The new logo atop Berry Petroleum Co. LLC's Truxtun Avenue headquarters is apt as symbols go — an oil droplet surrounded by a water-evoking blue curve with a lowercase "B" nestled in between. But it hardly begins to tell the story of the company's dramatic homecoming.

Bakerfield.com, 8-22-18

City Council Committee Says More Centralized Oil Well Oversight Needed

A Los Angeles City Council committee today recommended more centralized oversight and inspections of oil wells, while also taking a step that would prevent the reopening of a South L.A. oil field which closed when residents complained that fumes were making them sick.

LA Watts Times, 8-23-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

North River Farms hearing continued

Facing the possible setback of a tie vote, a developer has delayed a decision that could help pave the way for North River Farms, an agriculture-themed community of nearly 700 homes, a hotel, commercial shops and more in rural northeastern Oceanside.

San Diego Union Tribune, 8-23-18

FORESTS

It’s no fairy tale: The forest is reawakening

You know the tale of the Sleeping Beauty, of course, who fell into a deep sleep while around her castle an impenetrable forest grew up. That took 100 years. But did you know we have a replica of it in the Angeles National Forest — and that took only nine years? Admittedly, it’s a downstairs version of the aristocratic story, but it makes the same point about the inexorable power of nature.

Los Angeles Times, 8-21-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

EPA Proposal To Gut Obama-Era Coal Plant Rule Could Cause 1,400 Premature Deaths Per Year

The Trump administration proposed its plan Tuesday to gut a controversial Obama-era rule to cut carbon pollution from power plants, dealing a death blow to an ambitious regulation designed to be the backbone of the United States’ strategy to stave off climate catastrophe.

Huffington Post, 8-22-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICCAL SURVEY

A milestone for forecasting earthquake hazards

Earthquakes pose a profound danger to people and cities worldwide, but with the right hazard-mitigation efforts, from stricter building requirements to careful zoning, the potential for catastrophic collapses of roads and buildings and loss of human lives can be limited.

Phys.org, 8-22-18

Tons of Major Quakes Have Rattled the World Recently. Does That Mean Anything?

This August is shaping up to be a pretty shaky month, thanks to several large earthquakes across the globe. These earthquakes have spurred reports that California is more likely to experience a catastrophic earthquake, colloquially known as "the big one," very soon. But experts say that's not how earthquakes work.

LiveScience, 8-23-18

Magnitude 6.3 earthquake rattles Aleutians

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Wednesday night off Alaska's Aleutian Islands.

Anchorage Daily News, 8-23-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Fracking Robots in the Works as Halliburton Digitizes Oil Field

Rack up one more thing robots can be used for: Fracking for oil.

Bloomberg, 8-21-18

Dem lawmakers urge California governor to end fossil fuel extraction

Two Democratic members of Congress are urging California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to put a cap on any new fossil fuel projects and set a timeline for a hard stop on oil and gas extraction throughout the state.

The Hill, 8-23-18

L.A. City Council Committee Says More Centralized Oil Well Oversight Needed

A Los Angeles City Council committee Tuesday recommended more centralized oversight and inspections of oil wells, while also taking a step that would prevent the reopening of a South L.A. oil field which closed when residents complained that fumes were making them sick.

MyNewsLA.com, 8-21-18

L.A. officials take new aim at Allenco drill site near USC

Under a new plan being floated at City Hall, officials could try to block the reopening of a South Los Angeles oil site where neighbors once complained of nausea, nosebleeds and other ailments.

Los Angeles Times, 8-21-18

Big oil asks government to protect it from climate change

As the nation plans new defenses against the more powerful storms and higher tides expected from climate change, one project stands out: an ambitious proposal to build a nearly 60-mile "spine" of concrete seawalls, earthen barriers, floating gates and steel levees on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Lompoc Record, 8-22-18

California bill would require more solar, wind and geothermal — possibly at the Salton Sea

With 10 days left for California lawmakers to pass bills this year, renewable energy companies are rallying around legislation that could jump-start geothermal energy development by the Salton Sea — and also give a boost to solar, wind and bioenergy.

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 8-22-18

(OPINION) Fossil fuels need to be phased out, not touted

Re: “Why the U.S. is poised for global energy leadership” (Aug. 16): Jeffrey Martin is wrong. Strong global energy leadership would emphasize clean energy, not the continued use of fossil fuels. It is dangerous to all life on this planet to propose increased export of natural gas. Overwhelmingly the world’s scientists agree that fossil fuels must remain in the ground to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

The San Diego Tribune, 8-22-18

All eyes on G: Campaigns for and against the initiative to ban new oil and gas wells in SLO County take shape

San Luis Obispo County voters will decide in November whether to enact a countywide ban on fracking and new oil drilling, by passing or rejecting Measure G at the ballot box. As election day nears, the campaigns to shape public opinion on both sides of the issue are building momentum and funds—and the people behind them are made up of familiar faces, including a sitting county supervisor.

New Times San Luis Obispo, 8-23-18

These two bills are crucial to protect California’s coast from offshore drilling

Oil companies are working hard to make sure that President Donald Trump’s plan to open up the California coast to new offshore drilling becomes reality. Legislators now have the opportunity to stand up to Big Oil to protect our fisheries, oceans and $44.8 billion ocean economy.

Sacramento Bee, 8-22-18

Coal comeback? EPA plan would prolong life for power plants seen as climate change culprit

WASHINGTON – Aging coal-fired power plants could get a new lease on life under an industry-friendly proposal by the Trump administration that would replace the Clean Power Plan, former President Barack Obama's signature plan to confront climate change.
USA Today, 8-21-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Curb appeal

Officials call on Gov. Brown to end oil and gas drilling

Speaking at a news conference on the steps of Oakland City Hall, the elected officials said that if Brown doesn't act, they won't support the Global Climate Action Summit he will host in San Francisco in September.

SF Gate, 8-21-18

Napa County defends ag tax break policies against grand jury claims

Napa County is disputing grand jury findings that agricultural tax breaks have lax local oversight, cost taxpayers and do little to buttress existing laws protecting wine country farmland from being paved over.

