Geology 300: Physical Geology

Geology 301: Physical Geology Lab

Geology 305: Earth Science

Geology 306: Earth Science Lab

 

Instructor: Arthur Reed

 

June 2017 Earth Sciences topics/events making news…

 ...with emphasis on California news

 

Remember the principles of the scientific method when evaluating news stories!

 

·               (link to 2018 news articles)

·               (link to 2016 news articles)

·               (link to 2015 news articles)

·               (link to 2014 news articles)

·               (link to 2013 news articles)

·               (link to 2012 news articles)

·               (link to 2011 news articles)

·               (link to 2010 news articles)

·               (link to 2009 & older news articles)

 

 

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Dismantling a beast: Platform Holly faces the 'expensive, complex, and lengthy' process of ending an offshore oil operation

Venoco is bankrupt and Platform Holly platform’s on its way out the door, along with the platform’s 30 ocean floor wells in the South Ellwood oil field—and so far, the California State Lands Commission doesn’t know who will pay to end the operation.

Santa Maria Sun, 5-31-17

 

Seventh Gov’t Study Says Fracking Isn’t A Threat To Groundwater

A government agency has contradicted claims made by environmentalists for the seventh time and found hydraulic fracturing doesn’t pose a grave threat to drinking water.

The Daily Caller, 6-2-17

 

Investors bet Trump climate withdrawal to boost US drilling

The price of oil has fallen sharply as investors bet that President Donald Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement will increase the country's oil and gas production.

Associated Press, 6-2-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

3.2 earthquake breaks near Ocotillo Wells

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake broke 18 miles southeast of Ocotillo Wells at 8:19 a.m. on Thursday — the latest in a series of small earthquakes that have occurred in and around San Diego County’s desert areas.

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-1-17

 

Caltrans: Plan to deal with Big Sur landslide still weeks away

Caltrans now says it will be several weeks before a plan is finalized to fix the massive landslide on Highway 1 in Big Sur. 

KSBY-TV (San Luis Obispo), 6-1-17

 

Why is it a given state will reopen California 1?

This may sound a tad blasphemous but why reopen Highway 1 through the Big Sur Wilderness where a mudslide earlier this month added 13 acres to California?

Manteca Bulletin column, 6-2-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Efforts grow to preserve farmland across the West

BOISE — Ada County farmer Glen Edwards is in the middle of the battle to stem the loss of farmland in southwestern Idaho. He understands and supports the need to keep high-quality farmland in production.

Capital Press, 6-1-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

California business, political leaders blast Trump for pulling out of climate agreement

Environmentalists, political leaders and business groups in California and across the country slammed President Trump’s announcement Thursday that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, aimed at boosting renewable energy and reducing heat-trapping pollution from fossil fuels.

Bay Area News Group, 6-1-17

 

Gov. Jerry Brown, America's unofficial climate change ambassador in the Trump era, heads to China

When  Gov. Jerry Brown flew across the Pacific four years ago to meet with leaders and business executives in China, the world seemed much different.

Los Angeles Times, 6-1-17

 

With Democrats divided, Assembly rejects a plan to extend California's cap-and-trade program

An effort to extend the life of California's landmark climate change program failed in the last hour of a long Assembly session on Thursday, a sign of how the program's fate has divided Democratic lawmakers.

Los Angeles Times, 6-1-17

 

What Will Happen to California After Trump’s Exit From Paris Accord?

As President Trump announced the U.S. would leave the Paris climate accord, California’s political leaders quickly declared that the state would step up on the international stage.

KQED (San Francisco television), 6-1-17

 

Jerry Brown rips Trump’s Paris climate pullout as ‘insane’ and ‘deviant’

California Gov. Jerry Brown savaged President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to vacate the Paris climate accord as “insane” and “deviant” as he joined with like-minded governors to form alliance to uphold the agreement and pursue immediate action on climate change.

Sacramento Bee, 6-1-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Approval of Larner Winery in Ballard Canyon Upheld Over Neighbors’ Objections

Winemaker Michael Larner won a seven-year battle with his Ballard Canyon Road neighbors to build a tasting room and winery on his property when the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to deny the neighbors’ appeal of his project.

Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 5-31-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Garcetti Determined to Bring Earthquake Warning System to Fruition

Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed confidence last week that an early earthquake warning system for the West Coast will come to fruition, despite President Donald Trump’s proposal to cut federal funding for the project.

Los Angeles City News Service, 6-1-17

 

San Diego's Rose Canyon fault more dangerous than once believed

San Diego’s Rose Canyon fault produces powerful earthquakes more frequently than once believed, but a major temblor isn’t imminent, according to researchers from San Diego State University.

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-1-17

 

Deep in a South African gold mine, scientists drill for the heart of an earthquake

It’s no easy feat to drill into the faults that cause earthquakes. Intercepting such active ruptures, which are buried kilometers beneath the surface, requires specialized equipment, skilled crews, and a lot of money and time. There are no shortcuts. Well, maybe there’s one: an express elevator in a South African gold mine that runs 3 kilometers straight into Earth.

Science, 5-31-17

 

Small earthquake near the Big Bend of the San Andreas Fault

Last night, at 9:14 p.m. local time, a M=3.5 earthquake struck just north of the San Andreas Fault in Southern California. The quake’s epicenter was 5 km north of Frazier Park and near Tejon Pass on Interstate-5.

Temblor.com, 5-30-17

 

Big Sur coast has grown 13 acres from new landslide

The historic three-dimensional images of our sudden growth spurt — an exhilarating event for a state used to watching its edges erode — is part of a project led by U.S. Geological Survey research geologist Jonathan Warrick, based in Santa Cruz.

Bay Area News Group, 6-1-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Bill to delay gas injections at Aliso Canyon stalls

A bill that would prevent new natural gas injections into SoCal Gas' Aliso Canyon storage facility has stalled in the California senate after failing to receive enough votes.

Argus Media, 5-31-17

 

Study of earthquake risk needed at Aliso Canyon

There’s a bigger question at the Aliso Canyon gas storage field than the cause of the massive methane leak: What’s the risk of movement on the Santa Susana earthquake fault that intersects all the wells in the subsurface? Technical reports on this hazard are available at: geologicmapsfoundation.org/publications.html.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group (letter from the director of Geologic Maps Foundation, Inc.), 5-31-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

If Trump withdraws from the Paris agreement, let's hope the world survives

This is one campaign promise that President Trump should have let slide. According to news reports, Trump is on the verge of announcing that yes, he will withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris climate agreement among nearly 200 nations.

Los Angeles Times editorial, 5-31-17

 

Brown: ‘The rest of the world is against’ Trump

California Gov. Jerry Brown, one of the nation’s foremost proponents of efforts to address climate change, on Wednesday called President Donald Trump’s planned withdrawal from the Paris climate accord “outrageous,” while predicting the effect of the move will be short-lived.

Politico, 5-31-17

 

Is Jerry Brown taking Trump’s place on world climate stage?

Three months before Donald Trump launched his improbable presidential campaign, one in which he dismissed climate change as a “hoax” and a “very, very expensive form of tax,” Gov. Jerry Brown was touting California’s collaborations with China on air pollution, clean energy and low-carbon development.

Sacramento Bee, 6-1-17

 

As Trump fiddles on climate, the world goes Californian

As the Paris climate agreement now joins the litany of great American things that President Donald Trump has debased, there is this silver lining: More of the world is starting to think like Californians.

          Sacramento Bee editorial, 5-31-17

 

Americans know the climate is changing. Do they care?

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that the climate is changing and getting warmer, and that humans are contributing. Americans overwhelmingly agree with the scientists, according to public opinion polls.

CNN, 6-1-17

 

California governor looks abroad for climate changes allies

Looking for allies in the fight against climate change, California Gov. Jerry Brown heads to China this week in a push to build foreign support for carbon-cutting efforts that have found resistance in Washington.

Associated Press, 5-31-17

 

Jerry Brown says states should act if Trump quits climate deal

Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday called on states to forge an alliance to support the Paris climate deal following reports that President Trump plans to withdraw the United States from the landmark international accord.

San Francisco Chronicle, 5-31-17

 

California Lawmakers Move Towards New Renewable Energy Goals

Democrats in California’s Senate doubled down on the state’s commitment to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, painting their move in contrast to Donald Trump’s potential withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Accord.

KQED (San Francisco television), 6/1/17

 

A Guide To Global Warming, Paris Pact And The Us Role

If President Donald Trump pulls the United States out of the international agreement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, what could that mean for the rapidly heating Earth?

