Geology
300: Physical Geology
Geology
301: Physical Geology Lab
Geology
305: Earth Science
Geology
306: Earth Science Lab
Instructor: Arthur Reed
July 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 2016
news articles) |
(link to 2012
news articles |
(link to 2017 news articles) |
(link to 2015
news articles) |
(link to 2011
news articles) |
(link to 2014
news articles) |
(link to 2010
news articles) |
|
(link to 2013
news articles) |
(link to 2009
& older news articles) |
CLIMATE
CHANGE
$50
billion worth of Bay Area homes at risk of rising seas by 2050, says report
Tens of
thousands of Bay Area homes worth about $50 billion are at grave risk of
chronic coastal flooding by 2050, according to a new
analysis by Zillow
and Climate Central. By 2100, the crisis deepens. As the ice caps continue to
melt in the wake of global warming, experts project that 81,152 Bay Area homes
with a current value of more than $96 billion, may be swamped. If greenhouse gas
emissions go unchecked and seas continue to rise as expected, a wide swath of
Bay Area real estate will be endangered. Coveted beach houses may well turn
into disasters.
Bay Area
News Group, 7-31-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Conflict
of Interest -- local oil, gas regulators invested in oil companies
Documents
leading to last month’s ousting of Ken Harris, the top oil regulator in
the state, also reveal that state officials overseeing Ventura County’s
oil and gas operations have investments in oil companies. Consumer Watchdog
obtained the documents, called 700 forms, for various state oil and gas
regulators. All public employees in decision-making positions are required to
fill out a 700 form to report significant assets and investments. Reporting by
the Desert Sun newspaper on the contents of those forms led to Gov. Gavin
Newsom calling for Harris, then head of the California Department of
Conservation (DOC), Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR), to
be fired. Jason Marshall has been named interim head of DOGGR.
Ventura
County Reporter, 7-31-19
Investigation
Finds No Definitive Source for Goleta Oil Spill During Well-Abandonment Work
The
investigation into the May
oil spill at Goleta’s 421 Pier did not find a conclusive
source for the barrels of crude oil that were released onto the beach and into
the water, according to the State
Lands Commission.
On May 28,
a spill of two or three barrels of crude oil was reported
at Haskell’s Beach, where crews were working to abandon the historic
wells at the piers on the beach.
Santa
Barbara Noozhawk, 7-31-19
Don’t
let state regulators limit energy choice in California
As mayors
of Diamond Bar, Rosemead and West Covina, we collectively represent more than
200,000 constituents in the San Gabriel Valley — constituents who work
hard to provide for their families, and in some cases, their businesses. Like
most Californians, one of the top concerns of San Gabriel Valley residents is
affordability. It’s no secret that the California dream is getting more
and more expensive, which is why it troubles us that the California Public
Utilities Commission plans to force Californians to eliminate natural gas from
their homes and go all-electric.
Pasadena
Star-News commentary, 7-30-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
Appellate
Court finds San Diego County Erred in Approving Subdivision of Ranchland Near
Julian
Late last
week, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal published a decision
that reverses a Superior Court ruling in the case Cleveland National Forest
Foundation et al. v. County of San Diego. The July 25th decision held that San
Diego County officials acted wrongly when they approved a map for the
subdivision of the 1,400-acre Hoskings Ranch near
Julian. The court found the subdivision would have set the stage to replace
ranching with residential development on the property, all while allowing the
property owner to enjoy tax breaks intended to keep the land in agriculture.
OB Rag,
7-31-19
WATER
California
1st state to require notification of toxic 'forever' chemicals in water
California
on Wednesday became the first state in the nation to require water suppliers who monitor a broad class of toxic
"forever chemicals" to notify customers if they're present
in drinking water. That could include sites from Los Angeles
International Airport to military bases across the desert to refineries
and other industry in low income neighborhoods.
Palm
Springs Desert Sun, 7-31-19
DIVISION
OF OIL GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Nearly
28,000 barrels of oil, water removed from Cymric oil seepage
Cleanup
efforts at an oil seepage have recovered nearly 28,000 barrels of oil and briney water from an oilfield near McKittrick.
KGET (Bakersfield television), 7-30-19
Not
permitted: County denies drilling plan
Five years
after it was filed and following two appeals, on Tuesday, July 23, the Ventura
County Board of Supervisors denied an application to expand the Cabrillo Oil
Field on the Oxnard Plain, and has stopped the drilling of four new oil and gas
wells in an area recognized by California as a disadvantaged community.
Ventura County Reporter, 7-24-19
Net
zero natural gas plant – the game changer
Included in
a group of technologies known as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS),
zero-emission fossil fuel plants have been a dream never realized in practice,
as it always seems to cost a lot, adding between 5¢ and 10¢ per kWh.
But this new technology completely changes the steps and the approach from the
ground up. It is based on the Allam Cycle, a new, high-pressure, oxy-fuel,
supercritical CO2 cycle that generates low-cost electricity from fossil fuels
while producing near-zero air emissions.
Forbes, 7-31-19
Op-Ed: Berkeley
banned natural gas. The rest of California should too
By becoming
the first city in the nation to ban natural gas in new low-rise buildings and
homes, Berkeley did something momentous in mid-July: It signaled the beginning
of the end of the natural gas era. This is an altogether good thing.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-31-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
California
farmers are planting solar panels as water supplies dry up
Solar
energy projects could replace some of the jobs and tax revenues that may be
lost as constrained water supplies force California’s agriculture
industry to scale back. In the San Joaquin Valley alone, farmers may need to
take more than half a million acres out of production to comply with the
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which will ultimately put restrictions
on pumping.
Los Angeles Times, 7-31-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Sea
of Galilee earthquakes triggered by excessive water pumping
One evening
in September 2013, windows rattled and ceiling fans swayed in northeastern
Israel as a small earthquake rumbled beneath the Sea of Galilee—the water
Jesus is said to have walked on—also known as Lake Kinneret. Four more
tremors struck over the next 4 days. Then, in July 2018, a dozen small
earthquakes shook the same spot beneath the lake on a fault—the slip
surface along which an earthquake ruptures.
Science,
7-26-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Kamala
Harris and Jay Inslee's new climate plans target 'environmental injustice'
Virtually
every Democrat running for president wants to do something about climate
change. Some of them are trying to distinguish themselves from the scrum by
proposing plans to ensure pollution does not disproportionately fall on poor
neighborhoods. On Monday, two contenders, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and
Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, released climate plans aimed at ensuring
communities already facing an exceptionally large amount of pollution don't get
saddled with any more.
Washington
Post, 7-30-19
GENERAL
In a
blow to the bullet train, California might shift billions to L.A. and Bay Area
projects
Key
California lawmakers have devised a plan to shift billions of dollars from the
Central Valley bullet train to rail projects in Southern California and the Bay
Area, a strategy that could crush the dreams of high-speed rail purists.
Los Angeles Times, 7-30-19
DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Can
this pretty pink flower stop the Arroyo Grande Oil Field expansion?
Environmentalists
are turning to a rare and powerful plant in their battle against plans to
expand oil drilling at the Price Canyon Oil Field in Arroyo Grande. It’s
rare because the annual herb only grows in fine sandy soils between Edna Valley
and Arroyo Grande. It’s powerful because the plant has stopped
development before.
San Luis
Obispo Tribune, 7-29-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Trona Residents Face Challenges in Earthquake
Aftermath
After major
earthquakes on July 4 and July 5 near Ridgecrest, residents of small towns
like Trona are left to face structural damages and
limited access to water and other resources. Sara Davies shares the
situation of her aunt and uncle, 40-year Trona
residents whose insurance is currently unsupportive due to an issue with the
cracked paint on their eaves.
KCET (Los
Angeles radio), 7-30-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
The
Yolo Bypass: It’s a Floodplain! It’s Farmland! It’s an
Ecosystem!
California’s
biggest river—the Sacramento—needs a lot of room to spread in big
water years. A floodplain project called the Yolo Bypass allows it to flood
naturally, while also providing habitat for waterbirds,
fish, and other aquatic species. We talked to Ted Sommer, lead scientist for
the Department of Water Resources (DWR), about this versatile landscape.
Public
Policy Institute of California, 7-29-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Worried
about wildfires, Californians ready to spend, vote to fight climate change
The
majority of Californians believe global warming is happening now and that
it’s a serious threat to the Golden State’s future, according to
the results of a
poll released today. What’s more, Californians are ready to cast their votes
and spend their money to fight it. The findings from the
Public Policy Institute of California, a non-partisan think tank that’s
asked Californians for their take on environmental issues for nearly two
decades, suggest Californians place a high value on the environment and want
the state to fight to protect it.
CalMatters, 7-29-19
Seal
Beach planning for sea level rise with vulnerability assessment
The sand
berm that goes up every year in Seal Beach is an annual reminder that the
coastal community is at risk for flooding. But a new city assessment shows how
rising sea levels could make the city even more vulnerable.
Seal Beach
Sun, 7-26-19
FORESTS
& WATERSHEDS
Lawsuit
filed to prevent forest clearing near Frazier Park
Conservation
groups have filed a lawsuit to stop the U.S. Forest Service from cutting down
trees in the Frazier Park as a way of reducing the risk of wildfire. A group
calling itself the Mountain Communities for Fire Safety, joined by Los Padres ForestWatch and the John Muir Project, filed the lawsuit
Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
Bakersfield
Californian, 7-20-19
Mendocino
National Forest gets 3,000 acres of land from the Trust for Public Land
The Trust
for Public Land, a national conservation non-profit organization, has donated
3,000 acres to the Mendocino National Forest, according to the U.S. Forest
Service. The donated land was given on the condition that it will be
incorporated into the Yuki Wilderness, next to the Mendocino National Forest.
The donation will help protect critical habitat for the threatened Northern
California steelhead.
KRCR
(Redding television), 7-29-19
WATER
To
better manage groundwater, first understand it
It may be
out of sight, but it should not be out of mind. Water hidden beneath the
earth’s surface comprises 98% of the planet’s fresh water. On
average, this groundwater provides a third of all total water consumed,
and its preciousness is ever more palpable since Cape Town’s water
crisis sent shock
waves rippling around the world.
Cosmos,
7-29-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
California’s
biggest oil spill in decades brings more defiance than anger from locals
The
residents of McKittrick, population 145, understand why people are upset by the
images. Also, there’s no avoiding the worry that prolonged exposure to
crude oil might one day trigger health issues. But judging from the rowdy talk
over cold beers and a blaring jukebox at Mike and Annie’s Penny Bar
— a watering hole for thirsty oil field hands that has over a million
pennies glued to the bar, floors, walls, television and entrance — the
locals see a different story playing out.
Los Angeles Times, 7-28-19
Community
Voices: Newsom needs to take care of us better
Chevron’s
ongoing oil spill in the Cymric Oil Field, near McKittrick, has been occurring
over the last two months and is a major threat to the environment. But it is
best understood as a symptom of bigger issues in the oil and gas industry. As
an environmental justice organizer in Kern County I see firsthand the need for
Gov. Gavin Newsom to require transparency, accountability and community
protections from the oil and gas industry, as well as more responsible
oversight by the agencies tasked with regulating it.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-27-19
Cleanup
has removed 25,000 barrels from Cymric spill
The
California Department of Fish and Wild released an update Friday night on the
cleanup underway at the side of a large oil spill in the Cymric Oilfield near
McKittrick.