Napa Valley Register, 8-21-18

Varied interests protest California plan that strips water rights, idles farmlands

About 1,000 farmers, public school educators, farm employees and consumers from Tulare to Red Bluff descended on the State Capitol in Sacramento to protest State Water Resources Control Board (SCWRB) plans to force half the annual flows in several state rivers out to sea in a move purported to help declining fish populations in the Bay Delta region.

Western Farm Press, 8-22-18

FORESTS

Scientists call on California governor to OK carbon credits from forest conservation

A group of prominent scientists is calling on California governor Jerry Brown to incorporate tropical forest conservation into the state’s cap-and-trade regulation ahead of next month’s Global Climate Action Summit, which is being held in San Francisco.

Mongabay, 8-21-18

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

What was life like for miners in the late 1800s? Find out at annual Miners Picnic

An annual mining tradition that dates back to the late 1800s will bring back the old days near Grass Valley this weekend.

Appeal Democrat, 8-25-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICCAL SURVEY

Venezuela struck by magnitude 7.3 earthquake

A powerful earthquake shook Venezuela’s northeastern coast on Tuesday, forcing residents in the capital to evacuate buildings and interrupting a pro-government rally in support of controversial economic reforms.

USA Today, 8-22-18

Earthquake, aftershock reported off the Oregon coast

An earthquake and aftershock have been reported off the coast of south-central Oregon.

Associated Press, 8-22-18

Cascadia Subduction Zone: California Oregon earthquake MAP - 'Big One' earthquake OVERDUE

Today a 6.3 magnitude earthquake rocked the western coast of the US, sparking fear the ‘Big One’ could hit anytime now.

Express, 8-22-18

‘Big One’ talk swirls as 69 massive earthquakes hit the Pacific Rim’s Ring of Fire in 48 hours
Sixty-nine earthquakes, including 16 tremors registering 4.5 or above on the Richter scale, recently hit the area known as the "Ring of Fire," according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which recorded the events, but did not issue a warning.

Fox News, 8-22-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Curb appeal

Officials call on Gov. Brown to end oil and gas drilling

SF Gate, 8-21-18

California’s Dirty Oil Threatens Jerry Brown’s Climate Legacy

There’s something hinky about the governor’s climate leadership, an inconsistency that environmentalists warn will threaten his legacy.

Capital & Main, 8-20-18

(OPINION) Letters to the Editor: Can oil and solar mix?

Think that conventional and renewable energy don’t mix? Think again.

Lompoc Record, 8-20-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Napa County defends ag tax break policies against grand jury claims

Napa Valley Register, 8-21-18

Here’s what’s coming and what’s allowed when it comes to cannabis on the North Coast

A marijuana operation could be coming to a North Coast area near you.

The Tribune, 8-21-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

(OPINION) PD Editorial: Protect California’s coast from oil drilling

President Donald Trump wants to open California’s coastal waters to oil drilling. State lawmakers can’t stop him, but they can make it very difficult to pull off drilling. The time to act is now.

Press Democrat, 8-21-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Offshore oil drilling to get cheaper gas? Not worth it, California leaders say

Californians have been fiercely opposed to offshore oil drilling for half a century. So it should be no surprise that the Trump Administration’s recent announcement of plans to expand drilling was met by hostility from most of The Sacramento Bee’s California Influencers.

Sacramento Bee, 8-20-18

Assembly, Senate bills that would ban development of oil-related facilities in state clear hurdles in Legislature

Two bills aimed at protecting California’s coast from offshore oil drilling cleared a hurdle in Sacramento on Thursday, delighting environmental activists and a North Coast lawmaker as they girded for an upcoming battle with the powerful oil industry.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 8-16-18

California’s Dirty Oil Threatens Jerry Brown’s Climate Legacy

In his two most recent terms as governor, which began in January 2011, Jerry Brown has signed legislation to increase renewable energy standards for utilities, to establish California’s first groundwater regulations and to require state public pension funds to divest from coal. To the country and the world, he’s widely regarded as a climate firebrand. He has stepped into the climate fray ahead of presidents, mayors and other governors; he has traveled to China, the Vatican and Russia to address crowds about the subject. Under his leadership, California joined with the German state of Baden-Württemberg to found the Under2Coalition, a partnership among local governments and nations to keep global temperature rise from ever exceeding 2 degrees Celsius. But there’s something hinky about Brown’s climate leadership, an inconsistency that environmentalists caution will threaten his legacy.

Capital & Main, 8-20-18

Bureau of Land Management starts local fracking study

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Bakersfield Office is asking for the public’s opinion on a plan to open some 1.6 million acres of land in Central California to hydraulic fracturing–an oil and gas extraction method more commonly known as “fracking.”

Lemon Cove Valley Voice, 8-17-18

U.S. oil drilling rig count holds steady this week: Baker Hughes

U.S. energy companies kept the oil rig count unchanged this week amid a steady decline in crude prices, which hit a near two-month low earlier this week.

Reuters, 8-17-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

3.1-Magnitude Earthquake Reported Off Coast of Coronado

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake was reported about 40 miles off the coast of Coronado Saturday evening around 7 p.m. Geologists say the earthquake was most likely a single event - but there's always the chance that it's the foreshock of something bigger.

`KNSD (San Diego television), 8-19-18

Earthquake Shakes East Of Temecula, Murrieta

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake shook just east of Temecula on Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reports. The temblor hit at 8:44 a.m.

Temecula Patch, 8-20-18

Magnitude 8.2 earthquake causes minor shake in Tonga

Today's massive magnitude 8.2 earthquake was so deep it didn't cause any serious damage in Fiji or Tonga. People in Tonga are reporting only minor damage, while the earthquake was widely felt in Fiji, but there are no reports of damage

Radio New Zealand, 8-19-18

6.1 quake shakes Costa Rica near Panama; no major damage

A strong earthquake shook southern Costa Rica near the border with Panama on Friday evening, toppling items from store shelves and knocking out power in places, but authorities said there was no major damage or reports of serious injuries.

Associated Press, 8-18-18

Magnitude 3.6 earthquake hits off coast of Ferndale Friday afternoon

A 3.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Ferndale Friday at 12:25 p.m., according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake hit 31.7 miles WNW of Ferndale at a depth of 3 miles.

