We Cambrians are blessed with an apparent abundance of open space. The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, State Parks’ Moonstone Beach, Greenspace’s various preserves, Hearst San Simeon State Park and San Simeon Cove to our north, and Harmony Headlands a few miles south — quite a list.

San Luis Obispo Tribune, 3-29-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Small earthquake felt in San Diego late Friday

A small earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.5 shook parts of southern California late on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Reuters, 4-1-1

Santa Monica adopts nation's most extensive earthquake retrofit plan

The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday passed the nation’s most extensive seismic retrofitting effort, which will require safety improvements to as many as 2,000 buildings suspected to be vulnerable in an earthquake.

Los Angeles Times, 3-29-17

The Cascadia story chapter 5: A Humboldt County earthquake sheds light on the Cascadia risk

Next month marks 25 years since the last major North Coast earthquake. This earthquake was a really big deal — both in terms of impacts on the North Coast and in how it changed the way we think about regional hazards.

Eureka Times-Standard, 3-30-17

M=4 earthquake at southern tip of the great 1906 San Andreas rupture

At 3:55 a.m. this morning, a M=4.0 earthquake shook the Santa Cruz Mountains section of the San Andreas Fault. The epicenter of the quake was 20 km west of the city of Hollister, and shaking was felt in Santa Cruz.

Temblor.com, 3-31-17

Magnitude 4.0 earthquake strikes near Aromas, California

The United States Geological Survey reports a preliminary magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck near Aromas, California on Friday.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-1-17

Magnitude 4.0 earthquake strikes near Aromas on Central Coast

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck early Friday morning near the small Central Coast town of Aromas, Calif., the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

Los Angeles Times, 3-31-17

M=5.7 earthquake highlights rifting Gulf of California

Yesterday, at 8:15 a.m. local time, a M=5.7 earthquake shook the southern portion of the Gulf of California.

Temblor.com, 3-31-17

3.5 earthquake gently shakes San Diego and Tijuana overnight

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake erupted three miles east-southeast of Tijuana at 11:40 p.m. on Friday, lightly shaking areas of northern Baja California and San Diego County, the US Geological Survey said.

San Diego Union Tribune, 4-1-17

Tsunamis: What to know in Ventura County

The goal sounds relatively simple. If a tsunami hits, get to higher ground. But then there are the unknowns.

Ventura County Star, 3-31-17

ALISO CANYON

Porter Ranch Residents Push For Senate Bill That Would Keep Aliso Canyon Facility Closed

About 100 people from Porter Ranch attended a meeting in Northridge Saturday regarding a Senate bill that could keep the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility closed.

KABC-TV, 4-1-17

L.A. County study decries state claims for need of Aliso Canyon storage plant

A scathing Los Angeles County study has concluded that the troubled Aliso Canyon natural gas facility isn’t needed to ensure reliability of electricity and gas service in the region this summer or the coming winter.

Los Angeles Times, 3-31-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Newport Beach improperly approved Banning Ranch project, state Supreme Court rules

The California Supreme Court decided unanimously Thursday that the city of Newport Beach failed to adequately review a large proposed development on the coastal Banning Ranch oil field before approving it.

Los Angeles Times, 3-30-17

California Supreme Court deals blow to Banning Ranch development

The California Supreme Court put up another obstacle to the controversial Newport Banning Ranch development project on Thursday, ruling that the environmental impact report for the project was inadequate.

Southern California Public Radio, 3-30-17

Venoco Inc. granted pipeline lease extension, seeks 25-year renewal on offshore oil platforms in Santa Barbara Channel

Venoco Inc. inked an 18-month lease extension from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on March 21 to continue transporting oil in submerged pipelines offshore of Carpinteria. It’s the company’s second such extension since it began seeking a 25-year lease renewal from the county in September 2015.

Santa Maria Sun, 3-29-17

FRACKING

A Pillar Of The Anti-Fracking Movement Takes A Hit. The Implications?

A pillar of the anti-fracking movement has fallen now that a federal judge has set aside a lucrative jury award and has ordered a new trial. It involves the Dimock case that was spotlighted by the 2010 documentary “Gasland,” which sought to portray drilling as harmful to drinking water supplies.

Forbes, 4-3-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

California’s ‘new’ environmentalism: Toxic air, tainted water driving climate-change debate

Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s hometown of Bell Gardens is so notoriously contaminated by toxic waste sites and freeways stacked with diesel trucks that some residents of nearby towns call it “Bell Garbage.”

East Bay Times, 4-1-17

Surge of hydropower could force cutbacks of solar, wind

An abundance of rain and snowfall this winter has teed up what’s expected to be a bountiful year for hydroelectricity production in California, as reservoirs recover from five years of drought.

San Francisco Chronicle, 3-31-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

More Bang for Your Duck -- After a rough few years, Sacramento Valley rice farmers are supplementing crop profits with environmental stewardship

Rice farmer Michael Bosworth can easily recognize the distinctive “kla-ha, kla-ha” call made by white-fronted geese on his property. They always sound like they’re having a good laugh. The birds’ high-pitched yelps reveal their presence before we approach a flock of them among some wintering grounds on a December morning.

Comstocks, 4-4-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Moorpark considers soil study at proposed library site

The Moorpark City Council is being asked to approve a $19,704 contract with a firm to study the soil conditions on the property where a new city library is being proposed.

Ventura County Star, 4-3-17

Landslide risk in San Rafael halts SMART testing

Work to shore up landslide-prone hillsides near the Puerto Suello Hill Tunnel in San Rafael has halted the testing of SMART trains south of the Marin Civic Center, but the agency’s top official said it would not delay the start of service.

Marin Independent Journal, 4-3-17

ALISO CANYON

Does LA-area need all that natural gas from Aliso Canyon? Not really, study finds

Southern California won’t plunge into darkness this summer or next winter if the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility remains untapped for a while longer, according to conclusions reached in a Los Angeles County study.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-3-17

Porter Ranch Residents Take Matters In Their Own Hands, Conduct Independent Testing

Several Porter Ranch residents who live near the Aliso Canyon gas facility, the location of the largest single methane leak in U.S. history, still believe their health is in danger and have begun to pay for their own independent laboratory testing for toxins.

KCBS-TV (Los Angeles), 4-3-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

New Rumblings About Man-Made Quakes: 5 Questions Answered

Oklahoma saw more than 100 earthquakes just in the past seven days. You read that right: Oklahoma.

National Geographic, 3-29-17

Want more renewable energy? State should stop building natural gas plants

California has a reputation of being on the cutting edge of clean energy. But the state still clings to old habits – using natural gas to generate electricity – to provide the necessary flexibility to keep the electric grid reliable.

Sacramento Bee, 4-3-17

WATER

Have SoCal's water supplies recovered? Depends on where you live

Here in California, we've been on a roller coaster when it comes to water. After five years of crippling drought, the Golden State had one of its wettest winters on record. So what has all the rain and snow meant for our water supply in Southern California? It depends on where you live and where your water comes from.

