Weekly Green: January 11, 2016

In the past week's news and opinion:

• Bipartisan urgency bills announced to address Porter Ranch gas leak (and much more Aliso Canyon news);
• New year changes to California voter laws aim to improve elections;
• Rendon elected next Assembly Speaker by voice vote;
• Drought, wildlife, solar news, and much more.

» Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Green, your no-frills news roundup provided free of charge by the California League of Conservation Voters. If you're not a regular subscriber, sign up for your free subscription today: http://ecovote.org/wg »

Top News

‘Never Again,’ State Sen. Says in Announcing Bills to Address Porter Ranch Gas Leak
Urgency legislation requiring a bipartisan two-thirds approval in both houses of the Legislature would bring an immediate halt to new additions of natural gas to the Aliso Canyon facility, and would end use of “vintage” wells like the one that's leaking until such activities can be determined to be safe.
http://ktla.com/2016/01/11/never-again-state-sen-says-in-announcing-bills-to-address-porter-ranch-gas-leak/

Porter Ranch gas leak: A look at the new California state bills lawmakers have proposed
State legislators on Monday rolled out a package of proposed new state laws requiring greater scrutiny on the operation of underground gas storage fields statewide, including one that has been the source of a massive methane leak above Porter Ranch and has driven thousands of families to relocate outside the area.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/01/11/56782/porter-ranch-gas-leak-state-lawmakers-propose-new/
More coverage: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-porter-ranch-bills-20160111-story.html
http://time.com/4173516/california-gas-leak-resident-reaction/
http://www.vox.com/2016/1/11/10749602/california-gas-leak-explained

Air regulator law panel hears proposal to halt Porter Ranch gas leak
If approved by the board, the gas company must not only stop its gas leak as quickly as possible, but must capture its leaking gas, draw down its reservoir, monitor emissions and fund a health study on their potential impacts to the community, while submitting detailed records.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20160109/NEWS/160109500

Porter Ranch residents demand that Aliso Canyon gas facility be shut down
Hundreds of San Fernando Valley residents crowded into a high school gymnasium Saturday to express outrage over a gas leak that has sickened and displaced thousands of Porter Ranch residents.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-residents-to-demand-porter-ranch-gas-facility-shut-down-20160109-story.html

Officials and gas company agree on plan to burn off some methane afflicting Porter Ranch
Air quality regulators and Southern California Gas Co. have agreed on a plan to capture and incinerate at least some of the natural gas from a leaking well that has sickened and displaced thousands of residents of Porter Ranch, according to a legal document filed this week.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-20160108-porter-ranch-gas-capture-incinerate-story.html

Claims in Porter Ranch gas leak could cost utility billions of dollars
With ailing residents, displaced neighborhoods and a potential decline in property values, the leak at Southern California Gas Co.'s Aliso Canyon storage facility could cost the utility billions of dollars, some legal experts say.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-socalgas-liability-20160108-story.html

ICYMI: Brown declares emergency at Porter Ranch amid massive gas leak
In declaring the emergency, Brown noted the widespread disruption the gas leak has caused and reiterated the state's efforts to help fix the problem.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-brown-declared-emergency-at-porter-ranch-amid-massive-gas-leak-20160106-story.html

Assembly elects Anthony Rendon to serve as next speaker
Members of the state Assembly tapped Assemblyman Anthony Rendon, a Lakewood Democrat, to be the next leader of the chamber Monday, signaling--but not fully ushering in--the ascent of a new generation of lawmakers in the Capitol.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-rendon-elected-speaker-20160111-story.html

Energy

Solar Surges Past Wind, Hydropower as State’s No. 1 Renewable Energy Source
In just a few short years, solar power has gotten big in California, and now it’s at the top of the renewable energy heap.
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2016/01/11/solar-power-california-top-source-of-renewable-energy

Arnold Schwarzenegger pumps up California’s clean energy debate
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to terminate the idea that California’s clean energy experiment has turned it into an economic wimp.
http://www.politifact.com/california/article/2016/jan/05/arnold-schwarzenegger-pumps-californias-clean-ener/

Water

California drought: How will we know when it's over?
The answer, water experts say, is more complicated than you'd think.
http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_29364616/california-drought-how-will-we-know-when-its

Lawmaker wants to throw the checkbook at water hogs
State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, said his bill is needed to assure Californians share the burden of cutting back water use without letting some people with big incomes use as much as they want.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_29356404/lawmaker-wants-throw-checkbook-at-water-hogs