Associated Press, 5-31-17

 

WATER

 

Jerry Brown sends a message to water agencies on the Delta tunnels – and it’s direct

-- Jerry Brown took an Old English turn from his Latin wisdom in 2012 by declaring: “I want to get s--- done,” a reference to his vision for building two tunnels 30 miles long to move Sacramento River water south from the Delta to the rest of the state.

Sacramento Bee column, 6-1-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Minor gas leak from Aliso Canyon oil well stopped Saturday

A minor natural gas leak seeping from an oil well for 11 days inside the Aliso Canyon gas field near Porter Ranch has been stopped, state oil and gas regulators and SoCalGas reported Saturday.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 6-3-17

 

A New Gas Leak Has Been Discovered At The Aliso Canyon Gas Field

Two new gas leaks have been discovered in Aliso Canyon, a year-and-a-half after a 2015 blowout sent over 100,000 tons of methane and ethane into the San Fernando Valley's air.

LAist.com, 6-2-17

 

LA City Councilman Englander wants Aliso Canyon to close after two new leaks

Two new gas leaks were plugged in Aliso Canyon this weekend. SoCal Gas says the leaks were minor — and not its fault.

KPCC/Southern California Public Radio, 6-4-17

 

Will impromptu ecosystems thriving on the legs of Southern California oil rigs be spared?

Several miles off the Southern California coast, deep below the ocean’s surface, schools of fish dart in and out of spectacular reefs — glowing brilliant green, red and pink.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 6-3-17

 

Another Fracking Time Bomb Lurks Beneath U.S.

You've heard about the earthquakes, the controversial claims of flammable tap water, the potential contamination of streams, lakes and drinking water aquifers, but the system that's supposed to pay for these calamities may itself be a pending disaster.

Forbes, 6-5-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

From elevators to trains, earthquake early warning system grows as Trump threatens to kill it

While the future of the West Coast’s earthquake early warning system is in peril from President Trump’s proposed budget cuts, the network is beginning to slowly gain traction in both small and big ways.

Los Angeles Times, 6-2-17

 

Is Big Sur’s Highway 1 worth saving?

Ever since a thin ledge of pavement was poured along Big Sur’s cliffs, opening the rugged region to tourism in the 1920s and 1930s, California has fiercely fought to save Highway 1.

Bay Area News Group, 6-3-17

 

Magnitude 3.2 quake strikes near Salton Sea

A shallow magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Thursday morning in southern San Diego County, 17 miles from Westmorland between the Salton Sea and the Mexican border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 8:19 a.m. Pacific time at a depth of 6.8 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-1-17

 

3.0 quake strikes near Lee Vining, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Friday afternoon 12 miles from Lee Vining, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 3:33 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 1.2 mile.

Los Angeles Times, 6-2-17

 

3.3 quake strikes near Mount Shasta

A shallow magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Friday afternoon 10 miles from Carrick, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 3:32 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 1.9 mile.

Los Angeles Times, 6-2-17

 

3.2 earthquake breaks near Ocotillo Wells

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake broke 18 miles southeast of Ocotillo Wells at 8:19 a.m. on Thursday — the latest in a series of small earthquakes that have occurred in and around San Diego County’s desert areas.

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-1-17

 

Origin of Yellowstone's magma discovered - it builds up from injections deep in the mantle

Scientists have discovered how supervolcanoes like Yellowstone, Toba and Campi Flegrei end up sitting on such enormous pools of magma.

International Business Times, 6-2-17


3.5 quake strikes near Randsburg, Calif.

A shallow  magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Saturday afternoon four miles from Randsburg, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 5:06 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 3.7 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-3-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

County shouldn’t allow exceptions near ag land

For those of us living on Stanley Avenue (one mile out Dayton Road), we are angered and frustrated when notified a local developer was attempting to undermine local municipal code rules with a proposed development.

Chico News and Review letter to the editor, 6-3-17

 

Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan released

The long-delayed Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan has been released for a 90-day public comment period.

Woodland Daily Democrat, 6-2-17

 

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

 

Marina to conduct public hearing concerning Cemex mine

A public hearing will be held next week concerning operations at the Cemex Mine in Marina, its violation of municipal codes, and the adoption of a resolution that raises litigation possibilities.

Monterey County Herald, 6-2-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Climate change could foul up precipitation worldwide

Just this month alone, climate change has been blamed for sleepless nights, trees moving West, and now it's causing a new problem: Weird rainfall

USA Today, 5-31-17

 

Brown's first stops in China are in cities that look a lot like California

A shaded promenade traces the river in this southern Chinese city that — when the smog blows away — fills with couples dancing to the sunrise. Nearly 900 miles east, leafy boulevards and mountainside parks cover the former imperial capital of Nanjing.

Los Angeles Times, 6-4-17

 

WATER

California bill requiring well-drilling information sparks debate: ‘Who could be against transparency?’

California farmers have long been able to get permits to drill new wells in areas where groundwater levels are falling without publicly saying how much water they intend to pump. That would change under a bill approved this week by the California Senate. 

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 6-1-17

 

The Challenge of Measuring Groundwater in California’s Central Valley

During droughts, groundwater pumping is increased to make up for losses from surface water. This is especially true in California’s Central Valley, which stretches roughly 400 miles from Redding to just south of Bakersfield, and is the heart of the state’s $47 billion-a-year agricultural industry.

Water Deeply, 6-2-17

 

Water agencies push bigger role in tunnel plan

California’s powerful regional water districts are working alongside Gov. Jerry Brown to take on more responsibility for designing, building and arranging financing for a $15.7 billion twin tunnel project that would ship water southward from Northern California as they push to finally close the deal on the controversial plan, two officials working closely on the project told The Associated Press.

Associated Press, 6-2-17

 

GENERAL

Upcoming eclipse will darken solar power production in California

California relies more on solar energy than any other state in the union. So what happens if the sun doesn’t shine?

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 6-2-17

 

 

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

New Geothermal Project Helps Create Clean Energy Future for Los Angeles

In another step toward creating a clean energy future for Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has entered a new 26-year power sales agreement for renewable geothermal power that will provide enough clean energy to serve 208,000 Los Angeles homes and avoid producing 701,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, which is roughly equivalent to removing 135,000 gas-fueled cars off the road.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, 6-1-17

 

Environmental groups sue EPA for moving to repeal fracking rules

Environmental groups sued the Trump administration Monday over its move to repeal rules on oil and natural gas frackers that were a part of former President Barack Obama's broad climate change plan.

Washington Examiner, 6-5-17

 

Passion for environmental justice fuels urban oil drilling study

It’s L.A.’s dirty little secret: 6,717 oil and natural gas wells operate within the Los Angeles Basin — even in residential communities.

UCLA Newsroom, 6-5-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Santa Cruz Mountains residents struggle with road damage from winter storms

This winter, Therese Ponder, who lives in the woods of Laurel Glen Road, saw a huge landslide across her street on a hillside property.

Bay Area News Group, 6-6-17

 

Into the Big Surreal: 36 Hours in California’s Isolated, Lonely Island

It is true — we could have gotten close to our destination by car — but the idea of rushing a story about life in the new Big Sur seemed the journalistic equivalent of slamming a fine wine like it’s a Jell-O shooter.

KQED (San Francisco television), 6-6-17

 

Say goodbye to asbestos and fault lines. New $555 million courthouse dedicated in San Diego

An invitation-only ceremony at the new state courthouse in downtown San Diego drew hundreds of judges, lawyers, politicians and other dignitaries Monday to mark the building’s official completion.

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-5-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Trump budget ‘devastating’ to winegrape farming: California ag secty

As California government is preparing to renew its mechanism for fighting climate change and crafting a new budget, Sacramento is facing new federal policy and funding directives that are cutting into farming-related environmental and social justice goals, said the Sunshine State’s agriculture secretary at a wine industry seminar in Napa.

North Bay Business Journal, 6-5-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Rising sea levels could create American climate refugees

The United States can expect massive population shifts as the weight of climate change bears down and sea levels rise perhaps six feet by the end of the century.

USA Today, 6-1-17

 

Delaware joins states in Paris climate goal coalition

Delaware will be joining a coalition of states that are committing to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Associated Press, 6-5-17

 

Delta tunnels won’t help on climate change

Dan Morain suggests the proposed Delta tunnels offer a solution for managing California’s water in our changing climate. (“Brown sends a message on the Delta tunnels,” Insight, June 1). This argument misses the mark.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 6-5-17

 

California, China sign climate deal after Trump's Paris exit

With President Donald Trump pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, China and California signed an agreement Tuesday to work together on reducing emissions, as the state's governor warned that "disaster still looms" without urgent action.

Associated Press, 6-6-17

 

GENERAL

 

Judge allows California bullet train greenhouse gas funding Judge allows California bullet train greenhouse gas funding

California regulators did not abuse their discretion when they decided to pay for the state's high-speed rail project with money from a greenhouse gas emissions program, a Sacramento County judge said in a ruling made final on Monday.

