Geology 300: Physical Geology

Geology 301: Physical Geology Lab

Geology 305: Earth Science

Geology 306: Earth Science Lab

 

Instructor: Arthur Reed

 

 

April 2019 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 2017 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)

 

 

GEOLOGY

 

Every three minutes, an earthquake strikes in California

A comprehensive new catalog that factors in "hidden" quakes is helping scientists better understand the planet's tectonic activity.

          National Geographic, 4-18-19

 

Tiny earthquakes shake Southern California every 3 minutes

Southern California is a lot shakier than ever before realized. According to a new study, a tiny earthquake rumbles through the southern portion of the Golden State every 3 minutes.

          Live Science, 4-18-19

 

A quake every 3 minutes: California shaken by 10 times more temblors than previously known

California has experienced 10 times more earthquakes than previously known, according to groundbreaking new research that has helped scientists better understand the region’s seismology.

          Los Angeles Times, 4-18-19

 

Tiny earthquakes happen every few minutes in Southern California, study finds

Detecting very small earthquakes is notoriously difficult. That's a problem for scientists who rely on data about all the earthquakes in a region to study what triggers the biggest, most destructive ones. Now, a team of scientists says it has found a way to accurately detect tiny earthquakes, and it has published a new, more comprehensive list of quakes that occurred over a recent 10-year period in Southern California.

          NPR, 4-18-19

 

The 10 biggest earthquakes in California history

Understanding long-term earthquake behavior and recurrence has important applications for modern risk analysis. Here are the state’s 10 biggest earthquakes — by magnitude — since 1800, according to the USGS and GEOLOGY.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-18-19

 

At age 80, Lake Gregory Dam is finally ready for an earthquake

Work to protect Lake Gregory from a disastrous earthquake is done. Crews recently finished retrofitting the 80-year-old seismically unsound dam that protects the lake, at the heart of Crestline, bringing an end to years of traffic, noise and other impacts — current and potential — on the unincorporated mountain community.

          Riverside Press-Enterprise, 4-18-19

 

MINING

 

Cupertino quarry seeks to expand by digging second mining pit

A longstanding quarry in the Cupertino hills, which has been vilified for years by nearby residents who oppose its impact on the environment and their homes, wants to significantly expand its operation.

          Bay Area News Group, 4-19-2019

 

FORESTS & WATERSHEDS

 

Forest management research to help fight effects of climate change

Leading a team of scientists and forest managers, Sarah Bisbing, a forest ecology assistant professor and researcher from the University of Nevada, Reno, is building a Sierra Nevada-wide study, the Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Experiment, known as AMEX, to identify alternative forest management treatments that will improve conifer forest resistance and resilience to climate change.

          Nevada Today, 4-18-19

 

WATER

 

Will San Joaquin Valley farmers ever see a full CVP allocation

Westlands Water District wants to know if not now, when. In a season that will see California reservoirs fill and water flow freely to places like San Francisco and Los Angeles, and where skiers enjoyed over 50 feet of snow at Mammoth Mountain, what will it take for south-of-Delta farmers to receive a 100 percent allocation of Central Valley Project water?

          Western Farm Press, 4-17-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Colorado’s oil and gas regulators now consider public health and safety

After years of tension over expanded oil and gas drilling, including a deadly explosion that galvanized critics, Colorado is moving to tighten regulations on the booming industry. In a sweeping overhaul the governor is expected to sign, regulators will now have to consider public health, safety and the environment in decisions about permitting and local land use.

          NPR, 4-16-19

 

Tribes sue Feds over geothermal leases on sacred land

Energy giant Calpine Corporation won a U.S. government contract in 1982 to explore geothermal energy on 2,560 acres of national forest in the Medicine Lake Highlands of Siskiyou County. Now some 37 years later, members of the Pit River Tribe claim the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has allowed Calpine to squat on their sacred land for decades, even as the company fails to meet lease renewal requirements by making “diligent efforts” to produce geothermal power.

          Courthouse News Service, 4-15-19

 

L.A. County OKs $5.2 million from Aliso Canyon gas leak deal for Exide plant cleanup

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted today to use $5.2 million from the Aliso Canyon gas leak settlement with Southern California Gas Co. to clean up lead-based paint in homes around the now-shuttered Exide battery recycling plan in Vernon.

          Los Angeles Daily News, 4-16-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

Mild quake rattles area south of Anza, La Quinta, according to USGS

A small earthquake jolted an area about 14 miles east-southeast of Anza and 15 miles south-southwest of La Quinta, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

          Palm Springs Desert Sun, 4-15-19

 

These houses will not burn: Epic 1906 earthquake story is lost in time

The story has been lost in time. But the houses are still here. The three San Francisco homes, on the south side of Green Street between Leavenworth and Jones, become easier to miss with each passing decade. But 113 years ago, they were all that was left on the top of this hill.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-16-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Ag Census: Don’t panic over numbers, expert says

A leading agricultural economist cautions growers and others not to get too worked up about Census of Agriculture figures that suggest a sharp decline in farms but an increase in the number of farmers.