Taft Midway Driller, 7-27-19
Chevron
faces violation notice in Kern County spill, million gallons of oil, water
recovered
Cleanup
operations at the Cymric Oil Field, 35 miles west of Bakersfield near the small
town of McKittrick, continued over the weekend after Gov. Gavin Newsom toured
the site earlier this week. The massive oil spill began May 10 and has led to a
violation notice being handed to the Chevron company, who was operating the
site.
Fresno Bee, 7-27-19
Town
at center of Kern County oil spill: ‘You don’t really think a lot
about it’
Even though
the oil spill is the largest in California since 1990, the site is accessible
solely via a private road manned by a security guard. If you live or work
nearby, chances are you can’t see the oil spill, you can’t smell it
and oil is not in the water.
KQED (San
Francisco TV/radio), 7-26-19
Cleanup
efforts continue in Kern County oil spill, more than 1M gallons collected
Cleanup
efforts continued Friday at an abandoned Chevron-owned well in the Cymric oil
field in the Kern County town of McKittrick — about 35 miles outside of
Bakersfield. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, more
than 1 million gallons of fluid — a mixture of 30% oil and 70% water
— have been recovered from the site since the spill was first reported in
May, but one section of the site continued to release fluid.
KCBS (Los Angeles television), 7-27-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
3.8
earthquake registered near Hollister, Calif.
A magnitude
3.8 earthquake was reported Saturday morning at 2:37 a.m. Pacific time eight
miles from Hollister, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Los Angeles Times, 7-27-19
Eight
killed after earthquakes hit Philippines
Eight
people were killed after back-to-back earthquakes struck the northern
Philippines Saturday morning, according to CNN Philippines, citing a disaster
official.
CNN, 7-27-19
Everything
you thought you know about earthquake insurance is wrong
After the
recent series of quakes over the Fourth of July weekend in Los Angeles,
insurance agents throughout the state were inundated with requests for
information on earthquake insurance. Some people quickly abandon their
earthquake insurance pursuits because the coverage has a reputation for being
expensive and ineffective, thanks to super-high deductibles. But these are
misperceptions.
San Francisco Chronicle, 7-28-19
At
least 8 people killed in norther Philippines earthquakes
Two strong
earthquakes hours apart struck a group of sparsely populated islands in the
Luzon Strait in the northern Philippines early Saturday, killing at least eight
people, injuring about 60 and causing substantial damage.
CBS News, 7-26-19
We
used a 3-D printer to map the power of the Ridgecrest earthquake
Numerous
maps have been created to show the power of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that
hit Ridgecrest this month. But to better understand the biggest quake to hit
Southern California in nearly two decades, we used a 3-D printer to produce a
3-D map of the shaking intensity across a wide swath of Southern California.
Los Angeles Times, 7-26-19
Earthquake:
3.3 quake felt near Avenal, Calif.
A magnitude
3.3 earthquake was reported Sunday afternoon at 4:51 p.m. Pacific time one mile
from Avenal, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Los Angeles Times, 7-28-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
US
agriculture needs a 21st-century New Deal (commentary)
As scholars
who study agroecology, agrarian change and food politics, we believe U.S.
agriculture needs to make a systemwide shift that cuts carbon emissions,
reduces vulnerability to climate chaos and prioritizes economic justice. We
call this process a just transition – an idea often invoked to describe
moving workers from shrinking industries like coal mining into more viable
fields. But it also applies to modern agriculture, an industry which in our
view is dying – not because it isn’t producing enough, but because
it is contributing to climate change and exacerbating rural problems. Two
elements are essential: agriculture based in principles of ecology, and
economic policies that end overproduction of cheap food and reestablish fair
prices for farmers.
San Francisco Chronicle, 7-26-19
GENERAL
How
California keeps blocking Trump’s environmental rollbacks
California’s
sweeping deal with four major automakers this week to boost gas mileage standards
and cut tailpipe emissions wasn’t the first time the Golden State has
outmaneuvered the Trump administration. Rather than
a one-time tactic, the agreement announced Thursday between the state and Ford,
Honda, Volkswagen and BMW is the latest in a growing list of ways that
California has blunted, blocked or shut down entirely nearly all of the Trump
administration’s major efforts to rewrite environmental policies in
California from the moment he took office.
Bay Area News Group, 7-27-19
California
bullet train authority gets U.S. permission to handles its environmental
reviews
The
California bullet train authority said earlier this year that federal
bureaucrats have slow-walked approval of its environmental documents,
contributing to delays in the project. But this week the Federal Railroad
Administration, which oversees billions of dollars in grants for the project,
assigned authority for such environmental reviews under the National
Environmental Policy Act to the state — giving the rail authority its
long-sought status
Los Angeles Times, 7-26-19
California’s
troubled bullet train project getting one of the biggest management upheavals
in years
The
California bullet train project is going through one of its biggest personnel
upheavals in years, several months after Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed he would be
“getting rid of a lot of consultants.”
Los Angeles Times, 7-26-19
California
Influencers this week answered one or both of the following the questions:
Should California continue to develop a statewide high-speed rail system, or
what better ways are there to utilize the state’s available
transportation funding?
Sacramento Bee, 7-28-19
DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Spill
draws attention to steam-based oil extraction
When the news broke, in the second week of July, that nearly
800,000 gallons of oil and water had spilled into a dry creek bed from an oil
production facility in Kern County, California, it sounded rare and dramatic.
But the spill — which Ted Goldberg at KQED news discovered while
researching a different story — was unique only in its magnitude.
KCET (Los
Angeles television), 7-25-19
Chevron
appeals state order on oil leak near McKittrick
Taking the position it needs more specific instructions from
regulators, Chevron has filed an appeal of a state order calling on the company
to "take all measures" to prevent further flows of oil and water at
California's largest and most visible petroleum-related accident in years.
Bakersfield
Californian, 7-26-19
MINING
Project
eyed for moving gravel near Big Chico Creek
A major
gravel-removing project could be taking place near Big Chico Creek and the Sacramento
River. The M&T/Llano Seco Ranch share a pumping
facility that has come under threat from accumulating gravel and sediment on
the river. This would be the third major project to take place since 2001 near
the pumping facility. The pumping plant in question serves as one of the
area’s most important water distribution facilities, according to the
manager of M&T Ranch, Les Heringer.
Chico
Enterprise-Record, 7-26-19
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
California
earthquake damage estimated at $200M
The powerful earthquake that rocked California earlier this month
caused an estimated $200 million in damage.
Fox
Business, 7-25-19
GENERAL
Restoring
natural fire regimes can yield more water downstream
Research in Yosemite National Park offers a new benchmark for
understanding water balance changes in a mountainous basin 4 decades after its
natural wildfire regime was reestablished.
Earth &
Space Science News, 7-22-19
California’s
troubled bullet train project getting one of biggest management upheavals in
years
The California bullet train project is going through one of its
biggest personnel upheavals in years, several months after Gov. Gavin Newsom
vowed he would be “getting rid of a lot of consultants.”
Los Angeles
Times, 7-26-19
Wind
is outpacing coal as a powers source in Texas for the first time
Wind power
has surpassed coal for the first time in Texas, according to a new report. The
numbers cap an enormous rise in wind power in the nation's top energy-producing
state over the past decades.
CNN, 7-25-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Governor
promises balanced approach after touring McKittrick-area oil leak
Gov. Gavin
Newsom, speaking with reporters in western Kern after a tour of California's
largest oil spill in years, withheld judgment on the incident Wednesday and
said he must balance the state's low-carbon future with the needs of
communities economically dependent on petroleum production.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-25-19
Nearly two
weeks ago, the day after Gov. Gavin Newsom fired California's top oil and gas
regulator, the governor said he does not have the legal authority to impose a
moratorium on permits for hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking. Now, two key
lawmakers — the chairs of the state Senate and Assembly committees
overseeing large parts of the oil industry — say they're open to giving
Newsom the power to bring new fracking operations to a halt in California,
setting up what could be a significant battle with the powerful oil industry.
KQED (San Francisco TV-radio), 7-25-19
Touring
oil spill site, Newsom calls for greater oversight of California petroleum
industry
Gov. Gavin Newsom, in the Central Valley on Wednesday for a
firsthand look at one of the largest oil spills in California history, vowed to
go beyond the state’s already aggressive efforts to curtail the use of
fossil fuels and seek a long-term strategy to reduce oil production.
Los Angeles Times, 7-24-19
California
governor encouraged by oil spill cleanup effort
Gov. Gavin
Newsom said Wednesday that he is encouraged by Chevron’s efforts to clean
up what has turned into the state’s largest oil spill in decades.
Associated Press, 7-24-19
Kern
County Chevron oil spill keeps growing
One of the largest
oil spills in California in decades is still growing. Chevron told state
regulators on Monday that large quantities of crude oil and water continue to
flow from a well site in Kern County.
KQED (San Francisco
TV-radio), 7-24-19
Newsom,
speaking at a local elementary school in the oil-dominated town of McKittrick
three miles from the spill, could not be reached by The Desert Sun for
questions. But in a briefing there, he said California officials have requested
Chevron’s data on the cause, and were doing their own investigation. He
said regulations might be toughened as a result of the giant spill, but until a
cause was verified, he was going to be cautious.
Palm
Springs Desert Sun, 7-24-19
Kern
County oil seep exceeds a million gallons; Newsom pays a visit
An oil seep
in Western Kern County has now grown to more than a million gallons in size. On
Wednesday, for the first time since the spill was reported, Governor Gavin
Newsom paid a visit to the site near the community of McKittrick
KVPR (Fresno radio), 7-25-19
Unified
command established for emergency response regarding Cymric oil field seepage
A unified
command has been established to address the more than one million gallons of
oil that have seeped from the ground in an oil field north of McKittrick,
according to the state Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas,
and Geothermal Resources.
KGET (Bakersfield television), 7-25-19
Newsom
tours kern Co. oil spill as locals call for health & safety protections
At a time
when oil and gas drilling continues to expand in California, Governor Gavin
Newsom on July 24 visited the site of a big oil spill in Chevron’s Cymric
oilfield in Kern County.
San
Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center, 7-25-19
Cymric
oilfield site's oil and water seepage has now reached over 1 million gallons
As crews
cleanup the Cymric oilfield incident, north of McKittrick, the Department of
Conservation has released an updated report stating that the oil and water
spill has now reached over a million gallons.
ABC 23, 7-25-2019
Governor
Gavin Newsom in McKittrick for oil seepage site visit
A massive
oil spill in Kern County has gotten the attention of the Governor.
KERO
(Bakersfield television), 7-24-19
‘Looks
like things are subsiding,’ Governor Newsom tours oil spill in Kern
County
Governor
Gavin Newsom spent Wednesday afternoon touring the Cymric Oil Field site, where
Chevron officials said more than 900,000 gallons of oil and water flowed to the
surface following a spill that took place in May. “I saw progress in the
right direction I saw the mitigation now that clean up
is beginning it looks like things are subsiding,” Governor Gavin Newsom
said.