89.3 KPCC Southern California Public Radio, 4-2-17

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Major Highway 1 landslide closure south of Big Sur to continue at least four more weeks

Highway 1 is still struggling with temporary closures in the aftermath of winter rains that battered the iconic coastal road. While areas north of Big Sur have reopened to travelers, a full closure due to landslides near the town of Lucia won’t be fixed for at least four to six weeks, according to Caltrans.

Los Angeles Times, 4-4-17

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

Losses from mine spill may be less than feared

Economic damage from a Colorado mine waste spill caused by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may be far less than originally feared after attorneys drastically reduced some of the larger claims, The Associated Press has learned.

Associated Press, 4-3-17

ALISO CANYON

Does LA-area need all that natural gas from Aliso Canyon? Not really, study finds

Los Angeles Daily News, 4-3-17

Proposal to keep Aliso Canyon gas storage facility temporarily closed advances in California Senate

California senators advanced legislation Tuesday that would keep the gas storage facility at Aliso Canyon closed until a study is completed on the 2015 leak that forced thousands to evacuate their homes.

Los Angeles Times, 4-4-17

Bill To Keep Aliso Canyon Temporarily Closed Passes Calif. Senate Committee

A state Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday that would prevent the reopening of the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility near Porter Ranch until an investigation is completed into the cause of a four-month methane leak.

KCBS-TV (Los Angeles), 4-4-17

Bill to delay reopening Aliso Canyon clears a state hurdle

A state bill that would keep the gates closed on new natural gas injections at Aliso Canyon until the cause of the four-month leak was determined passed a key hurdle Tuesday in Sacramento.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-4-17

Aliso Canyon Gas Facility Reopening Hits Another Snag

A state Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday that would prevent the reopening of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in Porter Ranch until an investigation is completed into the cause of a four-month methane leak from the facility.

Los Angeles City News Service, 4-4-17

Aliso Canyon and voting bills both onto Senate Appropriations Committee

Both of Senator Henry Stern’s senate bills set for committee hearings on Tuesday are successfully moving forward.

Santa Clarita Signal, 4-4-17

SoCalGas Storage Field Not Needed, LA County Study Says

Supporting the contention of many local residents and government officials, a study commissioned by Los Angeles County has concluded that Southern California Gas Co.'s (SoCalGas) now-closed 86 Bcf Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage facility is not needed to ensure regional energy reliability, countering past contentions from state energy officials.

NGI Shale Gas Daily, 4-3-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

SoCalGas Storage Field Not Needed, LA County Study Says

NGI Daily, 4-4-17

GENERAL

Walt Ranch development, Syar quarry expansion proceeding slowly amid legal challenges

Two of Napa County’s most high-profile land planning cases from last year — Walt Ranch vineyards and Syar quarry expansion — are trying to move forward amid legal uncertainty.

Napa Valley Register, 4-3-17

Drought may be nearly over, but Californians are still saving water

Californians are still conserving substantial amounts of water even as Gov. Jerry Brown appears ready to rescind or relax his drought declaration.

Sacramento Bee, 4-5-17

FRACKING

Maryland Governor Signs Fracking Ban Into Law

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed a bill Tuesday to ban the hydraulic fracturing drilling process known as fracking in Maryland, the first state where a legislature has voted to bar the practice that actually has natural gas reserves.

Associated Press, 4-4-17

WATER

Drought may be nearly over, but Californians are still saving water

Californians are still conserving substantial amounts of water even as Gov. Jerry Brown appears ready to rescind or relax his drought declaration.

Sacramento Bee, 4-4-17

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Napa Valley: Earthquake-damaged Trefethen winery to reopen

When a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the heart of Napa Valley on Aug. 25, 2014 at 3:20 a.m., wine bottles fell off shelves and shattered, and heavy, wine-filled oak barrels tumbled off storage racks, crashing to the ground and splitting open. While many wineries lost gallons of wine that day, none sustained quite the damage suffered by the historic 1886 winery building at Trefethen Family Vineyards.

Bay Area News Group, 4-6-17

Bay Area Leaders Gather To Discuss Earthquake Preparedness

Bay Area leaders and are gathering for the Epicenter Summit to discuss what to do when the big one hits.

KGO-TV (San Francisco), 4-5-17

6.1 magnitude earthquake near Iran's Mashhad kills 2

A powerful magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northeastern Iran near the holy city of Mashhad on Wednesday, killing at least two people as residents fled onto the streets and aftershocks shook the region.

Associated Press, 4-5-17

Slip, Sliding Away

Mother Nature is just not on Last Chance Grade's side. Caught between an eroding coastline and three massive landslides on unrelenting marches toward the ocean, the long-failing highway section with an ominous name doesn't seem to stand a chance.

North Coast Journal, 4-5-17

Spotting the slippery slope: What to watch out for when buying a hillside home

This winter’s heavy rains were a blessing for California, relieving the prolonged drought, sending waterfalls cascading down mountainsides and giving rise to a spectacular super-bloom. But for owners and potential buyers of hillside homes? Not so much.

Los Angeles Times, 4-6-17

FRACKING

Maryland Governor Signs Fracking Ban Into Law

Associated Press, 4-4-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

California's conservative farmers tackle climate change, in their own way

Like all California farmers, Don Cameron is used to long dry spells interrupted by wet years. Drought and flood, he says, have always been a way of life in the Golden State.

But in 36 years of farming, Mr. Cameron says he’s never experienced anything like the swings of the past six years.

Christian Science Monitor, 4-4-17

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Bay Area storm causes mudslides, power outages to more than 100,000

A winterlike storm that brought heavy rains and wind gusts up to 83 mph to the Bay Area caused damage throughout the region, including a mudslide in Oakland that forced a handful of evacuations and several reports of downed trees and power lines, resulting in power outages for least 100,000 homes and businesses.

East Bay Times, 4-7-17

WATER

USGS Assessment of Brackish Water Could Help Nation Stretch Limited Freshwater Supplies

A new nationwide assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that the nation’s brackish groundwater could help stretch limited freshwater supplies.

USGS, 4-5-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Aliso Canyon Has More Than Enough Natural Gas for LA Area, Study Finds

Several state regulators, including the California Public Utilities Commission, offered cautious responses to the study, saying that voluntary reductions of gas usage on high demand days this summer would have to be used “if Aliso Canyon is unavailable for withdraws.”

GovTech, 4-5-17

State Senate approves halting Aliso Canyon facility reopening until probe completion

My News LA, 4-4-17

DOI Asks Judge To Sink Calif. Offshore Fracking Challenge

Two U.S. Department of the Interior divisions on Monday asked a federal judge to toss consolidated challenges to an environmental assessment that would allow acid well stimulation and hydraulic fracturing off Southern California's coastline, saying the assessment is not a final agency action.

