WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- The Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA), Sacramento, California, submitted a public comment letter to the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expressing opposition to a proposed rule aimed at preserving Medicaid funding. ARCA, which represents an interdependent network of 21 community-based organizations serving over 450,000 Californians with developmental disabilities, urged the administration to not finalize the rul  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Attorneys General from Washington and California have submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality, urging the agency to enhance the weight given to public input in environmental decision-making processes. The letter, which encompasses insights from various environmental health reports and climate assessments, highlights the critical role that community feedback plays in shaping effective environmental policies. The letter outlines a c  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- Collins, a fifth-generation family-owned company operating sawmills and managing over 370,000 acres of forestland, has issued a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expressing support for the agency's efforts to modernize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance procedures. However, Collins also voiced critical concerns regarding certain provisions within the interim final rule. The company, which plays a significant role as an   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The East Bay Community Law Center, Berkeley, California, has issued a public comment letter to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) expressing strong opposition to changes proposed for Form G-325A, which would exclude recipients of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) from receiving deferred action protections. EBCLC asserts that these revisions, alongside the recent policy changes announced by USCIS, threaten to end vital safeguards for vulnerable chil  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development strongly opposing the proposed rescission of the agency's Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing (AFHM) regulations. The organization, which works to eliminate housing discrimination, stated that the rules are critical to fulfilling the promise of the Fair Housing Act. The advocates explained that the rules require owners of federally-assisted  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 2 (TNSLrpt) -- The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco released Economic Brief No. 25-13 titled 'Worker and Firm Search in the Labor Market: Evidence from Classified Advertisements,' authored by Huixin Bi, Nicolas Petrosky-Nadeau, Nora Traum, and Greg Woodward. This brief analyzes labor market search behaviors in the United States through data sourced from early twentieth-century classified advertisements. Issued in August 2025, the report uses newly compiled m  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Los Angeles County Assessor's Office has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, expressing strong opposition to a proposed rule change that could severely impact the assessment and taxation of aircraft property in California. The proposed rule, associated with Docket No. FAA-2025-0638, was created in the context of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, but concerns have been raised about its potential unintended consequences for local  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Marine Mammal Commission has submitted a comprehensive public comment letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), expressing concerns over the U.S. Navy's application for incidental take authorizations related to training and testing activities within the Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT) study area. The Commission, backed by extensive scientific consultation, has called for significant revisions to the density estimates and mitigation measures i  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- The San Diego Bird Alliance (SDBA), California, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of birds and their habitats, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service regarding proposed revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices. The organization, which has over 3,000 members, strongly opposes the consolidation of Upland Wildlife Habitat Management Code 645 and Wetland Habitat  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- Stewards of the Sequoia, a prominent volunteer organization based in California, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expressing concerns regarding proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the use of Categorical Exclusions (CEs). The organization, which has been active since 2005, highlighted its commitment to promoting responsible recreation and environmental stewardship in the Sequoia National Fores  more