Category Archives: Jobs

CEQA, Jobs, NEPA, Planning, Politics, protecting cultural heritage, water

Protecting Section 106 and our Cultural Heritage

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Protect our Cultural Heritage. Once gone it is never coming back.

Congress is considering major changes to federal permitting laws through the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA), S. 5653. BAAJA would expedite federal permitting by amending laws including the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5653 Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) is the official sponsor of S. 5653. She is supported by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

California just voted to oppose Prop 45 as did most other states who voted on overriding environment protections. This is the national effort to override the voter’s wishes to limit development of data centers and other destructive projects on national lands and parks.

NATHPO supports efficient permitting, responsible infrastructure development, and effective federal decision-making but not at the expense of Tribal sovereignty, consultation, sacred places, or cultural heritage that Section 106 was enacted to protect.

NATHPO opposes BAAJA as written. Its changes would narrow Section 106, expand agency control, shorten consultation timelines, impose new THPO enforcement, and limit judicial review and remedies. NATHPO and other Tribal organizations urge Congress to withdraw the NHPA language and develop an alternative with Indian Country that ensures early, meaningful consultation and protects sovereignty and sacred places… (more)

Live rally video: November 9, 2026 in Washington DC (not the best audio track)

 

 

CA, Economy, Jobs

California’s political hopefuls remain silent on state’s job losses, unemployment

BY DAN WALTERS : calmatters – excerpt

In two months California voters will elect a governor, fill several other statewide offices and choose a new class of state legislators and members of Congress.

The aspirants for those positions are making all sorts of promises to win voters’ approval. But few, if any, have mentioned a slow-motion menace affecting a fundamental facet of life: jobs.

The state has never fully recovered from the virtual shutdown of the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. It still has more than a million unemployed workers. Its unemployment rate continues to be the highest, or nearly so, of any state. And its signature economic sectors, such as high tech and film production, have been shedding jobs for several years.

As ominous as those data points sound, a deeper dive into employment data reveals an even darker reality.

“California’s labor market is holding up, but its foundations remain troublingly narrow,” Justin Niakamal, research manager at Beacon Economics, said in a recent overview of the state’s economy. Healthcare is the only sector with strong employment gains, he noted…(more)

CA, Jobs, Politics

California becomes the first state to launch a tool to monitor and track artificial intelligence’s impacts on the workforce

Governor Newsom  News

California AI-Unemployment Tracker (CAIT)

“I thank our partners at the California Policy Lab for helping us lead the way.”…

What you need to know: As part of Governor Newsom’s executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) and the workforce, California today introduced a first-in-the-nation online tracking tool to monitor and detect AI-related job loss.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of California’s first-in-the-nation tool to proactively track AI-related job loss trends – an early warning system to help the state monitor, track, and anticipate job loss. The dashboard was developed in partnership with the University of California, California Policy Lab and released as part of the Governor’s recent executive order issued to prepare workers, small businesses, and communities for the economic disruption that artificial intelligence will bring.

“California has always been a place that embraces innovation while taking seriously the responsibility that comes with it. We’re shaping the future — and charting the course for the nation. As AI advances, we aren’t just watching from the sidelines; we’re reimagining how we prepare California through strong governance and innovative policy.”… (more)