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Environment Report: US Steps Up Watchdog Role Over Tijuana Sewage System

Years ago, in a moment of despair over the utter dead-end that solving the Tijuana River sewage crisis seemed to be, I asked U.S. officials why we don’t just cross the border and start fixing broken pipes in Mexico.

Money For Clean Water Coming To Every State

The Biden administration wants to guarantee access to clean water throughout the country and one way it wants to do that is by removing lead pipes.

White House Is Distributing $5.8 Billion From The Infrastructure Law For Water Projects

The Biden administration announced Tuesday that it is distributing another $5.8 billion for water infrastructure projects around the country, paid for by one of its key legislative victories.

Congress Approves Measure to Toss Biden’s Water Protections

Congress on Wednesday approved a resolution to overturn the Biden administration’s protections for the nation’s waterways that Republicans have criticized as a burden on business, advancing a measure that President Joe Biden has promised to veto.

Republicans have targeted the Biden administration’s protections for thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways, labeling it an environmental overreach that harms businesses, developers and farmers.

Biden Says Commercial-Scale Lithium Extraction Possible in Imperial Valley by 2026

As the Imperial Valley begins its transformation into what some are calling Lithium Valley, one company says it could have lithium production at commercial scale by 2026, President Joe Biden said Tuesday at an event with Gov. Gavin Newsom, industry executives, community representatives and labor leaders.

Biden met with the group to announce several investments in domestic production of critical minerals and materials, including lithium extraction in Imperial County.

‘The Baton Has Been Passed’: Newsom, Local Leaders Could Make or Break Infrastructure Bill

President Biden and Congress may have passed the law pouring more than $1 trillion into the nation’s infrastructure — but it’s what state governments like California do next that really matters.

State coffers are poised to get nearly $14 billion over the next five years through automatic funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act alone, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget, not including potentially billions more through grant programs still being crafted. But what the Newsom administration does next with the money remains to be determined, and could make or break the efficacy of the bill.

Federal, Local Officials Kick Off Millions in Repairs to Friant-Kern Canal

Local and Federal water officials and lawmakers celebrated the groundbreaking of a massive project on the Friant-Kern Canal on Tuesday, marking the start of the canal’s restoration.

Coming in at $187 million, the first portion of the massive effort will restore capacity within the canal in a 10-mile portion that has been affected by subsidence: the sinking of the canal’s bottom from groundwater removal.

With 33 miles of the Friant-Kern Canal in total that have sunk due to subsidence, Tuesday’s groundbreaking kicks off the first phase of the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction restoration project.

$1 Trillion Bill Brings Billions to the Valley. What Are the Projects?

Two Fresno area Democrats who attended the signing of President Joe Biden’s $1 billion infrastructure bill into law on Monday say the package will improve the lives of Valley residents and strengthen the local economy.

Here’s What California Stands to Gain from Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

Gov. Gavin Newsom praised Congress for passing President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill Friday night, calling it a “once-in-a-generation investment” which will help to create jobs and modernize California’s transportation systems. Newsom expect billions of dollars in additional federal funding under the bill, including another $5.8 billion over five years that will help fix California highways, which are rated among the nation’s worst. That money comes in addition to the $3 billion to $4 billion California usually gets for such programs every year.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article255606451.html#storylink=cpy

Opinion: Lithium in Imperial Valley Could Light California’s future

President Joe Biden’s pledge to boost America’s clean-energy economy is great news for the planet and aligns well with California’s goal to lead the way to a 100 percent clean energy future. The Biden administration is working to position the United States to lead the world in manufacturing electric vehicles while securing a domestic supply chain of the materials these vehicles require.

Last year, electric vehicles became California’s No. 1 export and our state is proud to be home to 34 zero-emission vehicle related manufacturers.