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

California Rail Project Not Dead Yet After Newsom Sows Confusion

/in , /by /The Bond Buyer (New York)by Keeley Webster

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort to distance himself from his predecessor’s priorities sowed confusion about the fate of the state’s bond-funded high-speed passenger train project. In his first State of the State speech Tuesday, Newsom took aim at high-speed rail and water tunnel projects championed by former Gov. Jerry Brown. He created confusion about high-speed rail when he said he wanted to prioritize construction on the already underway Bakersfield to Merced segment in the state’s Central Valley. The initial impression was that Newsom planned to scrap the San Francisco and Los Angeles ends of the project to leave the shortened Bakersfield-Merced line.

Full Story

Pineapple Express’s Biggest Punch Set To Hit Water-Logged California

/in , /by /U.S. News & World Report (Washington D.C.)

The worst of the rain, snow, and winds carried by the so-called Pineapple Express, a river of warm air loaded with moisture, will hit California on Thursday and stick around at least through Friday, forecasters said. The weather system, headed east from near Hawaii, is the wettest storm on the U.S. West Coast this season. It has swamped cars, flooded vineyards and forced hundreds of Californians to evacuate their homes Wednesday to escape the threat of mudslides. Three Delta Air Lines passengers suffered minor injuries when severe turbulence shook a flight headed from southern California to Seattle on Wednesday, according to authorities.

Full Story

Newsom Signs Bill To Provide $131.3 Million In Emergency Relief, Including Safe Water

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Rory Appleton

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed his first bill, which will provide $131.3 million in immediate relief from the state’s general fund for emergencies such as a lack of clean drinking water, while surrounded by children at a Parlier elementary school – all of whom must drink from water bottles due to unsafe drinking fountains. His signature on AB 72, which passed the Legislature unanimously, was briefly in jeopardy. Prior to signing, he polled the students at Riverview Elementary School on whether he should put pen to paper. One young man dissented.

Full Story

Another Looming Climate Disaster: Dam Collapses

/in , /by /BuzzFeed (New York)by Dan Vergano

Major dams in California are five times more likely to flood this century than the last one due to global warming, a new study finds, possibly leading to overtopping and catastrophic failures that threaten costly repairs and evacuations. That means Californians can expect more disasters like the Oroville Dam, whose overflow channel failed in 2017 after days of flooding had filled state reservoirs to 85% of their capacity, leading to the evacuation of more than 180,000 people and losses of around $300 million.

Full Story

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Downsizes Delta Water Project: One Tunnel, Not Two

/in , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow

Gov. Gavin Newsom, diving into one of California’s most contentious water issues, said Tuesday he wants to downsize the Delta tunnels project. The Democratic governor also set out to overhaul state water policy by naming a new chair of the state’s water board. Newsom said he wants the twin-tunnel project — designed to re-engineer the troubled estuary that serves as the hub of California’s elaborate water-delivery system — reduced to a single tunnel.

Full Story

With CVWD Okay, Imperial Irrigation District Now Holds Key To Seven State Drought Deal

/in , /by /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Janet Wilson

It’s all up to the Imperial Irrigation District. The fate of a seven-state plan to address dwindling Colorado River water supply now appears to rest squarely with the sprawling southeastern California water district. Its neighbor to the north, the Coachella Valley Water District, voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve interstate agreements that would conserve water for use by 40 million people and vast swaths of agricultural lands. IID has tied its approvals to a binding promise to receive $200 million in federal matching funds to restore the fast-dwindling Salton Sea, which lost critical Colorado River water imports a year ago.

Full Story

Reclamation Awards More Than $35M To Water Reclamation, Reuse Projects In California

/in , /by /Water World (Tulsa, Okla.)

Bureau of Reclamation is awarding $35.3 million for six authorized Title XVI water reclamation and reuse projects in California. The funding will be used to improve flexibility during water shortages and diversify the water supply. “Title XVI projects provide opportunities for communities to recycle wastewater and treat water that was previously unusable,” Commissioner Brenda Burman said. “It is a proven tool that enables communities to access dependable water supplies.”

Full Story

Oroville Dam: Two Years After The Mass Evacuation, Here’s Where We Are

/in , /by /Chico Enterprise-Recordby Risa Johnson

Two years ago today, about 188,000 people were ordered to evacuate for fear the damaged Oroville Dam spillway would fail. While the worst fears never materialized, the incident had impacts still felt in the community. It also spawned new legislation related to dam safety, a modern rebuild of the spillway, and many lawsuits against the state Department of Water Resources. This is by no means a comprehensive summary, but below are some major updates related to the spillway crisis.

Full Story

Newsom Backs One Water Tunnel, Curbing Brown Family Legacy

/in , /by /Voice of San Diegoby Ry Rivard Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Sixty years ago, California voters approved Gov. Pat Brown’s plan for a 700-mile system of dams, water pumps and aqueducts to control flooding in Northern California and send water south to Los Angeles and San Diego. His son, Jerry, spent the better part of four terms as governor trying to expand his father’s work. On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom effectively capped the Browns’ multi-generation effort, known as the State Water Project, the source of about a third of Southern California’s drinking water.

 

Full Story

Massive Bird Die-Off At Salton Sea Raises Environmental Concerns

/in , /by /KQED (San Francisco)by Benjamin Purper

Thousands of birds were discovered dead at the Salton Sea last month, raising new concerns about the lake’s declining health. California Department of Fish and Wildlife workers cleaned up the carcasses at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge after hunters initially reported the gruesome bird die-off. More than 400 species of birds use the Salton Sea’s wetlands as a stop along the Pacific flyway for migratory birds. The man-made Salton Sea is receiving less and less water from agricultural runoff and the Colorado River, causing it to shrink dramatically. Andrea Jones, director of bird conservation for Audubon California, said the birds fell victim to avian cholera, a contagious disease, due to overcrowding.

Full Story