Associated Press, 6-5-17

 

 

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Earthquake shakes The Geysers

A small earthquake shook The Geysers region in the hills between Sonoma and Lake counties Monday evening, registering a magnitude of 3.3, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 6-6-17

 

3.5 quake strikes near Cabazon, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported early Wednesday morning three miles from Cabazon, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 12:12 a.m. Pacific time at a depth of 9.9 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-7-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

New San Luis Ranch plan calls for 580 homes — with first dibs to city residents, workers

To provide more affordable housing and reduce commutes, the developers of San Luis Ranch are proposing to build up to 580 homes off Madonna Road in San Luis Obispo — but with a twist: Anyone who wants to buy one must already live or work in the city to have first dibs.

San Luis Obispo Tribune, 6-6-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

China is now looking to California – not Trump – to help lead the fight against climate change

Gov. Jerry Brown met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in a rare diplomatic coup that catapults California into quasi-national status as a negotiator with China following the decision last week by President Trump to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord.

Los Angeles Times, 6-6-17

 

GENERAL

 

California regulators weigh whether the state needs more power plants

California  energy officials are, for the first time, rethinking plans to build expensive natural gas power plants in the face of an electricity glut and growing use of cleaner and cheaper energy alternatives.

          Los Angeles Times, 6-6-17

 

How Trump Can Reduce Carbon Emissions Without the Paris Agreement

The notion of the U.S. setting a price on carbon sounds far-fetched nowadays, given that President Donald Trump recently announced he will exit the Paris climate agreement and strongly supports bringing back coal jobs.

Forbes, 6-6-17

 

 

 

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Opponents Still Urging Aliso Storage Field Closure, But California Legislature Balks

Area residents and their supporters seeking to close California's largest natural gas underground storage field, Aliso Canyon, rallied at a state lawmaker's district office Wednesday, calling for the permanent closure of the 86 Bcf capacity facility north of Los Angeles in the suburban San Fernando Valley.

NGI Shale Gas Daily, 6-8-17

 

State regulators want a study of clean alternatives to an Oxnard natural gas plant

State  regulators late Friday accepted a proposal for a study of clean-energy alternatives to a proposed natural gas power plant in Ventura County — the second decision this week to reassess building new fossil fuel facilities.

Los Angeles Times, 6-9-17

 

California Department of Conservation to go back to trial over alleged evasion of environmental laws

The California Fifth District Court of Appeal recently ruled that a district court erred in its decision to dismiss a case involving allegations that the California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) did not conduct an environmental review before issuing permits for 214 new oil wells in Kern County.

Northern California Record, 6-8-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

3.5 magnitude earthquake strikes the North Coast

Sunday morning at 5:19 a.m., an earthquake registering 3.5 on the Richter scale shook the North Coast.

KRCR-TV (Redding), 6-11-17

 

Restore earthquake-warning-system funding to federal budget

In his proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2018, President Trump claims the defining ambition of his plan is to unleash the dreams and power of American work and creativity by reprioritizing spending to advance safety and security that will spur economic growth.

San Francisco Chronicle commentary, 6-8-17

 

3.5 quake strikes near Point Arguello, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Thursday evening 10 miles from Point Arguello, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 7:45 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 0 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-8-17

 

Quake shakes Westhaven

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake struck near Trinidad at 5:19 a.m. Sunday.

Eureka Times-Standard, 6-11-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

580-home San Luis Ranch project gets planners’ OK — now it’s on to the City Council

The San Luis Ranch housing proposal for 580 homes along with commercial, office and hotel space is now in the City Council’s hands.

San Luis Obispo Tribune, 6-19-17

 

Windsor looks to extend the life of its urban growth boundary

Almost 20 years ago, Windsor voters approved an urban growth boundary designed to keep a greenbelt and discourage sprawl. Now they are being asked to do it again.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 6-11-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Brown says Trump’s ‘outlandish’ climate stance will inspire world

Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday highlighted what he sees as the upside of President Trump’s unwillingness to confront climate change: Much of the rest of the world may be inspired to fight harder.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-9-17

 

Trump may restrict length of environmental reviews under infrastructure plan

The Trump administration may enforce restrictions on the length of environmental reviews as part of an effort to streamline the project approval process in his $1 trillion infrastructure package.

The Hill, 6-7-17

 

No, Rick Perry, California's renewable energy policies aren't dangerous for the grid

When Energy Secretary Rick Perry ordered a 60-day review of the “long-term reliability of the electric grid” on April 15, he might as well have cited California’s energy policies as the target of his inquiry.

Los Angeles Times column, 6-11-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Even After Landslides, You Can Still Visit Big Sur

Following a series of landslides and a bridge collapse in early February, which led to the temporary closing of many hotels and restaurants and put tourism to the region at a standstill, much of Big Sur in California is once again welcoming travelers.

New York Times, 6-7-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

This robot can check oil and gas pipelines to help prevent spills

It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. And when it comes to the expensive, claustrophobic and sometimes dangerous work of inspecting natural gas and oil pipelines, that somebody might be a robot

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-7-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Two earthquakes rattle Coachella Valley

A magnitude 3 earthquake struck Riverside County’s Coachella Valley this morning, less than six hours after another small temblor rattled the region, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

Los Angeles City News Service, 6-7-17

 

Not My Fault: Resiliency requires government support

Resilient communities take effort to reduce risk and recover quickly. When it comes to earthquakes and tsunamis, this means being aware of faults, shaking hazards and the tsunami threat, understanding the physical interactions of the hazard and the built environment, developing strategies to reduce impacts, and improving response and recovery planning.

Eureka Times-Standard column, 6-7-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

10,000 new homes are coming to ‘desirable’ part of the Sacramento region

The city of Folsom has spent years laying the groundwork for a major city expansion on the rolling hills south of Highway 50. That leapfrog moment has arrived.

Sacramento Bee, 6-7-17

 

Planning commission approves 580-home development in San Luis Obispo

On Wednesday night, the San Luis Obispo Planning Commission unanimously approved a development of residential, commercial and agricultural space on a 131-acre property between Madonna Road and Highway 101 to be called San Luis Ranch.

KSBY-TV (San Luis Obispo), 6-7-17

 

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

 

Marina declares Cemex plant a public nuisance, seeks options on possible legal action

After a contentious meeting, the Marina City Council voted unanimously late Tuesday night in a favor of a resolution calling the Cemex sand mining plant on Lapis Road a public nuisance and directing the city attorney to bring back options for legal actions.

Monterey Herald, 6-7-17

 

As day of reckoning closes in on Cemex, the city of Marina prepares to attack

In the fight to shut down the Cemex sand mine in Marina, the lines in the sand have been drawn. Diplomacy, up until now, has not borne fruit, and a looming battle is starting to take shape.

Monterey County Weekly, 6-7-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Jerry Brown in China with a climate message to the world: Don't follow America's lead

When Gov. Jerry Brown stepped to the stage in Beijing on Wednesday, he still was recovering from a 15-hour time difference, a cavalcade of business meetings and ceremonial events, a flight and a train ride to three Chinese cities and a last-minute meeting with President Xi Jinping.

Los Angeles Times, 6-7-17

Greenhouse emissions fall for another year in California

California has continued to chip away at its greenhouse gas emissions even as its economy grows, according to new data released by state regulators on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Times, 6-7-17

 

As California leads the way in battling climate change, farmers are key players

In April, Gov. Jerry Brown declared California’s record drought over. But farmers statewide won’t forget it, and they know there are ongoing challenges such as weather extremes and increasingly intense drought-flood cycles.

Monterey County Weekly commentary, 6-8-17

 

What price are Californians paying to fight climate change?

Californians pay about 15 cents a gallon extra at the pump to fight climate change. Here’s what they’re getting for their money: continued progress in the effort to curb carbon.

Sacramento Bee, 6-8-17

 

 

3.0 quake strikes near Thousand Palms

A shallow magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Wednesday morning 12 miles from Thousand Palms, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 6:30 a.m. PDT at a depth of 5 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-7-17

 

3.1 quake strikes near Point Arguello

A shallow magnitude 3.1 earthquake was reported Wednesday evening 11 miles from Point Arguello, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 9:30 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 0 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-7-17

         

M=3.7 earthquake near South Lake Tahoe

At 3:45 p.m. local time yesterday, a M=3.7 earthquake struck the East Carson Valley Fault Zone in southwestern Nevada, and shaking was felt in South Lake Tahoe, California

Temblor.com, 6-7-17

 

3.5 magnitude earthquake reported near Lompoc

A small earthquake was reported Thursday night in the ocean southwest of Lompoc in Santa Barbara County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 6-8-17

 

Restore quake alert funding to federal budget: Editorial

Politics sometimes gets personal, but there’s no telling if President Trump was thinking of the majorities of people who didn’t vote for him in the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington when he made a recent budget decision affecting earthquake warnings.