Law360, 4-4-17

Monday, April 10, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Earthquake too small to relieve faultline stress for 'Big One'

An earthquake with a 3.0 magnitude hit Yucca Valley late Thursday night, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Hi-Desert Star, 4-7-17

Landslides leave hills homes in peril

Following a night of heavy rains and strong winds, the fate of several houses in the Oakland hills were in the hands of city officials Friday, after residents evacuated when their homes were blue-tagged and red-tagged following a massive landslide.

Bay Area News Group, 4-7-17

Small earthquake jiggles people awake in San Diego

A magnitude 3.0 earthquake broke on an unidentified fault four miles southeast of Tijuana at 3:21 a.m. on Saturday, producing seismic waves that woke up some people in parts of greater San Diego, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

San Diego Union Tribune, 4-8-17

For SF landlords, deadline looms to retrofit soft-story buildings

Owners of nearly 2,000 apartment buildings in San Francisco have done nothing to bring their properties up to current seismic safety standards, despite an approaching deadline and possible fines if the mandatory work is not completed.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-9-17

County Supervisors Push Tsunami Preparedness

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an honorary resolution last week declaring the week Tsunami Preparedness Week.

U.C. Santa Barbara Daily Nexus, 4-9-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Ag experts say lack of water storage keeping Valley in drought

As rain continues to replenish the Valley, four counties remain under drought emergency. On Friday, Governor Brown declared most of California drought free. All but Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne counties. Nisei Farmers League President Manuel Cunha says local farmers have conserved enough water.

KGPE (Fresno TV), 4-7-16

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

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DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Why Industry’s $100 million offer for Tres Hermanos Ranch has sat on the table for months

After an explosive meeting where a state-appointed board demanded to know the City of Industry’s plans for 2,450 acres of pristine land on the edge of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, the board’s questions have gone unanswered for months while the City of Industry’s $100 million offer sits on the table.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-9-17

California farmers in the crosshairs

California’s farmers are getting nervous — understandably. The Trump administration wants to slash the budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cutting one out of every five dollars of the department’s discretionary spending.

Capitol Weekly, 4-10-17

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The incredible moment a mountain collapses in Malibu, sending rocks and debris flying and covering cars below in a cloud of dirt

This is the incredible moment a mountainside collapsed and fell on top of several cars in a crowded parking lot. Dust and rubble filled the air after the 'dirt waterfall' near Zuma Beach in Malibu, California.

Daily Mail (Great Britain), 4-10-17

Oregon, Washington Join California In Earthquake Warning System Tests

An early warning system for earthquakes has been expanded to Oregon and Washington, joining California in testing a prototype that could give people seconds or up to a minute of warning before strong shaking begins.

Associated Press, 4-10-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

California needs to develop natural gas supplies

(Commentary by Southern California Gas Co.) California has no 100 percent renewable electricity goal. California has a climate change goal of 50 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than in 1990, and a 50 percent renewable energy goal – both by 2030 (“Stop building natural gas plants”; Viewpoints, April 4).

Sacramento Bee, 4-11-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

OID loses hard-fought fallowing lawsuit

In a key ruling released Monday, a judge slammed the Oakdale Irrigation District for skirting state law in last year’s fallowing proposal.

Modesto Bee, 4-10-17

California water allocations hit 100 percent – here’s why farmers are still miffed

Central Valley farmers learned Tuesday they will get a full allocation of water this year for the first time since 2006. But their celebrations were muted.

Sacramento Bee, 4-11-17

Drought busted: Bureau of Reclamation boosts water allocation to 100 percent for west-side farmers

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is boosting the water allocation for farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to 100 percent for the first time since 2006.

Fresno Bee, 4-11-17

Nut land values lower in 2016 as Napa vineyard sale prices soar

Prices paid for California farm land in 2016 were largely off their record highs from the year before, but not in all cases as wine grape vineyards – particularly Napa Cabernet – stole the show.

Western Farm Press, 4-11-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

What’s at Stake in Trump’s Proposed E.P.A. Cuts

What is at stake as Congress considers the E.P.A. budget? Far more than climate change.

New York Times, 4-10-17

Report details Marin’s vulnerability to rising sea level

In just 15 years, flooding due to sea-level rise could inundate some 700 buildings across 5,000 acres, affecting the lives of tens of thousands of Marin residents, according to a new county report.

Marin Independent Journal, 4-10-17

Thursday, April 13, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Could several California faults rupture together as in the M=7.8 New Zealand earthquake?

For several decades, geologists assumed that faults more than 5 km (3 mi) apart could not rupture together.

Temblor, 4-11-17

Bombay beach event demonstrates difficulties in earthquake swarm forecasting

In September 2016, about 100 small earthquakes between magnitude 2 and 4.3 took place in Bombay Beach, rattling the region in Southern California and raising questions about whether the swarm's location near the southern end of the San Andreas Fault would trigger a larger earthquake.

Phys.org, 4-11-8

Researchers at SSA discuss performance of earthquake early warning systems

The future of earthquake early warning systems may be contained in smartphones—and vehicles, and "smart" appliances and the increasing number of everyday objects embedded with sensors and communication chips that connect them with a global network.

Phys.org, 4-11-8

The Cascadia story, chapter 6: ‘92 quake changes minds

Earthquakes are relatively common in Humboldt County. By my count, I have felt 28 since I arrived here in 1978. Anyone who has lived here this long will have a similar list.

(Column) Eureka Times-Standard, 4-12-17

Valuable seconds for safety with ‘ShakeAlert’

Snap your fingers: you just made an earthquake. An (earthquake) fault is a contact; two plates press together and slide with torque. Which means a finger snap is essentially like an earthquake, scientist Robert de Groot told an audience April 5, at a Lafayette Library Science Café.

Bay Area News Group, 4-12-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

Scott Pruitt Faces Anger From Right Over E.P.A. Finding He Won’t Fight

When President Trump chose the Oklahoma attorney general, Scott Pruitt, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, his mission was clear: Carry out Mr. Trump’s campaign vows to radically reduce the size and scope of the agency and take apart President Barack Obama’s ambitious climate change policies.

New York Times, 4-12-17

Sea-level rise in California could be catastrophic, study says

A state-commissioned report on climate change released Wednesday raises the stakes for fighting global warming, offering a clearer and, in some cases, more catastrophic picture of how much sea levels will rise in California.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-12-17

Scientists seek holy grail of climate change in Oman's hills

Deep in the jagged red mountains of Oman, geologists are drilling in search of the holy grail of reversing climate change: an efficient and cheap way to remove carbon dioxide from the air and oceans.

Associated Press, 4-13-17

WATER

From extreme drought to record rain: Why California's drought-to-deluge cycle is getting worse

California’s climate has long been dominated by cycles of intense dry conditions followed by heavy rain and snow. But never before in recorded history has the state seen such an extreme drought-to-deluge swing.

Los Angeles Times, 4-12-17

California groundwater supplies remain a mystery

In this remarkable water year, which ended more than five years of severe drought in most areas of California, there are still plenty of noteworthy water questions to contemplate and act upon.

