Scott VanderWal came across the South Dakota border to southwest Minnesota’s Farmfest to scare farmers. The American Farm Bureau vice president wasted no time doing that as keynote speaker Wednesday before a panel launched into a water issues discussion. “Right this minute, a California farmer is in the legal battle of his life over Waters of the […]
Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker made a brief visit to Fresno on Wednesday, where she talked with farmers and agriculture officials about trade, economic opportunities and, primarily, water. “She was well briefed,” said Rep. Jim Costa, the Fresno Democrat who invited Pritzker to visit. “She knew the challenges created for water users here in the Valley.” Costa said […]
Environmentalists sued state agencies Wednesday to halt oil well injections into a federally protected aquifer near California’s Central Coast. California oil and gas regulators failed to assess environmental consequences before forwarding a so-called aquifer exemption to federal officials for final approval, the Center for Biological Diversity said in the lawsuit filed in San Luis Obispo Superior […]
Blame the increase in frequency and severity of wildfires in California on drought and climate change. As the number of fires goes up each year, so does the costs of suppression. Those firefighting costs have also increased because more people are living in what fire scientists call the “urban-wildland interface.” “It just shows you the cost escalation because […]
France and California have different environmental, agricultural, economic, institutional and cultural contexts. However, both are moving to more local management of groundwater. In California, the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) required the creation of local groundwater sustainable agencies (GSA) and groundwater sustainability plans (GSP) to end groundwater overdraft and other undesirable conditions by 2040. […]
Scientists from two federal agencies are about to overhaul the rules governing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, potentially increasing protections for endangered fish populations and limiting the amount of water pumped to Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will re-examine the nearly decade-old environmental regulations […]
Farm Leaders: Federal Water Rules are Game Changers
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Daily Globe (Morgan, Minn.) by Don DavisScott VanderWal came across the South Dakota border to southwest Minnesota’s Farmfest to scare farmers. The American Farm Bureau vice president wasted no time doing that as keynote speaker Wednesday before a panel launched into a water issues discussion. “Right this minute, a California farmer is in the legal battle of his life over Waters of the […]
U.S. Commerce Secretary Pritzker visits Fresno, Hears Water Concerns
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Fresno Beeby John EllisCommerce Secretary Penny Pritzker made a brief visit to Fresno on Wednesday, where she talked with farmers and agriculture officials about trade, economic opportunities and, primarily, water. “She was well briefed,” said Rep. Jim Costa, the Fresno Democrat who invited Pritzker to visit. “She knew the challenges created for water users here in the Valley.” Costa said […]
Suit: California Failed to Study Oil Well Impact on Water
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /ABC Newsby Brian MelleyEnvironmentalists sued state agencies Wednesday to halt oil well injections into a federally protected aquifer near California’s Central Coast. California oil and gas regulators failed to assess environmental consequences before forwarding a so-called aquifer exemption to federal officials for final approval, the Center for Biological Diversity said in the lawsuit filed in San Luis Obispo Superior […]
The ‘New Normal’ For Wildfires In California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Capital Public Radio (Sacramento)by Ed JoyceBlame the increase in frequency and severity of wildfires in California on drought and climate change. As the number of fires goes up each year, so does the costs of suppression. Those firefighting costs have also increased because more people are living in what fire scientists call the “urban-wildland interface.” “It just shows you the cost escalation because […]
BLOG: What We Can Learn About How the French Manage Groundwater
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Corentin GirardFrance and California have different environmental, agricultural, economic, institutional and cultural contexts. However, both are moving to more local management of groundwater. In California, the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) required the creation of local groundwater sustainable agencies (GSA) and groundwater sustainability plans (GSP) to end groundwater overdraft and other undesirable conditions by 2040. […]
Feds to Take New Look at Delta, Endangered Fish Species
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Dale KaslerScientists from two federal agencies are about to overhaul the rules governing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, potentially increasing protections for endangered fish populations and limiting the amount of water pumped to Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will re-examine the nearly decade-old environmental regulations […]