Riverside County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Riverside County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Zero-emission bus fleet transition
RTA is replacing four aging natural gas dispensers at its Riverside and Hemet bus yards with dual-hose units that can fuel big buses and smaller shuttles back-to-back. This matters for keeping the fleet running efficiently when new medium-duty service starts in July.
2026 Climate Action Plan Update
The county's updated climate plan sets a 2022 emissions baseline and targets cutting greenhouse gases 49% by 2030 and 87% by 2045. It also gives developers a new consistency checklist to use in environmental review, replacing the old 100-point scoring system.
Bark Beetle Emergency Renewal — Idyllwild and Pine Cove
The local emergency declaration for the bark beetle infestation and Golden Spotted Oak Borer find was renewed, keeping tree-kill response efforts active in the mountain communities.
2026 Wildfires on Conserved Lands
Seven fires burned roughly 9,200 acres of RCA and MSHCP conserved lands in 2026, including big hits at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area and Norton Younglove Reserve. A prescribed burn done in June acted as a fuel break during the Shore Fire — proof proactive work pays off. Staff are repairing dozer lines and fences and watching for invasive plants in burn scars.
Acquisition of Ziony property
The RCA bought about 170 acres in the Sage area for $850,000, permanently protecting habitat that connects to the regional conservation reserve system. This land helps complete proposed Habitat Core 6 and supports species like the golden eagle and mountain quail.
RivCo Clean illegal dumping program
Thousands of socialized, well-cared-for animals end up in county shelters after being abandoned. The Board reaffirmed enforcement — dumping is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine — and highlighted a North Shore sweep that impounded 18 dogs and issued 11 citations.
Transformative Climate Communities Funding for Eastern Coachella Valley
The county will apply for up to $27.5 million in state grants for community-designed projects in Mecca and North Shore — solar readiness, transportation improvements, and a community resilience center. Supervisor Perez pushed for the benefits to reach Thermal, Coachella and Thousand Palms too.
Summer land acquisitions expand the conservation reserve
The Oswit Land Trust is preserving 177 acres of the last major mesquite habitat in the Coachella Valley, with plans for a desert tortoise recovery center and education center on a full 640-acre section.
I-REN Energy Fellowship expansion
WRCOG's I-REN program helps cities and the county get free energy audits, planning, and cash incentives for efficiency projects — and now solar, battery storage, and EV charging too. The proposed $180 million budget for 2028-2035 could roughly triple available funding, but cities need to actively engage to capture it.
Bishop property featured as Reserve of the Month
The 642-acre Reynolds Reserves near Lake Elsinore, bought for about $3.4 million in 2008-09, shelter species like the coastal California gnatcatcher and even the elusive long-tailed weasel.
Right-of-way environmental site assessments
Before buying land for road projects, the agency tests for contamination, hazardous waste, lead and asbestos. Three firms will be on call for three years to keep land acquisitions on schedule.
Scenic views and oak trees along the I-15 corridor
A Temescal Valley resident warned that new multi-story buildings near the freeway are steadily erasing views of the Gavilan Hills and Santa Ana Mountains, and asked for native oaks to replace trees slated for removal. The commission approved the project but voiced sympathy for oak replacement.
Sycamore Falls Property Acquisition
The RCA bought about 170 acres in the Sage area for $850,000, permanently protecting habitat that connects to the regional conservation reserve system. This land helps complete proposed Habitat Core 6 and supports species like the golden eagle and mountain quail.
Federal Section 6 Land Acquisition Funding
Congress included report language directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fund its habitat conservation commitments — a transparency win RCA has chased since 2024. The Service still owes over 150,000 acres of acquisitions across ten HCPs, and RCA will keep pushing for more money in FY 2027.
Proposed CDFW Position Eliminations in State Budget
Governor Newsom's budget proposes permanently eliminating 164 vacant California Department of Fish and Wildlife positions, some of which handle the permitting the MSHCP depends on. The RCA is advocating to save them.
Senate Bill 1250 — Wildlife Connectivity in Transportation Planning
The RCA endorsed SB 1250, which would require wildlife crossings to be considered in routine transportation planning. The bill aims to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and keep animal populations connected across highways.
Energy Resilience Plan 2.0 Final Deliverables
WRCOG finished feasibility studies for backup power (microgrids) and community resilience centers at member agency facilities, prompted by multi-day power shutoffs during the January 2025 wildfires. Each city and the county now decides whether to pursue projects, with I-REN audits and state grants available to help.
Food Rescue Program Funding Cliff
The regional SB 1383 food rescue program has recovered 18 million pounds of food, but state grant money runs out in November 2026 and no more is coming. Participating cities like Murrieta will have to absorb costs or find alternatives; staff offered a 'warm handoff' to the free CARAT app.
MSHCP reserve assembly progress and shortfalls
The habitat plan is only about 46% of the way to its 153,000-acre conservation goal, and one rough step unit is out of balance, blocking some development impacts until conservation catches up. Supervisors pressed staff on how to help lagging jurisdictions reach their goals.
I-15 Rainbow Canyon wildlife crossing
A planned wildlife overcrossing on I-15 south of Temecula just got a nearly $4 million state grant for design and permitting. It would reconnect mountain lion populations split by the freeway and could also reduce car-animal crashes for drivers.
Eastern Coachella Valley mobile home park paving (AB 617)
A $4.57 million agreement with the air district will finally pave dirt roads in mobile home parks — the region's biggest source of affordable housing and a major dust and particulate source. A community advocate asked the county to expand the program to more projects.
Adequacy of Mitigated Negative Declaration for Skybridge hydrogen project
Environmental groups and residents argue a project this novel and water-intensive can't be approved on a mitigated negative declaration — they want a full environmental impact report covering air quality, wildlife, and cumulative water use.
Agricultural pest emergencies renewed
Two long-running agricultural emergencies were renewed, letting the county tap state funds to fight citrus greening and the vineyard-killing Pierce's disease. A Temecula resident asked what the money actually buys; the Ag Commissioner's office described nursery inspections, trapping, and treatments.
Habitat Degradation and Game Warden Staffing
A director asked RCA to lobby the state for more game wardens, saying they're stretched thin and should help cities address habitat damage caused by homeless encampments, including along 14 miles of Lake Elsinore shoreline.
Greenleaf Power Desert View plant cleanup in Mecca
Mecca and Coachella Valley residents say the closed biomass power plant left toxic contamination — lead, mercury, arsenic — near homes and a school, and no one will tell them the cleanup plan. They want county help getting the tribe, EPA and state agencies to the table and testing of nearby homes.
Potential real property acquisition (closed session)
The board met in closed session to negotiate a possible purchase of property from the Terry Family Trust (APN 366-310-002). No reportable action was expected.