Long Beach Press Telegram, 6-8-17

 

June rain prompts new mudslide, closure on Highway 50 in El Dorado County

A section of Highway 50 damaged by winter storms experienced a new mudslide Thursday.

Sacramento Bee, 6-8-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Trump Said To Mull Combining Agencies Split After Gulf Spill

After the 2010 Gulf oil spill, the Obama administration broke the scandal-plagued federal agency that policed offshore drilling into separate bureaus. Now the Trump administration is considering putting it back together again.

Bloomberg News, 6-8-17

 

WATER

 

Here’s the right strategy for California’s next drought

The recent drought brought record high temperatures and record low precipitation, pushed numerous native fish species to the brink of extinction and led to unusually large drops in groundwater levels. But the biggest milestone for urban areas was the state’s unprecedented order to cut water use by an average of 25 percent.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 6-8-17

 

BUDGET

 

State budget plan boosts K-12 spending and fixes Oroville, but how about those tobacco-tax dollars?

The effort to craft a new state budget before next week's deadline advanced late Thursday night, although a few hotly debated items — including how to spend new tobacco tax dollars — remained in limbo.

Los Angeles Times, 6-9-17

 

Lawmakers, governor face tight deadline for state budget

A California legislative panel has advanced pieces of a compromise state budget, but agreement remained elusive Friday on key sticking points including how to spend more than $1 billion in new tobacco tax revenue.  

Associated Press, 6-9-17

 

California budget panel approves spending plan as talks with Brown continue

The Legislature’s budget-writing committee approved a spending plan late Thursday that expands a tax credit for the poor and imposes direct budget control of the University of California’s office of the president, as talks continue on how to spend more than a billion dollars in tobacco-tax money.

Sacramento Bee, 6-8-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Gov. Brown Heads Back To California After China Visit

California Governor Jerry Brown is back in California, after five whirlwind days in China. The trip ended much as it began.

Capitol Public Radio, 6-9-17

 

California’s greenhouse gas emissions fall by less than 1%

California officials, determined to fight climate change, have ordered deep cuts in the state’s emission of greenhouse gases.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-8-17

 

GENERAL

 

California attorney general to Trump: You can't touch our national monuments

 California’s attorney general argued Thursday that President Trump has no legal authority to revoke or modify national monuments created by previous administrations.

Los Angeles Times, 6-8-17

 

 

BUDGET

 

New California transparency rule allows 3-day budget review

Californians will get three days to look over the final state budget before lawmakers take a vote this week, giving the public an unprecedented period to scour the spending plan ahead of a final decision.

Associated Press, 6-12-17      

 

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

EPA moves to halt Obama methane rule for two years

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed pausing an Obama administration oil and gas pollution rule for two years while it reconsiders the regulation. 

The Hill, 6-13-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Signs of past California 'mega-quakes' show danger of the Big One on San Andreas fault

As Interstate 10 snakes through the mountains and toward the golf courses, housing tracts and resorts of the Coachella Valley, it crosses the dusty slopes of the San Gorgonio Pass.

Los Angeles Times, 6-13-17

 

'Earthquake-proof' building anchored by a giant curtain of cables

Located on the most active earthquake belt in the world, the island nation of Japan is constantly shaking, or bracing itself for the next big quake.

CNN, 6-13-17

 

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

 

Rise Gold to Recommence Work at Idaho Maryland Mine After 60 Years

A Company you've never heard of, Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTC: RYES) is preparing to commence drilling at its 100% owned Idaho-Maryland Mine (IM) in California, a property, although, mammoth, you've probably also never heard of.

Baystreet, 6-13-17

 

Watchdog: EPA acted legally, reasonably in 2015 Colorado mine spill

A Monday report from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General largely clears the agency for its actions surrounding the 2015 Gold King Mine spill in Colorado.

The Hill, 6-12-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Two paths for long-term fixes at California’s shrinking sea

Near the southeastern shore of the Salton Sea, hot steam bubbles up from the earth and gurgles out of mud volcanos, rising into the air.

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 6-12-17

 

Brown: 'Grossly Hypocritical' To Oppose Oil Production In California

Jerry Brown’s trip to China earned him wall-to-wall media coverage — internationally and here at home. Much less covered was another environmental visit the California governor took just weeks earlier: to Bell Gardens in Los Angeles County, a transportation corridor with some of the worst air quality in the state.

Capital Public Radio, 6-12-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

A 3,000-Year-Old Treasure Map Is The First 'Geological' Map In History

According to ancient historians, gold was as common as sand in the kingdom of Egypt.

Forbes, 6-12-17

 

Editorial: Cutting early warning quake system makes little sense

Politics sometimes gets personal, but there’s no telling if President Donald Trump was thinking of the majority of people who didn’t vote for him in the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington when he made a recent budget decision affecting earthquake warnings.

Bay Area News Group, 6-12-17

 

State of emergency declared on quake-hit Greek island Lesbos

Authorities in Greece have declared a state of emergency on the island of Lesbos after an earthquake left one woman dead and more than 800 people displaced.

Associated Press, 6-13-17

 

Magnitude-5.3 earthquake strikes Hawaii's Big Island

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Dealing with the Sprawl Devil

A steady gale whipped the long, spring grass, sending waves streaking across the hills near Mount Diablo. “I’ve always loved that view—right there,” said Michael Amorosa, who had come to a stop while walking along Empire Mine Road, a bike path and trail that bisects a suburban wilderness near Antioch on the east slope of the mountain.

Oakland Magazine, 6-13-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

The fight against climate change: four cities leading the way in the Trump era

Wholly unintentionally, Donald Trump may have sparked unprecedented determination within the US to confront the danger of climate change.

The Guardian, 6-12-17

 

If You Think Fighting Climate Change Will Be Expensive, Calculate the Cost of Letting It Happen

With the Trump Administration’s surprising U-turn on the COP21 Paris Agreement, the U.S. finds itself with some strange bedfellows, joining Nicaragua and Syria in abstaining from this important treaty.

Harvard Business Review, 6-12-17

 

Jerry Brown Won’t Stop the Earth from Warming

In a highly choreographed meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Governor of California, Jerry Brown was yanked up and symbolically elevated to the stature of a head of state.

Huffington Post, 6-12-17

 

WATER

 

What Did California Learn From The Drought?

A report from the Public Policy Institute of California says the state's cities and suburbs responded well to the unprecedented mandate to cut water use by 25 percent during the drought.

Capital Public Radio, 6-12-17

 

 

WATER

 

The Heart of California’s Water System Could Get Federal Recognition

California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a unique landscape: a maze of islands and rivers as big as Rhode Island, sprinkled with historic Gold Rush towns and teeming with wildlife amid some of the world’s most fertile farmland.

Water Deeply, 6-13-17

 

 

 

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

The Big Sur slide you haven’t heard of

There’s a second smaller landslide in Big Sur that’s been eclipsed by the drama of the epic Mud Creek slide.

East Bay Times, 6-14-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Where did the farmland go? Here’s how urbanization has spread in Southern California

Over the past 33 years Southern California has lost approximately 327,000 acres of agricultural land in Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties. Here’s a look at where urban change has occurred.

Press Enterprise, 6-13-17

 

Neighbors clash with proposed subdivision bordering ag land

Fired up farmers served up hours of testimony Tuesday regarding a proposed subdivision on Stanley Avenue in Chico, resulting in the Board of Supervisors delaying its vote.

Oroville Mercury Record, 6-13-17

 

New $80 million plan to preserve San Jose’s Coyote Valley

Developers in the 1980s and ’90s had big plans to build sprawling campuses for Apple, Cisco Systems and other tech firms in Coyote Valley, a pastoral expanse of farmland and ranches on San Jose’s southern edges.

Mercury News, 6-15-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Interior to delay Obama fracking rules

The Interior Department plans to not enforce methane emission rules for fracking on federal lands, after congressional Republicans failed to repeal the regulations.

Washington Examiner, 6-14-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

San Andreas Fault Earthquakes Are Triggered by Winter Rain and Snow, Scientists Discover

Earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault in California are being triggered by winter rain and snowfall, scientists have discovered.

Newsweek, 6-16-17

 

What Would Really Happen if a Tsunami Hit the Bay Area?

In 2015, Steven Horowitz was watching one of the summer’s big blockbuster action flicks, “San Andreas.” In the movie, the San Andreas fault shifts, triggering a magnitude 9.6 earthquake in San Francisco. Disaster ensues — and for the rest of the movie we watch as all of the West Coast’s greatest landmarks are destroyed one by one in an epic, computer-generated spectacle.