KERO
(Bakersfield television), 7-24-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Faults
crisscross California, producing deadly earthquakes. Scientists knew almost
immediately that two large quakes that hit near Ridgecrest earlier this month
did not come from the San Andreas. But ever since, they’ve been studying
whether the quakes could cause more seismic activity from other faults —
including the San Andreas nearly 100 miles away.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-25-19
NASA:
Southern California July earthquake moved the ground this much
A
7.1-magnitude earthquake shook, rattled and rolled Southern California early in
July. It did more than slosh water out of swimming pools and bring Disneyland
to a halt. It also redecorated the landscape.
CNET, 7-25-19
The
rarest fish on Earth rode out 10-foot waves when Ridgecrest earthquake hit
The rarest
fish on Earth swam for their lives when a powerful earthquake rattled
Ridgecrest earlier this month. In Death Valley National Park — some 70
miles away from where the earthquake was centered — 10-foot waves erupted
inside Devils Hole, a 10-foot-wide and 25-foot-long pool that is the sole home
to the endangered Devils Hole pupfish.
Los Angeles Times, 7-25-19
3.1
magnitude earthquakes rattles southern Monterey Co.
The 3.1
magnitude earthquake was located right on the county line, directly east of
Camp Roberts and north of Shandon, located in San Luis Obispo County.
KSBW (Salinas television), 7-24-19
Earthquakes
can dry water supply. California must prepare
Recent
earthquakes have us all thinking about emergency preparedness. Critical to any earthquake kit is bottled water. This is because
an earthquake may damage local pipelines or water treatment facilities, leaving
us with contaminated water or no service at all.
CalMatters, 7-25-19
Navy,
region remain vigilant on earthquake awareness
Two major earthquakes
with magnitudes of 6.4 and 7.1 and series of small temblors near Ridgecrest,
Calif., over the Fourth of July weekend not only disrupted everyday life for
the town and surrounding area but also ceased most operations at the massive
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake 325 miles southwest of Fallon.
Nevada Appeal, 7-24-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
The
regime of glaciers is headed to its end
Glaciers
have carved out many of our mountain ranges, scoured out plains and prairies,
and birthed rivers and lakes. Today, in many parts of the world, mountain
glaciers preside over vast empires of fresh water that reach from the highest
peaks to the coast. But as the world gets warmer,
glaciers’ influence in many regions is waning.
High Country News, 7-19-19
Solving
climate change is possible, we already have the tools, says energy expert Hal
Harvey
The impacts
of a warming climate are happening now, with higher temperatures, more extreme
droughts, larger forest fires, melting ice caps, more erratic weather and rising
sea levels. Things look grim. But to Hal Harvey, the founder and CEO of Energy
Innovation, a San Francisco firm that studies clean energy and other climate
policies, the best approach is to view the challenge of climate change as one
big math problem.
Bay Area News Group, 7-25-19
Eureka
annexes coastal property that faces sea-level rise dilemma
The city
has annexed its first piece of property since the 1980s, but there may be
issues with flooding on the property down the line.
Eureka Times Standard, 7-24-19
ALISO
CANYON
California
changes SoCalGas Aliso natgas storage withdrawal
rules
California
utility regulators changed the rules governing when Southern California Gas Co
(SoCalGas) can withdraw natural gas from its Aliso Canyon storage facility in
Los Angeles to address energy reliability and price impacts in Southern
California. The state has limited how SoCalGas
can use Aliso, its biggest storage field, following a massive leak at the
facility between October 2015 and February 2016.
Reuters, 7-24-2019
CLIMATE
CHANGE
As
climate change threatens California, officials seek ‘sustainable
insurance’
California
regulators are teaming up with the United Nations to develop “sustainable
insurance” guidelines that would help address climate-change-related
disasters such as coastal flooding and larger wildfires — the first such
partnership of its kind between the international organization and a U.S.
state, officials announced Tuesday.
Los Angeles Times, 7-23-2019
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
California,
Wary of More Wildfires, Is Paying for Them Already
Two
thousand homes lost and two-thirds of the land burned: The residents of Lake
County, a sparsely populated area north of Napa Valley, understand better than
most the devastating cost of wildfires in recent years. Yet few people in Lake
County, or in many other fire-prone parts of California, could have anticipated
the millions they are now spending this summer on wildfires, even before the
first big one ignites.
The New York Times, 7-22-2019
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
More
than 80,000 aftershocks and counting: Ridgecrest earthquakes keep shaking
More than
80,000 earthquakes have been recorded in the Ridgecrest area since July 4
— the aftermath from two of the biggest temblors to hit California in
nearly a decade.
Los Angeles Times, 7-23-2019
New
satellite images show dramatic view of Ridgecrest earthquake
New
satellite images are offering a dramatic view of the power of the magnitude 7.1
quake that struck Southern California on July 5, 2019.
ABC 7, 7-22-2019
3.7
earthquake strikes off Northern California coast
The USGS
reported a magnitude 3.7 earthquake struck off the Northern California coast
around 10:08 a.m. The quake was centered about 46 miles west of Eureka.
SF Gate, 7-22-2019
DIVISION
OF MINE RECLAMATION
Malakoff
Diggins State Park to be completely solar-powered by end of year
This
California park was the site of one of the most destructive mining operations
in the state. Now, it's making the former mining area an example of
restoration. By the end of this year, Malakoff Diggins will be the first state
park in California to be completely solar-powered.
ABC 10, 7-23-2019
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
As Chevron
Gets Ready to Appeal State Order, Kern County Spill Continues to Grow
Chevron
told state regulators on Monday that large quantities of crude oil and water
continue to flow from a well site in Kern County. Chevron plans to appeal an
order from regulators ordering the company to "take all measures" to
stop the flow and prevent a recurrence of the releases. The company says the
directive from the state Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources is
lacking in specifics.
KQED, 7-23-2019
Kern
County oil field receives $320M investment for 275 new wells (full article
below)
One of
California's biggest energy companies is slated to receive $320 million to
drill 275 wells in Kern County.
Politico, 7-23-2019
One of
California's biggest energy companies is slated to receive $320 million to
drill 275 wells in Kern County.
California
Resources Corp. announced today that it entered into a joint venture with Los
Angeles-headquartered Colony Capital to fund a three-year expansion at the Elk
Hills field, located west of Bakersfield. Elk Hills, which spans 75 square
miles, generates over half of the state's natural gas production, according to
the company, and produced the equivalent of 52,000 barrels of oil per day in
2018.
The CEO of
Colony Capital is Tom Barrack, who chaired President Donald Trump's inaugural
committee.
Elk Hills
already has more than 3,000 wells, according to CRC, and the company said the
275 new wells are "pre-approved." CRC spokesperson Margita Thompson said Elk Hills already has an inventory of
permits issued by Kern County and the state Division of Oil, Gas, and
Geothermal Resources, and the company routinely applies for more.
CRC touts
the establishment of an 8,000-acre conservation area near Elk Hills, along with
the future development of an additional 17,500 acres. But environmentalists
still criticized the deal.
"You
can't be a leader on climate change and keep adding new oil and gas wells to
your state," said Center for Biological Diversity senior attorney Hollin Kretzmann, who cited an
ongoing oil leak at the nearby Chevron Cymric field. "Every major oil
field is going to have spills and accidents; that's a fact of extraction."
"This
is an opportunity for the governor to show he's serious about making progress
on climate change," said Kretzmann, who added
that the 275 wells should at least receive increased scrutiny from the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom this month fired the head of DOGGR and is examining
conflict-of-interest allegations at the regulatory agency.
ALISO
CANYON
Researchers
release report tying methane to air toxins in Aliso Canyon gas leak
UCLA
researchers found higher than average levels of various toxic air pollutants in
residential areas near the largest gas leak in U.S. history.
Daily Bruin, 7-21-2019
Los
Angeles County officials meet with community about Marina del Rey gas blowout
Several
months after an oil well on a construction site in Marina del Rey blew open, sending
natural gas about 100 feet in the air, Los Angeles County officials met with
angry residents to discuss the dangers posed by gas wells.
Los Angeles Times, 7-21-2019
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Chevron’s
Oil Spill Endangers Kern County
A massive
oil spill even bigger than the Plains All American Pipeline disaster off
Refugio Beach in Santa Barbara County in 2015 has occurred in Kern County, as
first reported by Ted Goldberg at KQED. The latest disaster has spilled more
than 798,000 gallons of combined oil and wastewater into the surrounding area
over the past couple of months.
Counter Punch, 7-19-2019
Chevron
injected steam near well work before oil leak near McKittrick
Chevron
records show the large, McKittrick-area oil leak that has shone an unflattering
light on Kern County petroleum production probably originated with an idle well
being worked on at the same time the company was injecting high-pressure steam
just 360 feet away, a combination that industry people say should not have been
performed simultaneously in such close proximity and which possibly contributed
to the release.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-21-2019
OUR
VIEW: Oil industry is not the ‘bad guy’ in this story (opinion)
Should
California’s oil industry be regulated by financially self-serving
bureaucrats? No! Should California’s oil industry be shut down? No! The
temptation to link the two questions is just plain wrong-headed. California
needs an economically strong, productive oil industry. It also needs ethical
professionals to regulate it.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-21-2019
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Mathews:
Why Californians secretly love earthquakes (opinion)
The
unspoken truth is that we love earthquakes, as well we should. Quakes inspire
us to dream, ground us in reality, shape our culture, and bind us together.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-21-2019
ALISO
CANYON
California’s
new Public Utilities Commission president must lead us to a gas-free future
Clean
energy is winning because it’s a safer and more affordable option. But getting to 100% clean and affordable energy is about more than
closing gas plants. Bringing these zero-emission
resources on to the grid requires innovation, new ways of thinking and a strong
dose of political will. This is the hard work facing Marybel Batjer, Gov. Gavin
Newsom’s newly appointed president of the California Public Utilities
Commission.
CalMatters, 7-18-2019
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
After
800,000-gallon spill, Chevron site is still leaking oil
On the same
day Sen. Dianne Feinstein chastised Chevron Corp. for keeping an 800,000-gallon
spill outside Bakersfield “under wraps,” California officials
confirmed Thursday that the site was once again seeping a hazardous mix of oil
and water.
Los Angeles Times, 7-18-2019
‘Low
rate’ flow resumes at Chevron oilfield leak near McKittrick
A "low
rate" flow of oil and water resumed Wednesday at Chevron's months-old
Cymric Oil Field leak near McKittrick, the company said Thursday. Resumption of
the flow came five days after the California Division of Oil, Gas and
Geothermal Resources ordered Chevron to "take all measures" to
prevent the leak from starting again.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-18-2019
Key
state lawmakers to call for hearing into Chevron oil spill
The two top
California lawmakers that oversee the state's oil industry plan to call for
hearings into a recent, massive oil spill in Kern County and revelations that
officials at the agency that regulate oil wells held investments in the companies
they were supposed to keep watch over.