(syndicated column) Ventura County Star, 4-11-17

Friday, April 14, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

ALISO CANYON

California Public Utilities Commission Holds Two Hearings on Eliminating Aliso Canyon

Porter Ranch — The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold two hearings to evaluate minimizing or eliminating the use of Southern California Gas Company’s Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility.

Los Angeles Sentinel, 4-14-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

US rig count rises 8 this week to 847; New Mexico up 7

The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by 8 this week to 847.

A year ago, 440 rigs were active.

Marysville Appeal-Democrat, 4-13-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

America sets new record: Electricity’s carbon footprint shrinks, renewable energy use increases

All the right things came together in 2016 for the United States to shrink its carbon footprint in some dramatic and record-breaking ways, according to federal data released this week.

Salon, 4-14-17

Monday, April 24, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Bloomberg urges world leaders not to follow Trump's lead on climate change

New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg urged world leaders not to follow President Donald Trump's lead on climate change and declared his intention to help save an international agreement to reduce carbon emissions.

Associated Press, 4-24-17

Sunken Pleasure: California Will Need Mountains of Sand to Save Its Beaches

Southern California’s beaches are an essential part of the state’s identity. The sandy, blond shorelines are like Hollywood or the towering redwoods—iconic. They are also an important piece of California’s more than $40-billion annual coastal and ocean economy.

Scientific American, 4-18-17

Bill supporting renewable energy advances

AB 920 made it out of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee this week despite intense utility opposition. The bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, seeks to maintain a place in the energy market for renewable resources such as geothermal, biomass, and biogas.

Lakeport Record-Bee, 4-21-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Water Level in Anderson Reservoir Drops, Reducing its Vulnerability to Major Quakes

A major reservoir in the South Bay is now much less vulnerable to a major earthquake.

KNTV (San Jose), 4-21-17

Small earthquake rattles California coast near Santa Barbara

A small earthquake has rattled parts of the Southern California coast. The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-3.6 quake hit just before 11 a.m. Sunday about 3 miles east of Santa Barbara.

Associated Press, 4-23-17

Montecito rocked by 3.5 magnitude earthquake

An earthquake shook up Montecito Sunday morning. The Earth Day weekend earthquake struck 3 kilometers south southwest of Montecito at around 11:00 a.m., according to the United States Geological Survey.

KEYT-TV (Santa Barbara), 4-23-17

Santa Barbara Shaken by Small Earthquakes

The Montecito area was shaken by a brief earthquake at around 11 a.m. on Sunday. Residents state the ground moved in a south to north motion, with some hearing a loud, booming noise.

Santa Barbara Independent, 4-23-17

3.1 earthquake rattles Borrego Springs area

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake broke on the San Jacinto fault system at 6:47 p.m. Saturday, causing brief shaking in parts of northeastern San Diego County, the US Geological Survey said.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 4-22-17

Sunken Pleasure: California Will Need Mountains of Sand to Save Its Beaches

Scientific American, 4-18-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Our view: Shuttered oil pipelines too much for Venoco

When a Plains All American pipeline broke, spilling 142,000 gallons into the Santa Barbara Channel near Refugio Beach two years ago, few would have foreseen the unintended consequence that played out in a Delaware bankruptcy court on April 17.

Pacific Coast Business Times, 4-21-17

Friday, April 21, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Venoco to Close Platform Holly Amidst Bankruptcy

On Monday, local energy and oil company Venoco announced its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to a press release, the company’s assets are expected to be sold or wound down through the bankruptcy process.

Santa Barbara Edhat, 4-19-17

Venoco Ditches Platform Holly

The same day Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke took to the Reagan Ranch Center stage to extol the virtues of damming and drilling, Venoco — the Colorado-based oil company that originated in Carpinteria more than 20 years ago — announced it was officially pulling the plug on itself.

Santa Barbara Independent, 4-20-17

Los Angeles Seeks to Stop Oil and Gas Boom

Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson has introduced a motion to end oil drilling and production near public places in a measure that could kill America’s next oil and gas fracking boom.

Breitbart News, 4-21-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

Will the U.S. Live Up to Its Climate Promises? Countries Begin Putting on the Pressure

China and other nations are demanding answers from the Trump administration about how the United States will meet its short-term climate change goal under the Paris treaty process, as it abandons the Obama-era policies at the heart of its pledge.

Inside Climate News, 4-19-17

When Rising Seas Transform Risk Into Certainty

In 1909, a group of Virginia developers placed an ad in The Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch announcing the creation of a subdivision that — because it was built on a pair of peninsulas where the Lafayette and Elizabeth Rivers poured into Chesapeake Bay — came to be known as Larchmont-Edgewater. The developers set up private jitney service to downtown and advertised the area as “Norfolk’s only high-class suburb.” People flocked to live by the water’s edge.

New York Times, 4-18-17

Thursday, April 20, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Activist group leads charge against South LA oil drilling

The recent federal decision to encourage more oil exploration has resulted in increased opposition to drilling in Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Our Weekly – Los Angeles, 4-20-07

Hazardous chemicals go unregulated in routine oil and gas operations

California and more than two dozen other states require oil and gas producers to disclose the chemicals they use during hydraulic fracturing activities, enabling scientific and public scrutiny of the environmental and human health hazards these substances may pose. But all existing disclosure regulations cover chemical use only in hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, and, in California, two other types of well-stimulation treatments. Many of the same chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing go undisclosed when they are used in numerous routine, unregulated oil- and gas-field activities such as the drilling, cleaning and maintenance of wells, according to a study published in PLOS ONE today (April 19).

PHYS.org, 4-19-17

Santa Barbara's oil ‘Platform Holly’ to be removed from coastal waters

There are 27 oil platforms from Santa Barbara down to Orange County, most constructed in the 1960s and 70s. And pretty soon, there will be one less.

Southern California Public Radio, 4-19-17

Venoco Files Second Chapter 11 Bankruptcy; California Offshore to Be Sold, Shut

For the second time in the past 13 months, Denver-based Venoco LLC and its affiliates in the exploration and production (E&P) sector in California on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. It marks the end of an era for part of California's contentious offshore drilling history, which helped define the U.S. environmental movement of the past 50 years.

NGI Shale Gas Daily, 4-18-17

LA To Consider Banning Oil Drilling Near Homes And Schools

City Council President Herb Wesson plans to introduce a motion Wednesday to eliminate oil drilling in Los Angeles near homes, schools and other facilities. The motion calls for a study on the proposed restrictions, which would also include parks, churches and health-care facilities.

Los Angeles City News Service, 4-19-17

Measure to Study the Shutdown of Oil Wells Near Homes and Schools Introduced to L.A. Council

Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson on Wednesday introduced a motion calling for a study of the feasibility of enacting a half-mile buffer zone around all oil drilling operations in the city, a move that could ultimately lead to the shutdown of hundreds of wells.

Los Angeles Business Journal, 4-19-17

LA to study banning oil production around homes, schools, hospitals and other public places

The city of Los Angeles is considering taking its boldest step yet towards restricting oil and gas development. On Wednesday, city council president Herb Wesson introduced a motion calling for a study of what it would take to shut down all oil and gas wells near homes, schools, hospitals, parks and other public places.