          Western Farm Press, 4-12-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot on challenges of new climate reality

The California Natural Resources Agency doesn’t really touch on economic issues, but environmental sustainability has to be interwoven with economic and social equity. We used to think about climate action just in terms of reducing our GHGs while expanding our economy, and that’s really important. But I’d like to expand the definition of environmental leadership to include leading the world by protecting our people and nature against the inevitable changes that are already happening as a result of climate change.

          The Planning Report, 4-15-19

 

The most effect way to tackle climate change? Plant 1 trillion trees

What's low-tech, sustainable and possibly the most effective thing we can do to fight climate change? Planting trees. A trillion of them.

          CNN, 4-17-19

 

New climate models predict a warming surge

For nearly 40 years, the massive computer models used to simulate global climate have delivered a fairly consistent picture of how fast human carbon emissions might warm the world. But a host of global climate models developed for the United Nations’s next major assessment of global warming, due in 2021, are now showing a puzzling but undeniable trend. They are running hotter than they have in the past. Soon the world could be, too.

Science, 4-16-19

 

GENERAL

 

California Bullet-Train Agency Eyes Central Valley-Only Service, for Now

The California High-Speed Rail Authority indicated Tuesday it is likely to recommend approval of interim rail service connecting Central Valley cities before expanding the service to Los Angeles and San Francisco as funding becomes available.

Courthouse News Service, 4-16-19

 

Trump’s New Regulations Chief to Oversee Major Rule Rollbacks

President Donald Trump, heading into what may be his most consequential year for rolling back restrictions on companies, is counting on Paul Ray, a lawyer with a history of representing oil and gas interests among others, to lead his regulatory affairs office.

Bloomberg News, 4-15-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

ERG trying to gain county support for its oil-drilling expansion near Santa Maria

ERG Resources, a firm seeking permission to add 187 new wells through its West Cat Canyon Revitalization Plan. The matter is going through the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission review process, with the next meeting planned for May 29 in Santa Maria.

          Santa Barbara Noozhawk, 4-15-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

As bullet train project moves ahead in Valley, many residents still reluctant to get on board

When it comes to high-speed rail, some of the most disillusioned and skeptical Californians are Central Valley residents. While some dream of the opportunities a bullet train could bring, others see it as a misuse of funds and believe that it will never be built — or that if it ever is, no one will ride it.

          KQED (San Francisco TV-radio), 4-15-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

Earthquake: 3.6 quake strikes near Black Oaks, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.6 earthquake was reported Monday morning two miles from Black Oaks, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

          San Diego Union-Tribune, 4-15-19

 

California Earthquake Authority Board Voters to sponsor Resilient Homes Initiative

The California Earthquake Authority’s governing board has voted to sponsor and support the Resilient Homes Initiative, a bill aimed at helping Californians prepare for earthquakes by restructuring the CEA to strengthen its long-term financial sustainability and increase the number and types of seismic-retrofit grants the authority can offer.

          Insurance Journal, 4-15-19

 

MINING

 

Teamwork helped halt CEMEX

Of all the potential threats our community has faced in our more than three decades of cityhood, none would have been as detrimental to our way of life as the CEMEX mine in Soledad Canyon. There are no options to get their contracts extended and no options for new contracts to be issued, and the City is calling it a win on the battle against CEMEX. This is the outcome that many, many people spent many, many years working towards.

          Santa Clarita Signal, 4-14-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

North Bay’s Highway 37 is going to be a serious climate mess

Every day, 46,000 people drive Highway 37, the scenic route that connects Marin County with Vallejo, Napa and just about everywhere east. This thread, though essential, is also tenuous in that it's strung atop a berm barely above sea level. The 21-mile stretch is emerging as an early challenge to planners confronting California's changing climate.

          KQED (San Francisco TV-radio), 4-15-19

 

Marin supervisors receive harrowing report on climate change, sea-level rise

Climate change is already negatively affecting the health of Marin residents and within 15 years attendant sea-level rise could threaten the county’s shoreline buildings, roads and original utility systems. This was the sobering message Marin supervisors received after Supervisor Kate Sears requested an update on the local health impacts of climate change and efforts to prepare for sea- level rise.

          Marin Independent Journal, 4-15-19

 

Central American farmers head to the U.S., fleeing climate change

Central America is among the most vulnerable to climate change, scientists say. And because agriculture employs much of the labor force — about 28 percent in Honduras alone, according to the World Bank — the livelihoods of millions of people are at stake.

