You are now in California and the U.S. Media Coverage category.

Researchers Blast ‘Forever Chemicals” into Oblivion With Plasma

/in , /by /Grist by Emily Pontecorvo

Christopher Sales is an environmental microbiologist, and until recently, his world was about harnessing the power of microorganisms to break down contaminants in the environment. But a resilient intruder that does not succumb to the same old tricks has shaken up the remediation community and led Sales to look outside of his field for a solution. It’s a chemical that’s been found in water, soil, and food all over the planet: PFAS.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of chemical compounds used in carpet, waterproof clothing, nonstick pans, and many other common products, that have gone unregulated and been dumped into the environment for decades.

Full Story

Rural Utilities Sue 3M, DuPont Over PFAS Well Contamination

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Environmentby Amena H. Saiyid

Rural water utilities are accusing 3M Co., E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. and other companies of potentially contaminating groundwater wells with firefighting foam containing chemicals that take forever to degrade.

The city of Millington, Tenn., joined by the National Rural Water Association, alleged in a complaint Tuesday that the companies developed, marketed, and sold chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, despite knowing about the environmental and health risks they posed.

Full Story

Earthquake Risk Prompts Order to Drain California Dam

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune

Worried that an earthquake could collapse a big dam south of San Francisco, officials have ordered its reservoir to be completely drained by October to reduce the risk of floodwaters spilling into Silicon Valley.

The 240-foot (73-meter) high earthen Anderson Dam, built in 1950 between San Jose and the community of Morgan Hill, poses too great a risk of collapse and must be fully drained by Oct. 1, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates dams, the Mercury News reported.

Full Story

Tree Nut Growers More Likely to use Drought Assistance

/in , /by /Western FarmPress by Tim Hearden

Tree nut growers are 23% more likely than other farmers to take advantage of drought assistance, even if it costs them more money in the short term, according to a university study.

Growers of nuts – particularly almonds – place a higher dollar value on USDA monetary and technical aid and are willing to take an over $7,000 loss in a season or two to protect their long-term investments, according to research from California State University, Fresno.

Whereas a row crop grower can limit planting in years when he or she can’t get much water, a tree farmer must still keep the trees alive and productive, noted Todd Lone, a professor in Fresno State’s Department of Agricultural Business.

Full Story

California Water Debate Heads to Court After Trump Joins Discussion

/in , /by /Fox 5by Nexstar Media Wire

Last week, President Trump inserted himself directly in a decades-long internal water battle between Northern and Southern California.

Now, the debate is heading to court.

“I’m very disappointed the Governor decided to sue. We’ve been working very closely with the State of California,” Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman said.

After years on the sidelines, the Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman says new federal plans to divert water from the delta region in Northern California to farms in the southern part of the state will bring water where it’s needed most.

Dozens of High-Risk Bay Area Dams Lack Required Emergency Plans

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Joaquin Palomino

The Bay Area is dotted with at least 145 dams where failure or misoperation could result in death or property destruction, yet many lack required emergency plans, according to an analysis of state data.

Most of these “high-hazard” dams were built before 1960. While not at a higher risk of failure, they could endanger countless homes and businesses that rest below the aging facilities, making emergency planning and maintenance increasingly important, experts said.

Full Story

Westlands Says 15% Water Allocation Is ‘Good News’ in Dry Year

/in , /by /GV Wire (Fresno, Calif.)by Bill McEwen

Despite President Donald Trump’s highly publicized signing of a memo last week directing more water to San Joaquin Valley farmers, the Bureau of Reclamation’s initial allocations announced Tuesday more closely reflected the below-normal Sierra snowpack and scant winter rain.

Farmers in the Friant Division will receive 20% of their Central Valley Project contract allocation while South-of-Delta growers will get 15%, Reclamation officials said.

The state Department of Water Resources reports that as of Monday, the average snow water content in the Sierra was 41% of the April 1 average. Northern Sierra precipitation is about 51% of the seasonal average.

Full Story

California Bills Tackle Water Contamination, PFAS, Wildfire

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Environmentby Emily C. Dooley

California could one day have a quick-strike panel focused on spotting emerging contaminants in drinking water to see if they pose a danger and need immediate attention.

The state also could certify labs to increase the amount of so-called forever chemicals that can be tested for in drinking water, aquifers, lakes, and streams.

The two initiatives are among more than 300 bills relating to energy and environment policy filed by California legislators in the 2020 session. They tackle issues like water contamination, wildfires, recycling, air quality, and other matters affecting the state’s nearly 40 million residents.

Full Story

Taking a Cooperative Approach to Issues such as Water

/in , /by /AgNet West by Brian German Mentioned: agnetwest.com/taking-cooperative-approach-to-issues-such-as-water/

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross highlighted the importance of taking a more cooperative approach to address important issues in lieu of an ‘us-versus-them’ mentality between environmental and agricultural interests.  While often the two groups are on opposing sides of a particular issue, both are working toward a sustainable future.  Ross noted that the framework for variable flows is the first step in getting environmentalists and producers on the same page to protect the state’s water.

 

Drought or Dangerous Flooding? Research Aims to Tame Atmospheric River Risks – and Save California’s Rain

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

We were flying about 200 nautical miles off the coast of California when a voice over the headset reported a strong smell of fuel in the back of the plane.

I was in the cockpit with the U.S. Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters,” who spend the summer and fall flying into the eyes of hurricanes. On a Tuesday at the end of January, though, we flew out of Travis Air Force Base in California toward a different kind of storm: an atmospheric river that was moving east across the North Pacific, toward the West Coast.