KQED, 7-18-2019
Dowling
& Yahnke Llc decreased
its stake in Sempra Energy (SRE) by 17.05% based on its latest 2019Q1
regulatory filing with the SEC. The institutional investor held
28,101 shares of the natural gas distribution company at the end of 2019Q1,
down from 33,878 at the end of the previous reported quarter. SoCalGas lifts
estimated cost of Aliso Canyon natural gas leak to $954 million.
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
How
two big earthquakes triggered 16,000 more in Southern California
The two
powerful earthquakes that rocked the Mojave Desert this month were part of a
swarm of thousands of other earthquakes, many too weak to be felt, that
continue to hit the area every few minutes. Mapping aftershocks in the area
reveals how such large quakes change the stresses in the ground around them and
set off other earthquakes nearby.
The New York Times, 7-19-2019
San
Francisco residents are fleeing to what may be the most earthquake-proof city
in California
It's tough
to live in San Francisco these days. Add to that the threat of impending
earthquakes and you have a recipe for a mass exodus. Between 2010 and 2018, San
Francisco County lost nearly 3,000 net domestic residents — a sign that
locals are steadily fleeing their neighborhoods.
Business Insider, 7-18-201
DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Major
Crude Spill at Chevron Well Site in Kern County
State oil
and gas regulators have released a series of photos of a Kern County well site
where about 800,000 gallons of crude oil and water have spilled from a Chevron well site. The area fouled by the incident is
in the Cymric Oil Field, near the town of McKittrick and 35 miles west of
Bakersfield. Photographs, including an image from a state Department of
Conservation drone, show the spill has inundated a roughly 1,000-foot stretch
of an unnamed dry creek bed.
KQED (San
Francisco TV/radio), 7-17-18
Chevron
oil spill ignites debate over Kern's leading industry
The latest
oil regulator shakeup and Chevron’s
latest oil spill are revealing tensions between California’s fiercest
environmental groups and one of Kern’s leading industries. Friday,
Chevron confirmed a steam injection pump leaked more than18,000 barrels of an
oily-water mixture into a dry streambed on the Cymric oilfield.
KBAK (Bakersfield television), 7-15-19
California
needs real climate leadership. Here’s how Gov. Newsom can step up
Last week,
two public watchdog groups revealed that the state agency in
charge of regulating California’s oil and gas industry is rife with
conflicts of interest. While the incoming administration was still learning the
ropes in Sacramento, agency employees quietly doubled the rate of hydraulic
fracturing (or “fracking”) permits issued to oil companies. It
turns out that several of those employees have investments in the same oil
companies they are supposed to regulate.
Sacramento
Bee commentary, 7-17-10
Oilfield
wastewater may trigger earthquakes for 'decades'
Wastewater
from oil and gas production injected deep into wells could cause earthquakes
strong enough to be felt on the surface for years to come, according to new
research published Tuesday.
Agency
France Presse, 7-16-19
Berkeley
first city in California to ban natural gas in new buildings
The city of
Berkeley will no longer allow natural gas pipes in many new buildings starting
Jan. 1, 2020. It’s the first city in California to pass such a law,
officials said. The Berkeley
City Council voted
unanimously Tuesday night in favor of the legislation, put forward by
downtown Councilwoman
Kate Harrison’s office and council co-sponsors Cheryl Davila, Ben Bartlett
and Sophie Hahn.
Berkelyside, 7-17-19
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Calif.
cities and towns least threatened by earthquakes
After a 4.3
earthquake rattled the Bay Area on Tuesday, with experts warning a bigger one could soon follow, you might be wondering which
parts of California are least threatened by earthquake danger. When it comes to
big, populous cities, experts say, the options for those looking to avoid the
risk of a big shake are limited. San Francisco and Los Angeles are, of course,
seriously earthquake-threatened. There are seven "significant fault
zones" in the Bay Area, including the dreaded San Andreas. In Los Angeles,
there are faults that geologists haven't even discovered yet.
San
Francisco Chronicle, 7-16-19
Geologists:
Sacramento’s Location Provides A Safety Nest From Earthquakes
Multiple
quakes hit across California on Tuesday. All of them were a 3.5 magnitude or
greater. But one area is significantly safer than the rest of the state.
“You’re in earthquake country. About 90% of our population lives
within 10 to 20 miles of a damaging earthquake fault,” Cynthia Pridmore, an engineering geologist, said.
KOVR
(Sacramento television), 7-16-19
Recent
earthquakes could mark end of California ‘earthquake drought,’
professors say
For some,
this year’s Fourth of July was a day of barbeques, celebration with
family and fireworks. For residents of Ridgecrest, northeast of Los Angeles, it
was a day of discomfort and fear after an earthquake — the largest in decades — resulted
in power outages and damaged infrastructure and homes. The same region was
rattled by an even larger earthquake the next day. The two earthquakes
— with magnitudes of 6.4 and 7.1 — jolted southern California and
have policymakers and scientists concerned over what could follow.
Stanford
Daily, 7-15-19
Two
earthquakes 13 minutes apart shake the East Bay
A pair of
earthquakes jolted East Bay residents Tuesday afternoon, raising concerns that
more, bigger tremors are on the way, like the ones Southern
California experienced two weeks ago.
San
Francisco Chronicle, 7-16-19
4.3
magnitude earthquake centered near Blackhawk felt throughout Bay Area
A
4.3 magnitude earthquake shook Contra Costa County at 1:11 p.m. on Tuesday
afternoon. The earthquake's epicenter was about 7.5 miles east of
Blackhawk near the Los Vaqueros Reservoir according to the USGS. The
earthquake was initially reported as a 4.4 magnitude, but was then downgraded
to a 4.2. A few minutes later the USGS said it was a 4.3 magnitude.
KTVU
(Oakland television), 7-16-19
Two
earthquakes 13 minutes apart shake the East Bay
A
4.3-magnitude quake struck between Blackhawk and Brentwood at 1:11 p.m., followed
by a 3.5-magnitude shaker 13 minutes later, according to the United States
Geological Survey. No damage or injuries were reported, but residents in
Martinez, Pittsburg and as far west as Berkeley reported light shaking.
MSN,
7-16-19
Is
'The Big One' next? California was shaking again Tuesday, with six earthquakes
of 3.5 or greater
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake shook the eastern San
Francisco Bay area at 1:11 p.m. Tuesday. Four minutes later, a magnitude 4.5 quake hit near Ridgecrest, which, earlier
this month, was rattled by a pair of massive temblors, including the most powerful shaker (a magnitude 7.1) to strike California in 20 years.
USA Today,
7-16-19
4.5
quake near Ridgecrest, Calif.
A magnitude
4.5 earthquake was reported Tuesday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. Pacific time seven
miles from Ridgecrest, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The
earthquake occurred 35 miles from California City, 62 miles from Tehachapi, 66
miles from Rosamond and 67 miles from Barstow.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-16-19
Ridgecrest
Earthquake Aftershocks Move Toward Major Faults, Prompting Concerns of
Triggered Temblors
Aftershocks
of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake near Ridgecrest have been creeping into areas
close to two major earthquake faults, a development that is generating interest
and some concern among seismologists over whether it could trigger another huge
temblor.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-16-19
Magnitude
3.5 quake rattles Morgan Hill
A magnitude
3.5 earthquake rattled Morgan Hill Monday afternoon. The tremblor struck 16
kilometers north of Morgan Hill at 1:46 p.m., according to the United States
Geological Survey. There were no initial reports of injuries or damage,
according to the Morgan Hill Police Department.
Bay Area
News Group, 7-15-19
CLIMATE CHANGE
Central
Valley could see more ‘dangerously hot’ days from climate change.
Here’s how many
California’s
Central Valley is no stranger to heat, but human-caused climate change could
soon see the region hitting boiling temperatures at greater frequency than
before. That’s the finding of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a
nonprofit organization founded “to use the power of science to address
global problems and improve people’s lives,” according to the
group’s website.
Sacramento
Bee, 7-16-19
Heat
waves likely to become longer, more intense — even in Bay Area, study
shows
Summers in
San Francisco may soon feel more like the warmer East Bay. The East Bay may
soon feel more like Sacramento. And Sacramento — well, it might just be
too hot to stick around any longer.
San
Francisco Chronicle, 7-16-19
Don't
say retreat when talking about sea rise in California
Who knew
back in 1977, when the Coastal
Act was
passed, that the sea would rise so quickly? Now, cities and the agency formed
to protect the coastline, must deal with it - and with each other. A workshop
on July 12 brought together the League of Cities, California State Association
of Counties, local government officials, and the California Coastal Commission.
Sea level rise was a key topic, along with one of the most controversial tools
in the arsenal.
San Diego
Reader, 7-16-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
State
orders Chevron to ‘take all measures’ to prevent further leaks of
oil, water near McKittrick
California's
top oil regulator, losing patience with Chevron's response to the uncontrolled
release of thousands of barrels of oil near McKittrick, has ordered the company
to "take all measures" to make sure petroleum, water and steam do not
resume rising to the surface after previous efforts to stop the flow there
proved temporary.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-15-19
State
orders Chevron to stop massive crude oil release from Kern county well
Saying that
Chevron has failed to do all it should have to stop a massive release of crude
oil at a Kern County well site, state regulators have ordered the company
"to take all measures" to stop the flow and prevent a recurrence.
KCBX, 7-15-19
Fracking
under fire in California
Fracking
for oil and gas in California is about to get a lot more difficult. Last week,
California Governor Gavin Newsom fired the state’s top oil regulator
after the Desert Sun reported that fracking permits in California doubled in
the first six months of this year without the Governor’s knowledge. Meanwhile, Chevron – another top permit recipient in the
state – has come under fire for a massive oil spill in Kern County that
has been ongoing since May.
Oil Price, 7-15-19
Most
California Oil, Gas Permits Said Issued for Reworking Wells, Not New Ones
Permits to drill
using hydraulic fracturing (fracking) are not growing at an unprecedented rate
in California, contrary to reports last week by state officials in explaining
the ouster of the oil and gas supervisor.
NGI Shale
Gas Daily, 7-16-19
California
orders Chevron to ‘take all measures’ to halt massive spill of
oil-water mixture
About
800,000 gallons of an oil-water mixture has spilled in the last two months at a
Chevron operation in the Cymric Oil Field in California's Kern County Canyon. On Friday, California's Department of Conservation ordered Chevron
to immediately "take all measures" to the stop the flow and
"prevent any new surface expressions" near the well site.
CNN 7-15-19
In
wake of report citing SoCalGas issues in Aliso Canyon gas leak, lawmakers plan
hearing
State Sen.
Henry Stern and Assemblymember Christy Smith said
this week they will hold a public hearing in the wake of a report detailing the
root cause of the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak. The meeting will be held Tuesday,
Aug. 6 at Porter Ranch Community School, 12450 Mason Avenue.
