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Californians could see their water bills increase under a measure passed by lawmakers Thursday. The legislative bill approved by the state Assembly would let local governments charge residents for storm water management systems without voter approval. Supporters of the measure say it will help cities and counties prevent flooding and save water. Opponents say it violates Californians’ right to vote on taxes. Gov. Jerry Brown must sign the legislation for it to become law. Under the bill, local governments could charge residents to construct storm water control facilities, which divert and store rain runoff.

Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled on Thursday his plan for spending cap-and-trade revenue, prioritizing cleaner vehicles and improving air quality. Roughly $1.5 billion, all generated by the sale of permits required to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, is available to be spent by the governor and lawmakers. Brown wants the biggest chunk of the money, $607.5 million, to be used on financial incentives for cleaner cars, trucks, buses and farm vehicles.

A cannon-shaped sea drone plunges through the darkness. On the waves above, Nicky Suard steadies herself in a speed boat as she monitors its video feed. The drone’s tiny propellers keep it surging through the depths, diving further into the heart of the Sacramento River. Its floodlights send back murky images of bubbles and silt. There’s no sign of what Suard’s looking for.

Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) announced on Aug. 23 the amended version of Senate Bill 623, which would establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to finance infrastructure improvement projects across the state with the help of a coalition of environmental activists, agricultural industry representatives, and labor groups. The bill will need to garner a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate and Assembly to pass, which at the present could prove difficult due to its widespread opposition among state water agencies.

Placer County Water Agency is taking the state of California to court over its twin tunnels plan. The state Department of Water Resources approval of the plan’s environmental impact report touched off a flurry of court challenges on grounds that it would negatively impact water quality in the Delta and San Francisco Bay while threatening salmon and other fish populations.