Sacramento County Sustainability Digest

As California moves away from gas-powered technology, state officials have looked for ways to ease stress on our electrical grid. A recent California Energy Commission decision tackles the systems powering swimming pools.

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.

Three dam expansion projects could increase water storage for use in the Central Valley by a whopping 304,000 acre feet. Each of the projects—located in Merced, Madera and Fresno counties—would raise existing dams, not build new ones.

China modeled some of its climate programs on policies first adopted by California. Now, California depends on the world’s most populous country for essential materials in its electric vehicle ambitions.

The US Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees air quality, allows local air regulators to strike some pollution from air-quality records, using a mostly overlooked legal tool called the exceptional events rule.

Californians will require large corporations to publicly disclose their carbon emissions and financial risks posed by climate change, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills on Saturday considered the year’s strongest environmental legislation.

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.

Three tribal nations declared the designation of a marine stewardship area covering nearly 700 square miles of the tribes’ ancestral olands, stretching from the California-Oregon border to just south of Trinidad in Humboldt County.

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.

A new kind of ultra-reflective white paint, developed by researchers at Purdue University, reflects just over 98% of sunlight and has the potential to cool rooftops and asphalt and even help slow down the effects of climate change.

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.

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.

The Greater Sacramento Economic Council submitted an application for the Economic Development Administration Tech Hub program that aims to establish a Zero Emission Vehicle innovation asset on the campus of Sacramento State.

A group of four underserved Sacramento-area neighborhoods are the focus of a Sacramento State project that is researching the link between poor air quality and health issues.

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.

Americans risk hazardous weather conditions and natural disasters in fast-growing areas, finds NerdWallet analysis.

In April, the California Air Resources Board set a timeline for transitioning trucks to zero emissions. More recently, the agency launched CalFleet Advisor, a program to connect drivers to financial assistance.

Some 7,000 square miles of ocean on California’s Central Coast could soon become the largest national marine sanctuary in the continental U.S. It could also make history as one of the first federal sanctuaries to be spearheaded by a Native American tribe.

In an effort to address inflation and fund wildfire prevention and clean energy needs, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District will hold a public hearing regarding a series of proposed rate increases that would raise rates a total of more than 10 percent by 2025.

According to new data provided by the California Department of Finance, the Central Valley’s population is projected to grow by about 5 million people by 2060. Affordability is one of the main drivers that’s expected to continue shifting people inland.

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 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.

State water authorities estimated that 3.8 million acre-feet of water went into depleted underground reservoirs this year—enough for 11 million California households annually. That sounds good, but experts say it will take years of rain and effort from local water agencies to reach sustainability.

San Francisco has become the prime example of what downtowns shouldn’t look like: vacant, crime-ridden and in various stages of decay. But in truth, it’s just one of many cities across the U.S. whose downtowns are reckoning with a post-pandemic wake-up call.

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.

More than four in ten Californians reported being personally affected by an extreme weather event in the last two years, a poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found.

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 Sacramento County Board of Supervisors didn’t postpone a carbon neutrality goal after dozens of climate activists pushed back against proposed changes. In a 3-1 vote, with Supervisor Sue Frost abstaining, the board requested revisions including adding a requirement to measure progress on reducing emissions every five years.

Indigenous leaders and environmental groups gathered at California’s Capitol July 5 to rally for better access to clean water. Advocates support a trio of bills that would revamp the state’s approach to water rights given before 1914, often referred to as senior water rights.