         New York Times, 4-13-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

Earthquake-induced hazards mapped for San Mateo County

New Seismic Hazard Zone maps released by the California Department of Conservation last week are ushering in new requirements for those hoping to build structures in San Mateo County zones deemed to be at risk for such damage.

          San Mateo Daily Journal, 4-13-19

 

What a major earthquake would do to San Francisco

A repeat of the most powerful earthquake in San Francisco’s history would knock out phone communications, leave swaths of the city in the dark, cut off water to neighborhoods and kill up to 7,800 people, according to state and federal projections.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-13-19

 

Magnitude 4.1 earthquake strikes near The Geysers, CA

The United States Geological Survey reports a preliminary magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck near The Geysers, CA on Monday.

          San Francisco Chronicle Gate, 4-15-19

 

Earthquake: 3.2 quake strikes near Black Oaks, Calif.

A shallow magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Friday afternoon one mile from Black Oaks, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

          Los Angeles Times, 4-12-19

 

Magnitude 4.6 earthquake strikes off Northern California coast

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck off the Northern California coast Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

          Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 4-12-19

 

UC Berkeley scientists developing early warning earthquake system

An early-warning earthquake system is slowly being rolled out across the Bay Area thanks to scientists at the University of California, Berkeley.

          NBC Bay Area News, 4-11-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Chevron to expand in Permian Basin, acquiring Anadarko Petroleum for $33 Billion

Multinational oil giant Chevron will buy the American oil and gas production and exploration company Anadarko Petroleum in a $33 billion cash-and-stock deal that strengthens Chevron's position in the booming Permian Basin.

          NPR, 4-12-19

 

Oil industry contaminants found in Kern County water wells

Water-supply wells in Kern County have oil-industry pollutants according to a new report released Thursday by the State Water Resources Control Board.

          Bakersfield Now, 4-11-19

 

After a decade of research, here’s what scientists know about the health impacts of fracking

Fracking has been linked to preterm births, high-risk pregnancies, asthma, migraine headaches, fatigue, nasal and sinus symptoms, and skin disorders over the last 10 years, according to a new study.

          Environmental Health News, 4-15-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Opinion: Make Coyote Valley a gift to future generations

Coyote Valley can provide that natural infrastructure, and more. With careful planning and parcel aggregation, our grandchildren can enjoy thousands of acres of open space for trails and recreation — linked to nearby protected hillsides, parks, and natural reserves.

          San Jose Mercury News, 4-12-19

 

MINING

 

Our View: Don’t dig yourself into a hole on Idaho Maryland Mine

It’ll be a long haul to bring mining back to Nevada County. That’s what Rise Gold Corporation likely would attempt if it determines there’s enough gold in the ground to make the venture profitable. There’s time to dig into the history of the mine and study what our community could gain from its reopening, as well as what problems — noise among them — would arise.

          Grass Valley Union, 4-12-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Open Forum: San Francisco should look to nature to respond to sea-level rise

With crumbling sea walls, rising seas and effective federal action still up in the air, it’s no wonder that climate change is a growing topic of concern for San Franciscans. Nature-focused efforts are growing in popularity in other cities around the world, and San Franciscans can be an inspiration to others to adopt this affordable, adaptable and long-term mediation strategy while the option is still open.

         San Francisco Chronicle, 4-11-19

 

Coachella Valley smog has gotten worse, and climate change could be to blame

Air quality officials will miss a 2019 federal deadline to clean smog in the Coachella Valley, saying the challenges of “hotter summer weather and the threat of climate change” are hampering efforts to slash health-damaging ozone.

          Los Angeles Times, 4-12-19

 

WATER

 

The Central Valley is sinking as farmers drill for water. But it can be saved, study says

A team of Stanford University researchers believe they have identified the best way to replenish the shrinking aquifers beneath California’s Central Valley.

          Sacramento Bee, 4-15-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Activists want California to ban fracking. What does Gov. Newsom want?

These days California is flush with laws, regulations and goals that will likely cause the state to eventually sever its long relationship with fossil fuels. Should the governor want to do away with fracking, he could issue an emergency order placing a moratorium on it. But the public hasn’t heard from Newsom on the issue as he has laid out his initial priorities.

          CalMatters, 4-11-19

 

A job well done

Pouring more than 2,000 cubic yards of cement over a span of nearly three months, work crews have finished sealing off the abandoned oil well that sent mud and gas spewing in the air near Via Marina and Tahiti Way on Jan. 11.

