Monterey County Environment Articles

With a projected $25 billion deficit, Newsom proposes slashing $6 billion from climate change programs even as a historic storm likely driven by climate change batters the state.

David Schmalz here, thinking about sand. That’s because, with the recent storms, the beaches along southern Monterey Bay will be seeing more of it. Monterey County officials cut a canal in the Salinas River in December as a preventative measure…

2022 was a year that needed a lot of explaining. And California Local was there. Here are our 10 most important explanatory journalism stories from the year gone by, from immigration to cryptocurrency to wealth inequality and more.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management owns more of Monterey County than meets the eye. Its holdings include underground mineral rights. Back in 2017, the BLM’s regional office undertook a planning process for its federal mineral estate, parts of which…

Despite December storms, water supplies remain low in many areas. Some managers expect to impose severe restrictions on their customers.

Pam Marino here, writing after taking a brisk morning walk to see the overwintering monarchs at the Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Mornings are the best time to see the clusters of butterflies in the trees, huddled together against the…

As social media platforms exploded over the last 15 years, so did the exposure of picture-perfect destinations in Big Sur, which seem to have become a bucket list for many out-of-town travelers. It’s why traffic on Highway 1 often snarls…

Pesticides have long been an issue in the “salad bowl of the world,” for obvious reasons: pests like salad – and strawberries and grapes, too.

Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, yet it is the source of 40 percent of the world's energy. California remains an exception to coal industry dominance, using and producing less coal that almost any other state.

Oil aka petroleum holds a tighter grip on California than any other energy source. Here's how Big Oil came to dominate the state and world economy, and some hints at how oil's grip may finally loosen.

Natural gas is sometimes called a 'clean' fossil fuel, but it comes with considerable risks to the environment in both its use and how it is extracted. Here's how natural gas is a major cause of climate change.

How does extracting and burning fossil fuels cause the planet to heat up, leading to catastrophic climate change? Here's a brief explanation.

There's too much parking! Why a new law, AB 2097, cutting back on parking space requirements in new housing and business developments could be a game changer for the climate, and the housing crisis.

Solar power, and a network of giant battery storage facilities, are playing an essential role in moving California toward its goal of exclusive reliance on renewable energy sources.

Wood-burning fires on Carmel Beach has been a burning issue in Carmel for over a decade and the Carmel City Council has logged more hours in hearings on it than on probably any other contentious issue. Residents are split between…

For half a century, this group has reduced waste, reimagined local transportation and redesigned buildings. It’s all part of Ecology Action’s quest for sustainability.

New legislation accelerates California's self-mandate to convert to a carbon-free electrical grid by 2045. But can the state actually do it?

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California will ban sales of gasoline vehicles starting in 2035, phasing in electric cars each year until 100 percent of new car sales will be EVs under the new requirements. Here's what it means for you.

The new Inflation Reduction Act offers substantial cash savings to California homeowners who convert to clean energy by using heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicles.