Weekly Green: July 8, 2014

In recent headlines:

• Perea bill would delay California cap-and-trade for gas;
• Blocking Californians' beach access now carries a hefty fine;
• In Chevron fire's wake, dissension plagues oversight agency;
• Study links earthquakes with fracking operations;
• ... and much more!

» Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Green, your no-frills news roundup provided free of charge by the California League of Conservation Voters. If you're not a regular subscriber, sign up today! Get your free subscription here: http://ecovote.org/wg

TOP NEWS

Perea bill would delay California cap-and-trade for gas
Democratic fissures over California's cap-and-trade mandates deepened on Thursday, with a key moderate Democrat introducing a bill to push back a looming rule expected to cause a spike in prices at the pump.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/07/perea-bill-would-california-air-quality-standards.html

CLCV statement on AB 69 (Perea) "gut and amend"
"California voters expect their elected representatives to defend the laws that protect California families and strengthen our successful and ever-growing clean energy economy, not Big Oil’s bottom line." – Sarah Rose, CLCV CEO.
http://www.ecovote.org/news/clcv-statement-ab-69-gut-amend

Blocking Californians' beach access now carries a hefty fine
Frustrated beachgoers this summer finally have a remedy against anyone who blocks public access to California's shoreline.
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-coastal-penalties-20140630-story.html

In Chevron fire's wake, dissension plagues oversight agency
The federal agency that investigated the Chevron fire in Richmond in 2012 is racked by dissension over how to overhaul the nation's refinery inspection efforts in reaction to the blaze, and now Congress is getting involved.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/In-Chevron-fire-s-wake-dissension-plagues-5605758.php

Study links Oklahoma earthquake swarm with fracking operations
To many residents, the timing says it all. Before the oil and gas industry started drilling so many underground injection wells, they say, it was rare to feel an earthquake. Today, Oklahoma is the second-most seismically active state in the continental United States, behind California.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-oklahoma-earthquakes-fracking-science-20140703-story.html

CLCV Seeks Finance and Operations Director
The California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) is the political arm of California’s environmental community. Now in its 41st year, CLCV is a leader in the environmental movement both in California and around the nation. We're seeking a Finance and Operations Director (FOD) to join as an integral part of the CLCV team and to oversee the organization’s internal systems and core infrastructure elements.
http://www.ecovote.org/jobs/clcv-finance-operations-director

DROUGHT

Nearly 80% of California now under 'extreme' drought conditions
Harsh, dry conditions continue to drive more of California into the highest possible category of drought, the National Weather Service announced Thursday.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-extreme-drought-20140703-story.html

As drought persists, frustration mounts over secrecy of California’s well drilling logs
Inside a government warehouse along a noisy freeway in West Sacramento is a set of metal shelves holding more than 100 carefully labeled cardboard boxes.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/06/6534974/as-drought-persists-frustration.html

A California Oil Field Yields Another Prized Commodity
But the Kern River field also produces 10 times more of something that, at least during California’s continuing drought, has become more valuable to many locals and has experienced the kind of price spike more familiar to oil: water.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/us/california-drought-chevron-oil-field-water-irrigation.html

Emergency Drought Relief Money Still Unspent
It's been four months since Governor Jerry Brown signed what he and Democratic lawmakers called "emergency drought legislation." It promised nearly $700 million in immediate drought relief. But nearly 90 percent of that money has yet to be spent.
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/07/07/emergency-drought-relief-money-still-unspent/

California drought: In-N-Out, Chipotle raising prices due to rising food costs
That Double-Double you've been craving from In-N-Out Burger just got pricier and more price hikes are on the way, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
http://www.sbsun.com/article/20140707/NEWS/140709630

Got water shortage? Fill 'er up at state's first recycled water station for homeowners
It's not everyone's idea of great swag, but Tri-Valley homeowners are lining up for a new drought freebie -- recycled sewer water.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26091997/got-water-shortage-fill-er-up-at-states

Water district sleuths help Bay Area residents cut waste
Drew Mathers doesn't carry a badge or a gun, but he's still a detective -- one who spends his days snooping through the bathrooms and backyards of Silicon Valley.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_26099363/california-drought-water-district-sleuths-help-bay-area