KQED-TV (San Francisco), 6-15-17

 

Something You Probably Didn’t Expect From the Huge Sierra Snowpack: Earthquakes

The importance of the mountain snowpack to California’s water supply is legendary. But according to a new study, its impact reaches far below the Earth’s surface to the state’s tectonic foundations. And that impact can be measured and to some degree, even predicted.

KQED-TV (San Francisco), 6-15-17

 

5 dead in magnitude 6.9 earthquake in western Guatemala

Five people were killed and seven injured by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Wednesday in western Guatemala near the border with Mexico, Guatemala's national emergency coordination agency reported.

Associated Press, 6-14-17

 

Warning Signs Abound for 'Big One' Earthquake Along San Andreas Fault

An earthquake more than 100 miles from Los Angeles might not seem like a big deal. However, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake is far from ordinary and there's plenty of geological evidence of past occurrences in Southern California. These markers foreshadow grave consequences for a region that's already on high alert for the next "Big One."

Weather.com, 6-14-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Bankrupt Driller Not Required to Plug Abandoned Well

When an oil and gas driller enters bankruptcy, a host of unique issues often arise, include ding how to close abandoned wells in a ­responsible manner.

Legal Intelligencer, 6-15-17

 

Protection question -- The Carrizo Plain National Monument is under review by the federal government

At about 6 a.m. on April 2, I feel like I'm the only thing awake for miles. Yellow goldfields, tidy tips, and green grass on the Caliente Range across the valley are starting to pick up that special blend of orange and red as the sun's first rays rise behind me.

San Luis Obispo New Times, 6-15-17

 

Lawsuit to slow Price Canyon aquifer exemption goes to court 

A Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit demanding that state oil regulators adhere to environmental laws in reviewing an aquifer exemption for the Price Canyon oilfield is headed for a final hearing in SLO County Superior Court on June 15.

San Luis Obispo New Times, 6-15-17

 

FERC Summer Market Update Again Clouded By Aliso Canyon NatGas Storage Outage

Electric capacity is expected to be sufficient to meet forecast demand nationally, according to a FERC report released Thursday, but for the second year in a row the outage at Southern California Gas Co.'s Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility has the potential to become a hurdle for gas customers.

NGI Shale Gas Daily, 6-15-17

 

Southern California power supply at risk this summer: FERC

Natural gas constraints in Southern California could pose a risk to the region's power supply this summer, while New England and Texas could face tight electricity supplies, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said on Thursday.

Reuters, 6-15-17

 

California clamps down on natural gas leaks from pipelines

California regulators have approved rules designed to cut natural gas leaks from pipelines and pumping stations by 40 percent, as part of the state’s far-ranging fight against global warming.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-15-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

State officials clear a roadblock to the controversial Newhall Ranch development

A decades-long fight by real estate and construction industry interests to build a 58,000-resident housing development along the last wild river in Southern California overcame a hurdle this week when state wildlife officials approved the project’s revised plans to protect a rare fish and reduce greenhouse gases.

Los Angeles Times, 6-15-17

 

Just over county line, Newhall Ranch clears hurdle

A decades-long fight by real estate and construction industry interests to build a 58,000-resident housing development along the last wild river in Southern California and just east of the Ventura County line overcame a hurdle this week.

Ventura County Star, 6-15-17

 

MINING

 

Mountain Pass mine sells for $20.5 M

The former Mountain Pass rare earths mine in California, located about 50 miles south of Las Vegas, and formerly owned by the bankrupt Molycorp, was auctioned off on June 14. The winning bidder was a group of Molycorp's creditors including JHL Capital Group and QVT Financial of the US and Chinese rare earths mining company Shenghe Resources with a bid of $20.5 million, according to sources attending the sale.

Wyoming Business Report, 6-15-17

 

WATER

 

Local farmer using excess water to flood crops and improve his water table

An olive orchard at Terranova Ranch in western Fresno County is being flooded to recharge the aquifer.

KFSN-TV (Fresno), 6-15-17

 

Why go for desal when California has cheaper options?

Sacramento Bee commentary, 6-15-17

 

Delta tunnels are not a climate project

Fresno Bee, 6-15-17

 

California: beyond the drought

Californians: Let’s take a moment to pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. We and our economy survived the worst drought in the state’s recorded history.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-14-17

 

A plan to build huge water tunnels gets September deadline

When Southern California needs water, it takes a big gulp from the streams and waterways of Northern California.

Southern California Public Radio, 6-14-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Here’s the latest report card on California’s battle against climate change

New data released by state regulators provide a detailed snapshot of California’s battle against global warming. We’ve crunched the numbers on specific sources of pollution, including planes, cars and trucks, and how the state’s pollution compares to the size of its economy.

Los Angeles Times, 6-14-17

 

If you want to know what climate change feels like, you’re going to find out this summer

An early summer heat wave delivered record temperatures from Nebraska to Maine this week. On Tuesday, some parts of the Midwest and Northeast saw temperatures 20 degrees above the historical average. And this is just the beginning of what is expected to be a very hot summer.

ThinkProgress, 6-14-17

 

Report looks at adapting to sea-level rise

Climate experts predict that sea levels could leap as much as 70 inches by 2100, and Marin County is preparing to be on the frontlines.

Point Reyes Light, 6-15-17

 

Climate Change Effects: Louisiana's Coast Is Sinking More Rapidly Than Anyone Thought, According to Study

From Antarctica, where a research expedition was canceled due to rising temperatures, to the Arctic Sea, where ice continues to melt, the effects of climate change are being felt around the globe.

Newsweek, 6-16-17

 

As Solar Pushes Electricity Prices Negative, 3 Solutions for California’s Power Grid

For a time this spring in California, as the snow melted above hydroelectric dams, the sun shone on solar arrays, and the wind whipped through turbines, the state was confronted with both a blessing and a curse.

Inside Climate News, 6-14-17

 

Agencies slow methane rules opposed by oil, gas industry

The Trump administration is delaying two Obama-era regulations aimed at restricting harmful methane emissions from oil and gas production.

Associated Press, 6-15-17

 

BUDGET

 

Legislature approves $125 billion budget with unusual provision

Democrats looking to preserve their supermajority in the Legislature approved a state budget Thursday that includes an unusual provision to help one of their own keep his Senate seat, a move that prompted strong opposition from Republicans who accused the majority party of interfering with the will of voters.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-15-17

 

It’s a deal. Lawmakers send Jerry Brown a jam-packed budget

California lawmakers passed a spending plan for the coming fiscal year Thursday, meeting the state’s budget approval deadline with a $183.2 billion package that raises school funding, expands a tax credit for the working poor and gives the Capitol a greater say over University of California finances.

Sacramento Bee, 6-15-17

 

California Approves Largest-Ever Budget

The California state budget package approved Thursday includes a measure that seeks to prevent local jurisdictions from contracting out space for immigrant detention.

Capital Public Radio, 6-15-17

Here's how $183 billion in taxpayer dollars will be spent in California's new budget

California lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a $183.2-billion state budget, a plan that broadly boosts government spending while also continuing the recent effort to build up cash reserves.

Los Angeles Times, 6-15-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

3.4 earthquake rattles desert near El Centro

A magnitude 3.4 earthquake broke northwest of El Centro at 7:14 a.m. on Friday, producing light shaking that was felt in nearby Westmorland, Brawley and El Centro, the US Geological Survey said.

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-16-17

 

It would be reckless to pull federal funding for an earthquake early warning system

Experts can’t predict earthquakes, but they can warn you that they’re coming.

Los Angeles Times editorial, 6-17-17

 

Mission San Luis Obispo a link to one of California’s largest earthquakes, tsunamis

History offers us many reminders that we live in a place Spanish soldados in 1769 described as “Tierra de los temblores,” or the “land of the shakes.”

San Luis Obispo Tribune column, 6-17-17

 

Four missing after tsunami strikes Greenland coast

Four people are missing after a tsunami hit Greenland's west coast, police have said. The surge of water is also reported to have swept away 11 homes in the village of Nuugaatsiaq.

BBC News, 6-18-17

 

3.0 quake strikes near Lake Isabella, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Saturday evening 14 miles from Lake Isabella, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 11:11 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 0 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-18-17

 

Editorial: Trump dumping earthquake early warning system is ridiculous

Politics can get personal. You have to wonder if President Donald Trump was thinking of the majority of people who didn’t vote for him in the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington when he made a recent budget decision to abandon an earthquake warning system.