KRCR (Redding television), 8-17-18

3.2-magnitude earthquake shakes Big Bear area, USGS says

A preliminary-magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck about 6 miles north-northwest of Big Bear Lake on Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The temblor, measured at a depth of nearly 2 miles, occurred at 9:02 a.m. Its epicenter was located some 15 miles east-northeast of Lake Arrowhead.

KGO (San Francisco television), 8-18-18

How do bridges withstand earthquakes, hurricanes?

Careful design is required to create bridges that withstand extreme weather such as earthquakes and hurricanes.
It's one reason many bridges today are made of steel and concrete, AccuWeather explains.

KFSN (Fresno television), 8-17-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

With death of solar farm project, warring cities explore shared control of Tres Hermanos Ranch

Diamond Bar, Chino Hills and the City of Industry are negotiating a joint partnership that would give each city partial control over the 2,500-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch, one of the largest swaths of open space left in the region, according to sources close to the discussions.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 8-18-18

Planning fees to increase in October DLRP RELATED

The Tehama County Planning Department will see the first part of a two-part fee increase starting in October with a second set of hikes to come around April 2019. The Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 7 to split the increase, the first in 17 years, into two phases. Supervisor Candy Carlson was the lone no in a 4-1 vote.

Red Bluff Daily News, 8-16-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Fears for climate as Trump administration relaxes rules on oil reserves

The Trump administration has relaxed controls on America's oil reserves in a move that makes no mention of climate change. A memo published online with little publicity appears to undermine decades of government campaigns promoting fuel-efficient cars.

Sky News, 8-19-18

Science Says: 'The Warmer It Is, the More Fire We See'

As temperatures rise in the U.S. West, so do the flames. The years with the most acres burned by wildfires have some of the hottest temperatures, an Associated Press analysis of fire and weather data found. As human-caused climate change has warmed the world over the past 35 years, the land consumed by flames has more than doubled.

Associated Press, 8-19-18

This Lab-Made Mineral Just Became a Key Candidate For Reducing CO2 in The Atmosphere

Scientists just worked out a way of rapidly producing a mineral capable of storing carbon dioxide (CO2) - giving us a potentially exciting option for dealing with our increasingly overcooked planet.

Science Alert, 8-17-18

WATER

Why farmers say the California "water grab" will impact everyone

Farmers across Northern California say jobs and clean drinking water are at risk right now because of a proposed state "water grab."

"Water is the life blood of our community and without it, nothing else happens," Jake Wenger, a farmer at Wenger Ranch said.

Wenger is a fourth generation farmer. He's one of hundreds of farmers hoping to stop what they're calling a "water grab."

KXTV (Sacramento television), 8-17-18

The twin tunnels are best water fix for California

Let’s start with this: California WaterFix, Gov. Brown’s $17 billion twin-tunnels project, is the best and most affordable long-term solution to our great state’s water woes. If we’re going to call it a time machine, we should acknowledge it will transport us to a brighter future, where there’s clean, reliable water for generations to come.

Los Angeles Daily News commentary, 8-18-18

California water wars: State plans to cut SF’s Sierra supply to save delta

The cold, rushing water of the Tuolumne River, piped from the high peaks of Yosemite to the taps of Bay Area residents, is not only among the nation’s most pristine municipal water sources but extraordinarily plentiful.

San Francisco Chronicle, 8-19-18

‘Time for action is now.’ Interior chief demands plan to pump more California water south

The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to pump more of Northern California’s water to farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, setting up a bruising conflict with state officials and environmentalists.

Sacramento Bee, 8-20-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Work is underway on the Chevron SLO Tank Farm Remediation Project

Chevron is working to clean up hazardous residue just off a heavily traveled road in San Luis Obispo -- Tank Farm Road. Lightning sparked a massive oil fire at the SLO Tank Farm in 1926 and now nearly 100 years later, the cleanup process is underway at the North Marsh part of the property.

KSBY (San Luis Obispo television), 8-16-18

Nanoparticle-based solution pulls last drops of oil from well water

Oil and water tend to separate, but they mix well enough to form stable oil-in-water emulsions in produced water from oil reservoirs to become a problem. Rice University scientists have developed a nanoparticle-based solution that reliably removes more than 99 percent of the emulsified oil that remains after other processing is done.

Phys.org, 8-15-18

Why U.S. is poised for global energy leadership

“Great moments are born from great opportunity.” U.S. Olympic hockey team coach Herb Brooks encouraged his players with these words just before they took the ice for their “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union in 1980. Today, the U.S. is on the precipice of a great “energy moment.” We are poised to seize a transformational opportunity to leverage our abundant supply of natural gas to support our allies around the world, contribute to cleaner air in both developing and industrial nations, and create more American jobs.

San Diego Union commentary, 8-16-18

California Adopts Stringent Underground Natural Gas Storage Safety Rules[‘

In late June 2018, the California Conservation Commission adopted new regulations addressing the safety of underground natural gas storage facilities. The rulemaking was initiated in mid-2016 in response to the 2015-16 leak at Southern California Gas Company’s Aliso Canyon storage facility.

Lexology, 8-15-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Climate change will increase threat of city-destroying tsunamis

A warning has been issued by scientists about “devastating tsunamis” caused by climate change.

New research suggests that rising sea levels – caused by global warming – significantly increase the threat of giant killer waves.

The Sun, 8-16-18

Flash flood watch issued for parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties charred by wildfire

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for parts of Southern California, including areas recently charred by wildfires.

The advisory, which goes into effect at noon Thursday for Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, will last through 8 p.m.

Los Angeles Times, 8-16-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Why sea level rise varies from place to place

In the 20th century, ocean levels rose by a global average of about 14 centimeters, mainly due to melting ice and warming waters. Some coastal areas saw more sea level rise than others. Here’s why:

Science News, 8-15-18

Welcome to California, home of the never-ending fires, rising temperatures and disappearing coasts

Ash had rained from the sky for about a day when Beverly Strand’s phone lit up with a text. It was an automated public safety alert telling her to leave town. Then her neighbor called.

Sacramento News & Review, 8-16-18

WATER

Delta tunnels cost soars to nearly $20 billion when accounting for inflation

The estimated cost of the Delta tunnels project, Gov. Jerry Brown’s controversial plan to re-engineer the troubled hub of California’s water network, has jumped to nearly $20 billion when accounting for inflation.