          Culver City Argonaut, 4-10-19

 

Santa Barbara battles over Cat Canyon oil drilling proposal

The ERG proposal ​— ​one of three massive onshore-oil-production proposals now hovering on the county’s horizon ​— ​is being gnawed upon by the county’s Planning Commission, a critical but often-overlooked governmental body. If built, those three projects combined could generate 760,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases a year.

          Santa Barbara Independent, 4-10-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

3.5-magnitued earthquake rattles San Bernardino area

A 3.5-magnitude earthquake struck the San Bernardino area at 6:05 a.m. Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

          San Bernardino Sun, 4-11-19

 

Small earthquake hits near Gilroy

The earth rattled Thursday afternoon as a magnitude 3.1 earthquake shook up the South Bay.

          Bay Area News Group, 4-11-19

 

South Bay dam sits on earthquake faults, new project aims to reduce risk

At 235 feet high, the Anderson Dam, which looms large above hundreds of homes on the east side of Morgan Hill, sits more or less on top of the Calaveras and Coyote earthquake faults. Studies have concluded that in a magnitude seven or larger earthquake nearby, the dam could slump and fail, putting tens of thousands of people downstream at risk, according to Valley Water.

          KRON (San Francisco television), 4-10-19

 

New seismic hazard maps include coast

The GEOLOGY has released five official hazard zone maps covering parts of San Mateo County, including large swaths of the Coastside. The maps may influence the region’s development for years to come.

          Half Moon Bay Review, 4-10-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

AG Census: Despite many challenges, the U.S. has more young farmers than it did five years ago

According to the newly released 2017 Census of Agriculture from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), there were over 321,000 young farmers (under the age of 35) in the U.S. That count is up from 2012, when there were 208,000. The average age of the American farmer is now 57.5, and as agriculture increasingly demands a commitment to carbon sequestration, soil health, and regenerative techniques, the future of young, ecologically-minded farmers is essential to the future of food.

          Civil Eats, 4-12-19

 

City of Clovis adding 1,035 acres; thousands of new jobs forecast

The Fresno County Local Agency Formation Commission has approved plans to add 1,035 acres to the City of Clovis’ sphere of influence. That designation is given to land that may be urbanized and possibly annexed in the future. In this case, city officials believe the land south of Highway 168 and Shepherd Avenue, just northeast of Clovis, will eventually be developed for commercial and residential uses, generating thousands of jobs for the region.

         Fresno Business Journal, 4-10-19

 

Betteravia Farms easement clears way for agriculture, protects salamander habitat

Betteravia Farms entered into a conservation easement on a property located west of Orcutt that preserves several hundred acres of habitat for the California tiger salamander while clearing the way for agriculture operations along Highway 1.

          Santa Maria Times, 4-9-19  

 

Conserving water for people, industry, and ecosystems

One of the greatest resource challenges for California will be the management of water for people, industry, and ecosystems. California's RCDs are tackling this challenge with on-the-ground community led efforts.

          California Association of Resources Conservation Districts, 4-4-19

 

FORESTS & WATERSHEDS

 

Clearing forests: No simple solution to California wildfires

With nearly 40 million people living in California and development spreading into once-wild regions, some of the state's best tools toward preventing wildfires can't be widely used. Still, there is growing agreement that the state must step up its use of forest management through prescribed burns and vegetation removal in an attempt to lessen the impact of wildfires.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-11-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Senators introduce bipartisan carbon capture bill

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill Thursday to increase federal funding toward developing carbon capture technology while also committing to fossil fuel use.

          The Hill, 4-11-19

 

Ice Ages occur when tropical islands and continents collide

Researchers have now amassed evidence that these cold snaps occurred when tectonic activity propelled continents headlong into volcanic island arcs in the tropics, uplifting ophiolites that rapidly absorbed carbon dioxide, cooling Earth. Once collisions stopped, CO2 again built up from volcanic eruptions and a runaway greenhouse effect warmed the planet.

          Science Daily, 4-11-19

 

Sea level rise report warns rising waters will inundate Marin coastal areas

A report on the threat of sea level rise (SLR) presented to Marin County supervisors on Tuesday stressed there is no one-size-fits all solution to what has been called “a slow moving disaster.”

          KPIX (San Francisco TV-radio), 4-9-19      

 

Carbon lurking in deep ocean threw ancient climate switch, say researchers

A million years ago, a longtime pattern of alternating glaciations and warm periods dramatically changed, when ice ages suddenly became longer and more intense. A new study of sediments from the Atlantic bottom directly links this slowdown with a massive buildup of carbon dragged from the air into the abyss.

          Phys.org, 4-8-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Trump to announce new executive orders to speed up pipeline construction

President Trump will travel to Texas Wednesday to announce two new executive orders that aim to make it easier for the oil and gas industry to get permits for pipeline construction, among other infrastructure needs.