Los Angeles
Newspaper Group, 7-12-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Aftershocks
keep rattling: More than 70 measuring 4.0+ since Ridgecrest earthquakes
It’s
been more than a week since two of the largest earthquakes to hit Southern
California in nearly two decades hit, and the aftershocks keep coming. There
have been more than 70 earthquakes of magnitude 4 and greater since July 4,
when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck on Independence Day; a day later, a much
larger magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit.
Los Angeles Times, 7-15-19
Living
in California is living on the edge
To live in
California is to make a wary peace with an existential dichotomy: breathtaking
weather, astounding natural beauty, bounteous food and wine, stimulating
multiculturalism and … the possibility of imminent, unpredictable
disaster. Depending on where we live, Californians are just one spark, one
mudslide, or, yes, one earthquake away from severe destruction.
The Atlantic, 7-15-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Planting
‘Billions of Trees” isn’t going to stop climate change
Planting
billions of trees is the most effective way to combat climate change. At least
that’s what a recent Science study claimed. Its findings were initially
celebrated by a wave of articles, but the response is being met with a flood of
criticism—from Indigenous activists, policy experts, and climate
scientists.
Vice, 7-15-19
California’s
wildfires are 500 percent larger due to climate change
A new
study, published this week in the journal Earth’s Future, finds that the
state’s fire outbreak is real—and that it’s being driven by
climate change. Since 1972, California’s annual burned area has increased
more than fivefold, a trend clearly attributable to the warming climate, according
to the paper.
The Atlantic, 7-16-19
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
California’s
other drought: A major earthquake is overdue
The earthquake situation in California is actually more dire than
people who aren’t seismologists like myself may realize. Although many
Californians can recount experiencing an earthquake, most have never personally
experienced a strong one. For major events, with magnitudes of 7 or greater,
California is actually in an earthquake drought.
Salon,
7-13-2019
Ridgecrest
aftershock prognosis: They won’t stop for years, and another strong one
is possible
A 4.9-magnitude earthquake in the Ridgecrest area early Friday
drove home what seismologists have been telling Southern Californians for the
past week: In the wake of two strong quakes July 4 and 5, that area is likely
to keep shaking for years.
The Mercury
News, 7-12-2019
Earthquakes
shake up Yucca Mountain nuke dump talk in Nevada
Recent California earthquakes that rattled Las Vegas have shaken
up arguments on both sides of a stalled federal plan to entomb nuclear waste
beneath a long-studied site in southern Nevada.
The
Associated Press, 7-13-2019
‘We
are coming back even stronger’
“We are in a very positive mood today,” Naval Air
Warfare Center Weapons Division Commander Rear Adm. Scott Dillon told some 500 who
gathered to hear an update after last week’s 6.4- and 7.1-magnitude
earthquakes rendered their host at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
“non mission operable.” While most buildings have not sustained
serious damage, officials are in the beginning stages of clearing structures as
safe and sound to enter.
The News
Review, 7-12-2019
At
least 4 fires in wake of earthquakes
At least four fires broke out in the Ridgecrest area immediately
following the earthquakes that shook the high desert during the week of July 4
according to the Kern County Fire Department. Kern County Fire Stations 74 and
77 handled multiple calls immediately after the 6.4- and 7.1- magnitude quakes
on July 4 and 5 respectively.
The News
Review, 7-12-2019
Water
restored to Trona after quakes
“You guys have water today,” announced Searles
Domestic Water Co. Manager Audrey Schuyler during a Trona
Town Hall on July 10. Hundreds of Searles Valley residents, still reeling from
the 6.4- and 7.1-magnitude earthquakes last week, packed the Trona High School Gym Wednesday morning where they heard
from San Bernardino County, state and federal representatives as well as
officials representing public health, tax, construction, insurance and
emergency services.
The News
Review, 7-11-2019
July
5th 7.1 Searles Valley earthquake caused 8’ shift of
earth’s surface
A recent photo of surface faulting from the Friday, July 5, 2019,
7.1 Searles Valley earthquake was shared by the USGS recently. The Searles
Valley region has had thousands of aftershocks, but the Friday July 5th
earthquake literally shifted the earth approximately 8 feet, as seen on the
dirt path in the photo.
24/7
Headline, 7-13-2019
Ridgecrest
earthquake packed the power of 45 nuclear bombs, but its impact was muted
When the magnitude 7.1 earthquake ruptured the earth in the Mojave
Desert, it packed the energy of 45 nuclear bombs of the type that fell on
Hiroshima. But a variety of factors lessened the potency and impact of what was
the most powerful Southern California earthquake in nearly two decades.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-13-2019
A
4.9-magnitude earthquake hits Ridgecrest one week after powerful temblor
A 4.9-magnitude earthquake was reported near Ridgecrest,
California, on Friday morning — one week after a 7.1-magnitude temblor
struck Southern California, the US Geological Survey said.
Q13 Fox,
7-12-2019
Earthquakes
leaves dozens of home unfit for living in Trona
More
than 30 homes have been red-tagged as uninhabitable and 51 were yellow-tagged
due to serious damage in Trona and surrounding San
Bernardino County communities following
two large earthquakes last
week, according
to initial damage assessments by
state and local officials.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-13-2019
California
Big One: Would California earthquake cause a tsunami?
California has recently seen a surge of seismic activity, as
powerful earthquakes course through the state. Would the California ‘big
one’ cause a tsunami?
Express,
7-13-2019
Here’s
what you should know about the Hollywood Fault
The Hollywood Fault spans about nine miles long from Atwater
Village to West Hollywood. In our lifetime, there's no record of a significant
earthquake caused by the Hollywood Fault but seismologists know it's still
active. Seismologists predict that Hollywood Fault will only be disastrous if
it erupts in conjunction with the Raymond Fault or the Santa Monica Fault.
ABC7,
7-11-2019
Another
earthquake in California just hours after a quake near Seattle
California residents felt another earthquake Friday morning, with
a 4.9-magnitude quake registering Friday morning, according to the U.S.
Geological Survey. That wasn't the only unusual seismic activity that happened
on the West Coast Friday morning, as a 4.6-magnitude quake hit 40 miles
northeast of Seattle Friday morning, registering just southwest of Three Lakes,
Washington.
ABC News,
7-12-2019
West
Coast residents seriously underestimate the threat of a catastrophic
earthquake, survey finds
As last week’s major earthquakes in Southern California
reminded us, we humans are still at the mercy of the geologically-active planet
we live on. But despite the ever-present seismic threat, there’s a lot
more West Coast cities could be doing to prepare their infrastructure and
citizens for disaster, like implementing stricter building codes and
restrictions and better early warning systems.
Gizmodo,
7-12-2019
3
questions seismologists are asking after the California earthquakes
A week after two large earthquakes rattled southern California,
scientists are scrambling to understand the sequence of events that led to the
temblors and what it might tell us about future quakes.
Science
News, 7-12-2019
Rippling
rainbow map shows how California earthquakes moved the earth
Curious how much the ground shifted after the two large
earthquakes last week in Southern California? NASA has just the map for that
question — and it happens to look like beautiful, psychedelic art.
NPR,
7-12-2019
7.1
earthquake leaves long-standing Cal State Long Beach building red-tagged
A building at Cal State Long Beach that had fallen into disrepair
was further damaged by last week's magnitude 7.1 earthquake, the biggest to
strike Southern California in nearly 20 years. The Soroptimist House was
red-tagged this week, barring people from venturing inside. The building had
been used during the academic year as an interfaith center and had been vacated
before the temblor.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-12-2019
4.9
aftershock rattles Ridgecrest in aftermath of two major quakes
A magnitude 4.9 aftershock tumbled east of Ridgecrest, Calif., on Friday
morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred in an
area that was struck by a pair of strong earthquakes just a week ago and has
been rattled by thousands of aftershocks.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-12-2019
Ridgecrest
earthquakes caused major damage at China Lake naval base
Last week's back-to-back earthquakes hit the Naval Air Weapons
Station China Lake with such violent force that they damaged the base's
elementary school and created the largest surface chasms caused by the recent
temblors in Southern California's high desert area, according to state
officials.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-12-2019
Afraid
of the Big One? Consider Sacramento, which avoids the worst California quakes
Want to be
safe from earthquakes in California? You'd need to endure summer scorchers, winter
flood threats and full-time politicians. But temblors don't threaten people
living in Sacramento. In the state capital — River City, Sacramento, City
of Trees — earthquakes are seen only on TV. Here, you'll escape the Big
One.
Los Angeles Times, 7-15-2019
L.A.’s
ShakeAlert earthquake warning app worked exactly as
planned. That’s the problem
More than
500,000 people have downloaded Los Angeles County's new ShakeAlertLA
app to warn them of impending earthquakes. So when the two strongest
earthquakes in almost two decades hit Southern California this month, those
residents were surprised by what they saw on their smartphones: nothing.
Officials were quick to explain to outraged app users that the shaking in the
county wasn't strong enough to trigger an alert. But that rationale hasn't
mollified the public.
Los Angeles Times, 7-15-2019
California
Navy base known for WWII bomb tests may get big check for earthquake repairs
The U.S. House
unanimously approved a measure to authorize $100 million for repairs to the
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, which was near the epicenter of last
week’s California desert earthquakes. The sprawling 1.1 million acre
station, which tests and develops military technology, sustained significant
damage in the 6.4 and 7.1 magnitude quakes which struck the Southern California
desert on July 4 and 5. While flight operations resumed Wednesday, the base
remains closed to non-essential personnel, but may re-open as early as July 15.
The Sacramento Bee, 7-12-2019
DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Cleanup
continues on large oil spill in Kern County
Conservation
groups are calling for a ban on new drilling as crews assess the damage from a
large oil spill in Kern County. Chevron reports that one of its wells near
McKittrick has leaked more than 500,000 gallons of oil and wastewater into a
dry creek bed. The leak started in May and continued intermittently until crews
sealed it last week.
Public News Service, 7-15-2019
After
Aliso Canyon, a gas pipeline exploded – costing Californians $1 billion
Two years after methane gas began leaking from Southern California
Gas Co.’s Aliso Canyon storage field, one of the company’s key
pipelines exploded, starting a fire in the desert and leaving a smoking crater
in the ground. Nobody was hurt, but the damaged
pipeline was taken out of service — severely constraining gas supplies in
Southern California, especially with storage at Aliso Canyon restricted.
Together, those infrastructure failures would fuel higher energy prices across
the state, ultimately costing California ratepayers at least $1 billion.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-11-2019
Chevron
spills 800,00 gallons of oil, water in California
Officials began to clean up a massive oil spill Friday that dumped
nearly 800,000 gallons of oil and water into a California canyon, making it
larger — if less devastating — than the state's last two major oil
spills.
U.S. News,
7-12-2019
Gov.
Gavin Newsom fires top official over fracking permits – but won’t
ban the oil wells
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday defended firing California’s top
oil industry regulator for issuing too many hydraulic fracturing permits, but offered
no details on whether he plans to ban or limit the oil extraction process in
the state.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-12-2019
Spill
35 miles west of Bakersfield spills nearly 800,000 gallons of oil, wastewater
California authorities are preparing to start cleanup on an oil
spill that dumped nearly 800,000 gallons of oil and water on land about 35
miles west of Bakersfield. Chevron spokesperson Veronica Flores-Paniagua says
oil has been seeping from the ground since May, but it’s the first time
the public is hearing about it.
