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San Joaquin County Sustainability Digest



San Joaquin Valley Ground Level Sinking

12/02/2024

Excessive groundwater pumping is behind the sinking of the ground level in the San Joaquin Valley. Read on to learn more about the Stanford University research behind this startling finding.

Trump Has Promised to ‘End’ Offshore Wind. What Will That Mean for California’s Big Bet?

11/13/2024

Trump’s promise to “end” the offshore wind industry could threaten CA’s renewable energy goals, potentially cutting off federal funding.

Once a Week Landscape Watering Mandated in Ripon

11/06/2024

In a bid to reduce water usage, the City of Ripon has mandated a once a week landscape watering schedule through the end of February.

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.

A Third Straight Year With No California Salmon Fishing?  Early Fish Counts Suggest It Could Happen

10/30/2024

Low counts of spawning salmon could mean another year without fishing. Experts say the outlook still has time to turn around.

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.

California Reservoirs Are Full, but Water Politics May Trump Hydrology

10/23/2024

Most of us operate on the calendar year — the 12 months that begin on January 1 and end on December 31.

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.

Rebates Available for Energy Efficient Appliances

10/09/2024

Learn more about a statewide program offering rebates for energy efficient electric heating and cooling appliances.

Environmental Rebate Explained

10/08/2024

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

Stockton Breaks 100 Degree Days Heat Record

09/26/2024

The City of Stockton recorded its 41st day of temperatures at or above 100 degrees on September 24, breaking the record of 40 days set in 2022.

Spotlight on Proposed Wood Pellet Facility at Port of Stockton

09/11/2024

Stocktonia provides background information about a proposed wood pellet facility to be located at the Port of Stockton, and some of the concerns around the project.

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%.

Manteca to Replace Blue Recycle Carts

09/03/2024

Beginning the week of September 16, the City of Manteca will be replacing resident blue recycle carts with new ones in preparation for weekly recycling pickups.

Local Youth Demonstrate for Climate in Downtown Sacramento

08/22/2024

Dozens of young people held a demonstration on August 17 in downtown Sacramento to protest the banking industry's contribution to the escalating effects of climate change.

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.

Solar and Battery Storage Coming to Manteca Schools

07/26/2024

New state green energy rules for public education facilities mean that Measure A funded upgrades to Brock Elliott and Joshua Cowell schools will include solar panels and onsite battery storage.

California Needs a Million EV Charging Stations — but That’s ‘Unlikely’ and ‘Unrealistic’

07/15/2024

Public chargers must be built at an unprecedented pace to meet the target in less than 7 years, and then doubled to 2 million in 2035. The high cost — $120,000 or more for one fast charger— is just one obstacle.

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.

In Rain, Snow and Drought, California’s Fights Over Water Rights, Supplies Persist

06/17/2024

Legal rights to use water — particularly those obtained prior to 1914 — lie at the heart of California’s perpetual wrangling over the allocation of increasingly limited water supplies.

Will This Plan Fix CA Home Insurance Crisis?

06/13/2024

Tens of thousands of California homeowners, especially those who live in areas at risk of wildfires, have lost their insurance or have to pay more to keep coverage. One after another, major companies have pulled out of the state, many citing the cost of claims.

These California Dams Need Repairs. But Newsom Plans to Cut Grants in Half

06/12/2024

Aiming to store more water and protect the public, legislators are negotiating with the governor to restore $50 million to help repair 42 aging dams throughout the state.

CalMatters Hosts Big Ideas Festival

06/07/2024

The two-day CalMatters Ideas Festival wrapped on June 6 with more than a dozen events examining critical policy issues impacting the lives of millions of Californians.

California Sides With Big Utilities, Trimming Incentives for Community Solar Projects

05/30/2024

These community projects can give renters and low-income homeowners a chance to go solar, but the PUC’s action is unlikely to give them the option.

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.

Decadeslong Delta Tunnel Water Project May Finally Be Nearing a Historic Decision

05/23/2024

It’s been almost a half-century since I first heard the term “peripheral canal” uttered by William Gianelli, who was then-Gov. Ronald Reagan’s top water official. The project, in one form or another, had already been kicking around for decades.

Manteca Water Conservation Efforts Succeeding

05/08/2024

Monthly water use in Manteca is almost 90 million gallons less than in 2013, despite a population growth of 17,000 since.

Hundreds of Volunteers Show Lodi Some Love

05/01/2024

The April 27 Love Lodi event saw a turnout of nearly 1,000 volunteers completing 60 projects throughout the city.

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.

Arbor Day Trees Planted at Yosemite Village Park

04/25/2024

17 trees were planted at Yosemite Village Park on Arbor Day April 25 by the Manteca Garden Club with the City of Manteca.

Manteca Unified School District Energy Costs Increase

04/17/2024

Energy costs increased by $1.4M during the last school year at Manteca Unified School District.

Lodi Votes on EV Charge Fees

04/06/2024

The Lodi City County voted to add hourly fees for use of city-owned EV charge stations beginning June 1.

Featured

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.
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.
Dairy products are California’s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance
Greener ways to feed the world’s growing population
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.
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.
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.
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