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Monterey County Environment Digest



California Enacts New Climate Rules — which Could Boost Gas Prices

11/08/2024

Experts don’t know how much gas prices may rise from the revised California climate program, which tightens standards and gives incentives for low-carbon fuels. The board ordered an annual review of the cost impacts.

Here We Go Again: California Prepares to Battle Trump Over Environmental Policies

11/07/2024

A lot is at stake with the new Trump administration: California’s water projects, its unique authority to clean its air, federal support for offshore wind and disaster aid for wildfires.

Proposition 4 $10 Billion Climate Bond Passes

11/05/2024

Learn more about how the just-passed $10 billion climate bond measure will fund resiliency projects across the state.

Dozen Air Pumps Turned on in Monterey Harbor to Prevent Massive Anchovy Die-Off

11/04/2024

An invasion of anchovies has prompted Monterey’s harbor master to activate more than a dozen air pumps to add oxygen to the water, to prevent their mass suffocation.Hundreds of sea lions and pelicans are crowding the city’s waterfront, drawn by the schools of migrating Northern anchovies, city officials said in a weekly email on Friday.

A Century Later, Salmon Again Spawning in Klamath River After Dams Removed

10/31/2024

Sixty years ago, I was a reporter for the Klamath Falls (Oregon) Herald and News and with my family lived in a small house on the Link River, which flows out of Upper Klamath Lake, draining a large portion of the Cascade mountain range.

Spotlight on Elkhorn Slough

10/27/2024

Learn how a Moss Landing Marine Laboratories has revealed new information about Elkhorn Slough and how the insights are being applied across the country.

Is a New Plan for Delivering Delta Water Worse Than Trump’s Rules? Environmentalists Say Yes.

10/24/2024

Growers support a federal and state proposal for operating California’s massive systems that send river water south. But it could harm more salmon and other endangered fish.

First California Project to Bury Climate-Warming Gases Wins Key Approval

10/21/2024

Capturing and storing carbon underground is a big part of California’s efforts to tackle climate change but community members and environmentalists say it prolongs the life of fossil fuels.

Environmental Rebate Explained

10/08/2024

How to apply rebate as part of the recent $80 million state program to electrify homes.

Board of Supervisors Approve Carmel Lagoon Project Environmental Review

09/11/2024

In their September 10 meeting, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the environmental review of the Carmel Lagoon flood control project, in draft since 2016.

California "30x30" Conservation Efforts Make Progress

09/08/2024

The California state goal to conserve 30% of its land and coastal waters has advanced, with conserved lands reaching 25% and coastal waters 16%.

California Seeks Biden Administration Approval for Controversial Diesel Truck Ban

08/14/2024

The EPA must grant a waiver before the diesel truck measure can be implemented. It’s one of California’s most controversial measures to clean up air pollution and greenhouse gases.

California Lawmakers Negotiating Sweeping Package to Speed Up Solar, Wind Energy

08/01/2024

Legislators and Gov. Newsom are working behind the scenes to draft energy legislation before the end-of-the-month deadline.

Marina Making Plans for Locke Paddon Park

07/19/2024

The City of Marina is working with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District on plans for improvements to the 17-acre Locke Paddon Park.

California Has Just Approved a New Blueprint for Offshore Wind. The Massive Projects Will Cost Billions

07/10/2024

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.

‘Nothing Will Be Protected’ — Why California Environmentalists Oppose a ‘Green’ Energy Bill

07/02/2024

Nearly every major environmental group in California opposes a bill that would modify the state’s signature environmental law to speed up upgrades to power lines. Supporters say it would help free the state from fossil fuels and make the grid more reliable, but opponents fear it would damage state parks.

Active Fire Season Forecasted

06/17/2024

With multiple fires already burning in the state, forecasters predict the coming fire season will be "very active."

California Wants to Be Carbon-Neutral by 2045. What Does That Mean for Its Big Economic Drivers?

05/27/2024

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.

Funding Secured for Floodplain Restoration

05/24/2024

The office of Rep. Jimmy Panetta announced the award of a $6 million federal grant to support the Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project work being undertaken by the California State Coastal Conservancy.

California Climate Programs Would Lose Billions in Newsom’s Budget

05/22/2024

As funds for climate change programs are cut, Democrats and environmentalists are pushing for a bond measure on the ballot to restore some funding.