          The Hill, 4-8-19

 

Critics of proposed oil wells in Santa Maria want next meeting moved

Local environmental and community leaders are asking the County of Santa Barbara to move back an upcoming planning commission meeting on a proposal that would add new oil wells outside Santa Maria.

          KSBY (San Luis Obispo television), 4-9-19

 

Letters to the Editor: Lompoc Civic Theater delivers again; Let voices be heard; Oil and quakes don’t mix (3rd item)

Increased seismic activity is only one of many inevitable dangers from the expansion of oil drilling in the Santa Maria Valley. ERG tempts us to say yes to their project by boasting of the number of jobs they will create; but it is those very workers and the community who will suffer – not the CEO of ERG.

          Lompoc Record, 4-10-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

How climate research can adapt to the imminent threat of global warming

Climate change is a chronic challenge—it is here now, and will be with us throughout this century and beyond. This reality means society needs to think about climate change in different ways than the past, by focusing on reducing the risk of negative effects. Now it's time for the climate science research enterprise to adopt an expanded approach, one that focuses heavily on integrating fundamental science inquiry with risk management.

          Pacific Standard, 4-8-19

 

Why this winter wasn’t as wet as we think

Now that spring is here and the sun is finally out, Bay Area residents are already reminiscing over what a rainy winter it was, one of the wettest in recent memory, with many more downpours than normal. But, the 2018-2019 rainy season has been very close to the historical average for Northern California.

          San Jose Mercury News, 4-10-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

Updated quake map tells you if you live in a liquefaction zone

Prospective Bay Area home buyers might want to consider their target home's chances of survival in the event of a major earthquake. An online map application from the GEOLOGY (CGS) can help.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-8-19

 

New 'earthquake map' shows Bay Area homes in liquefaction, landslide zones

Just days ago we told you that California is in an "earthquake drought," long overdue for a major quake along any of its three most historically active faults. The San Andreas, San Jacinto, and Hayward Faults have been in a hiatus for the past 100 years. 

KRON (San Francisco television), 4-9-19

 

There hasn’t been a huge earthquake on California’s major fault lines in 100 years

Major ground-rupturing quakes have not taken place along the faults since 1918, but that may mean the next century will be on shaky ground

          Smithsonian, 4-8-19

 

New quake map shows seismic hazard zones in San Mateo and Contra Costa Counties

A new map released by the California Department of Conservation shows seismic hazard zones for certain areas of San Mateo and Contra Costa counties, specifically liquefaction and landslide zones.

          NBC Los Angeles, 4-9-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Controversial Long Beach wetlands deal approved, more drilling expected

A controversial land swap that could eventually restore a 150-acre Long Beach oil field to its natural state as part of the Los Cerritos Wetlands was approved by the California Coastal Commission on Thursday, a key step for the project to move forward.

          Long Beach Press-Telegram, 12-13-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Finer points of California-Sonoma agreement on SDC’s future

A week after the announcement that the state was funding a local, Sonoma County-based process to decide the fate of the 945-acre Sonoma Developmental Center property, details are emerging on how that agreement was reached, and what it could mean for open space and affordable housing in Sonoma Valley.

          Sonoma Index Tribune, 4-8-19

 

A year into Trump’s trade turmoil, an iconic California industry struggles to resist

The old joke about the California lieutenant governor’s office has been that its occupant’s main duty is to wake up in the morning, see whether the governor is still alive and, if so, go back to bed. Now, California’s lieutenant governor is among the busier officeholders in Sacramento—hustling to meet with members of Congress, federal agencies and trade organizations and deploying whatever influence she can to protect California’s place in the world market.

          Palm Springs Desert Sun, 4-8-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

From ruined bridged to dirty air, EPA scientists price out the cost of climate change

By the end of the century, the manifold consequences of unchecked climate change will cost the U.S. hundreds of billions of dollars per year, according to a new study by scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency.

          Los Angeles Times, 4-8-19

 

Cool U.S. cities prepare as future ‘havens’ for climate migrants

As climate change brings more stifling summers, worse flooding from storms and rising sea level, crueler droughts and ever-longer allergy seasons, what Americans consider a nice place to live may shift, along with Americans themselves.

          Yahoo News, 4-6-19

 

A how-to guide for climate-proof cities

Nancy Grimm is the co-director of the UREx Sustainability Research Network. UREx aims to climate-proof urban municipalities without sacrificing environmental stability. To do so, UREx has partnered with several cities across the United States and Latin America. Together, these participants design different "futures" addressing their cities' most pressing concerns.

          Phys.org, 4-8-19

 

WATER

 

Commentary: Finally, a new path toward managing water, rivers and the Delta

Embracing an adaptive way of managing our water does not mean renouncing one’s beliefs that the water for the environment is vitally important. Or that the water to grow our food or sustain our communities is important. Rather, we share in a victory that comes from managing our precious water supply by structuring how we share and learn together.

