Weekly Green: September 15, 2015

In recent headlines:

• Gov. Jerry Brown decries 'political pollution' on climate change;
• Obama administration directs $250 million toward fighting wildfires;
• Navy agrees to restrict offshore training to protect marine mammals;
• Bills to regulate medical marijuana head to Gov. Jerry Brown;
• ... and much more!

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TOP NEWS

Gov. Jerry Brown decries 'political pollution' on climate change
Last week, Gov. Jerry Brown was struggling in Sacramento with some of his fellow Democrats who refused to support his goal of slashing gasoline use on state roads. But on Tuesday in Los Angeles, where he attended a summit on climate change with American and Chinese leaders, he was targeting Republicans.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-political-pollution-20150915-story.html
Obama administration directs $250 million toward fighting wildfires
The Obama administration has directed $250 million toward fighting the wildfires raging in California and elsewhere, in addition to $450 million already transferred from different parts of the federal budget earlier this year to go toward fighting such disasters, officials said Tuesday.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-wildfires-federal-aid-20150915-story.html
Navy agrees to restrict offshore training to protect marine mammals
The Navy has agreed to curtail its use of sonar and underwater explosives during training exercises in key marine mammal habitat off Southern California and Hawaii.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-navy-settlement-20150914-story.html
Bills to regulate medical marijuana head to Gov. Jerry Brown
With California voters likely to consider legalizing recreational marijuana use next year, state lawmakers approved a package of legislation that would create the first statewide licensing and operating rules for pot growers and retail weed outlets since the state became the first to legalize medical marijuana in 1996.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_XGR_MEDICAL_MARIJUANA_CAOL-?SITE=CASON&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-12-02-38-42

WILDFIRES

Governor authorizes additional $12.5 million to fight wildfires
 The money, which comes from the state’s special fund for wildfire suppression, will help state firefighters battling two of California’s most treacherous blazes: the Valley fire in Lake and Napa counties, which has burned more than 61,000 acres and led to one death; and the Butte fire in Amador and Calaveras counties that has burned more than 71,000 acres.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ln-governor-authorizes-additional-12-5-million-to-fight-wildfires-20150914-story.html
Gov. Jerry Brown calls fast-moving wildfires 'scary'
Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday that the wildfires sweeping through large portions of the state are “scary” because unusually dry conditions are causing them to spread at extraordinary rates.
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/09/14/gov-sees-damn-serious-fire-situation-costs-top-212-million
Computer models failing to accurately predict path of flames
Wildfires that have overwhelmed firefighters in California this summer are stumping computer models designed to predict where they'll burn. CalFire Director Ken Pimlott said Monday that fires are exceeding what models will predict during the drought.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_WILDFIRES_PREDICTING_FLAMES_CAOL-?SITE=CASON&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-15-17-32-45
Wildfire damages part of huge geothermal power generator -- Fires have damaged five cooling towers at the Geysers geothermal power generation facility. The facility continues to produce electricity at more than two-thirds of its full capacity, said Brett Kerr, a spokesman for the plant’s operator, Houston-based Calpine.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Valley-Fire-burns-structures-at-The-Geysers-6503594.php
3 major fires burn out of control; governor warns 'there is more to come'
There was little good news Monday on the California fire front. Three major wildfires were burning out of control, and Gov. Jerry Brown warned that, given the ravages of drought and the growing influence of climate change, "there is more to come."
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-fire-battle-20150915-story.html

