El Dorado County Sustainability Digest

Harnessing clean energy is a venture of unprecedented scope in California, bringing big changes to Humboldt and the Central Coast, and requiring 26 ports along the coast.

An astonishing 229 tons of mattresses, furniture, appliances, electronics and other refuse was dropped off by residents and collected by volunteers during the annual "$5 dollar dump day" held on June 8 in South Lake Tahoe.

Legal rights to use water — particularly those obtained prior to 1914 — lie at the heart of California’s perpetual wrangling over the allocation of increasingly limited water supplies.

The El Dorado Irrigation District water treatment plant is 63 years old and plans are underway for renovations and upgrades.

Tens of thousands of California homeowners, especially those who live in areas at risk of wildfires, have lost their insurance or have to pay more to keep coverage. One after another, major companies have pulled out of the state, many citing the cost of claims.

Aiming to store more water and protect the public, legislators are negotiating with the governor to restore $50 million to help repair 42 aging dams throughout the state.

The two-day CalMatters Ideas Festival wrapped on June 6 with more than a dozen events examining critical policy issues impacting the lives of millions of Californians.

These community projects can give renters and low-income homeowners a chance to go solar, but the PUC’s action is unlikely to give them the option.

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, flew more 6,000 miles to Rome this month to deliver a brief speech on climate change at a Vatican-sponsored conference.

It’s been almost a half-century since I first heard the term “peripheral canal” uttered by William Gianelli, who was then-Gov. Ronald Reagan’s top water official. The project, in one form or another, had already been kicking around for decades.

The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals recognized the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan with the Project Excellence Award during the National Outdoor Recreation Conference held May 4 - 9 in Stateline.

The month-long event will highlight 21 titles, with proceeds benefitting local nonprofit Clean Up the Lake.

The California Tahoe Conservancy announced public comment and feedback is open for their 2024-2029 draft strategic plan.

A bill to rein in a proposed monthly fee on California electric bills would let California’s largest for-profit utility companies charge customers $24 per month — with fees as low as $6 for lower-income customers — as a kind of membership fee for the power grid.

Citing limited staff resources and budget, El Dorado County Supervisors put a halt to staff work to amend the cannabis ordinance.

Grizzly Flat residents speak out against a proposed biomass facility proposed by District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo.

The Lake Tahoe Unified School District has begun operating an initial 5 electric school buses and charging stations, with 15 more expected to be funded through an upcoming grant.

An Earth Day celebration is taking place at Lake Tahoe Community College on Saturday, April 27 10AM - to 3PM.

The Tahoe Prosperity Center is calling for submissions to its Project Inventory Form of projects driving innovation in sectors such as Environmental Innovation, Health and Wellness, Outdoor/Sustainable Recreation and others.

The Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council announced the hiring of Meyers resident Nettie Pardue as its first managing director, tasked with coordinating 30 parters to implement the Destination Stewardship Plan.

The city released a survey for resident input on government input and quality of life with the intent of utilizing the feedback in strategic planning for the future.

The buildings and parking lot on the 31 acre South Lake Tahoe Motel 6 property on the upper Truckee River will be removed and the land restored.

El Dorado Disposal requests customers to not dispose of e-waste in the trash, and provides free curbside battery pick-up upon request. There are also drop-off locations in Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills and Placerville.

The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians announced a $653,120 grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling program for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia program.

The consumer price index shows services are mostly responsible for persistent inflation, but prices for food and other goods in California remain high.

El Dorado County’s 2023-24 mid-year budget report projects the midyear General Fund balance will be just under $17 million, down from the previous year’s $25.9 million

Part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the projects include California’s Lava Cap Mine in Nevada City, Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine in Clearlake Oaks, and Southern Avenue Industrial Area in South Gate.

Ecologists estimate that up to 14,000 sequoias have been killed in recent wildfires. The National Park Service for the first time has begun replanting some severely burned areas.

New research warns of a possible collapse in Atlantic Ocean currents due to climate change. That could fundamentally alter global weather patterns.

There was a time not so long ago when trained observers were overwhelmed by the number of whales migrating through Monterey Bay.

The Wildlife Conservation Board voted to award $10.3 million to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to preserve the 27,000-acre Camatta Ranch in Santa Margarita.

California electric vehicle sales dropped significantly in the last half of 2023, raising questions about the state’s ability to phase out gas-powered cars.