Bay Area News Group, 6-18-17

 

Can Animals Predict Earthquakes? Italian Farm Acts as a Lab to Find Out

After a series of powerful earthquakes struck Italy last year, Martin Wikelski rushed here to test a hunch that has tantalized scientists and thinkers for millenniums: Can animals anticipate natural disasters?

New York Times, 6-17-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Oil and gas permit lawsuit could have big impact

The trial over Kern County's 2-year-old oil and gas permitting ordinance began last week without much fanfare. But the stakes are huge for all sides.

Bakersfield California column, 6-17-17

 

US rig count rises this week 6

The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. rose by six this week to 933.

Associated Press, 6-16-17

 

Study of oil and gas drilling finds pollution and connections to earthquakes

Oil and gas drilling in Texas shale plays pollutes the air, erodes soil and contaminates water, while the disposal of millions of gallons of wastewater causes earthquakes, a consortium of the state's top scientists concluded.

Houston Chronicle, 6-18-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

California farms are thirsty and in danger

For generations now, California farmers have fed America and the world. As a third-generation California farmer, my family is proud of the produce we have helped put on the table.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 6-16-17

 

Some walnut, peach orchards show "collapse" symptoms after NorCal winter floods

Janine Hasey has lived through several northern California floods. The county director for the University of California Cooperative Extension offices in Sutter and Yuba counties witnessed several major flood events in the region including in 1997 but none rival last winter.

Western Farm Press, 6-18-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Fifth massive solar farm in Riverside County — this one near Joshua Tree — to sell power to SoCal Edison

Riverside County could soon be getting its fifth massive solar farm.

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 6-14-17

 

Is It So Bad If the World Gets A Little Hotter? Uh, Yeah

Many of us share some dim apprehension that the world is flying out of control, that the center cannot hold.

Wired, 6-16-17

 

Climate Change Cuts Climate Change Study Short

Doing environmental research isn't easy. From wild animals to foul weather, researchers have to jump lots of unexpected hurdles while collecting data. But as The Guardian’s Ashifa Kassam reports, for one group of Canadian climate scientists, the obstacle standing in their way was their research subject itself: climate change.
Smithsonian, 6-14-17

 

BUDGET

 

This California budget gimmick stinks

You probably thought a state budget divvied up all the Sacramento tax money and parceled it to a zillion programs. It does. But these days it also can do things that past legislators never dreamed possible.

Los Angeles Times column, 6-19-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Mud Creek Slide is still moving. And geologists are using lasers and 3-D models to track it

Nearly a month after a massive Big Sur landslide buried Highway 1 in millions of cubic yards of dirt and rock, geologists say it’s continuing to shift and change the shape of California’s coastline.

San Luis Obispo Tribune, 6-19-17

 

Exclusive - Cost to earthquake-proof L.A.'s crumbling pipe system? $15 billion

Mayor Eric Garcetti's call to strengthen Los Angeles' water system — one pillar of his ambitious plan to ready the city for a major earthquake — would cost as much as $15 billion and require decades of work, Department of Water and Power engineers estimate.

Los Angeles Times, 3-20-15

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

State Lands Commission Outlines Next Steps to Dismantle Platform Holly, Ellwood Onshore Facility

The State Lands Commission’s priority in the decommissioning of Venoco Inc.’s Platform Holly and the Ellwood Onshore Facility along the Goleta coast is ensuring the facilities are secured, and public health, safety and the environment are protected, according to a top agency official.

Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 6-18-17

 

Cedric The Entertainer Sues Gas Co. Over Aliso Canyon Leak

Cedric the Entertainer is reportedly suing Southern California Gas Co. alleging the Aliso Canyon disaster caused his family to suffer nausea, nosebleeds, vomiting and vertigo.

SoCal Patch, 6-20-17

 

Heat Wave to Test California Natural Gas Supplies After Leak

A dangerous heat wave gripping the U.S. West will offer the first big test of the summer for the natural gas market in Southern California, where supplies have been limited since the largest leak in U.S. history.

Bloomberg News, 6-20-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program a starting point for getting farmland to next generation

How do beginning farmers and ranchers connect with the record number of retiring producers? What should be a straightforward question with a straightforward answer isn’t always so simple.

Capital Press Ag Weekly, 6-19-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Deadly heat waves will become more frequent, says study

Killer heat is getting worse, a new study shows. Deadly heat waves like the one now broiling the American West are bigger killers than previously thought and they are going to grow more frequent, according to a new comprehensive study of fatal heat conditions.

Associated Press, 6-19-17

 

Sea level rise experts urge more science

ARCATA -- Local sea rise experts have alerted the California Coastal Commission that the state’s pending update of sea level science findings overlooks two crucial studies of the North Coast’s vulnerabilities.

Mad River Union, 6-17-17

 

The Dutch Have Solutions to Rising Seas. The World Is Watching.

The wind over the canal stirred up whitecaps and rattled cafe umbrellas. Rowers strained toward a finish line and spectators hugged the shore. Henk Ovink, hawkish, wiry, head shaved, watched from a V.I.P. deck, one eye on the boats, the other, as usual, on his phone.

New York Times, 6-15-17

 

Houston fears climate change will cause catastrophic flooding: 'It's not if, it's when'

Sam Brody is not a real estate agent, but when his friends want to move home they get in touch to ask for advice. He is a flood impact expert in Houston – and he has plenty of work to keep him busy.

The Guardian, 6-16-17

 

BUDGET

 

State’s ‘balanced and progressive’ budget carries big risks for taxpayers

Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders are patting themselves on the back for what Brown describes as a “balanced and progressive budget” for the 2017-18 fiscal year that begins July 1.

CalMatters column, 6-18-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Yellowstone Supervolcano Hit By A Swarm Of More Than 400 Earthquakes In One Week

Yellowstone supervolcano has been hit by a series of earthquakes, with more 400 recorded since June 12. The latest was recorded on Monday, June 19, with a magnitude 3 earthquake striking 8.6 miles north northeast of West Yellowstone, Montana.

Newsweek, 6-19-17

 

This earthquake fault in northeast L.A. and Pasadena isn't well known, but experts say it poses dangers

California  officials have mapped a new stretch of an earthquake fault through northeast Los Angeles — a fault that could cause major damage in the heart of the metro area.

Los Angeles Times, 6-20-17

 

Reservoir water weight blamed for Arkansas earthquake swarm

A swarm of earthquakes in northern Arkansas is being linked to the weight of the water at a rain-swollen reservoir.

Associated Press, 6-19-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

(OPINION) California’s regulations put farms, farmers and food in danger

For generations now, California farmers have fed America and the world. As a third-generation California farmer, my family is proud of the produce we have helped put on the table.

Merced Sun-Star, 6-20-17

Marin and Silveiras reach 10-year deal on San Rafael ranch

One of the largest parcels of undeveloped land left in Marin will be off limits to commercial development for at least the next 10 years following an agreement between Marin County and the Silveira family.

Marin Journal, 6-20-17

 

Could 'saline agriculture' be the future of coastal farming?

One of Europe's leading climate change experts detailed the extreme challenges facing farmers around the world at the latest in a series of industry briefings at the University of Lincoln, UK. .

Phys.org, 6-20-17

 

WATER

 

More confusion than clarity in tunnels EIR

The final version of Gov. Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels plan is better than earlier drafts but still contains “key flaws,” independent scientists say, including an environmental impact report that is so chock full of facts that it doesn’t tell a clear story.

SanJoaquin.com, 6-20-17

 

Bill aims to help California save water for a not-so-rainy day

After years of drought, the state of California is bracing for water. Lots of it. Maybe even a rerun of the havoc caused by the failure of the Oroville Dam this winter.

McClatchy News Service, 6-20-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

California's Clean Air Act waiver should be yanked, Trump's former environmental advisor says

The head of President Trump's Environmental Protection Agency may not be prepared to battle California over air regulations, but the man who led Trump's transition team for the department is ready.

Los Angeles Times, 6-20-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

False alarm: Caltech staffer accidentally sends alert for large 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake

A staffer at Caltech mistakenly sent out an alert for a large magnitude 6.8 earthquake off the Santa Barbara coast — from 1925.

Los Angeles Times, 6-21-17

 

A Newly Mapped Fault Line and the Big One

Los Angeles lives in fear of the Big One. Now scientists with the California Geological Survey have newly mapped part of an earthquake fault line in northeastern Los Angeles that they say could someday cause major damage to the heart of the metro area and the San Gabriel Valley. The Raymond fault caused the magnitude-4.9 Pasadena earthquake in 1988, and researchers say it’s capable of causing a much more serious magnitude-7 earthquake.

Los Angeles Times, 6-21-17

 

Protect funding for US earthquake early-warning system

On a winter night three centuries ago, so a Native American legend tells, the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada was rocked by a ferocious clash between supernatural creatures. The Thunderbird and the Whale battled for hours.