Sacramento Bee, 8-16-18

How Ranchers Are Getting by With Less Water Across the West

In the summer, all we talk about is rain. Walk into a diner or a barn, or just run into someone at the store, and the first question anyone asks – even before, “How are you?” – is, “Did you get any rain?” It’s the same in New Mexico as in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and California.

Water Deeply, 8-16-18

GENERAL

California cannot let Trump’s attacks detract from our environmental diligence

The Trump administration is waging war on California’s coasts and inland areas. This month, it took steps to open 1.6 million acres of public land in the state to oil drilling and fracking. In January, the administration proposed expanding offshore oil drilling in the Pacific, while asking the Interior Department to reconsider several safety regulations aimed at preventing another spill like the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 8-16-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

How to research an oil well in your neighborhood

Do you live near an oil or gas production facility in Southern California? If yes, it might be worth finding out more information about your neighbor. Such facilities use production methods that include chemicals that have been linked to negative health impacts such as lung damage and heart disease, according to leading health organizations.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 8-15-18

New fracking wells are using hundreds of times more water than their predecessors

Over the last few years, fracking operations have gotten more efficient at removing oil and natural gas from the ground—this according to a new study published today in the journal Science Advances. That’s good news for the fossil fuels industry, which is getting more than ever out of a given well—but might be bad news for fresh water.

Popular Science, 8-15-18

Fracking Operations Are Using More and More Water

Researchers have recently found that the practice of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, produces more than just oil and gas: It's been known to cause earthquakes, contaminate groundwater, and increase hydrocarbon emissions, among other impacts. However, the process is still considered less water-intensive than other forms of energy production. Now, a new study from Duke University has found a dramatic increase in fracking's water footprint in the United States over a five-year period, suggesting that future fracking practices will require far more water than previously estimated.

Pacific Standard, 8-15-18

Water Use in Fracking Soars — Exceeding Rise in Fossil Fuels Produced, Study Says

As the fracking boom matures, the drilling industry's use of water and other fluids to produce oil and natural gas has grown dramatically in the past several years, outstripping the growth of the fossil fuels it produces.

Inside Climate News, 8-15-18

First came the proclamations against Trump's offshore drilling plan. Now comes the legislation

When the Trump administration proposed opening California waters to drilling on an unprecedented scale, state leaders said they would do whatever it takes to keep new oil operations at bay. But promises only go so far.

Los Angeles Times, 8-15-18

California anti-oil drilling bills face critical test in Legislature

The fate of two bills considered the California coast’s best protection against the Trump administration’s new offshore oil drilling plan is at stake in an obscure legislative process playing out Thursday at the Capitol.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 8-15-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Wisconsin Reservation Offers A Climate Success Story And A Warning

When Star Ames was a child there was a flood. The streets were like rivers and the houses like islands. It was 1960 and the village of Odanah, Wis. was up to its neck. The town had been built on the banks of the Bad River, in the floodplain. "I remember watching the river come up," Ames says. "Every place we thought was high enough, the water kept coming up."

NPR, 8-15-18

The baking Pacific Ocean is changing the weather on the Southern California coast

Ocean temperatures off the Southern California coast have been profoundly warm in August, with a number of all-time high temperatures recorded in San Diego's almost bath-like waters. These extreme marine temperatures — created by weather patterns and boosted by climate change — have a sphere of influence beyond the oceans, as this heat has contributed to unusual heat and mugginess on the heavily-populated coast.

Mashable, 8-15-18

Draft details Trump’s plan for reversing Obama climate rule

The Trump administration is preparing to unveil its plan for undoing Barack Obama’s most ambitious climate regulation — offering a replacement that would do far less to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet, according to POLITICO’s review of a portion of the unpublished draft.

Politico, 8-14-18

The heat is on for 4 more years: Extreme temperatures expected through 2022

This summer's heat has shattered records around the Northern Hemisphere, from Algeria to Canada and Japan to California. New research suggests this could be only the beginning of a four-year global "warm spell."

USA Today, 8-14-18

Will Washington State Voters Make History on Climate Change?

This November, voters in Washington State may do what no group of people—in or outside the United States—has done before. They will vote on whether to adopt a carbon fee, an aggressive policy to combat climate change that charges polluters for the right to emit carbon dioxide and other potent greenhouse gases.

The Atlantic, 8-16-18

Scientists Develop Lab-Made Mineral That Will Suck CO2 From The Atmosphere

A dream solution is that humans could develop a way to suck as much CO2 from the atmosphere as we release, and combined with greenhouse gas emission reductions, we could slow or reverse the tide of climate change.

Forbes, 8-15-18

GENERAL

‘No one wins in a trade war.’ Ag advocates urge Trump to end tariffs standoff

Agricultural advocates in California are ratcheting up the pressure on the White House as a months-long trade dispute threatens to cost the industry billions of dollars and potentially put farmers out of business

Fresno Bee, 8-15-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

4.4 magnitude earthquake jolts Southern California

A small earthquake has jolted an area southeast of Los Angeles but no damage or injuries are reported. The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 4.4 temblor was reported at about 5:25 p.m. Tuesday. It was centered 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) from Aguanga in Riverside County and about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Temecula.

Associated Press, 8-15-18

Earthquake: 4.4 quake strikes Inland Empire region

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck the Inland Empire Tuesday afternoon. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter was 19 miles from Valle Vista, 19 miles from East Hemet, 19 miles from Temecula and 97 miles from Mexicali, Mexico.

Los Angeles Times, 8-15-18

4.4 magnitude earthquake felt in Riverside, Orange, San Diego counties

A preliminary 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck about 3 miles east-northeast of the southwest Riverside County community of Aguanga on Tuesday, Aug. 14, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake hit at 6:24 p.m.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 8-15-18

4.4 magnitude earthquake shakes Temecula, felt as far as Orange County

The United States Geological Survey is reporting that an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.4 struck near Temecula. According to the USGS, the quake hit around 6:24 p.m. roughly 20 miles east of Temecula. A 3.0 magnitude aftershock hit the same area at 6:53 p.m.

KGTV (San Diego television), 8-15-18

3.5-magnitude earthquake felt in western Fresno County, U.S. Geological Survey reports

A 3.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded Tuesday in Monterey County town of Parkfield and appears to have been felt as far east as Coalinga and Avenal.