Researchers to Study Spring Bay Orcas

05/18/2024

Researchers from the California Killer Whale Project and Vancouver-based Ocean Wise will be utilizing an innovative technique to study the local orca population.

Chuckwalla National Monument Would Protect Swath of California Desert and Preserve a Sacred Land

04/27/2024

Indigenous Californians want President Biden to establish a national monument in a stretch of desert that is both an ecological wonder and a window into their cultures.

Who Killed CA Utility Bill Legislation?

04/26/2024

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.

Land Trust Purchase Enhances Watershed

04/25/2024

The Big Sur Land Trust purchase of the 84-acre parcel protects and enhances the Canyon Del Rey watershed.

Examining the Cal State Monterey Bay Inclusive Sustainability Plan

04/22/2024

A look at the progress made toward the goals outlined in the CSUMB Inclusive Sustainability Plan created in 2020.

As Salmon Are Released Into the Klamath River, Tribal Leaders See a 'Symbol of Hope'

04/20/2024

California has released 500,000 salmon into the Klamath River. As dams are removed, the fish will be some of the first to return to a free-flowing river.

A Plan to Change Your Utility Rates Is Dividing California Environmentalists. Here’s Why

04/18/2024

The California Public Utilities Commission will consider on May 9 a new proposal that would change how Californians pay for electricity.

California Sets Nation’s First Water Standard for Cancer-Causing Contaminant

04/17/2024

Water suppliers say the costs will be massive, with rates increasing for many consumers. Known as the “Erin Brockovich” chemical, hexavalent chromium is found statewide.

PG&E Hit With $225-Million Lawsuit for 2021 Dixie Fire Damages

04/14/2024

A coalition of timber businesses filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the embattled Pacific Gas & Electric Co., alleging $225 million in damages caused by the 2021 Dixie Fire.

California Requires New Homes to Have Solar Panels. Should Wildfire Victims Get a Break?

04/11/2024

A California Republican’s bill would exempt low and middle income wildfire victims from solar panels requirements on rebuilt homes that didn’t have them when they burned down.

California's Largest Reservoir Is Close to Full

04/11/2024

California's reservoirs are brimming with water, and even Shasta Lake could fill up.

Part of Highway 1 Near Big Sur Crumbles as New Landslide Closes More of Historic Roadway

03/30/2024

Highway 1 is closed indefinitely from Palo Colorado Road to Rocky Creek Bridge, the California Department of Transportation said on social media after a new landslide eroded part of the roadway.

Featured

A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI
Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
The Public Shore Protectors
Born amid controversy, this public agency is responsible for managing some of the most precious real estate in the world.
A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
Water is a human right under California law, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Agriculture and Water Shortages in the State’s Breadbasket, Explained
There are many causes contributing to this crisis. And as you may already know, this situation really is nuts.
RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
California Dirt
RCDs were created to avoid a repeat of the Dust Bowl. Now they work with landowners to preserve the air, water and natural habitats that sustain us all.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Over two weekends last October, residents of Santa Cruz and Watsonville  participated in demonstration rides aboard an electric streetcar on rails.
The ‘Rail Trail’ Movement, Explained
The heated controversy over what to do with abandoned railroad tracks
Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the world’s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
Solar Power and California’s Clean Energy Goals
How the sun is helping push the state toward 100 percent renewable energy.
Just because record rains have been falling, the state’s water crisis remains.
What Is Drought? Probably Not What You Think
Recent torrential rains have helped, but California's drought is a long way from over.
From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis
In a state that declares water a “human right,” more than 2 percent of its residents have no drinkable water.
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
What Is a Community Foundation?
By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.
Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment
The hidden price tag of “reclaiming” swamps and marshes as usable land.
The Pajaro River levee broke during the 2023 atmospheric river storms, flooding the town of Pajaro.
Is California Ready for More Extreme Weather Driven by Climate Change?
Increasingly extreme weather events are already testing California’s preparedness.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
Long-duration energy storage, such as this thermal energy storage facility, allows renewable energy sources to operate at full capacity without overloading the power grid.
How California Leads the Race For Long Duration Energy Storage
For renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to be viable, ways to store the power they create are essential.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
California has a goal of 6 million heat pumps cooling and heating buildings by 2030.
6 Million New Heat Pumps: Essential to California's Climate Future
Installing 6 million heat pumps by 2030 is essential if California is to reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions.
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
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