Southern California Public Radio, 4-19-17

Oilers rap LA anti-drilling plan: Lawsuit likely over lost jobs

A proposal to eliminate oil drilling in Los Angeles near homes, schools and other facilities would hurt local jobs, reduce tax revenue and likely result in legal action, the CEO of an association representing 500 independent oil and natural gas producers said Tuesday.

MyNewsLA, 4-18-17

Big Oil’s Rejection of Silicon Valley Is Finally Coming to End

The nodding donkey was invented nearly a century ago, and it’s still hard at work in the oil patch, virtually unchanged, pumping oil out of the ground. There’s been a recent innovation, though: Algorithms adjust the extraction flow based on computer monitoring hundreds of feet below.

Bloomberg, 4-18-17

LA City Council motions to stop oil drilling near homes, schools

City Council President Herb Wesson plans to introduce a motion today to eliminate oil drilling in Los Angeles near homes, schools and other facilities.

Fox 11 Los Angeles, 4-19-17

California should follow Maryland, New York and Vermont, and ban fracking

Gov. Jerry Brown recently issued a warning to President Donald Trump on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “you don’t want to mess with California.” And in an interview with the Los Angeles Times just after Trump signed an executive order dismantling Obama-era climate policies, Brown said the president had made a “colossal mistake.” Brown then told Trump to watch out for the “countermovement.”

Opinion Special to The Sacramento Bee, 4-18-17

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Oil drilling in Los Angeles neighborhoods ready for bust? 1,000 wells under pressure

A group opposed to oil drilling in Los Angeles neighborhoods said Monday that Council President Herb Wesson plans to introduce a motion calling for a study on phasing out the practice near homes, schools, parks, churches and healthcare facilities.

MyNewsLA, 4-17-17

Why Porter Ranch real estate is selling despite the recent gas leak

It’s been just 18 months since a gas well broke, causing tens of millions of pounds of natural gas to spew into the air in Porter Ranch, on the outskirts of Los Angeles. It ranks as the worst methane leak in U.S. history. The leak was capped, but residents continue to complain about getting sick from the gas field. But even with all this, the housing market there is booming, especially on the high end.

Market Place, 4-17-17

Aquifer exemption public meeting coming up

A public meeting on proposals for aquifer exemptions for the Jasmin and Kern Front oil fields will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton, 5101 California Ave.

Bakersfield Californian, 4-17-17

Aliso Canyon

Hearing Addresses Closure of Aliso Canyon Facility

Porter Ranch residents voiced their concerns Monday Night regarding Southern California Gas Co.’s Aliso Canyon storage facility – a site where one of the worst natural gas leaks in U.S. history occurred

San Fernando Business Journal, 4-18-17

Why Porter Ranch real estate is selling despite the recent gas leak

Marketplace, 4-17-17

California Geological Survey

111 Years Later: San Francisco Remembers 1906 Earthquake Victims

Tuesday morning marked the 111th anniversary of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco. City leaders and community members gathered at Lotta's Fountain — one of the oldest monuments in the city by the bay and one-time gathering place for earthquake survivors — to remember the lives lost after the quake and sweeping blaze. The blaring sound of fire engines roared at 5:12 a.m. to mark the exact time when the earth violently shook 111 years ago.

KNTV-TV (San Jose), 4-18-17

Hundreds honor anniversary of 1906 earthquake

Sirens wailed early Tuesday morning in San Francisco to remember the moment on this date when the devastating 1906 earthquake struck The City and started fires that left few city buildings standing.

Bay City News Service, 4-18-17

‘Resilience, spirit and sacrifice’ — San Francisco wakes early for quake anniversary

The celebrants assembled at the base of Lotta’s Fountain, the one that never has any water in it, for the retelling of the story of catastrophe, read from scripts. It was not unlike the annual retelling of the Exodus story at the Passover table, which also occurs every April.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-18-17

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Venoco files for bankruptcy, will decommission operations

Venoco Inc., a local, independent oil and natural gas company, announced Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy and will decommission its facilities, including Platform Holly in the Santa Barbara Channel which has been dark since the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill.

Santa Ynez Valley News, 4-17-17

Venoco to Cease All Operations Under Latest Bankruptcy Filing

For the second time in a year, Venoco has declared bankruptcy, but this time the independent energy company that is active in Santa Barbara County is throwing in the towel.

Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 4-17-17

Venoco shuts down oil operations to comply with bankruptcy

Venoco, LLC announced Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy and its assets are to be sold or wound down through the bankruptcy process.

KEYT-TV (Santa Barbara), 4-17-17

Venoco seeks bankruptcy protection after losses from huge 2015 oil spill near Santa Barbara

An offshore oil platform near Santa Barbara will be decommissioned and its operator, Venoco, is seeking bankruptcy protection, nearly two years after the platform was idled when an onshore pipeline ruptured and spilled a massive amount of oil into the ocean, the state and company said Monday.

Los Angeles Times, 4-17-17

Former Beverly Hills oil producer Venoco returns to bankruptcy

U.S. oil and gas producer Venoco Inc filed its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in thirteen months on Monday, blaming its failure to renew a Beverly Hills drilling lease and the continued closure of a key pipeline.

Reuters, 4-17-17

First California offshore oil platform in 20 years to be removed

In a decision that was cheered by environmentalists, a Colorado oil company announced Monday that it will end operations on a prominent offshore oil platform near Santa Barbara, which will result in the first offshore platform removed from California’s coast in more than 20 years.

Bay Area News Group, 4-17-17

California offshore oil platform to be decommissioned

A Southern California offshore oil platform will be decommissioned and its operator is seeking bankruptcy protection, nearly two years after the platform was idled when an onshore pipeline ruptured and spilled a massive amount of oil into the ocean, the state and company said Monday.

Associated Press, 4-17-17

Aquifer exemption public meeting coming up

A public meeting on proposals for aquifer exemptions for the Jasmin and Kern Front oil fields will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton, 5101 California Ave.

Bakersfield Californian, 4-18-17

Safety changes underway to SCV’s SoCal Gas operation

Ongoing safety changes made to natural gas storage and delivery pipes and wells by Southern California Gas Company at its Honor Rancho facility in Valencia are expected to cut natural gas delivery by half.

Santa Clarita Signal, 4-17-17

Aliso Canyon

Health, safety top concerns at Aliso Canyon facility hearing

Health and safety concerns dominated the discussion Monday night during a packed hearing on the fate of Southern California Gas Co.’s Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in the northern San Fernando Valley.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-17-17

California Geological Survey

New Discoveries About San Andreas Fault Afterslip Shed Light on Earthquake Risk

Scientists have discovered that the San Andreas Fault in California continued to slip for up to 12 years after the magnitude 6 Parkfield earthquake that hit the state in 2004. Experts say the discovery indicates other parts of the fault that are predicted to rupture in the near future could be at greater risk of afterslip than previously thought.