          Napa Valley Register, 4-7-19

 

Some high-demand crops are causing droughts

Water shortage is a global problem that happens when the demand for water is higher than the area's supply. The problem is that these areas supply the crops that the rest of the world consumes. Most likely, consumers are not aware that some of their favorite food needs so much water to grow.

          Science Times, 4-8-19

 

GENERAL

 

Protect the state’s environmental legacy from Trump’s onslaughts

The state has laws that safeguard threatened wildlife and regulate water quality. But they are muscles and sinews that function only because they are attached to the bones of strong federal environmental laws adopted by forward-looking Congresses and presidents since the 1970s. Now those federal bones are beginning to dissolve.

          Los Angeles Times, 4-8-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

Earthquake maps for San Mateo, Contra Costa counties show vulnerable areas

The GEOLOGY released a series of new seismic hazard zones for parts of San Mateo and Contra Costa counties this week, showing specific areas where landslides or liquefaction could result from earthquakes with magnitudes in the range of 5.5 or greater.

          Bay Area News Group, 4-5-19

 

New earthquake map tool shows if bay area homes are on solid ground

A new map online can tell you if your house is standing on solid ground in the event of a strong earthquake.

          KPIX (San Francisco television-radio), 4-7-19

 

First district rejects “Location Exception” for project in earthquake fault and landslide areas and affirms Class 3 exemption from small residential projects in the Berkeley Hills

In Berkeley Hills Watershed Coalition v. City of Berkeley (19) 31 Cal.App.5th 880 [certified for partial publication], the Court of the Appeal for the First District affirmed that the construction of three new single-family homes on adjacent parcels in the Berkeley Hills was exempt under CEQA’s Class 3 exemption for single-family residences in urbanized areas.

          JD Supra, 4-3-19

 

The California earthquake drought is an opportunity. Will we take it?

Research published this week confirmed that California has been in a century-long earthquake drought. What happens to our communities then will depend on how well we have prepared. Granted, if the drought ends next month, we won’t be in any better shape than we are today. But maybe we have two years. Or five. Even 10. How will we use that time?

          Los Angeles Times commentary, 4-4-19

 

Yes, California has had a weird earthquake hiatus. What does it mean?

A compelling new report authored by two U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers found that three powerful California faults have been strangely — almost impossibly — quiet for the last 100 years. This study, published in Seismological Research Letters, is valuable to consider, not just for what it says about the region's past, but what it could mean for California's shaky future.

          Mashable, 4-6-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Not again: Protect Santa Barbara from Cat Canyon oil development

UC Santa Barbara is a paradise surrounded by its strong tides and unique landscape. However, the beauty and environmental safety of our community is currently under the threat of attack by the Cat Canyon proposal.

          UC Santa Barbara Daily Nexus, 4-6-19

 

MP Report: Concerning figures about oil and gas wells

The B.C. Oil and Gas Commission recently revealed some concerning figures about abandoned oil and gas wells in B.C. There are over 122,000 inactive wells across western Canada, and most have absolutely no prospect of ever operating again.

We need to have regulatory systems at both the provincial and federal levels that uphold the polluter-pay principle so that we all benefit from the sale of our natural resources.

          Penticton Western News, 4-6-19

 

Current methods may inadequately measure health impacts from oil, natural gas extraction

Measurements of hazardous air pollutant concentrations near oil and natural gas extraction sites have generally failed to capture levels above standard health benchmarks; yet, the majority of studies continue to find poor health outcomes increasing as distance from these operations decreases.

          Science Daily, 4-8-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

American homes week 19: lots to consider when buying undeveloped property

You really have three issues that you want to keep in the forefront of your mind as you go through what will undoubtedly be a lengthy process when purchasing raw land and building a home. Sounds easy if you have the money, but it’s not. Every step along the way you’re going to have to ask yourself if the answers you’re getting will allow you to accomplish all three goals.

          Fairfield Daily Republic, 4-6-19

 

San Jose: New bill aims to preserve Coyote Valley for future generations

Decades after it first began, the push to preserve Coyote Valley is gaining new momentum. State Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, on Friday held a gathering with environmental groups and others to outline a new bill that would create a state-recognized Coyote Valley Conservation Program aimed at preserving the region’s open space.

          San Jose Mercury News, 4-6-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Think beef cattle are bad for the environment? Think again

All we hear about today in the news is the impact of greenhouse gases from beef cattle, yet beef cattle contribute less than 2 percent of total greenhouse gases — far less impact than the 26 percent of emissions that comes from transportation. Also, nobody is talking about what we are doing to sequester carbon.