Demise of Klamath River deal could rekindle old water-use battles
A key piece of a three-part agreement expired when Congress failed to approve it by Dec. 31.
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-klamath-dams-20160111-story.html

Governor Brown’s state budget includes Salton Sea funding
Gov. Jerry Brown’s $122.6 billion budget plan out Thursday contained $80.5 million for the restoration of habitat at the shrinking Salton Sea, the creation of a longterm plan for the lake’s management, and is raising hopes for its restoration, officials said.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20160107/NEWS/160109620

El Niño Helps, Won't End Historic California Drought
Recent storms have drenched California and some areas are setting rainfall records. Even help from El Niño won't end the drought. But the heavy precipitation is a good start.
http://www.capradio.org/63841

Drought-ravaged Folsom Lake rises 28.5 feet in just one month
Water-starved Folsom Lake is beginning to slowly fill up and recover from its lowest water levels ever.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Water-starved-Folsom-Lake-is-finally-starting-to-6738359.php

Wildlife

Another wolf enters California amid tension over comeback
Another wolf has entered the far Northern California wilds, providing more evidence of a comeback for the animal that was absent from the state for nearly 100 years and driven to near-extinction by hunters and trappers.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Another-wolf-enters-California-amid-tension-over-6745549.php
Submit a public comment to the Department of Fish & Wildlife to protect gray wolves: https://secure2.convio.net/clcv/site/Advocacy?page=UserAction&id=265&autologin=true&s_src=graywolf_publiccomment_wg

Bees threatened by a common pesticide, EPA finds
An insecticide widely used on grains, vegetables, fruit and other crops nationwide threatens honeybees, federal environmental regulators said in a decision that could lend impetus to efforts to ban the chemical.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pesticide-bees-20160106-story.html

Argentine ants altering California's ecosystems as homeowners give them shelter
Lisa Cliggett expected a relaxing beach side escape when she stayed at a friend's apartment in Santa Cruz in October. Instead, the Kentucky woman found herself waging war on a freezer full of Argentine ants.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20160109/argentine-ants-altering-californias-ecosystems-as-homeowners-give-them-shelter/1

Something wrong in the wild: Sea lion pups washing ashore because ocean can't support them
Once a year in June, sea lion mothers on the Channel Islands give birth to a pup. For the next 11 months, the mothers swim off to forage for days to provide food for themselves and milk for their progeny.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/sea-699315-year-population.html

More California Environmental News

State air board criticizes Southern California smog regulators over adoption of industry-backed rules
The state Air Resources Board has criticized Southern California smog regulators for adopting industry-backed regulations to control emissions from the region's largest facilities, saying they may violate state law and will harm people's health.
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0109-state-aqmd-20160109-story.html

Bay Bridge bike path questions could bring further delays
The bicycle and pedestrian path on the Bay Bridge’s new eastern span — for nearly two years a bridge to nowhere, its completion held up in part by a belated design change — could miss its latest scheduled opening date of this summer because of questions about whether support components will be strong enough to do the job.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Bridge-bike-path-questions-could-bring-6748350.php

Voting

New year changes to California voter laws aim to improve elections
About 40 new laws on voting and elections take effect in 2016, said Neal Kelley, president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials and Orange County registrar of voters. Many of the state's new laws fix behind-the-scenes problems, but a handful will also affect voters: "Easier opportunities to register to vote, easier to make changes to your voter registration, easier to get your vote by mail ballot tracked and counted," Kelley said.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/01/05/56573/new-year-changes-to-california-voter-laws-aim-to-t/

Skelton: Let the governor fill vacant legislative seats instead of costly special elections
The legislative year begins with a conspicuous vacancy. Not because a lawmaker got convicted or died, but because he leaped the fence for greener pastures. Meaning money.
http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-sac-cap-20160107-column.html

Ballot selfies are illegal, but this Bay Area legislator says they shouldn't be
Beyonce’s done it, Sean Hannity’s done it, and we all know Kim Kardashian has done it too. Now a Bay Area lawmaker [Assemblymember Marc Levine] wants all California voters to be able to do it too, without the threat of arrest. That is, take selfies in the voting booth.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-ballot-selfies-voter-turnout-bill-20160111-story.html

And Finally...

San Francisco goats no longer pining to eat discarded Christmas trees
A herd of 80 hungry goats, tasked with eating a city’s worth of discarded Christmas trees, have had their fill of your ancient holiday foliage and want no more of it, their keepers say.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-goats-don-t-want-to-eat-your-garbage-6743456.php

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