Fresno Bee, 8-14-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Perdue lauds 'majesty and variety' of California ag

Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) hosted United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue in California's Central Valley on Tuesday afternoon. The visit, which focused on agriculture, trade, and immigration policy, consisted of stops in Fresno and Kern County.

Western Farm Press, 8-15-18

Accessory dwelling units now allowed use on ag preserves in Santa Barbara County

Farmers with land under agricultural preserve contracts in Santa Barbara County can now add secondary housing after the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved changes to the Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves on Tuesday.

Lompoc Record, 8-15-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Company plans to end oil production at South L.A. site

For years, neighborhood activists have argued that the Jefferson Boulevard facility that sits next to apartments is no place for oil drilling. Now their hopes could be realized as the oil company says it plans to give up petroleum production at the South Los Angeles site.

Los Angeles Times, 8-14-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Millions to be spent protecting SF Bay shoreline from sea level rise

A decades-old plan to protect Alviso and surrounding South Bay areas from devastating floods has moved closer to reality with $177 million in federal funds to begin work on a 4-mile-long levee and wetlands restoration.

San Francisco Chronicle, 8-10-18

Could Dairy Cows Make Up for California's Aliso Canyon Methane Leak?

There's a twist in the big gas-leak settlement announced in California this week: It includes a program to pay for methane gas collection at a dozen of the state's dairy farms.

Inside Climate News, 8-10-18

GENERAL

Another solar farm is coming to the California desert. The buyers: cities near the coast.

The year-round sunshine that scorches the open desert east of Palm Springs will help three Southern California cities meet their renewable energy needs starting in 2020 — and some of the electricity will be stored in giant batteries for use after dark.

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 8-13-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Lombok lifted 10 inches by quake that killed nearly 400

Scientists say the powerful Indonesian earthquake that killed nearly 400 people lifted the island it struck by as much as 25 centimeters (10 inches).

Associated Press, 8-10-18

Dormant California Supervolcano Is Home To 240 Cubic Miles Of Magma

An enormous glut of part-molten magma lurks beneath the surface of a long-dormant California supervolcano, scientists have discovered. Some 240 cubic miles' worth of magma sat deep below the Long Valley Caldera, researchers reported in the journal Geology. But that doesn't mean it is about to erupt on anything like the scale it has in the past.

Newsweek, 8-13-18

Indonesia earthquake death toll climbs past 430

The death toll from the earthquake that rocked the Indonesian island of Lombok a week ago has passed 430 and the government is estimating economic losses will exceed several hundred million dollars. The national disaster agency said Monday the Aug. 5 quake killed 436 people, most of whom died in collapsing buildings.

CBS News, 8-13-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

Stern criticizes $119.5 million Aliso Canyon settlement deal

Most of the funds from $119.5 million Aliso Canyon settlement are earmarked for unrelated projects outside of Los Angeles County and Porter Ranch, according to Sen. Henry Stern, D-Canoga Park, who said the settlement fails to address those most impacted by the gas leak.

Santa Clarita Signal, 8-11-18

National rig count jumps by 13; Louisiana gains 6 rigs

he number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. has jumped by 13 this week to 1,057. At this time a year ago there were 949 active rigs.

Associated Press, 8-10-18

Commentary: The Trump administration wants to open public lands in California to fracking, linked to quakes in other states

The federal government on Wednesday posted notice that it is considering opening up 400,000 acres of public land in California, and 1.2 million acres for which the government holds mineral rights, to fracking, the controversial oil and gas drilling practice linked to earthquakes in Oklahoma and groundwater pollution there and in other states.

Los Angeles Times, 8-10-18

U.S. Oil Reserve Release Will Not Guarantee Lower Pump Prices: Analysts

American drivers are unlikely to see prices at the pump fall if the Trump administration releases crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) because U.S. oil production already is sky high, analysts said.

Reuters, 8-10-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

The Arid West Moves East, With Big Implications For Agriculture

The American West appears to be moving east. New research shows the line on the map that divides the North American continent into arid Western regions and humid Eastern regions is shifting, with profound implications for American agriculture.

NPR, 8-9-18

A smart infill plan stuck with legacy sprawl

Stockton planners used to have two bosses: developers and cars. Neither calls the shots in Envision Stockton 2040 General Plan, the blueprint for the city’s future. This draft plan is far better than the old developer-driven sprawl or the hurtling Autopia that relinquished the city to cars. It’s smart and progressive. With, sorry to say, two exceptions.

Stockton Record column, 8-11-18

County Code revisions to address secondary housing

County Code amendments to make accessory dwelling unit regulations compatible with state law will be considered by the Santa Barbara County supervisors when they return from their summer recess Tuesday.

Santa Maria Times, 8-12-18

County ag values hit $3.6B

The Stanislaus County Agricultural Report of 2017 not only highlights the impact that agriculture has on the local economy, but it also emphasizes the importance of water. According to the 2017 Agricultural Report, the value of agricultural commodities produced last year in Stanislaus County increased by 12 percent to $3.6 billion — that’s $386 million more than the 2016 report of $3.2 billion.

Turlock Journal, 8-10-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

California plays a leading, effective role in confronting climate change

Our state – our planet – is running a fever. Climate change is directly impacting our lives, our economy and our residents. The fires raging across California are causing devastation on an unprecedented scale. Currently, 14,000 firefighters are battling 16 major fires, which have destroyed more than 2,000 homes and killed at least 10 people.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 8-9-18

Climate change and wildfires – how do we know if there is a link?

Once again, the summer of 2018 in the Northern Hemisphere has brought us an epidemic of major wildfires. These burn forests, houses and other structures, displace thousands of people and animals, and cause major disruptions in people’s lives.

The Conversation, 8-10-18

Ignore the climate change deniers. California's hellish summer really is a grave warning

Wind-swept wildfires raging. Homes incinerated. Families displaced. Lives lost. In the long, hot, smoky California summer of 2018, as we camp under ash-hued sunset skies, the scariest thought is that the future has arrived, and more intense weather extremes will continue to wreak havoc in years to come. Not just in summer, but with drought-deluge cycles and higher temperatures even in cooler months.