          San Luis Obispo Tribune commentary, 4-5-19

 

As states push toward 100% clean energy, hurdles loom

States are ramping up their mandates for clean and renewable energy in the face of federal climate inaction, declining renewable costs and demands from electricity customers, but new policies and yet-to-exist technology will be needed for states to meet ambitious 100% clean energy goals.

          Platts, 4-5-19

 

Blamed for climate change, oil companies invest in carbon removal

Chevron, Occidental Petroleum and the Australian mining giant BHP this year have invested in Carbon Engineering, a small Canadian company that claims to be on the verge of a breakthrough in solving a critical climate change puzzle: removing carbon already in the atmosphere.

      New York Times, 4-7-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

California is in an earthquake drought, new research says

California might be Earthquake Country, but in the last century the state hasn't lived up to its name. The ground has been relatively quiet in the past 100 years, and the state may even be experiencing an earthquake drought, according to a new study published by U.S. Geological Survey researchers this month in the journal Seismological Research Letters.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-4-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

Damaging Sichuan earthquakes linked to fracking operations

Two moderate-sized earthquakes that struck the southern Sichuan Province of China last December and January were probably caused by nearby fracking operations, according to a new study published in Seismological Research Letters.

          Phys.Org, 4-5-19

 

MINING

 

Billions in the ground: the race to harvest North Korea’s rare earth reserves

Recent studies suggest that North Korea could have the world’s largest deposit of rare earth elements.

          The National Interest, 4-1-19

 

WATER

 

Why Harder, other valley reps are asking EPA for close review of delta water plan

Political leaders from the valley are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to closely scrutinize new water quality standards proposed for the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta.

          Modesto Bee, 4-3-19

 

This year’s Sierra Nevada snowpack is gargantuan: these numbers prove it

A nonstop parade of storms barreled across the Sierra Nevada mountain range in 2019, and on Tuesday California state officials trudged through the snow for an annual survey at Echo Summit to assess the snowpack. The result marked the fifth-highest snow water content ever recorded at that location since 1941.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-3-19

 

Cal Water Fix: Metropolitan Board workshop compares one-tunnel options to Cal Water Fix

A workshop for Metropolitan Water District board members compared a single tunnel project (at both 3000 cfs and 6000 cfs) to the California Water Fix project, looking at water delivery capability, the ability to divert stormwater flows, water quality benefits, reverse flows, seismic events, and project costs.

          Maven’s Notebook, 4-5-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

CA energy shortage looms amid shift to renewables

In much of the country a powerful energy boom is providing a serious stimulus to economic growth. But in California, where fossil fuels are considered about as toxic as tobacco, we are lurching toward an anticipated energy shortage that will further exacerbate the state’s already deep geographic and class divisions.

          Capitol Weekly, 4-3-19

 

What Cape Town’s drought can teach other cities about climate adaptation

Cities, particularly those with extensive informal settlements in the developing world, are being hit hard by new climatic realities and need to build their capacity to adapt to a range of impacts. One of the best ways to do this is to learn from other cities' experiences. One very recent case that cities around the world are watching is Cape Town's severe drought and the threat of "Day Zero" – when the city's taps were due to run dry.

          Phys.Org, 4-3-19

 

Gathering storm: what California must learn from the Midwest floods

A bomb cyclone formed in the sky above Nebraska not long ago, and warm rain melted an above-normal snowpack, causing catastrophic flooding across six states. The Missouri River is long way away. But this emergency offers California critical lessons about how we must prepare for severe storms in a changing climate.

          Visalia Times Delta, 4-4-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

Earthquake, magnitude 3.5, wakes up Orange County with light shaking

An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 produced light shaking from its epicenter in Orange County on Wednesday morning.

          Los Angeles Times, 4-3-19

 

Early morning magnitude-3.5 earthquake shakes parts of SoCal

A magnitude-3.5 earthquake rattled parts of Southern California, including communities in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, early Wednesday morning.

          NBC Los Angeles, 4-3-19

 

3.5-magnitude earthquake near Yorba Linda shakes parts of Orange, Riverside County

A 3.5-magnitude earthquake rattled parts of north Orange County and southern Riverside County Wednesday morning, kicking off a few house alarms but leaving no known damage in its wake.

          Orange County Register, 4-3-9

 

Crowdsourced reports could save lives when the next earthquake hits

When it comes to earthquakes, every minute counts. Knowing that one has hit—and where—can make the difference between staying inside a building and getting crushed, and running out and staying alive. However, the speed of early warning systems varies from country to country. A cheap, effective way to help close this gap between countries might be to crowdsource earthquake reports and combine them with traditional detection data from seismic monitoring stations.

