Focus
California unveils proposed measure to ban new gasoline-fueled cars
The Mercury News - April 13
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Wednesday unveiled a far-reaching proposal requiring a ramp-up in sales of zero-emission cars, culminating in a ban on new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. If adopted, the regulations would be the first of their kind in the world. At least 15 other states have pledged in the past to follow California’s lead on auto emissions standards, and the federal government has often followed California’s lead as well. Public comments will be collected for 45 days. A hearing will be held on June 9, and CARB is expected to vote in August.
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News
In drought-stricken West, officials weigh emergency actions
ABC News – April 13
Federal officials say it may be necessary to reduce water deliveries to users on the Colorado River to prevent the shutdown of a huge dam that supplies hydropower to some 5 million customers across Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The Interior Department has proposed holding back water in the lake to maintain Glen Canyon Dam’s ability to generate electricity amid what it said were the driest conditions in the region in more than 1,200 years. The potential impacts to lower basin states that could see their water supplies reduced — California, Nevada, and Arizona — aren’t yet known. Water managers in the basin states — Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado — are evaluating the proposal. The Interior Department has set an April 22 deadline for feedback.
Settlement reached in long-running cross-border sewage litigation
KPBS – April 13
The agency tasked with overseeing wastewater infrastructure in the Tijuana River Valley will mitigate and address cross-border water flows, per a settlement announced on Wednesday regarding millions of gallons of wastewater that poured into the San Diego region from Mexico. The settlement aims to resolve long-running litigation filed by several agencies and municipalities which alleged that the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) allowed polluted water, trash, and sediment to flow into the United States over the course of several years in violation of the Clean Water Act. The USIBWC was the sole defendant in all lawsuits filed since 2018 by various plaintiffs including the cities of San Diego, Imperial Beach, and Chula Vista; the Port of San Diego; the California San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board; the California State Lands Commission; and Surfrider Foundation.
State biologists call protections for California Joshua trees unnecessary at this time
Courthouse News Service – April 13
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has recommended against adding the iconic Joshua tree to the state endangered species list, disappointing environmentalists who say a lack of protections will further imperil the vulnerable trees. The state Fish and Game Commission last year granted temporary protections to the Joshua tree due to the effects of climate change, but Wednesday’s report by the same agency said these impacts will come decades from now and may not be as significant as expected should the tree show an ability to adapt to changing conditions. A final decision is expected in June.
State rejects Point Reyes water contamination, climate plan
Marin Independent Journal – April 8
The California Coastal Commission has rejected what it called a lackluster federal strategy to address water contamination and environmental impacts caused by cattle ranching in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Last Thursday’s decision came nearly a year after the agency narrowly voted to endorse the National Park Service’s plan to extend leases for the cattle and dairy ranches renting land in the seashore to terms of up to 20 years. The plan, adopted by the Biden administration in September, also allows park staff to shoot some of the park’s free-roaming tule elk to reduce conflicts with the ranches over damaged property and competition for grazing forage.
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