In the News
‘Our roads are in bad shape’: Biden infrastructure bill provides hope for Humboldt County roads
by Mario Cortez
The possible impact of the Biden administration's American Jobs Plan, a proposed jobs bill that includes provisions for rebuilding infrastructure, is being seen as a major opportunity for Humboldt County and local cities to complete projects and renew existing infrastructure. The $2 trillion bill was first announced by President Joe Biden on Wednesday and includes provisions for infrastructure repairs, transportation, housing and job creation, among others. It will be sent to Congress to be … Continue Reading
March 31, 2021
Marin officials laud Biden infrastructure plan
by MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
Marin County planners and political leaders found much to like in the $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan that President Joe Biden outlined on Wednesday. Biden described the proposal to reengineer the nation's infrastructure over the next eight years as "a once-in-a-generation investment in America" that would, in the process, undo his predecessor's signature legislative achievement of giant tax cuts for corporations. Marin representatives and transportation officials said the plan could … Continue Reading
March 30, 2021
California Preparing for Year-Round Fire Season
by Tori Apodaca
OROVILLE, Calif. - Today Governor Gavin Newsom approved over $80 million for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Cal Fire, to not only battle wildfires when they happen but to keep them from starting in the first place. "Weather has not been our friend in this past year," said Captain John Gaddie from Cal Fire Butte County. It may continue to not be our friend moving forward. "With the lack of precipitation, the fuels dry out," said Gaddie. "We're having a little bit … Continue Reading
March 29, 2021
Jared Huffman calls on USPS to reconsider contract, electrify vehicles
by ISABELLA VANDERHEIDEN
Joined by a dozen members of Congress, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) called upon the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors to reconsider its 10-year contract with Oshkosh Defense to produce up to 165,000 Next Generation Delivery Vehicles, only 10% of which would be electric vehicles. Earlier this month, Huffman introduced legislation to provide $6 billion in funding to replace at least 75% of the U.S. Postal Service's fleet with electric vehicles. The Postal Vehicle … Continue Reading
March 28, 2021
Jared Huffman presses US transportation secretary on Last Chance Grade funding
North Coast. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman questioned U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during a hearing last week, highlighting the precarious nature of Last Chance Grade on U.S. Highway 101 just south of Crescent City. Huffman invited Buttigieg to visit the North Coast to see "one of the most beautiful places in the world" while noting "I would love to show you a lot of aging and failing infrastructure, including highways, roads, and bridges." "I believe that if you're endlessly … Continue Reading
March 26, 2021
Bill protecting wildfire victims' disaster compensation advances
by Farm Progress Staff
A bipartisan bill to prevent the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from seeking reimbursement for certain wildfire relief funds it issued has been sent to the floor of the House of Representatives. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., teamed with a half-dozen other lawmakers to sponsor H.R. 539, which would prevent FEMA from taking back disaster assistance funds that it mistakenly awarded to victims who applied for assistance in good faith and used the money to help rebuild their lives. The … Continue Reading
March 25, 2021
House Democrats call on Biden to ease policies on White House staffers’ marijuana use
by Melissa Quinn
Washington - A group of House Democrats are urging President Biden to relax the White House's employment policies regarding marijuana use in the wake of a report that several White House staffers were disciplined after disclosing past cannabis use. In a letter to Mr. Biden dated Thursday, 30 Democratic lawmakers asked the president to clarify his employment suitability policies, remove past marijuana use as a possible disqualifier and apply the personnel policies "with consistency and … Continue Reading
March 20, 2021
Dems Knock White House for ‘Out of Touch’ Stance on Weed
by Matt Fuller and Asawin Suebsaeng
A day after The Daily Beast reported on the White House disqualifying would-be staffers over past marijuana use, lawmakers on Capitol Hill were already signaling disapproval and potential investigations into the policy. "I want to find out how and why this happened, and obviously I'm going to urge them to change course," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told The Daily Beast on Friday. Huffman said most of America had "evolved beyond Jeff Sessions' reefer madness hysteria," and he noted that … Continue Reading
March 19, 2021
California Sen. Alex Padilla backs sweeping US wilderness bill as House authors wait for Senate opening
by ANDREW GRAHAM
A far-reaching package of public lands bills that would designate more than 535,000 acres of new federal wilderness in California is picking up support in the U.S. Senate, where its fate will be determined after swift passage last month by Democrats who control the House. California's two Democratic senators, Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, will introduce a series of companion pieces in the Senate to support the legislation in the coming weeks, according to Padilla's spokeswoman. Rep. … Continue Reading
March 18, 2021
Huffman Introduces Bill to Fund Electrification of USPS Postal Fleet
Congressman Jared Huffman speaks to school children during a trip to Crescent City in 2019. Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA), member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced the Postal Vehicle Modernization Act, legislation to provide $6 billion in funding to electrify the United States Postal Service's outdated and dangerous vehicle fleet. "By electrifying the Postal Service fleet, we have an opportunity to boost our economy, slash emissions and save the … Continue Reading
