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 Last week, Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) and the Bye Bye Mattress Program announced Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) as a recipient of the 2018 Environmental Stewardship Award for his outstanding commitment toward protecting California’s coastline from illegal development and advancing policies to strengthen clean water supplies. The Environmental Stewardship Award recognizes and commends California legislators who have made significant contributions toward protecting California’s environment and who best exemplify environmental stewardship.

As of August 9, Brian Lee, District Manager for the San Lorenzo Valley Water District has resigned from his position. His last day at the district will be August 31. According to Lee, his resignation has nothing to do with his job or the district, but he has a family reason on why he must resign. 

Citizens for Orderly Growth in Scotts Valley (CFOG) is a recently organized, “educational and collaborative” advocacy group that has every intention of becoming a grassroots force to be reckoned with in the face of “uncontrolled growth” in Scotts Valley, according to its organizers .

At last week’s Scotts Valley City Council meeting the council agreed to participate in an ad hoc “Interagency Advisory Subcommittee” tasked with “developing a collective message” between various local agencies on issues surrounding growth and development in Scotts Valley.

Dealing with one of the worst droughts on record and then the largest, most destructive wildfires in California’s history, the Secretary of California’s Natural Resources Agency has his hands full. The Natural Resource Agency is a sprawling, cabinet-level state agency overseeing and coordinating 25 different departments, from Cal Fire to the Department of Water Resources with a lot to coordinate over the last several years. 

editor's note: 

While California experiences another destructive fire season, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) announced that more than $170 million has been awarded in grants to prevent catastrophic wildfires, like the Carr Fire and Mendocino Complex, and restore forest health. More than 100 agencies and organizations across California will receive funding to help the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions from wildfires and sequester carbon. With funds provided by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for California Climate Investments (CCI), CAL FIRE awarded 142 fire prevention grants totaling $79.7 million and 23 forest health projects totaling $91.5 million. Among the awardees, the Bonny Doon Fire Safety Council was awarded $390,715 for fuel reduction. The Fire Prevention grants will enable local organizations like fire safe councils, to implement activities that address the risk of wildfire and reduce wildfire potential to communities and forests. Funded activities include hazardous fuel reduction, fire planning, and fire prevention education with an emphasis on improving public health and safety, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “California continues to invest millions of dollars into creating healthier, more resilient forests that benefit all of us,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director and California’s state forester. “Already this year more than 700,000 acres have burned across the state creating significant carbon releases that counter our efforts at reducing greenhouse gases. Local projects funded by this money will prevent wildfires before they start, and when combined with our fire prevention activities, will help move us toward our greenhouse gas reduction goals.” CAL FIRE’s Forest Health grants were distributed to non-profits and local and state resource agencies to implement collaborative projects that extend across multiple land ownerships. These projects seek to improve water quality, manage forest pests, and increase the use of tools such as prescribed fire and hazardous fuels reduction to create resiliency in California’s forests. Multiple projects include a bioenergy component—turning trees killed by drought and bark beetles into energy.  Five of the Forest Health grants will enable the purchase of conservation easements under CAL FIRE’s Forest Legacy Program. These grants will protect more than 14,000 acres of forestland in Humboldt and Sonoma counties from urban and agricultural development which would increase greenhouse gas emissions. To date, CAL FIRE’s Forest Legacy Program has conserved nearly 111,996 acres of working forest lands in California. The 165 grants announced today were made possible by proceeds from California’s cap-and-trade program to combat climate change. Through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, CAL FIRE and other state agencies are investing in projects that directly reduce greenhouse gases while providing a wide range of additional benefits in California communities. This May, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the creation of the Forest Management Task Force to address the issue of the health of California’s forests, which have been adversely impacted by drought and climate change. The Task Force held its first meeting on June 11 and has scheduled a second meeting for August 13. The Task Force is working to facilitate strategies to reduce risk of wildfire and increase the pace and scale of forest restoration activities leading to improved watersheds.

 Scotts Village, a prominent neighborhood shopping center in Scotts Valley (Santa Cruz County), California, has sold to a Northern California-based real estate firm for $15.35 million. Anchored by Safeway and CVS, the shopping center comprises 121,296 square feet (sf) of retail improvements including several high-profile pad buildings occupied by Chase Bank, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. Scotts Village was developed in 1984 on a leasehold interest.