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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.