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Chevron Faces New Demands From Regulators As Kern County Oil Releases Continue

/in , /by /KQEDby Ted Goldberg and Dan Brekke

After months of back and forth with Chevron over a series of uncontrolled crude petroleum releases in a Kern County oil field, state regulators are demanding new information about its operations in the spill area.

California’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, or DOGGR, issued a formal directive to the San Ramon-based company Tuesday, requiring the firm to provide a wealth of technical data on its petroleum extraction practices in the Cymric oil field.

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Effort To Preserve Coastal Smokestack Gets Cold Shoulder From Commission

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

A proposal to save Carlsbad’s 400-foot-tall coastal smokestack found little support Monday when presented to the city’s Historical Preservation Commission.

“It’s interesting that people want to save something that we have been fighting for years to remove,” said Commissioner Laurie Boone. “We are going to work with (the power company) NRG to build something beautiful and new there.”

A proposal to save Carlsbad’s 400-foot-tall coastal smokestack found little support Monday when presented to the city’s Historical Preservation Commission.

“It’s interesting that people want to save something that we have been fighting for years to remove,” said Commissioner Laurie Boone. “We are going to work with (the power company) NRG to build something beautiful and new there.”

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Another Day, Another Labor Wrench in City Plans

/in , /by /Voice of San Diegoby Ry Rivard

Just a few days after it was revealed that emergency state legislation is being prepared to save the city’s massive Pure Water project from being derailed over a fight over union-friendly agreements, it looks like similar labor fights could upend local cities’ plans to form a government-run energy utility.

 

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City Council Unanimously Approves Plan To Increase Mission Valley’s Housing By 28,000 Units

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein

The San Diego City Council Tuesday unanimously approved an update to the Mission Valley Community Plan that calls for increased mixed-use development that is pedestrian-friendly and helps residents make better use of public transit.

The update will be applied to the original community plan, which the council first approved in 1985 and has amended more than 20 times since. According to city officials, the update was necessitated to plan for future growth in the area and bring the Mission Valley plan into compliance with the city’s current General Plan and its Climate Action Plan.

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Los Angeles OKs A Deal For Record-Cheap Solar Power And Battery Storage

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy Roth

For a long time, there were two big knocks against solar power: It’s expensive, and it can’t keep the lights on after sundown.

A contract approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power shows how much that reality has changed.

Under the 25-year deal with developer 8minute Solar Energy, the city would buy electricity from a sprawling complex of solar panels and lithium-ion batteries in the Mojave Desert of eastern Kern County, about two hours north of Los Angeles. The Eland project would meet 6% to 7% of L.A.’s annual electricity needs and would be capable of pumping clean energy into the grid for four hours each night.

 

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‘Blob’ Of Warm Pacific Water Is Back — Could Be Trouble For Marine Life And Weather

/in , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Peter Fimrite

An ominous warm patch similar to the notorious “blob ” that wreaked havoc along the California coast five years ago has been detected along the West Coast, raising fears among scientists that the fragile ocean ecosystem may be facing another calamity.

A large marine heat wave has warmed the northern Pacific Ocean and is threatening to disrupt sea life from Alaska to Southern California, marine biologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

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Southern California Water Agency Approves $5 Million For Stormwater Pilot

/in , /by /Daily Breezeby David Rosenfeld

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on Tuesday, Sept. 10, approved $5 million for a stormwater pilot project to determine the best and most efficient way to capture the tens of billions of gallons of rainwater that flow off roofs and pavement each year.

“A lot of hope has been placed in the potential of stormwater as a local water supply for Southern California,” said Metropolitan Chairwoman Gloria Gray. “We want to better understand that potential, and its cost, as part of our commitment to developing local resources.”

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Citizens Water Academy ‘Inspiration’ For Water Agency Board Member

/in , /by /Water News Network

The Citizens Water Academy helps educate civic leaders and many graduates have gone on to become water agency board members in San Diego County.

The application and nomination period remains open for the Fall 2019 class of the San Diego County Water Authority’s pioneering Citizens Water Academy.

The closing date is September 16. More than 700 people have completed the award-winning program since 2014.

The Citizens Water Academy provides an opportunity for emerging civic leaders to learn about visionary local efforts to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the San Diego region. Participants get an in-depth look at how the Water Authority helps the region’s economy and quality of life through strategic planning, innovative programs, and cost-effective investments.

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EPA Action Plan To Boost Water Reuse Across U.S.

/in , /by /Water News Network

The U.S. EPA today released a draft plan to advance water reuse nationally at the WateReuse Association Symposium in San Diego.

The National Water Reuse Action Plan identifies 46 proposed actions organized around 10 strategic objectives, including leadership and collaboration, to support the implementation of water reuse.

“Forty states anticipate experiencing fresh water shortages in certain regions within their borders over the next decade,” said David Ross, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. “Diversifying our nation’s water portfolio must be a nationwide priority, and water reuse has the potential to ensure the viability of our water economy for generations to come.”

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Forever Chemicals’ Now Found In State Schools

/in , /by /Boston Globe by David Abel

The water fountains have either been turned off, wrapped in plastic, or fitted with a device to prevent students from using them. Much of the food preparation has moved off campus, and a water jug sits in the kitchen sink, replacing the faucet. The bathrooms are covered with signs that warn students in bold, red letters: “DO NOT DRINK FROM THE SINK.”

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