Newsweek, 4-17-17

Monday, April 17, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

EPA, DOJ lawsuit vs. oil company shines light on Trump executive order

Attorneys for an energy company being sued by the federal government say lawyers for the Environmental Protection Agency are defying one of President Trump’s executive orders that, if obeyed, would essentially kill the agency's lawsuit against the company.

FoxNews.com, 4-13-17

BP Struggles to Control Damaged Well in Alaskan Arctic

The British oil giant BP worked through the weekend to control a damaged oil well on Alaska’s remote North Slope that had started spewing natural gas vapors on Friday morning, the company and Alaska officials said.

New York Times, 4-16-17

Methane detection jobs booming

A new industry is emerging out of the fight to stop gas leaks in the nation’s oil wells, pipelines and storage tanks.

Fuelfix, 4-13-17

Alaska oil well leaking gas in northern part of state

A federal official says crews in Alaska are ready to shut down an oil well that is misting natural gas on the frozen North Slope, but officials say it's too unstable for responders to get close.

Porterville Recorder, 4-15-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Geologist commemorates 1992 earthquake

Humboldt County’s very own earthquake and tsunami expert Lori Dengler weighed in on the ever present chance of natural disasters in what she considers to be the most seismically active region in the contiguous 48 states.

Eureka Times-Standard, 4-15-17

Magnitude 3.2 earthquake strikes near Gilroy, California

The United States Geological Survey reports a preliminary magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck near Gilroy, California on Saturday.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-15-17

Study: Earthquake damage could top $2.4 billion

If a giant earthquake were to shake up Palo Alto, it would likely devastate more than 200 buildings, cause about $2.4 billion in damage and wipe out about four years' worth of construction.

Palo Alto Weekly, 4-14-17

Magnitude 3.1 Earthquake Strikes Near Loma Linda, USGS Says

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake struck near Loma Linda on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

KABC-TV (Los Angeles), 4-14-17

MINING

Mitsubishi’s ‘South Quarry’ nears end of approval process

The Mitsubishi Cement Corp. is just months away from learning if it can proceed on its planned expansion for the next century and beyond.

Barstow Desert Dispatch, 4-14-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

Extreme sea-level rise could wreak havoc on coast, state experts warn

Armed with a growing body of evidence that rising seas could inundate the California coastline sooner than later, state experts are sounding the alarm.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-15-17

California’s war on carbon: Is it winning?

The centerpiece of California’s effort to reduce carbon emissions, an auction system for pollution credits known as cap and trade, has faltered badly in the past year. Businesses have bought far fewer credits than expected, depriving the state of an expected windfall for such big-ticket items as high speed rail.

Sacramento Bee, 4-15-17

California’s carbon market in the clear? Not so fast

Opponents of California’s “cap and trade” carbon market said Friday they will take their fight to the state Supreme Court.

Sacramento Bee, 4-15-17

Trump is creating a void on climate change. Can California persuade other states to help fill it?

California made no secret of its ambitions when it enacted a landmark law on global warming just over a decade ago. Progress here on slashing greenhouse gas emissions, the law said, would have “far-reaching effects by encouraging other states, the federal government and other countries to act.”

Los Angeles Times, 4-15-17

WATER

How the drought changed California forever

California’s historic five-year drought is officially over, washed away with the relentlessly drenching rains, floods and snowstorms of this winter. But just as tougher building codes and better emergency planning follow major earthquakes, the brutally dry years from 2012 to 2016 are already leaving a legacy, experts say, changing the way Californians use water for generations to come.

Bay Area News Group, 4-15-17

USGS finds vast reserves of salty water underground in California

A new nationwide study has unearthed the huge hidden potential of tapping into salty aquifers as a way to relieve the growing pressure on freshwater supplies across the United States.

Bay Area News Group, 4-15-17

One key way soggy California could save water for the next dry spell

The water spread into every corner of the fields, beckoning wading ibises and egrets as it bathed long rows of sprouting grapevines.

Los Angeles Times, 4-17-17

Parkfield quake study yields warning for Bay Area

The folks who live in Monterey County’s Parkfield call their tiny community “the earthquake capital of the world.” Six big quakes have hit along the San Andreas Fault there, averaging 22 years apart for the past 160 years, and since the last one a dozen years ago, scientists have been studying the fault zone with all the seismic instruments they can muster.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-17-17

Global Warming

Report: Rising seas threaten Sonoma County as climate warms

Global warming likely will drive the sea level in Sonoma County up as much as 3 feet and potentially more than twice that high by 2100, according to a state-commissioned report released last week.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 4-16-17

M=3.7 California earthquake highlights area of induced seismicity

Yesterday afternoon, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a M=3.7 earthquake shook Geysers, California, 110 km (70 mi) north of the city of San Francisco.

Temblor.com, 4-18-17

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

Earth Day is the Perfect Time to Learn About Mother Nature’s Authentic Product, Natural Stone – the Eco-Friendly Choice for Home Renovations and Upgrades

Unless a consumer studied geology, he or she may not be able to reel off the three main classifications of rock or know the difference between a quirt and a quoin. But, likely they inherently understand that the beauty and durability of natural stone holds strong universal appeal. They probably also intuitively know that the world’s oldest building product – natural stone – is the single most authentic and organic choice for both interior and exterior home applications. That’s because it’s been hand crafted by Mother Nature herself over thousands, and in some cases, millions of years.

SFGate, 4-18-17

FRACKING

California should follow Maryland, New York and Vermont, and ban fracking

(Center for Biological Diversity op-ed) Sacramento Bee, 4-19-17

WATER

Cosumnes River Provides Model for Floodplain Restoration in California

Research in the Cosumnes River watershed in the eastern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region has shown the benefits to water storage and wildlife from floodplain restoration that could prove useful across the state.

News Deeply, 4-19-17

Editorial: Drought’s over, but its lessons weren’t learned

Well now it’s official: The drought is over. Except for parts of four San Joaquin Valley counties, the drought emergency proclaimed by Gov. Jerry Brown has been rescinded.

But the thing is, the drought isn’t over.

Chico Enterprise-Record, 4-19-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Amid greener pastures, ranchers stay cautious

Record rainfall this season has brought abundant grasses for grazing cattle, but some California ranchers say they remain cautious about increasing their herds, awaiting better market prices and another healthy water year.

Ag Alert, 4-19-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

As sea levels rise, where will all the people go?

Shishmaref, Alaska. Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana. The Outer Banks, North Carolina. These are the locales often trotted out to represent the vast swathes of the United States teetering towards inhabitability due to rising sea level caused by climate change.

Popular Science, 4-19-17

SF’s green energy goal is a decade ahead of target

Mayor Ed Lee on Thursday set a new goal for San Francisco — that at least 50 percent of the city’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2020. That’s 10 years ahead of the target the state has set for itself.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-19-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Earthquake stories wanted

Two Days That Shook Humboldt: With the 25th anniversary of the Cape Mendocino earthquakes coming up next week, the Journal invites our readers to share their memories of those two days in 1992 when it almost felt like the earth would not stop moving.