Los Angeles Times column, 8-11-18

Wildfires still rage. They also shine light on California’s environmental challenges

The majority of Californians identify climate change as the state’s most serious environmental threat. As California wildfires continue to rage, many of the California Influencers are inclined to agree.

Sacramento Bee commentary, 8-13-18

Editorial: Summer stats speak to inadequate and shortsighted California climate policy

Record-breaking temperatures have put a spotlight on the dangerous conditions California’s lackluster regulations fail to combat – and the heat is on for state policymakers.

UCLA Daily Bruin, 8-13-18

WETLANDS

Tejon Ranch Conservancy receives grant to restore wetlands

The Tejon Ranch Conservancy was one of only three California organizations awarded grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday. The conservancy will receive $44,665 to restore 20 acres of wetland and desert habitat in the Sacatara Canyon Springs Restoration Project. The acreage serves as a vital migratory and breeding habitat for various birds, amphibians and mammals.

Bakersfield Now, 8-9-18

FORESTS

California has enough water to fight fires. The problem is overgrown forests, McClintock says.

California has enough water to fight the fires raging in the state, according to Republican Rep. Tom McClintock. It’s overgrown forests that are the problem.

Sacramento Bee, 8-10-18

‘The president’s right’: Interior chief pushes thinning forests to cut fire risk

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, touring neighborhoods devastated by the Carr Fire, stepped up the Trump administration’s push Sunday to remove more trees from national forests as a means of tamping down fire risks.

Sacramento Bee, 8-12-18

GENERAL

Opinion: Why industry should be forced to clean up its messes

When my family has a picnic in a public park, we clean up our food and our trash. Why? Because we feel it is our obligation to leave the park the way we found it for the people who come next. I’ll bet your family does the same. The Trump administration and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke decided last month that industries that use public lands don’t have to follow that social norm.

Bay Area News Group, 8-10-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

How an earthquake alert app could eventually give the West Coast vital warning

We West Coasters go about daily life knowing there are seismic threats lurking below us that could hit at any moment. There’s not much we can do about that.

PBS, 8-8-18

Forget Doorframes: Expert Advice on Earthquake Survival Strategies

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Lombok and the adjacent Gili Islands this week, and was felt on the nearby tourist island of Bali. Leaving more than 300 dead and around 84,000 others displaced, the event is yet another chapter in the age-old seismic story of humans trying to cope with an unpredictably rattling planet.

Scientific American, 8-9-18

3.0 Magnitude earthquake strikes near California-Nevada border

A 3.0 Magnitude earthquake hit a section of the California-Nevada border Thursday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

KSEE (Fresno television), 8-9-18

Death toll from Indonesia quake climbs over 320
The death toll from a huge 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Indonesia’s Lombok island has climbed to over 320, officials said on Friday (Aug 10) even as relief efforts picked up pace.

Channel News Asia, 8-10-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

East County farmers adjusting to area heat waves

This summer, as record-breaking temperatures and unprecedented wildfires have engulfed parts of the state and Pacific Northwest, East County farmers have been fighting their own battles against the heat here at home.

Brentwood Press, 8-8-18

GENERAL

Secretary Zinke Misleads the Public About Wildfires and Federal Public Land Management

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke published an op-ed today calling for “active management” of our federal public lands to reduce wildfire risk, and blaming “radical environmentalists who would rather see forests and communities burn than see a logger in the woods” for the prevalance and lethality of wildfires in the American West.

Legal Planet commentary, 8-8-18

Massive drought or myth? Scientists spar over an ancient climate event behind our new geological age

Last month, the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), the bureaucracy that governs geological time, declared we are living in a new geological age. No, it's not the Anthropocene, the much-debated proposal for a geological division defined by human impact on Earth.

Science, 8-8-16

California's energy future is up for grabs. Here are the bills that could pass in the next 3 weeks.

California could dramatically reshape its energy future in the next few weeks. In the halls of the capitol, lawmakers and lobbyists are debating bills that would bolster renewable energy sources like solar and wind, create an interstate electricity market covering much of the western U.S., make it easier for utilities to charge their customers for wildfire damages, and promote the construction of geothermal and hydroelectric power plants.

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 8-9-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Indonesia earthquake death toll rises to more than 345

The death toll from Sunday's devastating earthquake on the Indonesian island of Lombok has risen to 347, according to the state-run Antara news agency. The majority of people died in Kayangan, on the north side of the island, Antara reported. Another 1,447 people were injured and 165,003 were displaced by the 6.9-magnitude quake, National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told the news agency earlier.

CNN, 8-8-18

Lombok earthquake: new quake hits as earlier tremor death toll rises

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 has hit Indonesia’s Lombok island, less than a week after a 6.9-magnitude tremor that is believed to have killed hundreds of people.

The Guardian, 8-9-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

SoCal Gas agrees to $119.5-million settlement for Aliso Canyon methane leak — biggest in U.S. history

A $119.5-million settlement announced Wednesday of claims stemming from the Aliso Canyon gas leak marks the biggest action yet to deal with the health effects and climate damage of the largest release of methane in U.S. history.

Los Angeles Times, 8-8-18

$120 million settlement reached in Aliso Canyon gas leak

A nearly $120 million temporary settlement has been reached in litigation stemming from a leak at a Southern California storage field where a massive methane release forced thousands from their homes three years ago, a utility announced Wednesday.

Associated Press, 8-8-18

Tentative Aliso Canyon Deal Does Not Cover Residents’ Claims

While a major California utility company agreed Wednesday to pay $119.5 million in penalties to settle California’s case over a massive methane leak at one of its storage facilities in 2015, state officials stressed this does not address the claims of thousands of residents who were forced to flee their homes for months.

Courthouse News Service, 8-8-18

California neighborhood hopes methane leak settlement is first step to shutting down storage site

California’s attorney general, together with Los Angeles area officials, reached a tentative settlement, totaling $119.5 million, with Southern California Gas over the 2015 massive natural gas leak at the company’s Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in the San Fernando Valley.

ThinkProgress, 8-9-18

Trump administration moves to expand oil drilling, fracking in California

Ending a five-year moratorium, the Trump administration Wednesday took a first step toward opening 1.6 million acres of California public land to fracking and conventional oil drilling, triggering alarm bells among environmentalists.