Algae in Clear Lake likely to cause water shortage for some
A small water agency that pumps water from Clear Lake expects to declare a water shortage emergency as early as this week, not because it’s running out of water but because thick algae growth is putting a strain on its purification system.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140706/articles/140709750

Some Sacramentans let their lawns die, but city says that’s not necessary
The city of Sacramento currently limits residents to running their lawn sprinklers two days a week, which should be enough to keep lawns alive and green, experts say. But ignoring watering restrictions could lead to firmer limits if it doesn’t rain soon.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/07/6534427/some-sacramentans-let-their-lawns.html

Logging companies ordered to report water use in controlling dust
The California Board of Forestry adopted the emergency regulations in response to the drought. The action arose from concerns that very low water flows in many mountain streams could be further depleted by water extractions related to logging.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/03/6532676/logging-companies-ordered-to-report.html

California lawmakers to work on drought plan during summer recess
California lawmakers on Thursday pledged to work over the summer recess to agree on a plan to shore up the state's water supply that has been mired in party politics for months despite a three-year drought that has slammed farms and towns.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/03/us-usa-california-drought-idUSKBN0F82M920140703

California drought imperils a dream
At first they called Fred Lujan a gentleman farmer. The retired barber washed his tractor every night and parked it in the garage, a source of gentle amusement to the veteran growers around him. He called his pistachio trees his babies, his girls, and gave them names.
http://www.latimes.com/local/great-reads/la-me-c1-drought-terra-bella-20140704-story.html#page=1

California toughens enforcement of water violations
State officials Wednesday adopted emergency regulations to streamline enforcement of water-rights curtailments during the drought. But the State Water Resources Control Board agreed to exempt senior water rights from the new rules.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/02/6530585/california-toughens-enforcement.html

California struggles to manage water rights in drought
Six weeks after ordering thousands of California water users to stop diverting from rivers and streams amid the worst drought in a generation, state officials say only 31 percent have bothered to respond by sending back the required forms. Now, their efforts to force the rest to comply are prompting threats of lawsuits and economic chaos.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/01/6527849/california-struggles-to-manage.html

In dry California, water fetching record prices
Throughout California's desperately dry Central Valley, those with water to spare are cashing in.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_WATER_SALES

LA's rainfall in past 2 years was the lowest in recorded history
Record keeping began in 1877, and the previous driest back-to-back seasons occurred between 1897 and 1899. During that stretch, 12.45 inches of rain fell. Over the past two years, 11.93 inches fell.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/07/01/45093/la-s-rainfall-in-past-two-years-was-the-lowest-in/

Aerojet Rocketdyne, Folsom complete work to ease drought’s effects
Citing the urgency to conserve water amid California’s intensifying drought, officials of Aerojet Rocketdyne and the city of Folsom announced Tuesday an interim solution that will enable the company to start reusing millions of gallons of treated groundwater.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/01/6527698/aerojet-rocketdyne-folsom-complete.html

WATER BOND

L.A. leaders focusing on groundwater treatment in bond discussions
When the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced last year an ambitious groundwater treatment program for the contaminated San Fernando Basin, the agency had its eyes on a state water bond for crucial funding to get the project built.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pol-groundwater-funds-20140708-story.htm

California Senate Democrats float smaller water bond
A $10.5 billion water bond proposal having fizzled on the Senate floor, Democrats on Thursday unveiled a more modest $7.5 billion effort they hope will pass muster with Gov. Jerry Brown.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/07/california-senate-democrats-float-smaller-water-bond.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-senate-water-bond-20140703-story.html
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/03/legislature-struggles-to-revamp-water-bond-measure/

Speaker Atkins: Water Bond Deal Has Stalled
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins says a California water bond deal has stalled at the state Capitol – and she’s blaming outside interest groups for blocking it.
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/07/01/speaker-atkins-water-bond-deal-has-stalled/

CRUDE OIL TRANSPORTATION BY RAIL

California moves to improve safety in transporting oil by rail
A year after rail tanker cars carrying crude oil in Canada exploded and killed 47 people, California is stepping up efforts to prevent a similar disaster on tracks crisscrossing the state.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-oil-train-safety-20140708-story.html

New map shows California emergency teams not in best position for oil train response
A map put together by multiple state agencies in California shows that the location and capability of emergency response teams don’t always align with the biggest risks presented by an expected increase in crude oil shipments by rail in the coming years.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/04/6534524/new-map-shows-california-emergency.html

