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‘Multiheaded Hydra’ of PFAS Products Under California Scrutiny

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Environment (Arlington, Va.)by Emily C. Dooley

California has its eye on “forever chemicals,” and is taking a closer look at safer alternatives in common consumer products, including stain-resistant coatings for boots and food packaging items.

The state this year could require rug and carpet makers to come up with safer alternatives for their stain- and water-resistant products. After-market treatments with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that help consumers protect their boots, clothes, and other textiles from rain, snow, and grease could also face the same fate.

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Will Californians Be Fined for Showering and Doing Laundry the Same Day?

/in , /by /Good Day/CW31 (Sacramento, Calif.)

Can you get fined for taking a shower and doing laundry on the same day? Not so, according to an association representing California water agencies.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Association of California Water Agencies shared clarifying information about water-use targets set forth by California Senate Bill 606 (Hertzberg) and Assembly Bill 1668 (Friedman), which was signed into effect in May 2018.

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California’s New Laws Cover Wildfires, Energy, Animal Cruelty

/in , /by /Bloomberg Environment (Arlington, Va.)by Emily C. Dooley

California’s legislature and new governor were busy last year and a slew of environment and energy laws have just taken effect, from trying to reduce wildfire risks to banning fur trapping.

The measures also touch on a frequent California theme: taking aim at disagreements with the Trump administration and attempts to roll back or weaken environmental protections.

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Opinion: California Can Solve its Water Shortage With the Water We Have. Here’s How

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Heather Cooley

California is at a water crossroads.

We can continue our costly, 100-year-old pattern of trying to find new water supplies, or we can choose instead to focus on smarter ways of using – and reusing – what we already have.

The cheapest water is the water we save.

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For This Climate Scientist, The Getty Fire Made Clear The Need To Prepare For Disaster

/in , /by /CALmattersby Robert Lempert

My personal and professional lives collided in the middle of the night at the end of October when my neighbor pounded on our front door.

Had we received the warnings of the growing Getty fire? We hadn’t. Our neighbor shouted that mandatory evacuations had been issued for much of our Pacific Palisades community in Los Angeles.

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Manipulation of Rivers Jeopardizes Resilience of Native Chinook Salmon

/in , /by /oceanographic

The heavy management of river systems in California is causing a compression in the migration timing of Chinook salmon to the point that they crowd their habitats. As a result, they might miss the best window for entering the ocean to grow into adults. Currently, less than 3% of wetland habitat remains in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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Without Urgent Action, California’s Sea-Level Rise a Threat to Housing, Economy, Report Says

/in , , /by /Cal Mattersby Elizabeth Castillo

Despite years of urgent warnings, local governments are moving too slow to prevent the worst damage from sea-level rise caused by climate change, risking repercussions as severe as housing shortages or an injured state economy, according to a report released today by the Legislative Analyst’s office. The report suggests California would need to start building 100,000 more housing units annually in coastal cities to mitigate the problems caused by sea-level rise. Funding for public schools might be affected as well, as higher sea levels hurt property values and lower tax revenue. And it’s not just beachside housing that will be impacted.

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Threat of Mudslides Returns to California After Devastating Fires. How Do They Work?

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Rong-Gong Lin II, Joseph Serna, Rosanna Xia

With parts of California yet again burned by severe fires, the state is facing a new winter of mudslides.

Why do mudslides happen so often in California?

Mudslides have always been at the heart of the peril of living close to the mountains in California. All it can take is an intense amount of rain in a short amount of time to create damaging flows of mud and debris that can kill people and destroy buildings.

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Powerful Winter Storm is on the Menu for Thanksgiving Week in Southern California

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Paul Duginski

After a dry, tranquil day Tuesday, a cold, soggy guest will muscle its way into Southern California’s holiday plans late that night.

A deep upper-level trough of low pressure is forecast to develop over the West Coast and bring cold, wet conditions to the region from Wednesday through at least Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The system is carrying sufficient moisture to bring moderate to locally heavy precipitation and, with the cold air aloft, may generate isolated thunderstorms.

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A Study Compares How Water is Managed in Spain, California and Australia

/in , , /by /Phys.orgby University of Córdoba

Turning on the faucet and having water come out has become such a common daily occurrence that nobody stops to think about it. In times of abundance, everything goes smoothly. However, when rain is scarce or almost nonexistent and reservoir capacity diminishes considerably, that is when alarm bells are set off and governments scramble trying to find a solution. As they say, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

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