Environmental News
Current News
Coalition of groups submits protest against water rights application for Sites Reservoir
SACRAMENTO, CA – Friends of the River (FOR) and the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), along with a coalition of tribes and environmental organizations, on August 31 submitted a protest against the water rights application and petitions of the Sites Project Authority for the proposed Sites Reservoir. FOR and CSPA said
Community News
Water quality concerns in proposed Triangle Special Planning area development prompt special meeting
Based on the concerns of several rural Elk Grove residents, a special meeting has been scheduled. The concerns center on the proposed 42-acre development at 9290 Grant Line Road, which is in the Triangle Special Planning area. The project seeks to subdivide the parcel into 33 single-family residential and two
Current News
Sturgeon perished as algae bloom hit San Francisco Bay and Delta water exports amped up
The first reports of dead white sturgeon, apparently resulting from a red tide algae bloom and oxygen depletion on San Francisco Bay, began to come in on August 4, when five white dead sturgeon off Point Molate were reported by naturalist Damon Tighe in a Facebook post. Fortunately, Tighe noted
Current News
EPA accepts civil rights complaint by Tribes, environmental justice groups against State Water Board
Washington, D.C. — On August 8, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a decision accepting for investigation a historic civil rights complaint against the State Water Resources Control Board filed by a coalition of Tribes and environmental justice organizations. The administrative complaint, filed against the Water Board on
Elections
Big Oil pumps $13 million into killing climate bills in California in first half of 2023
Sacramento — The outrageous lobbying spending by Big Oil and Big Gas to influence the Legislature, regulators and Governor’s Office in California appears to be only getting worse, according to the latest lobbying disclosures with the California Secretary of State. Lobbying disclosures from Quarter 2 of 2023 analyzed by three
Current News
Number of oil drilling permits issued in California blows past 15,000 since 2019
CA regulators issue permits for leaky, unproductive wells that should be plugged Los Angeles, CA—The total number of oil drilling permits issued blew past 15,000 since Governor Newsom took office in 2019. Meanwhile, nearly all permits issued in the first six months of 2023 were to fix unproductive
Current News
Delta Tunnel Project Removed from 2024 Calif. budget in deal between Newson, legislative leaders
Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon on the evening of June 26 reached an agreement on the 2023-24 state budget that does not include the 45 mile-long Delta Tunnel project in the trailer bill language. “In the face of continued global
Current News
State water board will hold hearing on Karuk and PCFFA petition to set minimum flows for Scott River
Happy Camp, California – Responding to a petition by the Karuk Tribe and a commercial fishing group to set and enforce a minimum flow standard for the Scott River, the State Water Resources Control Board has set a public hearing for August 15, 2023 in Sacramento. The Tribe and the Pacific
Current News
State senators, public interest groups testify against Governor’s Plan to weaken environmental laws
On June 8, the California Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee held a 3-hour informational hearing about the proposed Infrastructure proposals gutting CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) and other environmental laws that Governor Gavin Newsom wants to include as a package of trailer bills attached to the state budget that
Environmental News
California Senate Committee blocks Governor’s plan to gut environmental law to expedite Delta Tunnel
On May 25, the California Senate Budget Committee in a 3-0 vote temporarily blocked Gavin Newsom’s legislative plan to gut the landmark California Environmental Quality Act and other laws in order to fast-track the construction of the environmentally destructive Delta Tunnel, Sites Reservoir and other infrastructure projects. Democratic Senators
Environmental News