Sacramento Bee, 8-8-18

Trump officials open door to fracking in California

The Trump administration is starting the process of opening up large swaths of land in California to hydraulic fracturing. In a notice issued Wednesday to the Federal Register, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said it intends to analyze the impact of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, on publicly owned land throughout the state.

The Hill, 8-8-18

BLM seeks public opinion about fracking on California public lands

More than a million acres of public land in California may soon be opened for fracking and oil drilling. The Bureau of Land Management is seeking comments on the potential harm created if 400,000 acres of public land and an additional 1.2 million acres of federal mineral estates in the Bakersfield Field Office Planning area, which includes Kern, Fresno, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties, are approved for fracking and oil drilling.

Bakersfield Now, 8-8-18

An Anniversary Of History Being Made: The Birth Of Fracking

The anniversary of a world-changing event passed last week that did not get nearly enough attention in the press. It clearly was a market-changing event, or I would not be writing about it. But I also mean exactly what I say – that it was a world-changing event as well.

Forbes, 8-8-18

Yellowstone Supervolcano Could Be an Energy Source. But Should It?

The northwest corner of Wyoming is boiling. There, 10,000 hydrothermal features transform Yellowstone National Park into an alien world with searing waters and steaming vents—all fueled by a simmering supervolcano.

National Geographic, 8-8-18

FORESTS

As Trump tweets about California fires, his administration wants to expand logging

Logging has long been among California’s most divisive environmental issues — and the controversy shows little chance of cooling as the Trump administration pushes new efforts to thin forests.

Los Angeles Times, 8-7-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

California giving out $170 million in cap-and-trade revenue to help prevent wildfires

California officials said Tuesday that they will grant more than $170 million in cap-and-trade funds to local governments and organizations to prevent fires and improve the health of forests.

San Francisco Chronicle, 8-8-18

An agrarian vision for the San Geronimo Golf Course

The court injunction to delay the county’s purchase of the San Geronimo Golf Course, while regrettable, offers an opportunity to hear more ideas about the future uses of this land in the heart of the San Geronimo Valley. Those of us who live in the San Geronimo Valley are the ones who would be most affected, and would most benefit from future uses of the property.

Marin Independent Journal commentary, 8-8-18

California first to sign Green Bond Pledge to fight climate change

California finance officials are taking greener steps to battle climate change blamed by many for the state's chronic, devastating wildfires. California is the first state to sign the Green Bond Pledge that creates a bond market to finance eco-friendly, carbon-free infrastructure improvement projects.

KEYT (Santa Barbara television), 8-8-18

WATER

Editorial: Block outrageous effort to lock in Delta tunnels water grab

Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration is now trying to jam through a political deal that would enable construction of his $17 billion Delta twin-tunnels project, the biggest public works project in state history, without the approval of the state Legislature, the voters or ratepayers who would be footing the bill.

Bay Area News Group, 8-8-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

What Caused Massive Magnitude-7 Indonesian Earthquake?

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck right along the coast of the Indonesian island of Lombok, near Loloan village Sunday night local time (Aug. 5), according to Indonesian authorities.

Live Science, 8-6-18

Earthquakes can be weakened by groundwater

Around 100,000 earthquakes are recorded worldwide every year, but not all are naturally occurring. Some of the weaker ones are triggered by human activity underground -- this is referred to as induced seismicity.

Science Daily, 8-6-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

State attorney general, SoCal Gas reach tentative settlement over massive Aliso Canyon gas blowout

Almost three years after the largest gas leak in U.S. history, the state attorney general’s office has reached a tentative settlement of litigation brought against the Southern California Gas Co. over the blowout in Aliso Canyon that sickened thousands with nosebleeds and nausea and caused massive evacuations in the Porter Ranch community.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 8-7-18

Living with oil wells in Wilmington may include headaches, nausea and dizziness

The Flores family lives next door to two E&B Natural Resources oil wells and storage tanks over the Torrance Oil Field in Wilmington. Gas and rotten-egg smells waft by their home sometimes, and noisy trucks kick up rocks as they roll down the narrow residential street daily. Oil tanks, just a few yards from the home, tower over backyard gatherings.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 8-7-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

In support of John Tuteur

This is my heartfelt support for our Napa County Assessor John Tuteur. As a property owner, I have, from time to time, visited the Assessors office for information about various general practices involved with my property. Unlike many of our other elected "public servants," John Tuteur was actually there, at work. He personally took time to answer my questions and resolve the issue.

Napa Valley Register (Williamson Act-related letter), 8-5-18

New Water Rules Hurting Ag Land Prices

Groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) in Tulare, Fresno, Kings and Kern counties have until 2020 to develop plans for long-term viability of their regions’ supplies.

Fresno Business Journal, 8-6-18

Agriculture in Tehachapi still thriving, even as large companies come in

Agriculture in Tehachapi has changed. The farming of apples, pears and sod has transitioned to vegetables, grapes and other crops over the past 30 years. But even though this change is happening, local farmers are still raising some of the same crops and providing residents a small town feel, even as large corporations have moved in.

Tehachapi News, 8-6-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Destructive Flood Risk in U.S. West Could Triple if Climate Change Left Unchecked

The risk of devastating floods like the one that damaged California's Oroville Dam in 2017 will soar in many of North America's Western river basins by 2100, if we don't dramatically slow climate change, according to a new study Monday.

Inside Climate News, 8-6-18

Even If Emission Reduction Targets Are Met, Earth Still Heading Towards ‘Hothouse’ State

The world is at risk of entering “hothouse” conditions where global average temperatures will be 4-5 degrees Celsius higher even if emissions reduction targets under a global climate deal are met, scientists said in a study published on Monday.

Reuters, 8-7-18

As California burns, climate goals may go up in smoke—even after the flames are out

As crews across California battle more than a dozen wildfires—including the largest in state history—the blazes are spewing enough carbon into the air to undo some of the good done by the state’s climate policies. What’s even worse: Climate-warming compounds that will be released by the charred forests long after the fires are extinguished may do more to warm up the planet than the immediate harm from smoky air.

CalMatters, 8-7-18

Extreme California Wildfires Emit More Greenhouse Gases — But Scientists Don’t Know Exactly How Much

California’s wildfires are releasing millions of metric tons of carbon into the air — exacerbated by and contributing to climate change. How bad is it? Scientists don’t know.

