The Sacramento Bee Archives

‘So Much Water.’ Trump Moves to Slash Environmental Rules on Delta, Putting Farms Before Fish

The Trump administration Friday pledged to slash the thicket of federal environmental regulations that govern the Delta and much of California’s water supply, aiming to increase water deliveries to his political allies in the San Joaquin Valley. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum directing his underlings to review a broad swath of water regulations and “eliminate all unnecessary burdens,” the president said during an appearance in Arizona. Trump’s memo drew quick reaction from California officials, who have fought the Trump administration on multiple fronts and said water supply can co-exist with environmental goals.

Full Story

NOAA Predicts a Warmer, Wetter California Winter due to Weak El Niño

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted Thursday a mild winter with warmer, wetter weather likely for much of the country from December through February due to a developing El Niño. California is likely to see hotter-than-average winter temperatures, while parts of Southern California could also get greater precipitation, according to NOAA. Drought conditions may worsen in much of Southern and Central California, although the north coast of California may see some relief, according to NOAA.

Full Story

OPINION: Proposition 3 Will Pay For A Multitude Of Water Needs

October 1, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /The Sacramento Beeby Jerry Meral

California needs clean, safe and reliable water supplies. We also would greatly benefit from the improved flood management Proposition 3 would provide. The measure on the Nov. 6 ballot includes $400 million to implement the Central Valley Flood Control Plan and repair Oroville Dam. Climate change is worsening the threat of floods. Sacramento is the nation’s second most flood-prone city after New Orleans. We need all the help we can get to improve our levees, widen the floodplain to accommodate higher Sacramento River flows and improve and repair upstream flood control dams such as Oroville.

Full Story

OPINION: Prop. 3 Promises More California Water Projects. Too Bad So Many Are The Wrong Projects

September 24, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /The Sacramento Bee

We must do more to protect the future of California’s water, but that doesn’t mean just pumping in more money without making sure the investments will have widespread benefits for the public. Proposition 3 – the $8.9 billion bond on the Nov. 6 ballot – fails that test. Voters should say “no.” The measure promises money for quite a few local agencies, nonprofits, private water companies and others, which is great for them. It’s not clear, however, that these are the projects that California needs most right now, or that they couldn’t get the money elsewhere.

Full Story

Farmers Thought They Had 20 Years To Use Groundwater As They Wished. Maybe Not Anymore

September 15, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler

California farmers are laboring under a daunting edict: They must stop over-pumping groundwater from beneath their ranches. The saving grace is that state law gives them more than 20 years to do it. Now, however, a landmark court ruling could force many farmers to curb their groundwater consumption much sooner than that, landing like a bombshell in the contentious world of California water. For the first time, a California court has said state and county governments have a duty to regulate groundwater usage when it’s clear that the pumping drains water from adjacent rivers.

Full Story

OPINION: If Trump Wants Coal, He Can Have It. But California Must Commit To 100 Percent Clean Energy

August 25, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /The Sacramento Bee

By most measures, California is way ahead of the rest of the country when it comes to fighting climate change. We have some of the strictest environmental regulations, more zero-emission cars on the road than any other state and, as of July, are four years ahead of our self-imposed goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to levels not seen since the 1990s. But if this week has proven anything, it’s that now is not the time to rest on our laurels.

Full Story

Why San Francisco Is Joining Valley Farmers In A Fight Over Precious California Water

August 19, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow

Originating in a glacier at the eastern edge of Yosemite, the Tuolumne River runs into a man-made roadblock in the towering granite cliffs of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. A massive concrete dam captures its icy water and ships much of it through pipes and tunnels to the residents of San Francisco. Farther downstream, the Tuolumne is halted again, this time by a dam in the oak-covered Sierra foothills. From there, a network of canals spreads the Tuolumne’s waters over mile after mile of rich San Joaquin Valley vineyards, orchards and dairy farms.

Full Story

Trump Administration Moves To Open 1.6 Million Acres To Fracking, Drilling In California

August 8, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler

Ending a five-year moratorium, the Trump administration Wednesday took a first step toward opening 1.6 million acres of California public land to fracking and conventional oil drilling, triggering alarm bells among environmentalists. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management said it’s considering new oil and natural gas leases on BLM-managed lands in Fresno, San Luis Obispo and six other San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast counties. Meanwhile, activists in San Luis Obispo are pushing a ballot measure this fall to ban fracking and new oil exploration in the county.

Full Story

Smoke Prompts Sacramento County Health Alert: Limit Outdoor Activity Through Friday

August 6, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Hannah Holzer

The smoky air blanketing the region from wildfires prompted a statement Monday from Sacramento County air quality and health officials urging residents to take precautions and limit outdoor activities through Friday. If you smell or see smoke, officials said, here’s what you should do: Minimize outdoor activities, even if you’re healthy. In particular, children, the elderly and people with respiratory or heart conditions should avoid exposure when air quality is poor.

Full Story

Trump Says California’s Water Policies Are Making The Wildfires Worse. Is He Right?

August 6, 2018/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler

President Donald Trump recently broke his silence on California’s wildfire disasters by blaming the state’s environmental and water laws, saying the state has exacerbated its fire problems by letting large amounts of water flow out to the Pacific Ocean. Trump’s remarks, which he posted in a pair of tweets Sunday and Monday, drew immediate criticism from fire experts in the state.

Full Story

Posts