Chevron
has spilled 800,00 gallons of crude oil and water into a California canyon
since May
California
officials ordered Chevron Friday "to take all measures" to stop a
release that has spilled around 800,000 gallons of water and crude oil into a
dry creek bed in Kern County, KQED reported.
EcoWatch, 7-15-2019
DIVISION OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
‘Like
your own national park’: Huge East Bay ranch on sale at $72 million
For more
than 85 years, the Vickers and Naftzger family have
owned the N3 Ranch an hour southeast of San Francisco, buying more and more
land until it encompassed an enormous 80 square miles. Now two sisters, the
latest generation, are exiting the business and selling the sprawling property
with an asking price of $72 million.
San Francisco Chronicle, 7-15-2019
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Last
week’s earthquakes may have exposed a new fault line
Given
Southern California's history of quakes, the unrelenting media coverage every
time the ground moves, and all the premier research institutions based here,
you might assume we know everything about earthquakes. The Little Lake fault
zone — where the two quakes took place — wasn't on many lists as a
top contender for a big rupture. Then, the re-rupture of the same fault just a
day later caught even scientists off guard. On top of that, that re-rupture
might have revealed a whole new fault.
LAist, 7-11-19
Newer
buildings show little damage after California quakes
The two
Southern California desert communities rocked by last week’s powerful
earthquakes may have sustained as little damage as they did because they have
no tall buildings and many of the homes in one are fairly new and were built to
stricter earthquake standards.
Associated Press, 7-11-19
3 questions
seismologists are asking after the California earthquakes
A week
after two large earthquakes rattled southern California, scientists are
scrambling to understand the sequence of events that led to the temblors and
what it might tell us about future quakes.
Science News, 7-12-19
Ridgecrest
earthquakes caused damage to Earth’s crust seen from satellite
Damage to
the earth’s crust from the magnitude 6.4 and 7.1 earthquakes that struck
Southern California last week is visible in a kaleidoscopic satellite image
released by NASA.
Los Angeles Times, 7-11-19
4.9
aftershock rattles Ridgecrest in aftermath of two major quakes
A magnitude
4.9 aftershock tumbled east of Ridgecrest, Calif., on Friday morning, according
to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred in an area that was struck
by a pair of strong earthquakes just a week ago and has been rattled by
thousands of aftershocks.
Los Angeles Times, 7-12-19
Understanding
the Ridgecrest, Calif., earthquakes and what comes next
Some people
get their Fourth of July booms from fireworks. In Ridgecrest, Calif., it came
from a pair of violent earthquakes. Since then, the trend has been encouraging
— only one aftershock of 4.0 strength or greater has rattled the
Ridgecrest area. But the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) posted a bulletin on its
website warning residents to “be ready.”
Washington Post, 7-11-19
Hey ShakeAlertLA: Where’s the earthquake app for the rest
of SoCal?
Why is L.A.
the only place this app serves? The answer to the question has a lot to do with
how it was developed.
LAist, 7-11-19
The
town at the epicenter of California’s massive earthquake feels forgotten
Trona is an
unincorporated community near Death Valley, which has relied on its population
of roughly 2,000 residents to rally support for their needs, especially in a
time of crisis. But the damage from Friday’s earthquake — the
largest to hit California in 20 years — has left residents of the remote
town questioning Trona’s ability to bounce
back.
Vice News, 11-10-19
Help
pouring in to Trona after earthquakes, but officials
warn recovery will take time
Since the
first earthquake, measuring magnitude 6.4, struck on July 4, neighbors have
spent long hours helping one another as resources from outside communities and
local officials have trickled in. A full recovery, though, will take more time.
Los Angeles Times, 7-10-19
New
sensor could shake up earthquake response efforts
A new
optical sensor developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley
Lab) could speed up the time it takes to evaluate whether critical buildings
like these are safe to occupy shortly after a major earthquake. After four
years of extensive peer-reviewed research and simulative testing at the
University of Nevada’s Earthquake Engineering Laboratory, the Discrete
Diode Position Sensor (DDPS) will be deployed for the first time this summer in
a multi-story building at Berkeley Lab – which sits adjacent to the
Hayward Fault, considered one of the most dangerous faults in the United
States.
Berkeley Lab, 7-11-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Chevron
Well at Center of Major Oil Spill in Kern County Oil Field
A Chevron
oil well has leaked nearly 800,000 gallons of crude petroleum and water in
Kern County over the last two months, prompting state regulators to hit the San
Ramon-based energy company with a notice of violation and an order to halt some
oil extraction work in the area around the spill.
KQED (San
Francisco TV-radio), 7-12-19
Could
mussels teach us how to clean up oil spills?
Mussels may
be popular among seafood lovers, but many boaters consider them pests. They
colonize ship bottoms, clog water pipes and stick to motors. To chemical
engineers, though, those very same properties make mussels marvelous. They can
stick to just about any surface — and underwater, no less. And now,
researchers believe that studying how mussels stick to things may help them
address water pollution, according to a review of recent mussel-inspired
chemistry advances, published this week in the journal Matter
KPBS, 7-11-19
After
Aliso Canyon, a gas pipeline exploded – costing Californians $1 billion
Two years
after methane gas began leaking from Southern California Gas Co.’s Aliso
Canyon storage field, one of the company’s key pipelines exploded,
starting a fire in the desert and leaving a smoking crater in the ground. But
the damaged pipeline was taken out of service — severely constraining gas
supplies in Southern California, especially with storage at Aliso Canyon restricted.
Together, those infrastructure failures would fuel higher energy prices across
the state, ultimately costing California ratepayers at least $1 billion.
Los Angeles Times, 7-11-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
Rain,
cool weather brining down California almond production
Weather-related
disruptions contributed to a substantial decline in California almond
production this year, suggesting farmers of Kern's second largest-grossing crop
may take a financial hit as well.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-11-19
A
Southern California without orange groves? One of the last could soon be gone
Bothwell
Ranch is one of the last remaining orange groves in the San Fernando Valley, a
vestige of the long-evaporated citrus industry. The ranch is at the center of a
growing dispute between its owners, who have sought to sell it to luxury
housing developers, and community members who believe it should remain an
orchard. The Los Angeles City Council is currently considering a proposal to
give the site a historic designation to preserve at least part of the orchard.
New York
Times, 7-11-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
‘Floodier future’ expected in Humboldt Bay, other
coastal regions
A report
released Wednesday by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
predicts that sunny day flooding, also known as tidal flooding, will continue
to increase. This year, Humboldt Bay is expected to experience six to 12 days
of sunny day flooding after experiencing 12 such days in 2018.
Eureka Times Standard, 7-10-19
RIDGECREST
EARTHQUAKES/CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
After
Ridgecrest, California is still overdue for a ‘Big One’ on its most
active faults
Last
weekend’s pair of powerful Ridgecrest temblors, 6.4 magnitude on Friday
and 7.1 magnitude on Saturday, offered a stark reminder: “The Big
One” is coming.
Sacramento Bee, 7-10-19
Earthquake:
Isabella Dam update
A recent
7.1-magnitude earthquake and a series of nerve-wracking aftershocks have Kern
County residents asking a frightening question: What would happen if the
Isabella Dam collapsed during a powerful quake? Engineers have been looking for
possible seepage or cracks in concrete at main and auxiliary dams. So far,
they’ve found none.
Bakersfield Now, 7-8-19
The ground
is no longer shaking in Ridgecrest, the California city rocked by a spate of
strong earthquakes over the 4th of July weekend, but residents are starting to
consider a new set of dangers. Beyond scientists' worrisome
predictions that another earthquake might strike in the coming days, questions
have arisen about risks associated with the Naval Air Weapons Station China
Lake, a large military testing site outside the city.
San Francisco Chronicle, 7-9-19
Most
of Trona still without water Tuesday following quakes
Most of the
small San Bernardino County town of Trona remained
without water Tuesday as officials work to recover from last week’s two
massive earthquakes.
CBS Los Angeles, 7-9-19
Trona infrastructure improving, but more
quake damage to property called likely
Water
service has been restored to almost all areas of Trona,
and most major natural gas leaks have been repaired. But, San Bernardino County
Fire Marshal Mike Horton added some ominous news: As buildings continue to
settle in the sandy soil amid the aftershocks, fissures in the foundations and
in the homes continue to widen.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 7-10-19
Watch
out for scammers trying to take advantage of your earthquake anxiety
Officials
are warning California residents to be wary of scammers trying to take
advantage of their earthquake anxiety. While lingering
aftershocks continue to rattle the Ridgecrest area, Orange County officials are
warning residents of schemes aimed at convincing residents to leave their homes
in what could be a prank or a ruse in an attempt to commit burglary.
Los Angeles Times, 7-9-19
‘Where
do we go from here?’ Ridgecrest Town Hall emphasizes recovery, staying
prepared
A Town Hall
meeting held Sunday afternoon started with a calm but serious bit of
instruction about keeping the aisles clear and how to exit safely in the case
of another quake. Once that was out of the way, a string of speakers spelled
out plans for what everyone is hoping is now a recovery phase after the two
historic Ridgecrest earthquakes July 4 and 5 — while also remaining
prepared for possible future quakes.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-11-19
First
responders moving into ‘recovery process’ in Ridgecrest
The city of
Ridgecrest is beginning to transition into recovery mode following two
earthquakes centered near the city this past week. Kern County Fire Battalion
Chief Brandon Smith said crews from around the county are expected to begin
leaving Ridgecrest in the next day or so as the city continues its recovery.
Bakersfield Californian, 7-11-19
Ridgecrest
earthquake shattered California’s cool
Friday’s
whopper of a temblor in particular shook a lot of us out of our oblivion, I
think — and refocused us on the disaster preparations we too often let
slide.
Los Angeles Times, 7-8-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
L.A.
among 40 U.S. cities expected to experience abnormal flooding rates due to
rising seas, El Niño
The federal
government is warning Americans to brace for a “floodier”
future. Government scientists predict 40 places in the U.S. will experience
higher than normal rates of so-called sunny day flooding this year because of
rising sea levels and an abnormal El Nino weather system.
KTLA (Los Angeles television), 7-10-19
RIDGECREST
EARTHQUAKE/CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Ridgecrest
appeared to have escaped the quakes largely unscathed when it comes to
structural damage, city officials said. There were no deaths or major injuries
reported and only four building fires, likely sparked by ruptured natural gas
or electrical lines. By contrast, the San Francisco Bay and greater Los Angeles
areas have experienced significant damage following quakes over the past
century of lesser intensity. So, why not Ridgecrest?
USA Today, 7-9-19
Ridgecrest
earthquake mystery: Why so little destruction from huge temblors?
There are a
number of reasons why Ridgecrest was largely spared. The Mojave Desert town remained largely unscathed because its
building stock was relatively new and remarkably resilient. It lacks the kind
of structures that experts say are most vulnerable in a big quake —
unreinforced masonry, brittle concrete, so-called soft story apartments and
single-family homes not bolted to their foundations. The happenstances of
geology and geography also worked in the town’s favor.
