For 35 days between March and April of this year, Dante Woolfolk went without any running water in his house in Brooktrails, a small town nestled amid the leafy canopies of Mendocino County in Northern California. A spiraling unpaid water bill had led the local water system to turn off the spigot. For those 35 days, […]
As a third year of drought continues, California officialdom is increasing pressure for more water conservation. Last week, the state Water Resources Control Board imposed a statewide ban on watering of “non-functional” turf, such as grass around commercial buildings, and directed local water agencies to implement water use restrictions. “California is facing a drought crisis […]
It is mid-May, and a couple of days ago, the Hermits Peak Fire in northern New Mexico reached 299,565 acres in size, surpassing the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire as the state’s largest wildfire on record. At roughly the same time, on the other side of the state, the Black Fire ballooned from about 5,000 acres to […]
Leave the water running while you brushed your teeth this morning? If you didn’t open the faucet all the way and brushed your teeth thoroughly perhaps you sent a cup or so of water down the drain while you got the job done. No big deal, right? It is only a cup of water.
The problem with empty threats is, after a while, people just stop listening. When it comes to water usage, Gov. Gavin Newsom is learning that lesson the hard way. Newsom on Monday urged Californians to cut water consumption or face mandatory water restrictions as the state heads into its third summer of severe drought.
Tribes and environmental groups are challenging how the state manages water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a major source for much of California, arguing the deterioration of the aquatic ecosystem has links to the state’s troubled legacy of racism and oppression of Native people. A group of activists and Indigenous leaders is demanding that […]
Is This California’s Year for a Long-Term Drinking Water Assistance Program?
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Capital and Mainby Dan RossFor 35 days between March and April of this year, Dante Woolfolk went without any running water in his house in Brooktrails, a small town nestled amid the leafy canopies of Mendocino County in Northern California. A spiraling unpaid water bill had led the local water system to turn off the spigot. For those 35 days, […]
Opinion: As Drought Persists, Water Rights on Agenda
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CalMattersby Dan WaltersAs a third year of drought continues, California officialdom is increasing pressure for more water conservation. Last week, the state Water Resources Control Board imposed a statewide ban on watering of “non-functional” turf, such as grass around commercial buildings, and directed local water agencies to implement water use restrictions. “California is facing a drought crisis […]
Unprecedented Fire, Wind and Snowmelt in the Southwest
/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /High Country Newsby Jonathan ThompsonIt is mid-May, and a couple of days ago, the Hermits Peak Fire in northern New Mexico reached 299,565 acres in size, surpassing the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire as the state’s largest wildfire on record. At roughly the same time, on the other side of the state, the Black Fire ballooned from about 5,000 acres to […]
Opinion: Welcome to the Real Hotel California Where Endless Water Use Is a Mirage
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Manteca Bulletinby Dennis WyattLeave the water running while you brushed your teeth this morning? If you didn’t open the faucet all the way and brushed your teeth thoroughly perhaps you sent a cup or so of water down the drain while you got the job done. No big deal, right? It is only a cup of water.
Opinion: Will Gov. Newsom Ever Require Mandatory Water Cuts?
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Mercury NewsThe problem with empty threats is, after a while, people just stop listening. When it comes to water usage, Gov. Gavin Newsom is learning that lesson the hard way. Newsom on Monday urged Californians to cut water consumption or face mandatory water restrictions as the state heads into its third summer of severe drought.
Delta Water Crisis Linked to California’s Racist Past, Tribes and Activists Say
/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Los Angeles Timesby Ian JamesTribes and environmental groups are challenging how the state manages water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a major source for much of California, arguing the deterioration of the aquatic ecosystem has links to the state’s troubled legacy of racism and oppression of Native people. A group of activists and Indigenous leaders is demanding that […]