NSDC Special District Leaders Advance Policy Goals on the Hill, Look to Next Steps

By Cole Arreola-Karr, NSDC Federal Advocacy Director

The nation’s special district stakeholders successfully walked the halls of Congress for the second time, setting the foundation advocacy priorities in the 118th Congress as part of the 2023 National Special Districts Coalition (NSDC) “Special Districts on the Hill.” Leaders and stakeholders from coast to coast – that is, California to Florida – met with 36 offices of the U.S. House and Senate to promote awareness of special districts as a central element of the country’s local government landscape. In doing so, the group of 12 advocated for the establishment of a “special district” definition in federal law and broader inclusion in federallyfunded local government programs. NSDC also focused on ongoing efforts to address community gaps in adequate water infrastructure for firefighting. The two topics continue to be top Coalition priorities.

California’s special districts were well represented in discussions with key members of Coalition state congressional delegations. Neil McCormick, CSDA Chief Executive Officer; Ryan Clausnitzer, CSDA Past President and Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Manager; and Kyle Packham, CSDA Advocacy and Public Affairs Director met with Western U.S. representatives. As NSDC’s working group tasked with crafting a recommended federal definition for “special district” had posed a final draft for feedback at the time of the DC visits, the early proposal was floated as a “temperature check,” so-to-speak, for support. These conversations allowed the NSDC Advocacy Team to identify and build legislative champions for the Coalition’s next steps, as CSDA CEO and NSDC Chairman Neil McCormick outlined in this California

Special Districts magazine CEO welcome message. We are eager for the next steps of this advocacy – and we will need all-hands-on-deck to make sure we cross the finish line and secure a definition in federal law. Doing so will require special districts to submit letters of support (or thanks) to their representatives in the U.S. House and Senate.

NSDC leaders were not the only ones promoting special district priorities in Washington, D.C., during this week in April. NSDC and CSDA advocates were able to synergize with the Tahoe Water for Fire Suppression Coalition, comprised of special districts providing water services in the Lake Tahoe Basin, as well as federal representatives for the Association of California Water Agencies on water infrastructure for firefighting issues. Together, NSDC and the Tahoe coalition were able to complement messages and further policy proposals to assist communities with enhancement of fire suppression infrastructure.

NSDC and the Tahoe coalition focused this conversation on broadening the $1 billion Community Wildlife Defense Grant program, first authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Coalition is pressing to expand the U.S. Department of Agriculture program to include water infrastructure for firefighting needs as eligible planning and prevention projects. The five-year program’s objective is to reduce a community’s risk of wildfire destruction through increasing defensible space, enhance weatherization and fire resistance of structures, and address other community wildfire mitigation needs. So far, the program has only cycled through one of its five authorized fiscal years.

Left image: Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and California special districts association representatives

Right image: (left to right) Michael Valdez, Colorado Special Districts Association; Kyle Packham, California Special Districts Association; Congressman Kevin Kiley; Neil McCormick, California Special Districts Association; Ryan Clausnitzer, California Special Districts Association; Frank Stratton, Special Districts Association of Oregon; Ann Terry, Special District Association of Colorado; and Allison Ulmer, Special District Association of Colorado

The proposed policy change is aimed to provide an additional tool for wildland-urban infrastructure communities’ use to mitigate catastrophic wildfire’s deadly and devastating impacts, which many of California’s special districts unfortunately know all too well. NSDC will keep its members updated on developments and share advocacy needs as they arise.

The Coalition thanks all 36 congressional office staffs for their active engagement with Coalition Members during fly-in, and we especially thank the members of Congress that took time out of a chaotic week to meet with CSDA representatives and others in the Coalition: Representatives John Duarte, R-Calif.; Val Hoyle, D-Ore.; Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla.; Kevin Kiley, R-Calif.; Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.;

The April fly-in was the second for NSDC, having made its initial introductions on Capitol Hill in September 2022. The fly-in event will be a primary element of NSDC’s legislative advocacy program as it continues to develop. The Ferguson Group and Paragon Government Relations coordinated the event along with Karr Advocacy Strategies.

Please stay tuned to CSDA’s eNews and Advocacy News blog for news as it breaks on this important issue.