Nature, 6-21-17

 

What’s shakin’ on York? Fault line extends under Eagle Rock, Glassell Park and Highland Park

The bars, restaurants and boutiques of York Boulevard make it an epicenter of cool for Northeast L.A. But it turns out the street might also one day be the epicenter of an earthquake.

The Eastsider LA, 6-21-17

 

3.3 magnitude earthquake felt in East Bay

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.3 hit the East Bay just after noon Wednesday. 

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-21-17

 

Earthquake: 3.3 quake strikes near El Cerrito, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Wednesday afternoon one mile from El Cerrito, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 12 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 2.5 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-21-17

 

False alarm: The 6.8 earthquake off Santa Barbara that wasn’t

Duck, cover and pray for the best. Oh…never mind.

Bay Area News Group, 6-22-17

 

No, there was no Magnitude 6.8 quake Wednesday near Isla Vista

An earthquake alert sent out in error by the U.S. Geological Survey sent some into a tizzy Wednesday and compelled us to set the record straight.

KSBY-TV (San Luis Obispo), 6-21-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

PHMSA Pauses Stricter Natural Gas Storage Rules for Clarification

Responding to requests from the oil and natural gas industry, the Trump administration has served notice that it will delay some of the Obama administration's stepped up safety rules for underground natural gas storage.

Shale Gas Daily, 6-21-17

 

Cedric the Entertainer is suing SoCalGas over ‘ultra-hazardous’ well leak and his neighbors are glad

Saying he and his family continue to suffer illnesses and that the property value of his Chatsworth estate has tumbled, actor and comedian Cedric The Entertainer lobbed a hefty lawsuit against the Southern California Gas Co. and its parent company, Sempra, this week in Los Angeles Superior Court for negligence related to the Aliso Canyon gas leak.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 6-21-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Flood proposal brings concern about land use

Describing it as a backdoor effort to regulate land use, farm groups have asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to withdraw proposed changes to the National Flood Insurance Program, or at least to reopen a comment period on the proposed changes to allow more opportunity for affected people to respond.

Ag Alert, 6-21-17

 

Potential plans for land north of Eight Mile Road spur worries

More than two months ago, the City Council voted for the drafting of a new Stockton land-use map favoring neighborhood and downtown revitalization over sprawl from now through 2040.

Stockton Record, 6-21-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Hell or High Water: How Will CA Adapt to the Anthropocene?

On February 12, 2017, nearly 200,000 Californians got the order to flee for their lives.

California Magazine, 6-21-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Of Course Fracking Is Safe, Stanford Prof Says

The benefits of fracking far outweigh its costs not only economically, but environmentally, a Stanford University geophysicist said Friday.

Forbes, 6-2-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Big Sur’s ‘Arleen’s Slide’ honors woman who protects drivers from falling rock

It was a just a hairline crack in the asphalt, but it caught flagger Arleen Guzzie’s notice as she parked her white Chevy truck this spring to control busy Highway 1 traffic along her beloved Big Sur coast.

Bay Area News Group, 6-25-17

 

3.5 quake strikes near Banning

A shallow magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Sunday morning five miles from Banning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 6:53 a.m. PDT at a depth of 8.1 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-25-17

 

4.2 quake strikes near Petrolia, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 4.2 earthquake was reported Saturday afternoon two miles from Petrolia, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 2:22 p.m. PDT at a depth of 5.0 miles.

Los Angeles Times, 6-24-17

 

Magnitude 4.0 quake strikes near Petrolia

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake has struck 16 miles southwest of Rio Dell this afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Eureka Times-Standard, 6-24-17

The World's Most Powerful Earthquake Ended With An Eruption And A Human Sacrifice

It’s not surprising that the most powerful natural disasters in the world have often been signs of impending doom; indications that the gods up above, or the demons down below, are unhappy.

Forbes, 6-25-17

 

3.5-magnitude earthquake shakes Banning, Beaumont area

A 3.5-magnitude quake rattled residents near the San Gorgonio Pass on Sunday. The earthquake struck at 6:53 a.m. about 5 1/2 miles northwest of Banning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

          Riverside Press Enterprise, 6-25-17

 

Over 120 people buried by massive southwest China landslide

More than 120 people were buried by a landslide that caused huge rocks and a mass of earth to come crashing into their homes in a mountain village in southwestern China early Saturday, officials said.

Associated Press, 6-24-17

 

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Saving 1,000 acres of Coyote Valley? Can the Open Space Authority really pull this off?

San Jose’s wide-open Coyote Valley has been saved from imminent development so many times that if it were a person, it would have whiplash.

Bay Area News Group, 6-22-17

 

CLIMATE

 

California's climate debate heats up behind closed doors as Gov. Brown pushes to extend cap and trade

The end of annual budget negotiations usually brings a sense of calm to the Capitol, but behind the scenes Gov. Jerry Brown has intensified his efforts to reach a deal with lobbyists and lawmakers on a blueprint for California’s future climate change policies.

Los Angeles Times, 6-23-17

 

Why is climate change such a hard sell in the U.S.?

Earlier this month President Donald Trump took the dramatic step of removing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement – the product of many years of diligent and difficult negotiation among 175 nations around the world.

Salon, 6-25-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Illinois' First Fracking Permit Reignites Controversy

An application for a fracking permit in southern Illinois has revived the debate on high-volume oil and gas drilling.

Associated Press, 6-26-17

 

Residents and Lawmakers Fight Aliso Canyon Reopening

As California regulators decide whether to reopen the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility, the site of the largest human-caused release of greenhouse gasses in U.S. history, residents and activists – often one and the same – vow to redouble their fight against its reopening.

Capitalandmain.com, 6-27-17

 

Study to Weigh Aliso Canyon Shutdown

California regulators last week advanced on a plan to study the potential for eliminating the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. The move came as Southern California Gas reiterated warnings about the impact of gas shortages on grid reliability this summer.

RTO Insider, 6-26-17

 

MINING

 

BREAKING: Coastal Commission poised to settle with Cemex

For activists hoping to shut down the Cemex sand mine in Marina, it’s cause for celebration.

Monterey County Weekly, 6-26-17

 

State reaches deal to shut down sand mine in Monterey Bay

California regulators reached an agreement with a Mexican company to shut down the last coastal sand mine in the United States and avoid a legal battle over a dredging operation that experts say has caused devastating erosion in Monterey Bay, officials said Monday.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-26-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Gov. Brown prepares for a new climate battle, and it probably will cost you

It’s been miserable out there. Death Valley reached a deadly 127-degree record. Flights were canceled in Phoenix because it isn’t safe to take off when the temperature exceeds 117 degrees. Parts of our valley sizzled at 110.

Sacramento Bee, 6-23-17

WATER

 

Federal agencies greenlight proposed delta tunnel project

Federal  fishery agencies Monday pushed forward a controversial water project that would change the way Northern California supplies are sent to the Southland.

Los Angeles Times, 6-26-17

 

Federal wildlife folks bless tunnels

Gov. Jerry Brown won crucial early approval from federal wildlife officials Monday for his $16 billion proposal to re-engineer California’s north-south water system, advancing his plan to build two giant tunnels to carry Northern California water to the south even though much about the project remains undetermined.

Associated Press, 6-26-17

 

Feds Say Delta Tunnels Won't Push Fish To Extinction

Two US wildlife agencies have given their environmental stamp of approval to the nearly $16 billion plan to build two 35-mile-long tunnels in the West Coast's largest estuary.

Capital Public Radio, 6-26-17

 

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/delta/article158264619.html

 

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

28 earthquakes strike near Truckee, the largest a 3.9 magnitude tremor

Truckee has been rocking Tuesday, with at least 28 small earthquakes shaking the high Sierra town overnight, the largest registering a magnitude 3.9 according to the United States Geological Survey.

SFGATE, 6-27-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Oil spill reported near Santa Maria Greka plant

Crews are working to clean up an estimated three to five barrels of oil that reportedly spilled near Greka in Santa Maria

KSBY (San Luis Obispo), 6-27-17

 

Opinion: It's nonsense to say fracking can be made safe, whatever guidelines we come up with

Can fracking be safe? A new study suggests how fracking – the process of extracting oil and gas trapped in rocks deep underground by blasting water into the rock at high pressure – can be conducted without causing earthquakes, which is one of the most well known concerns.

Phys.org, 6-28-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Swarm of Earthquakes Hits Truckee 

"I felt a substantial movement like an earthquake." Chris Arth says she was asleep when a 3.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Truckee area just after 2 a.m. Tuesday. She says she mentally braced for another to follow.