          MIT Technology Review, 4-3-19

 

OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

 

California’s oil industry collapses despite shale boom

Not that long ago, California was the second most vital U.S. oil producing state. Since peaking in 1985, however, output has plunged almost 60 percent to 460,000 barrels per day (bpd). The shale revolution that has transformed the U.S. oil and gas industry has completely passed California by.

          Rigzone, 4-3-19

 

Colorado oil industry gets overhauled by regulators

Colorado’s legislature passed a sweeping overhaul of the state’s oil and natural gas laws, giving local governments more power to regulate drilling in one of the nation’s top crude-producing regions.

          World Oil, 4-3-19

 

LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION

 

Local nonprofit reaps nearly $230,000 grant for forest health

Sierra Institute for Community and Environment based in Taylorsville is one of eight organizations that received a share of the $1.85 million Forest Health Watershed Coordinator Grant Program grant, the Department of Conservation (DOC) announced March 21. Sierra Institute for Community and Environment will receive $228,264.

          Plumas News, 4-4-19

 

WATER

 

CalEPA Secretary Blumenfeld on Governor Newsom’s water & climate priorities

In January, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Jared Blumenfeld to the helm of the California Environmental Protection Agency. As Secretary, Blumenfeld oversees the state's efforts to fight climate change, protect air and water quality, regulate pesticides and toxic substances, achieve the state’s recycling and waste reduction goals, and advance environmental justice. Blumenfeld joined TPR for an exclusive interview to discuss the administration’s priorities for funding safe and affordable drinking water, defending California’s climate policies against the federal government, and addressing our addiction to plastic.

          The Planning Report, 3-31-19

 

Farmers welcome federal agencies’ suits on flows plan

Now that the federal government has filed its own lawsuits against an unimpaired-flows plan for San Joaquin River tributaries, farmers and other parties to the lawsuits wait to learn where they will be heard--and prepare for a lengthy court battle.

          Ag Alert, 4-3-19

 

WATERSHEDS & FORESTS

 

Napa County supervisors pass watershed, tree protections

The long-running debate over how to best protect Napa County’s rural woodlands and watersheds culminated in an ordinance passed March 26 by the Board of Supervisors, which sought an ever-elusive balance between those calling for stricter curbs to protect water and air quality and those wary of undermining the valley’s economic backbone of wine grapes.

          Napa Valley Register, 4-2-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

California adopts new wetland protection as Trump administration eases them

California water regulators adopted a far-reaching plan Tuesday to prevent more of the state’s creeks, ponds and wetlands from being plowed or paved over, a move that comes as the Trump administration scales back protections under the federal Clean Water Act.

          San Francisco Chronicle, 4-2-19

 

7 American cities that could disappear by 2100

No city is immune to the effects of a warming world, but a few are more vulnerable than the rest. By conservative estimates, cities around the world could witness more than 6 feet of flooding by the year 2100. Here are the 7 cities in the US most likely to disappear underwater by 2100.

          Business Insider, 4-4-19

 

Forests are a low-tech but high-impact way to fight climate change

Recent research confirms that forests are absolutely essential in mitigating climate change, thanks to their ability to absorb and sequester carbon. For this reason, policy makers and business leaders must create and enforce policies to prevent deforestation; foster reforestation of degraded land; and promote the sustainable management of standing forests in the fight against climate change.

          Scientific American, 4-1-19

 

GEOLOGY

 

California’s in an exceptional earthquake drought. When will it end?

California is in an earthquake drought. It has been almost five years since the state experienced its last earthquake of magnitude 6 or stronger — in Napa. Southern California felt its last big quake on Easter Sunday 2010, and that shaker was actually centered across the border, causing the most damage in Mexicali.

Los Angeles Times, 4-2-19

 

WATER

 

How healthy is California snowpack? Snow survey site has 4th-best start

Already having soared past average statewide snow-water levels for the calendar year, Tuesday saw some more good news for California’s water health.

Sacramento Bee, 4-2-19

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Pressing Policy: Councilman Paul Krekorian says LA is ready to meet the challenges of climate change

In July 2018, the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era regulations meant to mitigate the greenhouse gases emitted by coal-burning power plants. Six months later, Democratic lawmakers introduced their Green New Deal, which – in spirit – would overhaul transportation and energy infrastructure in an effort to move Americans toward completely renewable energy sources.

USC Annenberg Media, 4-1-19

 

Did climate change cause the flooding in the Midwest and Plains?

From his home in Hudson, Iowa, Zach Van Stanley watched as the snow-covered cornfield in his backyard flooded on March 14. “It basically turned into a river in just that afternoon,” he said.

Yale Climate Connections, 4-2-19

 

 

(news updated as time permits…)

 

 

 

 

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