Representatives of local and state government interested in energy and climate policies in rural portions of California are encouraged to attend a forum being being held Sept. 28 in Sacramento.

The Rural Energy and Climate Policy Forum is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, 828 I St. Click here for more information and registration.

The forum will provide local government officials and others an overview from top-level state staff on where state agencies and Gov. Jerry Brown's administration stand with regard to developing climate policy, programs, regulations and incentives.

The event will focus on AB 32 and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and feature representatives of Gov. Brown, the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission.

Among the topics: cap and trade, the role of sustainable communities in implementing AB 32, a scoping plan analysis for rural communities, the incorporation of CEQA into general plans and tips and tools for incorporating the Energy Aware Planning Guide.

The Sierra Nevada Energy Watch is hosting the event, and is encouraging representatives from the San Joaquin Valley to attend.