North Coast Journal, 4-20-17

Emergency responder training available in Livermore, Pleasanton

When a major earthquake or other disaster strikes, fire fighters and other professional responders have to focus on the most critical emergencies. But that doesn’t mean the average citizen can’t help out.

EastBay Times, 4-19-17

Damage closes bridge, cuts off Moraga commute route

Residents and agencies are assessing the changes ahead after this week’s closure of a key connector between Oakland and central Contra Costa towns.

EastBay Times, 4-20-17

Canyon Road bridge between Moraga and Oakland closed indefinitely

A popular back-door route between Moraga and Oakland was closed indefinitely after officials shut down the Canyon Road bridge in Moraga amid concerns that the long-deteriorating structure could collapse from damage caused by recent storms.

SFGate, 4-19-17

Watchdogs And Feds Say San Luis Reservoir At Risk If An Earthquake Strikes

Some of the same people who warned state leaders about the probability of Oroville Dam failing are now sounding the alarm at San Luis Reservoir in Merced County.

Valley Public Radio, 4-19-17

Earthquake alert system gets closer to going public

In order to keep people safe, geologists are working on an earthquake warning system, known as “Shake Alert.”

KRON-TV (San Francisco), 4-18-17

Highway 101 closed by slide north of Leggett

U.S. Highway 101 is expected to be fully closed until at least Wednesday after a landslide just north of Leggett engulfed the roadway sometime between Sunday evening and early Monday morning, according to Caltrans District 1 Public Information Officer Myles Cochrane.

Ukiah Daily Journal, 4-18-17

'Stopping carbon will be like stopping a heroin addiction': Gov. Brown urges stronger action on climate change

If anyone was hoping for a feel-good message from Gov. Jerry Brown at this week's Navigating the American Carbon World conference on climate change, they didn't get one.

Los Angeles Times, 4-20-17

Climate change is looming catastrophe for California, Brown says

Global warming is a looming catastrophe for California, the nation and the world, but few people — politicians and the general public alike — want to talk about it, Gov. Jerry Brown told a San Francisco conference on climate change Thursday.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-20-17

HIGH SPEED RAIL

California sells $1.2 billion of bonds to finance construction of bullet train in the Central Valley

The California treasurer sold $1.2 billion in bonds Thursday to help finance construction of high-speed rail in the Central Valley, a significant development after years of delays in tapping the bonds that taxpayers approved in 2008.

San Diego Union Tribune, 4-20-17

CALIFORNIA GELOGICAL SURVEY

New Landslide on Highway 1 in Big Sur cleaned up

Caltrans Willow Springs Maintenance group reported to Caltrans headquarters in San Luis Obispo that the Chimney Chute slide (20 miles north of the Monterey County line), the newest landslide between Cambria and Carmel, has been cleared and all lanes are open near Limekiln. That report came in about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20. However, through traffic cannot go any further north than Ragged Point, due to other landslide clearing and bridge-building project work.

The San Luis Obispo Tribune, 4-20-17

Highway 101 landslide doubles in size overnight

Sometime during the night, the slide six miles north of Leggett which has closed U.S. Highway 101 in Mendocino County dumped more material onto the roadway.

Redwood Times, 4-21-17

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Trump to Order Oil Drilling Study Off California Coast, Sources Say

President Donald Trump will open the door to new oil and natural gas drilling in Pacific waters off the coast of California with a directive Friday that sets up a certain clash with environmentalists.

Bloomberg News, 4-25-17

ALISO CANYON

Agencies to leave methane monitoring at Porter Ranch to private companies

When America's worst-ever natural gas leak stank up the air around Porter Ranch in late 2015 forcing thousands of families to flee a pervasive rotten-egg smell and potential health impacts, a few public and private entities installed monitors to sniff the air and publicly display methane measurements in close to real time.

Southern California Public Radio, 4-24-17

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

If you find that a link doesn’t work or is behind a paywall you cannot access, please send us an email at pao@conservation.ca.gov and we’ll provide a Word document of the story.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Chile rocked by 6.9-magnitude quake; no major damage reported

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck off the west coast of Chile on Monday, rocking the capital Santiago and briefly causing alarm along the Pacific Coast but sparing the quake-prone nation of any serious damage.

Reuters, 4-25-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Venoco Bankruptcy Effectively Ends Santa Barbara Channel Oil, Gas Operations in State Waters

Oil and gas production in the Santa Barbara Channel’s state waters came to an end last week with Venoco Inc.’s announcement that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and quitclaimed its South Ellwood Field leases back to the State of California.
Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 4-23-17

Space May Be Next Frontier for Earth's Crude Oil Giants, Analyst Says

The Middle East has an outsize impact on energy here on Earth. One analyst thinks some regional powerhouses may leverage that role into the development of natural resources in space.

Bloomberg News, 4-23-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Declining agricultural land values tied to water
It’s all about the water. As far as agricultural land values, that is. A new report on the outlook for Kern County ag land values shows water emerging as a major deciding factor in what land is worth, according to Michael Ming, a broker for Alliance Ag Services LLC.

(column) Bakersfield Californian, 4-25-17

WATER

Jerry Brown ended the drought emergency too soon: Guest commentary

A week into April, in the wake of one of the wettest January/February periods on record, Gov. Jerry Brown declared that the state’s drought emergency was over. Lawn watering, except in the face of an approaching storm, was no longer an uncivil act. Homeowners needn’t snitch on wrong-day irrigating neighbors any longer.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-21-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

Study: Man-made extreme weather has hit all over the world

Most people on Earth have already felt extreme and record heat, drought or downpours goosed by man-made global warming, new research finds.

Associated Press, 4-24-17

Today’s Energy Jobs Are in Solar, Not Coal

President Trump has promised to revive the coal industry and double down on fossil fuels, creating “so many energy jobs,” but he has not focused on the increasingly important role of renewable power in America’s energy economy.

New York Times, 4-25-17

California lawmakers push to link public health efforts to climate programs

California’s fight against climate change would be overhauled under legislation advanced by an Assembly committee on Monday.

Los Angeles Times, 4-25-17

California’s landmark climate-change program would also fight air pollution under proposal

As the Legislature weighs the future of cap and trade, California’s groundbreaking program to cut greenhouse gas emissions that expires in 2020, it is considering key changes pushed by environmentalists and fought by Big Oil and other industry groups in a proposal that cleared its first committee hearing Monday.

Bay Area News Group, 4-25-17

FRACKING

Oregon House passes 10-year fracking ban

The Oregon House has passed a 10-year ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Salem (Ore.) Statesman Journal, 4-26-17

HIGH-SPEED RAIL

A judge has refused effort to block spending on California's bullet train

The California bullet train dodged another legal bullet Tuesday when a Sacramento Superior Court judge tentatively rejected a request to stop the state rail agency from spending bond money approved by voters in 2008.