Matsui, California colleagues ask DOT to step up oil train safety
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, and three of her House colleagues from Northern California asked the U.S. Department of Transportation Tuesday to tighten regulations on crude oil transportation by rail before those shipments dramatically expand in the state.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/07/matsui-colleagues-ask-dot-secretary-for-more-rail-safety-steps.html

Rule on Crude-by-Rail Shipments Is Priority Over Hazmat Fee, Foxx Says
ransportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he won’t immediately push Congress to enact a proposal offered by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other mayors for a federal fee to be imposed on shipments of hazardous materials passing through cities.
http://blogs.rollcall.com/the-container/rule-on-crude-by-rail-shipments-is-priority-over-hazmat-fee-foxx-says/

MORE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Oil companies should help clean the air
The fact that the oil industry is kicking and screaming about AB 32 is ample proof that it’s actually working for Californians.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/28/6517888/viewpoints-oil-companies-should.html

Plastic bag ban blows into region
Like an urban tumbleweed caught by a coastal breeze, ordinances banning thin plastic shopping bags have reached the Sacramento region.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/28/6518667/plastic-bag-ban-blows-into-region.html

L.A. senator clarifies Valley 'tumbleweeds' comments on high-speed rail
Sen. Kevin DeLeón, the soon-to-be leader of the California Senate, raised eyebrows throughout the San Joaquin Valley recently with disparaging-sounding remarks about the state's controversial high-speed rail project.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/02/4007991/la-senator-clarifies-valley-tumbleweeds.html

Burbank-Palmdale segment added to bullet train timetable
In a strategic shift to secure new funding for California's bullet train project, state officials intend to accelerate their plans to build a Los Angeles County section of the $68-billion system.
http://www.latimes.com/local/countygovernment/la-me-bullet-strategy-shift-20140701-story.html#page=1

BART to Silicon Valley could be delayed following Milpitas ruling
A key portion of the BART to Silicon Valley extension has been delayed by nearly a year, but it's too soon to know if the timeline for the overall $2.3 billion rail line will be pushed off track.
http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_26099343/bart-silicon-valley-could-be-delayed-following-milpitas

Oyster company given month to negotiate departure
A federal judge Monday gave lawyers for Drakes Bay Oyster Company and the Interior Department another month to negotiate the oyster farm's departure from Marin County's Point Reyes National Seashore.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140707/articles/140709710

California rice farmers could get pollution credit
A proposal by the California Air Resources Board staff, up for board approval in September, would allow rice farmers in the Sacramento Valley to sell carbon emission offsets as part of the state’s effort to combat climate change.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/05/6535820/california-rice-farmers-who-reduce.html

Fossil treasure trove discovered at Silicon Valley construction site
Walker and construction crews building a new 220-foot-high dam at Calaveras Reservoir in the remote canyons east of Milpitas have been digging up a prehistoric treasure trove: the teeth of an extinct hippopotamus-like creature called a Desmostylus, clams, barnacles and the giant teeth from a 40-foot-long shark -- and what could turn out to be an entire whale skeleton.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26099360/fossil-treasure-trove-discovered-at-silicon-valley-construction

Volunteers work to protect California historic site from looters
As water levels drop at Lake Oroville, archaeological sites are becoming more accessible -- offering a chance for new knowledge as well as temptation for thieves.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-lake-oroville-artifacts-20140707-story.html#page=1

Lapse in Garden Grove fire inspections raises questions
The Garden Grove Fire Department failed to conduct mandatory hazardous materials inspections in 2012, despite filling out records that made it appear the work had been done.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/inspections-628132-hazmat-fire.html

Fireworks sales raise money, concerns
Tanya Borghello knows all about California's drought and unusually bad fire season, but early on the Fourth of July, the San Bruno Softball League president had other pressing concerns.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/San-Bruno-sells-fireworks-despite-drought-and-5600657.php

Court decision puts U.S. Forest Service’s Adventure Pass program in jeopardy
A federal court judge has ordered the U.S. Forest Service to refund entrance fees to four Southern California hikers, leaving the 17-year-old Adventure Pass program in tatters.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140704/NEWS/140709769

