Nevada County Sustainability Digest

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law in October, SB 272 by Sen. John Laird, that requires local governments to plan for rising sea levels. It's already factoring into planning in places like Marin County.

The Grass Valley City Council and staff discussed efforts to procure electric vehicle charging stations. According to Tim Kiser, Grass Valley city manager, EV chargers would bring business to shopping districts of Grass Valley.

The Interconnected Disaster Risks Report 2023, published by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security, warns of six risk tipping points that will bring drastic changes to our socioecological systems if they are not addressed.

In a year marked by wildfire, catastrophic flooding, and deadly weather events, an international team of scientists has updated a report that has been cosigned by over 15,000 scientists representing 163 countries. According to the team, “life on planet Earth is under siege.”

In an effort to reduce the risk of wildfire, Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and students have embarked on a three-year study to investigate tree health.

A long-awaited, controversial report weighs updates to standards that state officials say have failed to protect fish and wildlife. But environmentalists, Native tribes and others already are furious about how long this has taken—and the state is years away from taking action.

Animal Place, an animal sanctuary in Nevada County, is offering a program designed for students interested in farmed animals and their care. The program is sponsored by an organization called Leaders for Ethics, Animals and the Planet.

Maintaining certain interactions so that they remain similar to those that have controlled Earth conditions over the past 12,000 years is critical for ensuring human activities do not trigger dramatic changes that likely would decrease the Earth’s ability to support modern civilizations.

Satellite data from across California’s landscapes reveal an increase in nitrogen dioxide levels in remote forest areas, and wildfire and soil emissions are likely the reasons why, according to a paper from UC Davis published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

Projections for Hawaii’s climate future are raising concerns about fire risk, ecosystems and freshwater supplies for homes and agriculture.

California’s only native sunfish, the Sacramento perch, was once abundant before invasive species decimated it. As the planet heats up and threatens cold-water game fish, the Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback, thanks to its ability to tolerate warm water.

As the planet heats up and threatens many cold-water game fish species like trout, the Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback, thanks in part to its ability to tolerate warm water and extreme conditions.

Researchers from UC Davis can now predict which forests could survive despite future drought. Their new method links precipitation to tree growth, and it can help people decide where to put their resources as climate change affects patterns of snow and rainfall.

Rotary screw traps, used to capture migrating juvenile fish, will be installed on the North Yuba River. But while they are important data gathering devices, RSTs can be dangerous to people and pets.

California’s leading air regulator acknowledged major roadblocks to meeting its ambitious carbon emissions target for 2030. The hurdles revolve around the feasibility of carbon capture technologies and the state’s flagship climate program, known as cap-and-trade.

The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) launched a $101 million grant program to support tribal initiatives that benefit their communities while helping to achieve the state’s world-leading climate and conservation goals.

The total number of climate change court cases has more than doubled since 2017 and is growing worldwide. These findings, published by the UN Environment Programme and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, show that climate litigation is becoming an integral part of securing climate action and justice.

As sea levels rise, many countries are considering a controversial strategy: relocation of communities. A Stanford analysis of planned relocations around the world reveals a blueprint for positive outcomes from an approach often considered a last resort.

Much has changed in a short time at Nevada Irrigation District. Fewer than five years ago, the water district was laying the groundwork for construction of the controversial Centennial Dam. Now there’s a new general manager and the dam has been back-burnered.

As oppressive heat continues to blanket much of the U.S., it’s especially crucial to take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones—furry friends included.

Raising Shasta Dam to increase its capacity would provide 634,000 more acre-feet of water per year, legislators say. But that assumes there will always be enough precipitation, and the move risks flooding sacred Native American lands and harming local habitats.

The International Civil Aviation Organization established the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, which aims to help reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe and USDA Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit are working both independently and collaboratively to stop the scenes of July 5th, which saw thousands of pounds of litter from one Lake Tahoe beach following the July 4th holiday, from happening again.

After 14 years, the Grass Valley Family Resource Center, located next door to the Grass Valley Charter School, has closed its doors. Full services will continue at locations in Penn Valley on the Ready Springs campus and San Juan Ridge on the Oak Tree campus.

In the magazine Nature, a team of scientists reports that they have detected changes in ocean color that cannot be explained by natural, year-to-year variability alone. These color shifts have occurred over 56 percent of the world’s oceans.

The Climate Transformation Alliance is launching a new program to address building electrification in the region, called the Truckee Tahoe Building Decarbonization Pilot Program.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe and ECO-CLEAN solutions are kicking off the 2023 summer season by expanding their robot-powered, beach-cleaning initiative to cover entire beaches in Lake Tahoe.

California lawmakers passed the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, permanently protecting the iconic and imperiled species.

Lake Tahoe saw a huge surge in visitors at the beginning of the pandemic. The North Tahoe Community Alliance, which serves as the region’s chamber of commerce, looks to address the resulting problems, such as overcrowding, garbage and traffic.

U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Tahoe Transportation District will receive $3.4 million to fund its Clean Transit Initiative.

The Salt & Straw ice cream chain is part of the upcycling movement, creating high-quality products from leftover food with flavors like Cacao Pulp & Chocolate Stracciatella Gelato, made from leftover cacao pulp from chocolate production.

BCycle, an industry leader in electric bike share operations and equipment used in communities around the country, is thrilled to bring bike share to Truckee.