Los Angeles Times, 4-25-17

Judge intends to permit California high-speed rail funding, reject Kings County challenge

A judge said Tuesday that he intends to reject the latest court challenge from Kings County interests to California’s $64 billion high-speed rail project, ruling that recent changes fall within what voters approved in 2008.

Associated Press, 4-25-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Workshop on underground injection rules to be held May 24

The Department of Conservation is in the early stages of revamping its underground injection rules and the public is invited to comment.

In Bakersfield, a workshop will be held May 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton on California Avenue.

Bakersfield Californian, 4-27-17

FRACKING

Trump directives target the Carrizo Plain, offshore drilling

This spring, the Carrizo Plain National Monument’s super bloom is drawing visitors from near and far, but now it’s under review by a Trump administration looking to limit its boundary lines or revoke its protection altogether.

San Luis Obispo New Times, 4-26-17

Trump administration’s proposal for California fracking ignores ancient wisdom

Offshore fracking would offend our Chumash ancestors. The outrageous proposal to extract more oil from under Santa Barbara Channel by injecting high-pressure water and toxic chemicals to fracture the earth would baffle and sadden them.

(commentary) Ventura County Reporter, 4-26-17

Two area national monuments — Giant Sequoia and Carrizo Plain — face review

Two national monuments in or near Kern County are among those eligible for review under President Donald Trump's Wednesday executive order to determine which, if any, ought to be resized, rescinded or modified.

Bakersfield Californian, 4-26-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Are Landslides Going To Continue In The Dry Season?

A huge landslide occurred on Highway 101 in Mendocino County Wednesday night. These slides are common this time of year with all of the rain we have seen this wet season. So as we transition to dryer days one would think we will continue to see less landslides. It turns out that is not the case.

KOVR-TV (Sacramento CBS), 4-26-17

Highway 101 closed again Tuesday evening

Working through the weekend and the rain, Caltrans crews cleared a large portion of a landslide on Highway 101 just north of Leggett by early Monday morning and had it open by Monday evening.

Eureka Times-Standard, 4-26-17

Landslide closes 101 just hours after reopening in Mendocino County

Just hours after reopening, a stretch of Highway 101 in Mendocino County was closed once again.

San Francisco Chronicle, 4-26-17

Landslides again close Highway 101 north of Leggett

Highway 101 in northern Mendocino County has again been closed by landslides, one day after reopening, Caltrans reported.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 4-26-17

Two Days That Shook Humboldt

Twenty-five years have passed since that warm spring morning on April 25, 1992, when the Cascadia subduction zone delivered a far-reaching message — a magnitude-7.2 earthquake that shook the ground with a force never before recorded in California.

North Coast Journal, 4-27-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Planners Urge Compromise for Proposed Larner Winery on Ballard Canyon Road

Michael Larner’s 7-year saga to build a winery and tasting room on Ballard Canyon Road must wait at least another month after the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission asked him to hash out a compromise with project opponents.

Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 4-26-17

WATER

Remember, the drought could come back next year

When it comes to emergencies and disasters, people tend to have short memories.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 4-26-17

Despite drought’s end, conservation rules were still in place in California – until now

First the drought ended. Now the last vestiges of mandatory conservation rules are over, too.

Sacramento Bee, 4-26-17

County takes stock of agricultural water needs

San Mateo County supervisors are funding Chapter 2 of an agricultural water needs assessment intended to take stock of farmers’ needs for the Coastside’s limited available water.

Half Moon Bay Review, 4-26-17

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Mishewal Wappo tribe loses court appeal case opposed by Napa officials

A tribe seeking federal recognition lost the latest, and perhaps, final round of a court case that Napa County officials have long feared could have opened the door to a Napa Valley casino.

Napa Valley Register, 4-26-17

Southern Trinity rezone to agricultural land approved

Trinity County Planning Commissioners and members of the Board of Supervisors all tussled over a general plan land use and zoning change to convert a 122-acre parcel of land in Southern Trinity from Rural Residential to Agricultural use, but split votes ultimately approved the applicants’ request.

Trinity Journal, 4-26-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

California Submerging -- Rising seas are claiming its famed coast faster than scientists imagined

A slow-moving emergency is lapping at California’s shores— climate-driven sea-level rise that experts now predict could elevate the water in coastal areas up to 10 feet in just 70 years, gobbling up beachfront and overwhelming low-lying cities.

Calmatters.org, 4-25-17

Novato solar farm nearly ready to power homes

A sea of 4,354 solar panels installed at a former rock quarry just outside northwest Novato is expected to begin powering 300 homes in 30 days.

Marin Independent Journal, 4-25-17

WATER

California’s drought is over, but we’re still toting up the cost

Californians paid for the drought in many ways. Homeowners saw their water rates rise. Farmers sacrificed revenue when they idled fields. And practically everyone spent more on electricity.

Sacramento Bee, 4-26-17

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

California Mulls More Rules For Injection Wells

California regulators on Wednesday released a revised set of informal draft rules affecting underground injection control (UIC) wells, an effort that has grown more complex after last year’s methane leak at Southern California Gas Co.'s Aliso Canyon underground storage facility

NGI Shale Gas Daily, 4-27-17

President Trump’s move to expand offshore oil drilling sparks protest from environmentalists, politicians

President Donald Trump’s move to make good on campaign promises to boost the energy industry drew protests Thursday from environmentalists and public officials over his anticipated bid to allow new offshore oil drilling in the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans, including California’s North Coast.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 4-27-17

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Alameda’s Lum Elementary found at risk in quake; may close at end of school year

The future of Donald Lum Elementary School is uncertain after an investigation found it could collapse during an earthquake, prompting officials to recommend closing the campus and sending its students to other schools this fall.

Bay Area News Group, 4-27-17

We now know what causes the world's biggest tsunamis

Scientists have just challenged years of tsunami science, showing that horizontal seafloor movements can create the energy necessary to generate these massive waves.

International Business Times, 4-27-17

MINING

Civita Park: From quarry to pleasure grounds

Civita Park, a 14.3-acre, $20 million pastime getaway opening Saturday, is a neighborhood park that more than 20,000 Mission Valley residents have been awaiting for decades. A decade ago it was a sand and gravel quarry, a brownfield carved out of the northern slopes of Mission Valley over the past 80 years.

San Diego Union Tribune, 4-27-17

WATER

A ‘quick yes’ on Delta tunnels? Advocates concerned over new language

Proposed changes to a plan that is supposed to guide the Delta through the 21st century have advocates on red alert, as they worry that the new language locks in Gov. Jerry Brown’s $15 billion twin tunnels.

Stockton Record, 4-26-17

CLIMATE CHANGE

My front seat view of climate change in California

As I write these words, a strong wind is stirring the tops of the big pine, cedar and fir trees that surround our house in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains of California.

(commentary) High Country News, 4-27-17

Scientists keep upping their projections for how much the oceans will rise this century

A report by a leading research body monitoring the Arctic has found that previous projections of global sea level rise for the end of the century could be too low, thanks in part to the pace of ice loss of Arctic glaciers and the vast ice sheet of Greenland.

Washington Post, 4-26-17

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