Valerie Nera
Valerie Nera specializes in advocacy on agriculture, water, resources, crime, and banking and finance issues for the CalChamber. She joined the CalChamber staff in 1978 as a legislative assistant on agricultural issues. She also has lobbied air, environmental and privacy issues for the CalChamber. She earned a B.A. with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D. from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific. See full bio.
The Consequences of Drought
It’s official, California is in another drought cycle as are most of the western states. A look at the U.S. Drought Monitor shows a...
Drought Preparations Picking Up as State Dry Spell Continues with No Relief in Sight
California’s water supply levels are continuing to drop closer to those at the beginning of 2014, which was the start of the last drought...
Here We Go Again
Drought. It’s back. California’s water supply levels are slipping very close to those that existed at the beginning of 2014, which was the start...
Wildfire Season
The wildfire season seems endless. It starts earlier in the year and ends later. Practically, it’s morphed into a year-round phenomenon. CALFIRE already lists...
It’s a Little Dry – Capitol Insider
According to most weather forecasters, this fall has been a little dry so far. It’s not time to panic, but it is time to...
A Not So New State Department
With the stroke of his pen, Governor Newsom morphed the Department of Business Oversight (DBO) into the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)...
A Permit Quagmire
How long should a permit renewal take? Not a new permit, but a renewal. Three days if your renewal permit is for a desalination...
CalChamber, Water Security Coalition Commend Governor’s Framework to Prepare for Water Supply Challenges
On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom released a framework to help prepare the state’s water supply for the anticipated impacts of climate change. The Water...
Water Supply Conditions
It looks like California is headed for a long dry summer. It’s not unusual for temperatures to reach 110 degrees during the summer months...
Job Killer Bill Will Limit Lending Opportunities for Californians
A bill that will limit the financial opportunities for Californians, further harming the housing market and creating job loss is advancing in the Assembly.
AB...
Job Killer Update: AB 2501 Added to List, 1 Bill Stalled, 1 Bill Removed
A job killer bill that will significantly restrict Californians’ ability to access home and auto loans by placing onerous burdens on lenders, which will...
Larger Businesses Share in CARES Provisions
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed by President Donald Trump has provisions to help larger businesses navigate the COVID-19 crisis.
Under...
Federal CARES Act Provides Small Business Relief
Last week, Congress passed and President Donald J. Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Relief Act (CARES Act), which among other...
Stepping Up
Bankers stepped up to the plate to help allay financial concerns caused by the pandemic, offering a variety of support for customers and small business owners ..
Voluntary Water Agreements Get Nudge Forward from Administration
Ongoing discussions on improving conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, central to water access and supply considerations in California, inched ahead this month.
The focus...
State Begins Year with Good Sierra Snowpack
The first manual snow survey of the year on January 2 showed a a healthy snowpack of 33.5 inches, according to the California Department...
Water Wars Continue – Capitol Insider
Another lawsuit in the water arena is not news. Anything to do with water is complicated, controversial, and likely to take years to resolve...
CalChamber, Coalition in Support of Plan to Fix Aging Water Delivery Infrastructure
A broad coalition that includes the California Chamber of Commerce, and labor, business, environmental, community and water leaders announced the formation of Californians for...
The Blob: Wet or Dry Year in 2020?
The Blob is back in the Pacific Ocean. The Blob is a massive pool of water that is warmer than normal in the Pacific...
Public Banks – Yes or No?
A bill establishing a process for local agencies to create a public bank continues to move through the Legislature. Several amendments have been taken to...