With highway funding in jeopardy, gas-tax hike is on the table
Sen. Barbara Boxer visited a road-building project Thursday in Monterey County to warn that Congress is about to let the Highway Trust Fund go bankrupt, endangering highway and transit projects in every state.
http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/07/03/with-highway-funding-in-jeopardy-gas-tax-hike-is-on-the-table/

SDG&E Requests Extension After Failing To Inspect 900 Power Poles
The state Public Utilities Commission is considering whether to give San Diego Gas & Electric an extra two months to file a safety compliance report after the utility discovered that it failed to inspect more than 900 power poles and other equipment as required.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/jul/03/sdge-requests-extension-after-failing-inspect-900-/

San Diego wrestles with climate-change plan
How aggressively the city of San Diego should fight climate change will be a hot topic in coming months, with Mayor Kevin Faulconer starting to move forward with an ambitious plan that many of his political allies oppose.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/03/san-diego-wrestles-with-climate-change-plan/

California Drivers Pay a Lot for Costly Alaskan Oil
Heading into the Fourth of July weekend, a gallon of regular gasoline on the West Coast averages a penny over $4, the highest price of any region in the country. Costly Alaskan oil is a key factor in these high gas prices, and that oil is gradually running out.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-01/california-drivers-pay-a-lot-for-costly-alaskan-oil

California acts to speed up quake fault mapping
With Gov. Jerry Brown's approval, California officials are reviving an ambitous plan to study dangerous earthquake faults and create zoning maps that could restrict development.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-quake-faults-20140702-story.html

Environmentalists to Battle Chevron Refinery Project
They contend that the "modernization" of the Richmond refinery could worsen air pollution, safety risks, and greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/environmentalists-to-battle-chevron-refinery-project/Content?oid=3998251

Ocean's nasty plastic garbage is disappearing: What's going on?
Plastic seems to be disappearing from the world's oceans, and scientists are not sure why.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ocean-plastic-patch-missing-20140701-story.html

Chromium 6: New drinking water standards take effect, frustrating some rural suppliers
Last Tuesday, California started enforcing a stricter standard for the cancer-causing chemical chromium 6 in drinking water. The new regulation was three contentious years in the making, it’s the toughest in the nation, and it presents a challenge for many smaller water suppliers around the state.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/06/30/45025/chromium-6-new-drinking-water-standards-take-effec/

POLITICS

Support wanes for tough ethics reform following scandal
After state Sen. Leland Yee's stunning arrest earlier this year, the Legislature's highest-ranking member urged his colleagues to finally fix a long-standing problem in California politics -- the corrupting allure of money.
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_26095376/support-wanes-tough-ethics-reform-following-scandal

Legislature seeks voter sentiment on campaign cash
California voters could weigh in this fall on the growing influence of money in politics under a bill that advanced Monday.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Legislature-seeks-voter-sentiment-on-campaign-cash-5590791.php

SoCal has D.C.'s 'workhorse,' 'showhorse' for GOP
Meet Southern California Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa, among the most powerful people in Congress. Each steers an influential committee in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives – Royce at the helm of Foreign Affairs, Issa in charge of Oversight and Government Reform.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/royce-628144-issa-committee.html

Behind Harry Reid’s war against the Koch brothers
Revealing the key players and considerations behind Harry Reid's War on the Kochs, the risky strategy on which Democrats are hinging their midterm election hopes.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/harry-reid-koch-brothers-108632.html

Obama Restarts Solyndra Program, But Solyndraphobia Could Ruin It
The Obama Administration announced Thursday that it plans to hand out $4 billion in new clean-energy loans, reviving the controversial program that went dark after the notorious failure of Solyndra in 2011. This time, though, the danger is not another Solyndra. The danger is excessive fear of another Solyndra.
http://time.com/2955312/obama-solyndraphobia-clean-energy/

Fox: Cost of Energy Big Political Issue in CA
With cap-and-trade fees threatening to boost energy costs, threats of oil taxes, a fight over oil and gas drilling by hydraulic fracturing in this state and the general increase of gasoline from multi causes, the cost of energy is swiftly rising up the political issues ladder.
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/07/cost-energy-big-political-issue-ca/

Obama says replenishing Highway Trust Fund would be patriotic
In his latest attempt to get Congress to spend money to upgrade America's roads and bridges, President Obama debuted a new sales pitch Tuesday: patriotism.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-obama-bridge-20140702-story.html

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