In Napa Valley, Winemakers Fight Climate Change on All Fronts
ST. HELENA, Calif. — Every wine region has had to deal with some manifestation of climate change, but few have had to deal with as many devastating consequences as Napa Valley.
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For California Well Owners, Clean Water is Hard to Get as State, Local Hurdles Remain
Water is scarce and dirty for many in Fresno County’s small West Park community.
They’re not alone. It’s a common and persistent challenge for residents throughout California who rely on water wells.
Water Agencies Stress Need for Disaster Plan
LANCASTER — In case of an emergency such as an earthquake or wildfire, one key element that could be disrupted, and for an extended period, is water. As such, it is important to include planning for water needs for emergency scenarios, whether for public agencies or individuals.
To that end, area water agencies and government officials gathered Wednesday in Lancaster as the Greater Antelope Valley Water Emergency Coalition to discuss preparations and resources available in case of water disruptions in an emergency.
Upgrade For Desalination Project As It Plans Private Note Placement
Poseidon Resources received a one-notch upgrade to BBB from Fitch Ratings ahead of plans to privately place a $45 million note to finance construction of a new intake system for its desalination plant in Carlsbad, California.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch won the right to purchase the three-year note, expected to close in November, according to sources close to the deal.
San Diego Creates State’s First Water, Sewer ‘Capacity Bank’ To Boost Biotech, Breweries
San Diego will create California’s first “capacity bank” for water and sewer, allowing breweries and biotech firms to cheaply buy excess water and sewer capacity from former factories.
The City Council unanimously approved the capacity bank on Tuesday, calling it an innovative idea that will create jobs and help the city avoid expensive expansions of its sewer and water infrastructure.
“From conversations I’ve had with a lot of breweries in my district, this is going to be a very popular program,” said Councilman Chris Cate, who represents Miramar, Mira Mesa and Kearny Mesa.
Mexico Pledges To Fight Cross-border Sewage Spills
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico says it will rehabilitate five pumping stations in the border city of Tijuana to prevent cross-border sewage spills that have angered U.S. communities in the San Diego area.
The Foreign Relations Department said Wednesday the two countries “are in talks to sign a bilateral agreement that will establish commitments” on the issue.
The department said both countries “will commit resources to address the issue in a coordinated manner.”
Will It Rain Soon And End Bay Area’s Fire Season? It May Be Up To Russia
Say what you will about Russian interference, it just might get us Northern Californians out of this year’s precarious fire season.
Meteorologists are forecasting that around Nov. 10, a strong jet stream originating from Russia is likely to undercut the dominant high-pressure ridge sitting off the coast and provide much-needed moisture to the West Coast.
“Now the question is, how confident are we?” said Brent Wachter, a fire meteorologist with the North Operations Predictive Service. “Not very. But there’s a glimmer of hope.”
California’s Blackouts Could Make Fighting Climate Change Even Harder
The state’s electric grid was experiencing rapid and unprecedented changes even before Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison began shutting off power to millions of people in a desperate scramble to prevent their transmission lines from sparking wildfires.
Solar and wind power were booming. Gas-fired power plants were shutting down. Investor-owned utility companies such as PG&E and Edison were being replaced by city-run alternatives. And the falling cost of lithium-ion batteries was making some households less reliant on the grid than ever before.
The changes will only accelerate in the coming years, as California ramps up efforts to fight climate change by cleaning up its energy supply.
Nursery Fined For Contaminating Nearby Creek
The California State Water Resources Control Board announced Wednesday that a Fallbrook commercial nursery was fined $18,132 for violating local wastewater discharge requirements for commercial agriculture businesses.
The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, a regional partner agency of the state board, inspected Hines Growers Inc. in February, during which staff members observed waste with high quantities of nitrogen and phosphorous discharged into Rainbow Creek from a malfunctioning water recycling system.
Board inspectors also found violations of local waste discharge rules in the nursery’s water quality protection plan, which is required for commercial plant growers.
Big If It Works: New System Aims to Pull Water Rights Out of the Sky
Over 4 billion people live under conditions of severe water scarcity at least one month of the year. Over a billion people spend several hours a day searching for water, wasting precious time and putting them in frequent danger. Some of this scarcity has led to violence and conflict, especially in Africa, Southern Asia and the Middle East. The Syrian conflict was triggered by a years-long drought. So it would go a long way to achieving global peace and ending global poverty if we could give these people water without a lot of cost and trouble, and without a lot of infrastructure.