KTXL-TV (Sacramento), 6-27-17

 

Truckee earthquake swarm puts spotlight on state's preparedness for larger quake

"If people felt it, it probably would just been a very slight bump under their feet," California State Geologist John Parrish said. "Magnitudes three and less are seldom felt unless one is actually right on top of them.”

KXTV (Sacramento), 6-27-17

 

Where were you during the Big Bear quake of ’92

The Big Bear Grizzly recently surveyed its Facebook readers for stories about their experiences during the 1992 Big Bear Earthquake. Here is what they shared:

Big Bear Grizzly, 6-28-17

 

Los Angeles: New ‘Earthquake-Proof’ Skyscraper Opens in Downtown L.A. Near San Andreas Fault

Unlike most American cities, Los Angeles has few tall buildings, with some lonely clusters of metallic skyscrapers in Century City and in a pocket downtown. 

Newsweek, 6-27-17

 

MINES

 

Cemex to close Marina sand mining operation by end of 2020

A series of agreements have been reached to close Cemex Sand Mining operation in Marina, the last beach-front sand-mining operation in the United States, by the end of 2020.

Monterey County Herald, 6-27-17

 

Mining sand from beaches in mainland U.S. could end with this proposed settlement

The California Coastal Commission and an international cement company on Tuesday announced a proposed settlement that would end the mining of coastal sand in Monterey County — the last operation of its type on the mainland United States.

Los Angeles Times, 6-27-17

 

Lt. Governor supports closing Cemex mine in Marina, Ca

California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, Chair of the State Lands Commission, welcomed the terms of a proposal that would shut down the nation’s last coastal sand mining operation in three years, and cap its dredging operations in the interim.

Santa Clarita Signal, 6-27-17

 

BUDGET

 

Gov. Brown signs $125 billion budget

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law California’s budget bill for the coming year — and 15 related bills on everything from the dismantling of a troubled tax agency to recreational marijuana regulations.

Bay Area News Group, 6-27-17

 

California government will spend more than ever before under the new budget

Gov. Jerry Brown placed his signature Tuesday on a $183.2-billion state budget, a spending plan that boosts public schools and programs aimed at California’s less fortunate while stashing away an additional $1.8 billion in the state’s long-term cash reserves.

Los Angeles Times, 6-28-17

 

How the budget Jerry Brown just signed affects schools, marijuana and child care

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a $183 billion state budget the veteran Democrat touted as an example of the state’s fiscal prudence amid “uncertain times.”

Sacramento Bee, 6-27-17

 

Gov. Jerry Brown signs $125 billion state budget without a veto

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a $125 billion state budget Tuesday, stamping his official approval on a package of bills his office negotiated with Democratic leaders and then ushered through a Democratic-controlled Legislature.

San Francisco Chronicle, 6-27-17

 

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

USGS deletes magnitude 3.7 earthquake report in Sonoma

The United States Geological Survey sent an alert on a magnitude 3.7 earthquake just south east of Sonoma Friday morning, but the quake apparently never happened.

SFGate, 6-30-17

 

Commentary: Critical wild Coho salmon watershed threatened by aggressive logging plan

As wild Coho salmon have disappeared in nearly every tributary of the Russian River, Felta Creek remains a rare exception. Even in the low fish years of 2006 and 2008, endangered wild Coho survived in the shady pools of this boulder strewn west county stream. This spring, UC Sea Grant biologists discovered multiple spawning beds, or “redds,” in the creek’s gravel bars. Wild fish will be there again this summer.

The Healdsburg Tribune, 6-28-17

 

 

3.7 earthquake rattles Mammoth Lakes area

A magnitude 3.7 earthquake erupted in the Mammoth Lakes region at 12:34 p.m. on Friday, briefly shaking the region as vacationers arrive for the long Fourth of July weekend, the US Geological Survey said.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 6-30-17

 

Earthquake strikes Mammoth Lakes area

Mountain Area residents may have felt some light rumbles this afternoon thanks to a 3.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the Mammoth Lakes area.

Sierra Star, 6-30-17

 

Landers Earthquake: Days of fear and unity

“We thought it would never stop.” For the people closest to the Landers Earthquake’s epicenter, like Arlene Hanson, it felt like the shaking would go on forever. The earthquake itself, which hit at 4:57 a.m. June 28, 1992, lasted for 24 seconds, but shock waves continued to shake the ground for several more seconds, according to government scientists.

Hi-Desert Star, 6-30-17

 

Workers Returning, Carefully, to the Scene of Epic Landslide on the California Coast

"California’s restless new stretch of beachfront property in Big Sur will soon have a road," according to an article by Lisa M. Krieger.

Planetizan, 6-30-17

 

MINES

Elevated arsenic readings close popular hiking trails

On the northwest side of the one of the City of San Diego’s more popular open space parks is a trail called Miners Ridge Loop. It’s appropriately named because the city says the abandoned Black Mountain Arsenic Mine is located on the north slope of Black Mountain.

KGTV (San Diego)

 

With Cemex shutdown imminent, Monterey Bay Aquarium looks for a new sand source.

On its face, it’s a contradiction. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, a science-based nonprofit that’s long been a global champion of sustainable seafood, has been a consumer of local beach sand since it opened to the public in 1984, despite the increasingly evident coastal erosion caused by local sand mining.

Monterey County Weekly, 6-29-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

California Supreme Court leaves in place decision upholding cap-and-trade system

After more than four years, a legal challenge to California's cap-and-trade program has reached an unsuccessful conclusion.

Los Angeles Times, 6-28-17

 

The Schwarzenegger-Garcetti Climate Change Road Show

Yesterday may have been the initial stop of a Schwarzenegger-Garcetti road show promoting support by subnational governments for the Paris Climate Change Accord.

Fox & Hounds, 6-29-17

 

ALISO CANYON

 

Blackout blackmail now in its second summer

You’d better watch out, California’s second-largest provider of natural gas warned again this spring. Unless the notoriously leaky natural gas storage field at Aliso Canyon in northern Los Angeles is reopened soon, much of the state could experience electricity blackouts this summer.

The Union Democrat, 6-29-17

 

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

 

Earthquake threat keeps rising as scientists learn more about seismic faults

Drive about 100 miles east-northeast of San Diego and you’ll come to the Salton Sea, a quasi-oasis whose surface is so glassy it reflects the sky in exquisite detail.

San Diego Union Tribune, 6-29-17

 

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

What ‘America First’ means for energy development

This week, members of Congress and expert witnesses discussed the Trump administration’s plans for one of the West’s most contentious issues: oil and gas leasing on public lands. Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has taken steps in recent months toward more extraction-friendly policies, spurred on by executive orders from President Donald Trump, including creating a position to help streamline the energy leasing process. In a subcommittee meeting of the House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday, members grilled four experts on Interior plans to make the U.S. “energy-dominant,” as the president has promised.

High Country News, 6-30-17

 

Future of oil drilling near Pismo Beach hangs in the balance for oil company

A hearing was held today to decide if an oil company can drill in Price Canyon, just outside of Pismo Beach.

KEYT-TV (Santa Barbara), 6-29-17

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

How climate change could threaten the water supply for millions of Californians

When it comes to California and climate change, the predictions are staggering: coastal airports besieged by floodwaters, entire beaches disappearing as sea levels rise. Another disturbing scenario is brewing inland, in the sleepy backwaters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Sacramento Bee, 6-30-17

 

Can Jerry Brown fight climate change in his own backyard?

In a room once occupied by Republican Gov. Earl Warren, Jerry Brown toasted legislators from across the aisle at a recent climate luncheon in the stately Governor’s Mansion. Republican lawmakers, the Democratic governor said emphatically, are an essential component of the coalition he needs to pass a bullet-proof extension of California’s cap and trade system, a complex, market-based program viewed as the linchpin of his climate change fight.

Sacramento Bee, 6-30-17

 

Floating Wind Plan Could Finally Crack California’s Offshore Market

Three tapered smokestacks tower above Morro Bay’s otherwise idyllic harbor, offering what some residents see as a “three-fingered salute” to this pretty seaside town along California’s Central Coast.

MIT Technology Review, 6-30-17

 

WATER

 

Environmentalists, fishing groups file lawsuits to block Delta tunnels plan

Kicking off what are expected to be years of legal battles, a coalition of environmental and fishing groups on Thursday filed the first major lawsuits over California Gov. Jerry Brown’s $17 billion plan to build two massive, 35-mile-long tunnels under the Delta to make it easier to move water from Northern California to the south.

Bay Area News Group, 6-29-17

 

There’s no green light for terrible Delta tunnels

The blaring headlines this week said the biological opinions issued by the federal government gave what could be a final green light to the California WaterFix.  Wrong. There is no green light for this $15 billion boondoggle.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 6-28-17

 

 

 

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