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California Voters Approve Proposition 4, the Bond Measure for Water and Environmental Projects

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Melody Petersen

California voters have approved a $10-billion bond measure to finance water, clean energy and other environmental projects.

Proposition 4 allocates $3.8 billion for water projects, including those that provide safe drinking water, water recycling projects, groundwater storage and flood control. An additional $1.5 billion would be spent on wildfire protection, and $1.2 billion would go toward protecting the coast from sea level rise.

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Trump, RFK Jr. Stir Debate Over Fluoride in Public Water: What to Know

/in , /by /The Hillby Joseph Choi

Former President Trump and former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have raised fluoride in water as a public health measure to be addressed if Trump retakes the White House.

Over the weekend, Kennedy wrote on social platform X, “On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S​. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.” He then claimed, without citing evidence, that fluoride is “industrial waste” that causes a list of harms.

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A Tiny Threat Could have Big Impacts on California’s Drinking Water

/in , /by /SFGATEby Suzie Dundas

At first glance, the small golden mussel doesn’t look like much of a threat. When clustered on a pier or the bottom of a buoy, the brownish spheres wouldn’t draw much attention, especially as they look like several of California’s native mussel species.

But the tiny mollusks, which can reach up to 2 inches in length, are a big concern: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks, and the California Department of Water Resources just announced the invasive species has been found in North America for the first time in the Port of Stockton in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta — and they’re already in at least one California reservoir.

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Developer PAC Floods $40k into Vallecitos Water District Races

/in , /by /The Coast Newsby Leo Place

The Building Industry Association of San Diego has dumped tens of thousands of dollars into supporting the campaigns of two Vallecitos Water District board candidates ahead of the Nov. 5 election, generating speculation about conflicts of interest from other candidates.

The Vallecitos Water District oversees water services for approximately 100,000 people in San Marcos, Lake San Marcos, parts of Carlsbad, Escondido, Vista and nearby unincorporated areas. The board reviews proposed development projects and sets water rates for developers.

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SDG&E Warns Rural Residents of Potential Power Shutoffs

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

San Diego Gas & Electric officials have notified 24,700 customers living in backcountry areas that they may lose power in the coming days because Santa Ana winds are expected to blow through the area, which may result in elevated risk of fire.

Moderate-strength Santa Ana winds are expected to arrive Tuesday night and last until Thursday evening, leading the National Weather Service to issue red flag warnings for San Diego County valleys and mountains through Friday morning. The red flag warning is also in effect for inland and coastal Orange County.

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Water, Wildfires, Climate: Californians Leaning Toward Approving $10 Billion Bond

/in , /by /Cal Mattersby Alejandro Lazo

Californians are leaning in favor of approving $10 billion in bonds for climate and environmental projects with substantial numbers of votes counted tonight.

Proposition 4 would fund projects across the state to safeguard drinking water, combat wildfires, protect natural lands, and improve resilience against floods and extreme heat, but some of the money is also directed toward shorter-term items like job training.

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A Trump Win Could Spell Major Changes for California’s Drinking Water, RFK Jr. Says

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Corinne Purtill

More than half of Californians and nearly 75% of U.S. residents live in communities where fluoride has been added to drinking water to prevent tooth decay, an intervention hailed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as one of the 20th century’s greatest public health achievements.

Yet should Donald Trump be elected to a second term, water systems will be immediately directed to end this practice, according to supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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Why the Election Might not Matter for California Water

/in , /by /Politicoby Camille Von Kaenel

Former President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom want you to believe they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum on California water. But their policies aren’t drastically different — and both lean toward the Republican-leaning farmers of the Central Valley.

On the campaign trail, Trump has promised to force Newsom to turn on the faucet for water-strapped farmers if he is elected. Meanwhile, Newsom today finalized rules that insulate the state’s endangered fish protections from federal changes.

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New California Water Permit Seeks to Balance Water Delivery with Environmental Protections

/in , /by /Courthouse News Serviceby Alan Riquelmy

A new operating permit issued Monday for California’s state water project is expected to help protect fish and ensure almost 30 million people can access a reliable water supply.

“The new incidental take permit for the state water project issued today provides California with new tools and resources to better manage our water supply for endangered fish species and millions of Californians,” said Karla Nemeth, water resources department director, in a statement.

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In a Record, All but Two U.S. States Are in Drought

/in , /by /The New York Timesby Austyn Gaffney and Mira Rojanasakul

Almost the entire United States faced drought conditions during the last week of October.

Only Alaska and Kentucky did not have at least moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a record in the monitor’s history.

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