Los Angeles Times, 7-10-19
Expect
34,000 aftershocks from Ridgecrest earthquakes. But seismic activity is slowing
down
Aftershocks
from the recent earthquakes near Ridgecrest, Calif., are decreasing in both
frequency and magnitude, and seismologists say they expect the pattern to
continue.
Los Angeles Times, 7-0-9-19
The
Big One is likely overdue in the Coachella Valley, where major earthquake
faults connect
Paralleling
the Interstate 10 freeway and then ducking under it, the mighty San Andreas
fault runs north from the Salton Sea, skirts the western boundary of Joshua
Tree National Park and heads into the San Gorgonio thrust near the Morongo
Casino, where three active fault strands connect. All pose a tremendous risk,
experts say. The San Andreas hasn't experienced a major rupture in the
Coachella Valley in more than three centuries, meaning it's long past due
— statistically — for a Big One.
Palm Springs Desert Sun, 7-8-19
California’s
two recent earthquakes erupted on unknown fault lines
The two big
Ridgecrest earthquakes last week happened along fault lines we didn’t
even know existed.
Mother Jones, 7-9-19
Environment
report: The earthquake risk no one’s talking about
San Diego
faces a hidden earthquake threat — to its water supply. A quake, even one
so far away that nobody in San Diego feels it, could cause an emergency and
force mandatory water-use restrictions.
Voice of San Diego, 7-8-19
‘This
town can’t handle any more’: Ridgecrest residents reflect after
back-to-back earthquakes
Darren Cloyd was in his car when he noticed the car began to
shake. He thought it was his stereo until he looked outside and saw everything
swaying side to side. Such were the stories from
Ridgecrest on Saturday after Friday night's 7.1 magnitude earthquake. Already
shaken by Thursday's 6.4 magnitude quake — now considered a foreshock
— the town in the Mojave Desert was surprised by the event.
KQED (San Francisco TV-radio), 7-6-19
Nevada
death may be linked to California quake
A powerful
July 4 earthquake in the Southern California desert may have killed a man in
neighboring Nevada, authorities said Tuesday. It would be the first death
linked to the magnitude 6.4 quake near Ridgecrest that was felt far and wide.
Associated Press, 7-9-19
When
it comes to earthquake intensity, fault line size is a big deal
The study
of fault lines in California is still a relatively new science and not all have
been identified. Richard Armstrong, an assistant professor of earthquake
engineering with Sacramento State, says fault line length and width often
contribute to more impactful earthquakes. He says it will take time to for
geologists and seismologists to develop a clearer picture of the actual
intensity and fault-line location of the recent Southern California quakes.
Capital Public Radio, 7-9-19
Is
my building vulnerable in a big earthquake? Here’s how to find out
The
Ridgecrest earthquakes didn’t cause any notable damage in the Greater Los
Angeles area. But the shaking did spur hundreds of thousands to ask that
eternal question in earthquake country: How safe is my building? Government
agencies, researchers and journalists have begun compiling inventories of some
of the buildings that might be at risk. Here are some of the most vulnerable
places, as compiled from The Times’ archives.
Los Angeles Times, 7-9-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
Report
claims county missing out on money
San Mateo
County is losing out on potential revenue and risking hefty fines by neglecting
its local program to enforce a state agriculture preservation law, according to
a civil grand jury report which recommends an audit and revamp to bring the
properties into line and onto the tax roll.
San Mateo Daily Journal, 7-10-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Plan
by Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez to declare climate emergency
Vermont
Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are teaming up
on a measure that would designate climate change as an emergency, and they have
won early support from one of Sanders’ fellow Democratic presidential
candidates.
Associated
Press, 7-9-19
Quarter
of the world’s biggest firms ‘fail to disclose emissions’
About a
quarter of the world’s highest-emitting, publicly listed companies fail
to report their greenhouse gas emissions and nearly half do not properly
consider the risks from the climate crisis in decision-making, new research has
found. The findings show the distance even
the world’s biggest companies still have to cover to meet the goals of
the Paris agreement on climate change, according to the group of investors
coordinating the report.
The Guardian, 7-9-19
Tree-planting
efforts could curb humanity’s carbon emissions
The need to
restore forest, both to protect biodiversity and to stabilize the climate, is
urgent, experts say. Some 80 percent of the world's land species need forests
to live. Trees also fight climate change by taking up carbon dioxide—the
main gas responsible for warming—from the air and turning it into wood
and roots. Recognizing this, countries around
the world have committed to bringing back vast tracts of previously cleared
forests.
Pacific Standard, 7-9-19
RIDGECREST
EARTHQUAKES
What’s
Next: Geologist breaks down earthquake forecast
After 7.1
magnitude earthquake hit the Ridgecrest area in Southern California – a quake
that was felt all the way in Sacramento -- residents are on edge, wondering
what’s next for the region. Aftershocks continue to hit the region. State
geologist Tim McCrink explains what people can expect
over the next few weeks
KCRA
(Sacramento television), 7-8-19
4
ways to prepare for an earthquake
The largest
earthquake to shake the Golden State in 20 years happened on Friday. The 7.1
magnitude quake hit the Ridgecrest area in Southern California -- and was felt
in the Sacramento area. There are more than 15,000 known faults in California,
according to the California Earthquake Authority. Most Californians live within
30 miles of an active one.
KCRA
(Sacramento television), 7-8-19
Do
You Need Earthquake Insurance In Sacramento?
A lot of
people felt last weekend’s earthquake in the Sacramento area, which has
many wondering if they need to worry about local earthquake damage from the
“big one” somewhere else? The short answer is yes, even though we
don’t have any active local faults, earthquake damage is possible here.
KOVR
(Sacramento television), 7-8-19
Southern
Californians cope with earthquake anxiety as scientists assess the damage
Following
two powerful earthquakes and many aftershocks in the past week, some California
residents are returning home to evaluate damage. Scientists, meanwhile, are
flocking to the area around the epicenters, hoping to gather information to
predict future tectonic activity.
PBS, 7-8-19
California
earthquake created a massive crack in the Earth visible in satellite images
The 7.1
magnitude earthquake that shook California on Friday also ripped open a
fissure. When the shaking started at 8:19 p.m., many scrambled for cover. It
was the second strong earthquake to hit the area in less than 48 hours.
CNN, 7-9-19
California's
governor says an earthquake alert system is on the way. Here's what you need to
know
For many
Californians, the legend of "The Big One" seems to feel more urgent
and real after a terrifying sequence of earthquakes rattled the region last week.
The two temblors -- a 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Thursday followed by a 7.1
shake the next day -- hit near a small town with a population of less than
30,000, 120 miles outside Los Angeles.
CNN, 7-8-19
Californians’
Alert Apps Didn’t Sound for 2 Big Earthquakes. Why Not?
Los Angeles
residents were not pleased last week when a pair of earthquakes struck and the ShakeAlertLA app on their phones did just what it was
supposed to do: nothing. The app, released to the public on New Year’s Eve after more than a year of
development, is intended to give at least a few precious seconds of notice
before dangerous shaking from an earthquake.
New York
Times, 7-8-19
Is
the ‘Big One’ coming? Here’s what California quake experts say
A series of
Mojave Desert quakes, including two sizable temblors, has California residents
casting a wary eye on the famed San Andreas Fault, the Los Angeles Times says. But
seismologists say the back-to-back quakes near Ridgecrest, California, took
place on two entirely different fault lines, making them unlikely to trigger a
catastrophic “Big One” along the San Andreas, The San Diego
Union-Tribune reported.
Sacramento
Bee, 7-7-19
The
7.1 earthquake could have been so much worse. Here’s why
The 7.1
earthquake that hit the Ridgecrest area last week was the largest in Southern California in 20
years. It created surface ruptures and damage near the epicenter. But experts
said the quake could have been much more punishing — and could have
caused more damage in the metro Los Angeles area.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-8-19
Massive
earthquakes cracked the very foundations of the tiny but tough town of Trona
Under the
shade of a salt cedar tree, next to a shipping container and near a sign that
said “Prayer Changes Things,” the Byrds
of Trona had camped out overnight and planned to for
the foreseeable future.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-8-19
Southern
California quakes got you nervous? Here are Sacramento’s nearest fault
lines
A pair of
significant earthquakes last week in Southern California sent shock waves
through the state – both literally and figuratively, as the temblors
evoked concern over preparedness, fault proximity and the likelihood of the “Big One” causing mass destruction. Some Sacramento-area residents
took to social media to say they felt the 7.1-magnitude earthquake last Friday
evening, with reports of swimming pool water bobbing within minutes of the
quake striking near Ridgecrest, almost 400 miles away.
Sacramento
Bee, 7-8-19
If a
7.1-magnitude earthquake hits L.A., expect ‘significant damage’
Will you
need help if a major earthquake hits the greater Los Angeles area? If so, get
ready to wait. Destruction to roads and freeways, utilities and communication
networks – in addition to the sheer number of people who would need
assistance – could mean an acute lag in response times, said L.A. County
Fire Department Chief Daryl Osby at a gathering on
Sunday meant to prepare people for the worst.
Los Angeles
Newspaper Group, 7-7-19
That
Was Your Second Warning, Los Angeles. Get Some Extra Water. Now
All right
Los Angeles, it's time you take a minute and think a few things over: What are
you going to do today so that you are better
prepared for
when it really happens here. All these earthquakes you've felt in the
past couple days? Sure. The rocking, the rolling, the pool sloshing — all
of it stands as an unnerving reminder how the foundation for our metropolis is
a churning vat of tectonic entropy capable of tossing us over at any
given moment.
LAist, 7-7-19
Seismic
selfies: Massive earthquake surface rupture becomes tourist attraction
Christian
Flores had traveled more than 200 miles, from San Diego to the Mojave Desert,
to visit the latest Southern California tourist attraction. There it was, on
the hot asphalt of Highway 178 between Ridgecrest and Trona:
a gnarly, surprisingly wide scar, courtesy of one very large earthquake. And
just a few miles down the road lay another one — caused by a second, even
larger and more terrifying quake. Flores couldn’t wait to upload what he
saw on his YouTube channel.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-9-19
Weary,
thirsty Trona residents struggled Monday, July 8, to
arrange for services to the earthquake-damaged community, where they’ve
been without running water since the first of the twin earthquakes rattled
through the region last week. In nearby Ridgecrest, services had largely been
restored by Monday.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 7-9-19
What
would happen if a 7.1 earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area today?
If an
earthquake with the same 7.1 magnitude as Friday night's Ridgecrest temblor shook
the Bay Area, the impact would be significantly more devastating than what
unfolded in Southern California, experts say.
San
Francisco Chronicle, 7-9-19
Big
earthquakes raise interest in West Coast warning system
The
powerful Mojave Desert earthquakes that rocked California ended a years-long
lull in major seismic activity and raised new interest in an early warning
system being developed for the West Coast. The ShakeAlert
system is substantially built in California and overall is about 55% complete,
with much of the remaining installation of seismic sensor stations to be done
in the Pacific Northwest, said Robert de Groot of the U.S. Geological Survey.
