Governors Briefs: California is Job Creator/ Bolstering Conservation Efforts and an LA Appointment

California Created a Fifth of the Nation’s Jobs in February

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding the March 25 jobs report showing that California created 20.4% of the nation’s jobs in February while decreasing the unemployment rate:

• California’s 138,100 new jobs in February far outpaced every other state, and it was 60,300 more jobs than the next closest state of Texas and 87,100 more jobs than Florida.
• California has now regained 87.2% (2,405,900) of the 2,758,900 nonfarm jobs lost during March and April of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Of the 678,000 jobs the nation gained in February, California accounted for 20.4% of them. The state’s year-over job growth of 6.8% also outpaced the nation’s rate of 4.6%.
• California has enjoyed month-over gains in nonfarm jobs in 12 of the past 13 months, averaging roughly 101,700 jobs gained per month over that time.
• Since January 2021, California has created more than 1.3 million jobs.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/ysm7kujb

As Western Drought Worsens, Gov. Newsom Moves to Bolster Regional Conservation Efforts

SACRAMENTO – Following the driest first three months of a year in the state’s recorded history, Gov. Gavin Newsom March 28, took steps to drive water conservation at the local level, calling on local water suppliers to move to Level 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plans, which require locally-appropriate actions that will conserve water across all sectors, and directing the State Water Resources Control Board to consider a ban on the watering of decorative grass at businesses and institutions. 

In an executive order signed today, the Governor ordered the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to evaluate the adoption of regulations banning irrigation of “non-functional” turf (or grass), such as decorative grass adjacent to large industrial and commercial buildings. The ban would not include residential lawns or grass used for recreation, such as school fields, sports fields and parks. The Department of Water Resources estimates this ban alone will result in potential water savings of several hundred thousand acre-feet. An acre-foot of water serves the needs of approximately three households for a year.

A copy of the executive order can be found here.

Today’s executive order includes several other provisions that will protect all water users:

• Ensuring Vulnerable Communities Have Drinking Water
  • Cuts red tape so communities that need access to emergency hauled or bottled water can get it immediately
• Safeguarding Groundwater Supplies
  • Requires local permitting authorities to coordinate with Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to ensure new proposed wells do not compromise existing wells or infrastructure, as 85 percent of public water systems rely heavily on groundwater during drought
  • Streamlines permitting for groundwater recharge projects that help to refill aquifers when rains come
• Protecting Vulnerable Fish And Wildlife
  • Expedites state agency approvals for necessary actions to protect fish and wildlife where drought conditions threaten their health and survival
• Preventing Illegal Water Diversions
  • Directs the Water Board to expand site inspections in order to determine whether illegal diversions are occurring
    

    ---

Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom March 29, announced the following appointment: Dhakshike Wickrema, 49, of Los Angeles, has been appointed deputy secretary of homelessness at the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Wickrema has been senior deputy for homelessness and housing for Los Angeles City Council District 10 since 2020. She was senior deputy for homelessness and mental health for Los Angeles County Supervisorial District 2 from 2015 to 2020. Wickrema was a senior project manager at the Shelter Partnership Inc. from 2007 to 2015. She earned a Master of City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $176,580. Wickrema is a Democrat.