Capital Public Radio, 8-7-18

Climate Change Is Making California's Wildfires Worse. So Are Humans.

Experts studying the blazes that have ravaged California in recent years have reached a troubling realization: There are several reasons fire seasons are getting worse, and we're almost completely to blame for all of them.

The Weather Channel, 8-7-18

GENERAL

It took decades, but there’s finally a plan for open land in south Sacramento County

To say the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan has been a long time coming is a vast understatement. Two decades after the seeds were first planted, the plan is finally ready for Sacramento County supervisors to consider on Wednesday. They should approve it.

Sacramento Bee editorial, 8-6-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Capitol Tracker: Rio Dell calls mandates in seismic resiliency bill ‘onerous’

The Rio Dell City Council is poised to send a letter of opposition over AB 2681, a bill that would require city and county building departments to create an inventory of potentially vulnerable buildings.

Eureka Times-Standard, 8-7-18

Editorial: Golden Gate Bridge seismic safety work crucial but costly

Golden Gate Bridge officials are moving forward with plans to bolster the seismic safety of the historic span. It is a prudent but costly race against time: when the next Big One will hit the Bay Area.

Marin Independent Journal, 8-6-18

Landslides, debris hinder Lombok quake rescue efforts

Indonesian rescue workers were still struggling Tuesday to reach the northern part of Lombok island, which was struck by a major earthquake Sunday.

CNN, 8-7-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

SoCalGas lifts cost of Aliso Canyon natgas leak to over $1 billion

Southern California Gas Co (SoCalGas) on Monday raised the estimated cost for the massive leak at its Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in Los Angeles between October 2015 and February 2016 to $1.014 billion.

Reuters, 8-16-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Editorial: Help farmers survive labor, climate woes

The overall value of crops grown in Ventura County declined for a second straight year in 2017, the Board of Supervisors learned last week, and member Kelly Long responded by urging all of us to “buy local.”

Ventura County Star editorial, 8-4-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change

The world has warmed more than one degree Celsius since the Industrial Revolution. The Paris climate agreement — the nonbinding, unenforceable and already unheeded treaty signed on Earth Day in 2016 — hoped to restrict warming to two degrees.

New York Times, 8-1-18

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Large Earthquakes May Trigger Each Other on the Opposite Side of the World

Powerful earthquakes may trigger other large quakes even over great distances, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Newsweek, 8-3-18

3.2 earthquake shakes Cabazon area. Did you feel it?

A 3.2 magnitude earthquake rattled the Cabazon area early Saturday morning. The temblor was reported at 6:48 a.m. along the San Andreas Fault, 2.5 miles west northwest of Cabazon and 4 miles east of Banning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Palm Springs Desert Sun, 8-4-18

3.2-magnitude earthquake strikes near Banning, USGS says

A magnitude-3.2 earthquake struck about 3 miles east of Banning on Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

KABC (Los Angeles television), 8-4-18

Indonesia Earthquake: At Least 98 Dead and 20,000 Homeless

Rescue workers dug through rubble in a search for survivors on Monday, a day after an earthquake devastated the Indonesian resort of Lombok and sent thousands of tourists fleeing.

New York Times, 8-6-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

National Rig Count Down – Wyoming Up

The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. decreased by four this week to 1,044. At this time a year ago there were 954 active rigs.

Associated Press, 8-4-18

After the Aliso Canyon gas leak, a massive Porter Ranch park could be a boon. But not all agree

A sprawling, privately funded park is coming to the Porter Ranch area — part of an ongoing development boom that is sweeping an area where a massive gas leak once made headlines. But some residents are concerned the project is an unhealthy sign that the character of the northwest San Fernando Valley community is on the wane.

Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 8-2-18

DOGGR Issues Revised Regulations for UIC and Idle Wells

On July 27, 2018 the California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (“DOGGR”) issued two notices of proposed rulemaking action applicable to oil and gas operations in the state. DOGGR released updated underground injection control (“UIC”) regulations, as well as proposed regulations for idle well testing and management.

JD Supra, 8-1-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

Residents, activists question proposed development in Stockton’s general plan

A handful of Stockton residents and environmental activists continued to express concern about proposed development north of Eight Mile Road.

Stockton Record, 8-4-18

CLIMATE CHANGE

Scientists see fingerprints of climate change all over California’s wildfires

Much of the heat that’s gripped California and hastened the spread of deadly wildfires recently is due to a strange but familiar shift in the jet stream — one that’s haunted the West with threatening fire conditions in the past and could cause more hot, dry spells in the future, especially with a changing climate.

San Francisco Chronicle, 8-3-18

A vicious climate cycle: Droughts are becoming hotter, raising risk of wildfire, scientists say

Droughts don’t just make a place drier. As new research shows, they also make it hotter. A team from UC Irvine that compared temperature changes across the U.S. found that temperatures rise faster in places under drought conditions than they do in places with average climates. This relationship could also raise the risk of concurrent heatwaves and wildfires, the researchers say.

Los Angeles Times, 8-3-18

DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, & GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

East Bay Oil Field to Shut Down Following Local Pushback

Alameda County's lone oil field will close up shop after nearly five decades of production, following a county decision to deny its permits.

KQED, 8-1-18

DIVISION OF MINE RECLAMATION

What Happens When a Mine Closes?

All mining operations are temporary, regardless of their size and complexity. Eventually, when all the accessible and valuable materials have been extracted the mine must be closed and the site it is based within must be returned to its original state.

AZO Mining, 8-1-18

DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

(OPINION) Rich Rifkin: Field & Pond lawsuit a load of nonsense

My legs were still hurting Sunday morning when I rode out to Field & Pond near Winters.

Davis Enterprise, 8-1-18

Kings County assessable property value rises to $10.7 billion

The 2018-2019 assessment roll for Kings County has been completed and the assessable value of property in the county has risen nearly $350 million in the last year.

Hanford Sentinel, 8-1-18

Petersen Ranch riparian project part of Prop. 1 grant awards

The Solano County Resource Conservation District this week received $444,796 in Proposition 1 funding through the Delta Conservancy to continue work on a project to restore riparian habitat and water quality on farmland along Lindsey Slough.

Daily Republic, 8-1-18

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