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San Joaquin County Environment Articles



Image caption: Just because record rains have been falling, the state’s water crisis remains.
What Is Drought? Probably Not What You Think

2023’s torrential rainstorms have eased California's drought conditions. But there’s a lot more to drought than the amount of rain, and this drought isn't over yet.

Image caption: Heavy storms prompted the state to extend tax deadlines for most California residents.
Storms Could Make Newsom’s Budget Problems Worse

Climate change driven storms are creating new problems for Gavin Newsom and California's budget process, which is already reeling from a projected $25 billion deficit that emerged after a $97 billion surplus disappeared.

Image caption: Kevin McCarthy (CA-20) is the new House Speaker, but his constituents remain badly short of water.
CNN: Kevin McCarthy AWOL on Central Valley Water Crisis

Kevin McCarthy has reached the top position in the U.S. House, but has still fallen short in addressing the ongoing water crisis in his owndistrict, a new CNN.com report says.

Image caption: Sean de Guzman of the California Department of Water Resources conducts the first snow survey of the 2023 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Jan. 3.
Is California’s Drought Over?

A dozen days of wet and wild weather haven’t ended the drought, and won't cure the driest period in the West in the past 1,200 years.

Image caption: Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed $6 billion in cuts to programs designed to fight climate change.
As Storm Batters California, Newsom Calls for Climate Cuts

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.

Image caption: Explaining California is hard work! But at California Local, we were up for it throughout 2022.
Explaining California in 2022: Our 10 Best Explainers of the Year

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.

Image caption: Lake Oroville, one of California's largest reservoirs, is only 59% of capacity as of Dec. 12 — despite recent rains and snow. The reservoir is shown here in May 2022.
Is California’s Drought Over? Water Providers Predict Shortages

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

Image caption: California aims to be 100 percent coal-free by 2026. Can other states follow suit?
Why California Uses Less Coal Than Most Other States

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.

Image caption: How did oil come to dominate both California's and the world's economy—and daily life?
Can We Break Oil’s Grip on the World Energy Economy?

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.

Image caption: Natural gas produces less CO2 than gasoline when burned, but the story is not that simple.
Natural Gas and California’s Energy Future

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.

Image caption: Fossil fuel gasses released into the atmosphere trap heat that reflects back to the surface.
Fossil Fuels and Climate Change: A Brief Introduction

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

Image caption: It may not seem like it, but California has too many parking spaces.
New Housing and Climate Law Cuts Back on Parking Spaces

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.

Image caption: 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

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.

Image caption: Action Heroes: EA promotes alternative transportation year round, not just during Bike Month.
Ecology Action’s Plan for a Greener Future

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.

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Can California Really Make its Power Grid 100% Green?

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

Image caption: Dig into daily tips provided by two master gardeners.
Welcome to Sacramento Digs Gardening

We’ve made our proprietary content management platform available for fellow publishers.

Image caption: Electric cars charging up will be a common sight in California by 2035.
California Bans Sales of Gasoline Cars by 2035: Here’s What it Means

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.

Image caption: Pres. Joe Biden (r) signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes incentives for clean energy.
How the Inflation Reduction Act Will Save You Money

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.

Image caption: Edward C. Hyatt hydroelectric plant was forced to shut down due to low water levels in Lake Oroville reservoir.
Is Hydroelectric Energy Really Clean? It’s Complicated

Hydroelectric is widely thought of as renewable energy that can help California achieve its climate goals. But the state doesn't even count large hydro plants toward its goal of 100 percent renewable electricity sources.

Image caption: J and K streets in downtown Sacramento during the Great Flood of 1862. Another great flood could be on the way.
California Megastorm: The Real Risk of a ‘Biblical’ Flood

The chances of a 'biblical' megastorm devastating California have doubled over the past century, thanks to climate change, a new study warns. And as the globe continues to warm, the possibility of disaster only gets worse.

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.
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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