Weekly Green: July 20, 2015

In recent headlines:

• California proposes historic $1.5M fine for taking water;
• Passage of California climate change bill could set global example;
• Report Fuels Fracking Ban Push in California;
• Drought will have little impact on California economy, says Moody's;
• ... and much more!

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TOP NEWS

California proposes historic $1.5M fine for taking water
California regulators on Monday proposed a first-of-its-kind, $1.5 million fine for a group of Central Valley farmers accused of illegally taking water during the drought. It would be the first such fine for holders of California's oldest claims to water.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/california-proposes-historic-15m-fine...

Passage of California climate change bill could set global example
Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), one of the bill's authors and its most high-profile champion in the Legislature, has been meeting individually with Assembly members to further secure their support.
http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-brown-vatican-20150719-s...

Report Fuels Fracking Ban Push in California
A new state-mandated report underscores how little is known about the risks associated with fracking in California, fueling a push by activists to temporarily halt the controversial practice statewide.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/17072015/report-fuels-fracking-ban-pus...

Drought will have little impact on California economy, says Moody's
The credit rating agency Moody's said last week that California's drought would have little economic impact on the state in the short term.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/07/20/53192/drought-will-have-little-impac...

CALIFORNIA NEWS

The Pope Calls on Jerry Brown to Preach Climate Change Gospel
The California governor has accepted an invitation to attend a symposium July 21 at the Vatican highlighting the threat of climate change and the havoc its unchecked spread would wreak.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-14/the-pope-calls-on-...

Jerry Brown, Pope Francis meet on climate change from worlds apart
Gov. Jerry Brown went off to the Vatican for high-profile talks this week on climate change. His host, Pope Francis, is an ambassador on the issue, too.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article2787...

Hawaii, California lead fight for renewable energy
Prodded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and led by California and Hawaii, states are tackling climate change and promoting renewable energy. But the fossil fuel industry and skeptical Republicans are pushing back.
http://capitolweekly.net/climate-change-hawaii-california-energy-renewab...

Climate Change: California's In Front And Not Looking Back
It was her first time test-driving a zero-emissions vehicle, an opportunity presented to her at a Tune In & Tune Up event at the county fairgrounds. At the day-long events organized by the non-profit Valley CAN, hundreds of drivers of high-polluting cars can get vouchers for smog repair.
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/07/20/climate-change-californias-i...

Steyer and de León: A friendship that may change the state
Kevin de León, leader of the California Senate, and Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager, have joined forces around their shared desire to fight global warming. After working together to pass an energy-efficiency ballot measure in 2012, they are teaming up this year to push for legislation that would reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions and shift the economy away from oil and gas.
http://www.bakersfield.com/News/2015/07/19/Steyer-and-de-Le-n-A-friendsh...

This California agency is fighting climate change and curbing pollution
Besides its longstanding mission to scrub California’s air of damaging pollutants, the ARB in recent years has taken charge of the state’s efforts to combat climate change, including the controversial cap-and-trade system that limits greenhouse gas emissions across most of the economy.
http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20150719/this-california...

California governor says 'Laudato Si'' was necessary wake-up call
Elections, like profit reports, have regular short-term rhythms, which is why Pope Francis' encyclical letter on the environment was so "appropriate and absolutely essential" for waking people up to the dangers of climate change, said California Gov. Jerry Brown.
http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/california-governor-says-laudato...

Opinion: Berryessa Snow Mountain’s new status as national monument is long overdue
With its rocky peaks, stunning waterfalls, rare flowers, bald eagles and herds of endangered tule elk, Northern Californians long have known that the Berryessa Snow Mountain region is a national treasure worthy of protecting. Even as a new resident of the state, I can see that. Now, at long last, the federal government agrees with us.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/erika-d-smith/article275...

Nick Josefowitz: The Failure of Me-First Transportation Planning
We must make the investments to upgrade our entire transportation networks to be more flexible, resilient, and reliable. It is only by thinking we-first, that we can make the smart investments to truly reduce the traffic and crowding that curse all of our commutes.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/the-failure-of-me-first-transportation-planning/

Thirsty birds are dying all over California — thanks, climate change
As if that weren’t bad enough on its own, there’s more: All those hot and dry conditions mean that climate change is basically flipping the bird to birds, which are in serious trouble as they make their long migrations over parched California.
http://grist.org/news/thirsty-birds-are-dying-all-over-california-thanks...

Activists Gather to Protest Arctic Drilling
In Santa Barbara, a group calling themselves "kayaktivists" called for President Obama to revoke Shell's oil and gas exploration leases in the Chukchi Sea, and prevent them from drilling in the Arctic.
http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=155889

Delta dispute raises urgent question: Whose water is it?
Driving his pickup along a levee on a recent sunny afternoon, Dennis Gardemeyer looked out over a massive canal brimming with California’s most contested water.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article276...

Fighting Climate Change and Food Waste With ‘Imperfect Produce’
If you fit the public media stereotype, you probably pride yourself on caring about the environment, right? Maybe you’re letting your lawn go brown, or trying to drive less. Some experts say there’s another way you can be environmentally friendly: Stop wasting food.
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/07/18/fighting-food-waste-at-the-grocery-s...

Drones continue to hurt Southern California fire-fighting efforts
When a drone grounded aircraft that were trying to fight the North fire on Friday afternoon, it was only the latest in a series of recent incidents where a drone interfered with local firefighters — and, officials said, risked lives.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20150717/NEWS/150719546

It's my water -- my grandfather paid for it, says California farmer
California water regulators flexed their muscles by ordering a group of farmers to stop pumping from a branch of the San Joaquin River amid an escalating battle over how much power the state has to protect waterways that are drying up in the drought.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20150717/NEWS/150719594

Water managers dodge bullet with 'May miracle' rains
At a time when water levels in Lake Mead were getting so low that officials prepared for drastic cutbacks, it started raining. A series of powerful storms pummeled the mountains that feed the Colorado River, a key source of water for California, Arizona and Nevada.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-may-miracle-drought-201507...

Bills aim to reform utilities agency
Legislation aimed at reforming the California Public Utilities Commission keeps winning support in the state Capitol, although some critics say the proposals don’t go far enough.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/16/bills-aim-to-reform...

California Assembly OKs measure to boost voter turnout in city elections
California cities with low voter turnouts would be required to consolidate their elections with the state elections, under legislation approved Thursday by the state Assembly.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-lawmakers-approve-measur...

NATIONAL & GLOBAL NEWS

House passes California drought bill, but Senate action is unlikely
Proponents said the measure would provide access to much-needed additional water and lay the groundwork for long-term water storage solutions, but opponents homed in on provisions that they said would harm the environment and interfere with state and local decisionmaking.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-house-drought-bill-20150716-story.html

U.S. likely to bar oil-waste dumping into 10 California aquifers
Oil companies will probably have to stop injecting their wastewater into 10 Central Valley aquifers that the state has let them use for years, in the latest fallout from a simmering dispute over whether California has adequately protected its groundwater from contamination.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/U-S-likely-to-bar-oil-waste-...

Another month, another global heat record broken -- by far
Off-the-charts heat is "getting to be a monthly thing," said Jessica Blunden, a climate scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June was the fourth month of 2015 that set a record, she said.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article27926197.html

California's presidential donations constitute 16% of total
California donors have provided strong backing to several candidates in the crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls, although none have come close to the cash pile amassed here by Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-california-campaign-money-2...

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