March 16, 2021
COVID-19: Eureka, Arcata plan uses for federal relief funds
by Sonia Waraich
The most recently passed COVID-19 relief package is expected to bring millions into the county. Humboldt County as a whole is set to receive $26.29 million from the recently passed American Rescue Plan, according to a March 10 press release from Rep. Jared Huffman's Office. The legislation allocates an estimated $3,469,232 for Arcata, $234,343 for Blue Lake, $5,027,572 for Eureka, $254,484 for Ferndale and $2,307,488 for Fortuna. "Californians have been struggling for over a year in the face … Continue Reading
March 16, 2021
COVID relief stimulus payments roll out fast
by Trinity Journal Staff
On Wednesday, March 10, the American Rescue Plan was approved and sent to President Joe Biden. After voting for H.R. 1319, California Rep Jared Huffman said the legislation would provide vaccines, put kids back in school and money in people's pockets. President Biden signed the bill the following day, sending a wave of stimulus payments to Americans. "This is a historic week for our country. Californians have been struggling for over a year in the face of this once in a century pandemic … Continue Reading
March 15, 2021
Sonoma County congressmen promise sharp increase in COVID-19 vaccine doses coming soon
by Martin Espinoza
Sonoma County's congressmen Monday assured local residents big waves of coronavirus vaccines would be arriving in the coming weeks. U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, said recent steps taken by the Biden administration, including last week's passage of the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill and the deployment of the Defense Production Act, finally will alleviate the scarcity of available vaccine doses in the county, California and across the … Continue Reading
March 15, 2021
Give postal EVs a quick stamp of approval
by Dorothy Robyn
Environmentalists reacted angrily last month when the U.S. Postal Service failed to move aggressively toward electric vehicles (EVs) in awarding the contract for its next-generation delivery vehicle. But the Postal Service is not anti-EV, just broke - and the Postmaster General is negotiating, not thumbing his nose at the president's climate plan. Congress and the administration should pony up: Electrification of the postal fleet is a no brainer - and the single most powerful use of the … Continue Reading
March 13, 2021
Key Democrats push Biden to reform, not end, oil and gas leasing on federal land
by Josh Siegel
Democratic lawmakers and governors are calling for the Biden administration to reform the process of oil and gas leasing on federal lands without ending it. President Biden promised a ban as one of his signature campaign pledges to help combat climate change but has so far only imposed an indefinite pause on issuing new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters. The pause has already met fierce backlash from the fossil fuel industry and states, including Democratic-led ones, that depend … Continue Reading
March 13, 2021
House Oversight Committee demands release of $6B USPS vehicle contract
by Jordan Williams
The House Oversight and Reform Committee is demanding that the U.S. Postal Service release a contract with a private company for a new delivery vehicle fleet that is reportedly worth up to $6 billion. Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Friday voicing several concerns about potential interference and asking for documents relating to a contract with Oshkosh Defense. The Postal Service is contracted to purchase up to 165,000 new … Continue Reading
March 13, 2021
Rep. Huffman explains how American Rescue Plan forgives taxes on unemployment benefits
by Marissa Papanek
NORTH COAST, Calif. - Millions of Americans who found they owed hundreds, or even thousands of dollars in taxes on unemployment benefits they received in 2020 are navigating how the American Rescue Plan will lower their tax bills. "It's a really confusing and really startling situation," Arcata resident Zachary Lathouris told North Coast News. Lathouris lost his job shortly after the pandemic hit, and collected unemployment for about 10 months. When he sat down to file his 2020 taxes, he was … Continue Reading
March 12, 2021
Lawmakers push watershed restoration, climate spending
by Nick Sobczyk
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, on Capitol Hill last year. Francis Chung/E&E News House lawmakers yesterday explored investments in coastal restoration and water projects, potentially as part of an infrastructure bill based around President Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda. During a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife hearing, Democrats pointed to natural infrastructure, as well … Continue Reading
March 12, 2021
Democrats debate fast-track for infrastructure package
by Scott Wong
A sweeping infrastructure and climate change package. Lowering prescription drug prices. A long-awaited immigration overhaul. With a nearly $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package now signed into law, Democrats on Capitol Hill have begun wrestling with this question: Which policy issues should they fast-track next? The arcane budget reconciliation process would allow Democrats - who control razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate - to sidestep a GOP filibuster in the Senate and push … Continue Reading
March 11, 2021
DeJoy, Postal Service at a crossroads ahead of restructuring plan
by Casey Wooten
Two weeks ago, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told the House panel tasked with overseeing the U.S. Postal Service to "get used to me," despite the recent change in administration and his clashes with Democratic lawmakers. But as President Biden looks to make his mark on the beleaguered USPS and DeJoy is set to release a 10-year restructuring plan to a likely buzzsaw of criticism in Congress, his future at the helm of the mail carrier isn't assured. DeJoy-a Trump administration holdover-has … Continue Reading