Weekly Green: March 24, 2014

Good afternoon, all. In recent headlines:

• "No More National Parks" bill hits Congress;
• City of Carson passes fracking moratorium;
• Scientists sound clear alarm on climate;
• The latest on the drought, 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

Above the Fold

CLCV Blog: No More National Parks? There's a (Bad) Bill for That.
No more national parks? Who's in favor of that? This terrible proposal is actually heading toward a vote in the House of Representatives just days from now.
http://www.ecovote.org/blog/no-more-national-parks-theres-bad-bill

Carson slaps moratorium on oil drilling over fracking concerns
The Carson City Council passed a moratorium on all new oil drilling citywide late Tuesday night after dozens of residents spoke against a massive proposed oil project by Occidental Petroleum.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-carson-oil-drilling-moratori...

Scientists Sound Alarm on Climate
For anybody who was already paying attention, the report contains no new science. But the language in the 18-page report, called "What We Know," is sharper, clearer and more accessible than perhaps anything the scientific community has put out to date.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/science/scientists-sound-alarm-on-clim...

White House announces new climate change data website
As part of its campaign to step up efforts to address climate change, the White House on Wednesday announced the creation of a new website (data.gov/climate) to serve as a one-stop location for the enormous amount of climate data housed at different federal agencies.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-white-house-cli...

Drought

Drying up the delta: 19th century policies underlie today's crises
Thanks to seniority, powerful Central Valley irrigation districts that most Californians have never heard of are at the head of the line for vast amounts of water, even at the expense of the environment and the rest of the state.
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-delta-flows-20140323,0,4858708.story

State lawmakers want a water bond to fight drought, but which one?
Republicans and Democrats here finally agree on something: They need to spend billions of dollars to fix California’s broken water system. But that doesn’t mean getting a water bond on November’s ballot that voters will approve is a sure thing.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140322/NEWS/140329785

California drought: Central Valley farmland on its last legs
"We can make the decision now, when we actually have the choice about how to rationally back out of that bad situation and make landowners whole," said Jon Rosenfield, a conservation biologist for the Bay Institute, an environmental group. "Or we can just wait until the worst is upon us, we've driven the species extinct, we've plowed under the last bit of naturalized landscape in the area, and then we're going to retire these lands anyway."
http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Central-Valley-...

Agriculture forecast: San Joaquin Valley's major crops surviving despite drought
A robust export market, strong consumer demand and increased production will benefit several of the San Joaquin Valley's major crops even as California farmers struggle through a historic drought, said several agriculture industry leaders Thursday. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/20/3833786/agriculture-forecast-san-joa...

Trucking of Sacramento River salmon starts Monday
More than 12 million juvenile hatchery salmon will get a truck trip downstream starting Monday to help them circumvent the harmful effects of drought on the Sacramento River.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/21/6257465/trucking-of-sacramento-river-sa...

California drought could spark ‘out of bounds’ wildfires, officials warn
California is facing wildfires “outsize of any normal bounds” as a historic drought turns drying brush and trees into a perfect tinderbox, officials have warned. The state recorded 665 wildfires from 1 January, about triple the average of 225 for this time of year, according to figures compiled by Cal Fire, the state’s department of forestry and fire protection.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/article/20140319/NEWS/140319318

LaMalfa, Garamendi introduce Sites Reservoir bill
In a rare moment of unity for two ideological antagonists, Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove and Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, on Wednesday unveiled legislation to build a new large-scale reservoir in Northern California.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/lamalfa-garamanedi-in...

More California environmental news

Lots of oil in rail tank cars about to be coming to Bay Area
Oil is flooding into the Bay Area - in rail tank cars that amount to potential environmental disasters on wheels.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Lots-of-oil-in-rail-ta...

U.S. energy boom may signal a new export era
The energy industry is pushing to lift government curbs and tap newly accessible reserves to create an unprecedented era of exports. But skeptics point to the risk given shifts in supply and demand.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-energy-exports-20140323,0,5478547.story

Fukushima radiation near Half Moon Bay? State health officials offer final verdict
Several months after a viral video suggested the beach contained radioactive material from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the California Department of Public Health has issued a final report confirming what its own preliminary analysis and independent studies had shown: radiation at the beach stems from naturally occurring elements in the sand, and it does not pose a threat to human health.
http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_25404983/fukushima-...

Endangered desert species cling to existence
Facing drought and climate change, animals such as the Amargosa vole are struggling to survive in the Mojave Desert.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0324-drought-species-20140324,0,99446...

California bans rat poisons blamed for killing wildlife
The state Department of Pesticide Regulation has banned certain pesticide products known as rodenticides -- chemicals to kill rodents -- that contain toxins that have also hurt California wildlife, killing at least 300 animals, including endangered species, in the last two decades.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25378462/california-bans-rat-pois...

Animal welfare high on Capitol agenda
Backed by strong emotional arguments and a passionate grassroots following, animal welfare advocates have steadily achieved milestone protections in California for cuddly household pets and shiver-inducing predators alike.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/23/seaworld-animal-protection-le...

Dan Morain: Lining up for the cap and trade gusher
Whether cap and trade is the best way to accomplish the goal is another question. The answer may be simple. Legislators and lobbyists know where the money is.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6257647/dan-morain-lining-up-for-the-ca...

California Politics

Gov. Brown reinvents himself as the anti-politician politician
In his latest campaign, Gov. Jerry Brown isn't chasing the spotlight, instead continuing to run California more or less on an improvisational basis.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-jerry-brown-20140324,0,4427500.story

Skelton: 'Dark' campaign money needs a little light
It's time politicians are honest with voters about who is funding campaigns. After the November election would be too late.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-cap-dark-money-20140324,0,1480726.column

A six-way split: The late, great state of California?
Menlo Park venture capitalist Tim Draper, the architect of "Six Californias," believes two Californias -- even three -- [aren't] enough to accomplish one of his goals, which is more responsive, more cost-effective government services.
http://capitolweekly.net/six-states-california-split-draper/

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