CLIMATE CHANGE

Lawmakers send Jerry Brown scaled-back climate change measure
After Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders suffered major setbacks on climate bills earlier this week, lawmakers on Friday sent a less sweeping greenhouse gas reduction measure to the governor.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article35018688.html
Jerry Brown warns of mass migration in California if global warming continues
 Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday that his legislative setbacks on climate change last week should be viewed “not in terms of me,” warning California will endure European-style effects of mass migration if the state fails to act on global warming.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/science/article/Gov-Brown-Valley-Fire-a-call-to-action-for-6503741.php
Democratic California governor confronts political setbacks
California Gov. Jerry Brown has grown accustomed to reveling in political victories since his return to the state capital in 2011, his national luster restored by shoring up the state's finances and the spotlight on his agenda to cut carbon emissions.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CA_XGR_CALIFORNIA_GOVERNOR_POLITICAL_LOSSES_CAOL-?SITE=CASON&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-12-13-32-54
Mandatory cuts in gas usage got sidelined by larger power struggles
One of Gov. Jerry Brown's most ambitious environmental goals was hanging in the balance when two powerful California lawmakers met for dinner near the Capitol.
http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-sac-brown-legislature-20150913-story.html
Morain: How oil won the battle for SB 350
Before he would commit to voting for landmark legislation to cut petroleum use by 50 percent, Assemblyman Adam Gray had a few requests. Actually, it was more than a few. The term sheet runs three pages. The quid for the quo is something to behold.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article34976295.html
A rising force, moderate Democrats put their stamp on California legislative session
On the final day of the session Friday, Democrats who dominate the California Assembly labored to pass a watered-down measure expanding the state’s unpaid family leave policy. They were at least eight votes short, with stiff resistance from business-friendly moderates in their party.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article35072760.html
Walters: Moderate bloc bests governor
As the final fortnight of the 2015 legislative session began, Capitol handicappers were predicting a concluding cascade of landmark legislation.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/dan-walters/article35051406.html
Analysis: Gov. Brown shares blame for oil bill’s problems
It was an angry Gov. Jerry Brown who pulled his landmark plan to cut gasoline use by 50 percent by 2030 after not only Republicans but also moderate Democrats said they weren’t convinced it could — or should — be done.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Jerry-Brown-shares-blame-for-green-bill-s-woes-6499373.php
GOP lawmakers seek review of green energy ballot initiative
They cite an Associated Press report last month that found only 1,700 jobs have been created in the three years since voters approved Proposition 39 after voters were told it would create 11,000 jobs annually.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article35267967.html
California Legislature: Green tech gets green light
Despite a testy and drawn-out political battle, the new green mandates just approved by state lawmakers -- higher efficiency standards for buildings, more reliance on renewable energy -- signal good news for the state's clean-energy industry.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_28798081/green-tech-gets-green-light-california

MORE ENVIRONMENTAL & POLITICAL NEWS

Drought is no reason to ease environmental protections, California voters say
After four parched years, most California voters seem to be taking the drought in stride, saying it has had little to no effect on their daily lives. They oppose sacrificing environmental protections to expand water supplies and generally approve of how Gov. Jerry Brown has handled the crisis, according to a new statewide USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.
http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-poll-drought-20150911-htmlstory.html
Texas firm in Santa Barbara oil spill ordered to fix 'probable' safety violations
Federal pipeline safety regulators Friday issued a series of warnings to the Texas owners of an oil pipeline that ruptured and spilled as many as 143,000 gallons of crude along the Santa Barbara Coast in May.
http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2015/09/11/months-before-oil-spill-signs-of-poor-record-keeping-found
Highlights of key bills California lawmakers sent to Brown
California lawmakers sent Gov. Jerry Brown hundreds of bills in the final sprint to the end of their legislative session Friday. The following is a look at key bills now headed to the governor:
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article35023272.html
California lawmakers want special session to tackle drought
A bipartisan group of 47 state Assembly members delivered a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday asking him to declare a special session to tackle problems related to California's ongoing drought.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_XGR_CALIFORNIA_LEGISLATURE_DROUGHT_CAOL-?SITE=CASON&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-09-11-21-40-25
Sierra Nevada snowpack hit a 500-year low in 2015
When California Gov. Jerry Brown stood in a snowless Sierra Nevada meadow on April 1 and ordered unprecedented water restrictions because of the drought, it was the first spring in 75 years of observation that the area lacked snow.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/science/article/This-year-s-snowpack-the-bleakest-in-500-years-6503680.php
Endangered species return to restored salt pond            
Two endangered species of animals -- Clapper Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse -- have returned to a nearly lifeless former salt pond in the southern San Francisco Bay, the first proof that the ambitious 30-year South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is helping nature heal.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_28807544/endangered-species-return-restored-salt-pond
Record L.A. storm won't help much with water shortage
Southern California awoke to a deluge of rain -- a welcome relief in drought country. But how much will the record rain help the water shortage? The short answer is not that much.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-record-l-a-storm-20150915-story.html
PG&E’s ‘shady’ conduct hindered probe, investigators say
Federal investigators complained that secret meddling, arrogance and “shady” conduct on the part of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. hindered their probe into the deadly San Bruno gas pipeline explosion, according to new court filings that shed light on prosecutors’ decision to seek a criminal obstruction-of-justice case against the company. 
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/PG-E-s-shady-conduct-hindered-probe-6501122.php
Number of California lobbyists grows over past decade
There is a lot of advocacy work to go around. As of June 30, there were 1,760 lobbyists registered with the state, according to filings with the secretary of state. That is down slightly from last year, but about 100 more than a comparable time in 2013, the first half of the 2013-2014 legislative session.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article34953855.html

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