and announced that her office is providing Renter’s Rights guidance to impacted residents. A presentation is available for view on the Merced County District Attorney’s Facebook page.

Silveira said the basic rule of thumb is that a tenant is not responsible for damage caused to dwelling by a natural disaster, and the landlord is not responsible for damage to tenants’ personal property. However, there are

many scenarios that can pertain to affected residents.

Silveira said she plans to host a “Know Your Rights” meeting on Wednesday, March 29, at 3:30 p.m., at 9393 Broadway in Planada.

Merced County CEO Raul Lomeli Mendez said he is proud of the work that is being done by his staff and others.

“This has been an all-hands on deck response from your county team,” he told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

Board Chair Scott Silveira cautioned that the local population is not out of the woods yet.

“Everybody is looking at forecast models, and things that could happen to best prepare as possible, but the message is: remain vigilant. We just heard from some residents who spoke up earlier about it being 2 a.m., when all of a sudden, holy heck broke loose and water starts running into their house. There is still the potential that could happen. There was a comment that was made that Merced County is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. For our residents: You might not see everybody who is out doing the work, but some of the pictures that they shared during [today’s] presentation show you the massive amount of work that is going on to prepare for these floods, trying to deal with the aftermath of the previous floods — and oh by the way — we still have a county to run that’s got 2,500plus employees, and I can’t even name the amount of programs going on. I give our staff right now just an ‘A’ for effort on really trying to juggle everyday work and crisis work. Kudos to you.”

Sandbags in Merced

Sandbags are available from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at The City of Merced Purchasing Building, 2525 O Street. Please enter from O and 25th Streets. Availability will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. For directions to the Purchasing Building and a list of sand locations, visit the City’s Storm Information Webpage. Expect to fill and transport your sandbags. Please bring a shovel. Sandbags are heavy. Please be prepared to lift more than 50 pounds.

Shelters:

Merced County Fairgrounds: 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced (signage will be in place).

Atwater Community Center: 760 East Bellevue Road in Atwater.

Mariposa County Commercial Livestock Pass Please Watch For Training Dates in

Mariposa County initiated the Commercial Livestock Pass program in July 2022. We had roughly 30 commercial livestock operations and 50 operators and/or managerial staff apply and receive their Commercial Livestock Pass during the 2022 fire season. During the Oak Fire Last year, we did initiate and use the program. Mariposa County is in the beginning process of renewing the 2023 Commercial Livestock Passes for the upcoming fire season. Renewals and applications will be sent to commercial operators in Mariposa County. We are currently working out the details for the annual training.

What is the Commercial Livestock Pass?

In 2021 Assembly Bill (AB) number 1103, Chapter 609, Livestock Pass was signed into law. AB 1103 authorizes, upon the approval of a County Board of Supervisors, a County Agricultural Commissioner, or other designated agency, to establish within the county a Commercial Livestock Pass Program for the purpose of issuing identification documents granting any qualifying Commercial Livestock producer, as defined, or a Managerial Employee, as defined, access to the qualifying Commercial Livestock producer’s ranch property, or to the ranch property owned by another holder of a Commercial Livestock Pass with permission, during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster, as provided.

How will the Commercial Livestock Pass help in event of an emergency?

Commercial Livestock Passholders may be allowed access to restricted areas in emergency situations such as fires or other natural disaster. Access to restricted areas will be dependent on safety conditions at the time access is requested and upon approval of emergency personnel.

Who qualifies for a Commercial Livestock Pass in Mariposa County?

Any commercial livestock owner, operator, and/or managerial staff that runs 25 head of livestock or more in Mariposa County.

If you have additional questions or would like an application please contact the Mariposa County Department of Agriculture & Weights and Measures

(209)966-2075 or agcomm@ mariposacounty.org.

from the Mariposa CFB

Danette Toso

Mariposa County just can’t get a break, we have been hit once again with a natural disaster. It all started with an atmospheric river, causing flooding, mud, rockslides, and continued with massive amounts of snowfall. When you factor in the dead trees due to years of drought, Bark Beetle devastation, high winds, torrential

Wild Wicked Weather

rains, and heavy snow fall, the trees go down. The power outages, structural damage, inability to reach residents with medical needs, have been some of our biggest challenges.

The snow began falling February 23rd, and by February 28th, some areas of Mariposa County received up to 10 feet of snow. This was an allhands-on deck emergency, with the sheriff’s department receiving almost 1000 calls from residents with many different issues. The department logged in 12,460 miles responding to calls and doing welfare checks on elderly and infirmed residents. The Public Works Department, Health and Human Services, Search and Rescue, Probation Department, and so many others, stepped up and worked around the clock. Our Roads Department is working incredibly hard to keep our county roads clear from snow and downed trees with a staff of only 10 people. Public Works is now hiring and is very eager to fill several open positions. Please contact Mariposa County Public Works if you would like to become a part of this amazing

team. I have mentioned so many times, what a close-knit community we live in. The county, state and National Parks Service were instrumental during these storms, but the neighbors helping neighbors is what really brings, and keeps us together. Private citizens sprang into action, using their own equipment to clear roads

and driveways of snow and trees. To say that I’m proud of the people in this county is an understatement for sure. Now we prepare for yet another atmospheric river, warmer temperatures, and flooding. The county has learned so much about natural disasters over the years and we plan, prepare and practice continually. Even with this wild, wicked weather, we are above everything else, Mariposa Strong!

From small farms to large commercial operations, the INSURICA Agriculture Experts have grown up in agricultural communities.

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Mariposa County Business Member Directory Businesses

REPAIRS

Merced County Business Member Directory

Businesses Supporting the Farm Bureau

To be included in the directory, join Merced County Farm Bureau as a business member by calling 723-3001.

J & F Fertilizer 854-6325

La Follette Enterprises, Inc. 632-1385

Mass Energy Works. (530) 710-8545

Machado Feed Company .................. 658-5943

Maciel & Co 777-0911

CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS

Mid Valley Ag Service 394-7981

Modern Dairy 722-7452

Modesto Dairy Supply ....................... 669-6200

Silva & Sons Custom Spreading 667-2566

Stone Family Spreading 756-1491

FARM EQUIPMENT

The Pollination Connection (877) 970-BEES (2337)

FOOD PROCESSING

A V Thomas Produce ......................... 394-7514

Dallas Distributing Co 394-2803

Del Rio Nut Company 394-7945

The Morning Star Company .............. 826-8000

Minturn Huller Co-op (559) 665-1185

REAL ESTATE

Parreira Almond Processing Co. 826-1262

Sensient Natural Ingredients (800) 558-9892

Yosemite Farms ................................. 383-3411

HARVESTING & HAULING

Baldes Hay Co ......................... (559) 718-9714

Bertuccio Hay 761-6247

Castillo Brothers Hay 392-3817

Diamond J Farms 564-0870

Minturn Huller Co-op .............. (559) 665-1185

Northern Merced Hulling 667-2308

Wallace & Son 382-0131

IRRIGATION, WELLS, & SEPTIC

Allison Sierra, Inc. 966-4082

Agri-Valley Irrigation ......................... 384-8494

Dickey's Pump Service 394-3112

Irrigation Design & Construction, LLC387-4500

Pacific Southwest Irrigation 460-0450

Precision Aqua ................................... 756-2025

Quality Well Drillers 357-0675

Rain for Rent/Westside Pump (559) 693-4315

Robal

BUSSINESS