Associated
Press, 7-8-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Hayward
targets 300 buildings deemed vulnerable in a major quake
tarting next month, the owners of about 300 apartment buildings
identified at risk of collapsing in a major earthquake will have to fill out
forms telling the city what shape their structures are in and whether they
intend to shore them up. Such “soft story” buildings are the target
of an ordinance the City Council approved on July 2, just days before a 6.4
magnitude quake rattled Ridgecrest in Kern County on July 5, followed by a 7.1
magnitude temblor the next night.
Bay Area
News Group, 7-8-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
Offshore
oil drilling threatens our health and economy. We need a permanent ban
Americans
up and down our nation’s beautiful coasts know that offshore drilling is
a direct threat to the health of the environment and to the economic vitality
of coastal communities. We’ve been proud to stand with coastal residents
in California and across the nation to oppose the administration’s efforts to open federal waters to new
offshore oil drilling.
Sacramento
Bee commentary, 7-6-19
Let’s
‘drop kick’ our petroleum habit. The future of cars is electric,
and it’s here
In the
movies, lone heroes and villains change the world all the time. But most
Americans understand that in real life, you can’t get big, important
things done by going it alone. Sure, as anybody paying attention to Washington
these days knows, a loner can grab a lot of attention and cause plenty of
short-term chaos. But that doesn’t lead to lasting change, and it
certainly doesn’t contribute to a more perfect union or a safer, more
prosperous planet.
Sacramento
Bee commentary, 7-6-19
Thousands
Of People Live Closer To Underground Gas Wells Than Previously Thought
When you
picture underground natural gas storage (if you picture it at all), you might
conjure up a remote industrial landscape: pipes, machinery, barbed wire fences.
But new research from Harvard University paints a vastly different picture.
According to a study released Sunday, much more natural gas infrastructure is in
residential areas than researchers previously thought.
Pacific
Standard, 7-8-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
Roseville-based
Sunworks to build $800,000 solar array at San Luis
Obispo
Sunworks, a Roseville-based solar energy company, announced this week it
will be building a $800,000 photovoltaic array on a nearly 150-year-old ranch
in San Luis Obispo County. Construction of the 416-kilowatt
ground-mounted solar power system at the Avenales
Cattle Co.’s Shandon ranch is planned for late this year, according to a
news release issued by Sunworks.
Sacramento
Bee, 7-9-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Few
of Trump’s environmental claims stand up to scrutiny
President
Trump on Monday held himself out as a leader in the fight to protect
America’s air and water, despite two years of policies that have weakened
environmental regulations. In a speech at the White House, Trump said his
administration was working “harder than many previous administrations,
maybe almost all of them” to protect the environment.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-8-19
California’s
pollution enforcers would like to save tropical forests. But at what cost?
California’s
climate change enforcers are grappling with the thorniest of controversies: how
to prevent the planet’s tropical forests from disappearing. The question
they aren’t ready to answer—at least not yet—is what focusing
on far-away forests could mean for pollution at home.
CalMatters, 7-8-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Biggest
earthquake in years rattles Southern California
The largest
earthquake in two decades rattled Southern California on Thursday morning,
shaking communities from Las Vegas to Long Beach and ending a quiet period in
the state’s seismic history.
Los Angeles Times, 7-5-19
Expect
more earthquakes, possible even stronger ones, seismologists
Seismologists
said the 6.4 earthquake that struck Southern California likely broke ground
near the epicenter but was far enough away not to do damage in the Los Angeles
area.
Los Angeles Times, 7-4-19
6.4
magnitude earthquake near Ridgecrest rattles Southern California
A 6.4
magnitude earthquake shook Fourth of July revelers across Southern California,
but no major injuries were reported and damage appeared largely confined to the
area near the quake’s epicenter in the Mojave Desert.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 7-4-19
Why
L.A.’s early warning system didn’t send an alert before the
magnitude 6.4 quake
Did the ShakeAlertLA system fail to provide an earthquake early
warning? Not quite. The ShakeAlertLA smartphone app
was only designed to alert users of cellphones physically located in Los
Angeles County if there was a decent chance of destruction, with the warning
system forecasting at least “light shaking,” or level 4 on the
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.
Los Angeles Times, 7-4-19
Earthquake
rattles Southern California
A 6.4
earthquake hit Southern California, about 150 miles north Los Angeles, according
to the US Geological Survey. It was the strongest to hit Southern California in
nearly 20 years. At least 159 aftershocks have been recorded today. Dr. Lucy
Jones, a seismologist, said there is a 50% chance of another large quake in the
next week.
CNN, 7-4-19
Aftershocks
follow Southern California earthquake
Aftershocks
from Southern California's largest earthquake in 20 years rumbled beneath the
Mojave Desert on Friday as authorities tallied damage in the sparsely populated
region. The strongest aftershock thus far hit shortly after 4 a.m., registering
magnitude 5.4 and awakening people all the way to the coast.
Associated Press, 7-5-19
Powerful
aftershocks shake Southern California after massive earthquake: ‘You just
panic’
Powerful
aftershocks are still shaking Southern California on Friday after a massive 6.4
magnitude earthquake rocked the region on the Fourth of July.
ABC News, 7-5-19
Aftershocks
continue to rumble through Southern California after the region was hit by a
6.4-magnitude earthquake Thursday (July 4) morning. Experts are warning that a
bigger earthquake could strike in the coming days. In fact, there is a 9%
chance that one or more aftershocks of magnitude 6.4 or higher will rattle the
region, according to the USGS.
Live Science, 7-5-19
The largest
earthquake to hit Southern California in two nearly decades left residents near
the epicenter in Ridgecrest and Kern County shaken.
MSN, 7-5-19
Strongest
earthquake to hit Southern California in 20 years rattles region, rumbles
residents
The
strongest earthquake to hit Southern California in 20 years rocked the region
Thursday, igniting fires, triggering a hospital evacuation and shaking the area
for hundreds of miles. Multiple injuries and two house fires were reported in
Ridgecrest, a town of 28,000. Emergency crews were also dealing with small
vegetation fires, gas leaks and reports of cracked roads, said Kern County Fire
Chief David Witt.
USA Today, 7-4-19
California
earthquake: five things to know about the tremor near Los Angeles
On Thursday
morning, southern California experienced its largest earthquake in two decades.
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the remote city of Ridgecrest, near Death
Valley national park and about 100 miles (160km) from Los Angeles. Here’s
what you should know about the impact of the quake, and whether more seismic
activity will strike anytime soon.
The Guardian, 7-4-19
Southern
California earthquake reminds us to be prepared
The 6.4
earthquake that struck Southern California’s Kern County on the Fourth of
July was the largest temblor to strike the area in decades. Fortunately, there
were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, but events like this are
always a good reminder to stock up on supplies and be aware of earthquake
preparedness.
KTVU (Oakland television), 7-4-19
Earthquake:
3.4 quake reported near Clearlake, Calif.
A magnitude
3.4 earthquake was reported Tuesday evening at 8:04 p.m. Pacific time, 11 miles
from Clearlake, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Los Angeles Times, 7-2-19
MINING
This
company is America’s best change to loosen China’s grip on rare
earths
Less than
an hour from the glitzy casinos and high-rise hotels of Las Vegas, the miners
at Mountain Pass are reviving an industry that nearly disappeared from American
soil. This is the only mine in the country devoted to rare earths, elements
essential to modern electronics. The rest of the rare earths industry is
dominated by China, where labor costs are cheaper and environmental standards
more lax.
CNN, 7-3-19
GENERAL
How
Sonoma’s vineyards survived a siege of fire, smoke and ash
For 10 days
in October 2017, raining embers ravaged California’s Wine Country. From the valley floor, it’s hard to tell that nearly 100,000
acres of this region burned less than two years ago. What saved people in Sonoma during the fires was neighbors
knocking on doors. What saved them afterward was being forward-thinking about
how to prepare for living on a hotter planet.
New York Times, 7-3-19
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
3.0
quake reported near Mendota, Calif.
A magnitude
3.0 earthquake was reported Tuesday morning at 10:48 a.m. Pacific Time 26 miles
from Mendota, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake
occurred 26 miles from King City, Calif., 28 miles from Greenfield, Calif., 30
miles from Soledad, Calif., and 32 miles from Coalinga, Calif.
Los Angeles
Times, 7-2-19
Major
quake would cause loss of life at many Wash. schools, study finds
Most of
Washington state's 4,000-plus public school buildings would not be safe to
occupy after a major earthquake strikes, and nearly half would pose a
"high" or "very high" risk for loss of life, according to a
new study released Tuesday.
KOMO
(Seattle radio), 7-2-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
California
Public Utilities Commission eyes more access to Aliso Canyon to ease gas, power
prices
The
California Public Utilities Commission has proposed revising its protocol to
make it easier for Southern California Gas to withdraw gas from the Aliso
Canyon storage field, a plan that aims to mitigate gas and power price spikes
in the region during high demand days.
Platts,
7-2-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
County
Supervisors Signal Readiness To OK Industrial Hemp Production
The Madera
County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, July 2 voted 4-to-1 to direct the
County’s agricultural commissioner to begin crafting an ordinance to
regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp in Madera County.
Sierra
News, 7-2-19
DIVISION
OF OIL, GAS, AND GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
California
proposes changes to SoCalGas Aliso natgas storage
withdrawal rules
California
utility regulators proposed changing when Southern California Gas Co (SoCalGas)
can withdraw natural gas from its Aliso Canyon storage facility in Los Angeles
to address energy reliability and price impacts in Southern California.
Reuters,
7-2-19
CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
At around
4:30 a.m. on Jan. 17, 1994, residents of the Northridge
Meadows apartment complex saw their windows shatter, their walls crumble, and the ground
below them begin to crack. From there, the building's upper levels collapsed
onto the first floor, killing 16 people inside.
Business
Insider, 7-2-19
DIVISION
OF LAND RESOURCE PROTECTION
Hemp’s
Slow Launch —
Experts Forecast Bumper Crop Next Year
Even though
hemp was made a legal crop by federal lawmakers back in December 2018, starts
of commercial hemp farms in California had to wait for the state to determine
its licensing rules. On April 30, the California Department of Food and
Agriculture (CDFA) announced those regulations were in place, allowing county
agricultural commissioner offices to began taking
hemp farm license applications for the state.
Fresno
Business Journal, 7-1-19
WATER
Independent
scientists have raised serious concerns about a Trump administration plan to
divert more water to California farmers, according to documents obtained by
KQED. In their analyses, they write that the plan poses risks to threatened
fish; that the process is rushed; that they didn’t receive enough
information to provide a complete scientific review; and that the Trump
administration may be skewing the science to make the environmental impact look
less serious.
KQED (San
Francisco TV/radio), 7-1-19
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Climate
Change Is Ruining Your Trips To The Mountains
Thanks to
our ultra long-rainy season, we finally said goodbye to drought conditions in
California. But the reality is we're still living with the aftermath of one of
the worst droughts on record, possibly the worst in 1,200 years.
LAist, 7-1-19
(news updated as time permits…)
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