Santa Cruz County Local Environment News Articles and Digest

From Good Times...

Public Safety Environment Agriculture & Gardening Resilience Neighborhoods

Pajaro Gets $20 Million in State Budget

06/29/2023
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The money will help Pajaro residents recover from flooding, regardless of immigration status.

From YubaNet...

Environment Parks & Recreation Sustainability

California Legislature Passes Joshua Tree Protection Law

06/28/2023
California lawmakers passed the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, permanently protecting the iconic and imperiled species.

From CalMatters...

Economy & Jobs Environment Land Use & Development

How Proposed Infrastructure Deal Will Affect Development, Wildlife

06/28/2023
Environmentalists and project proponents agree: Infrastructure bills crafted by legislators and Newsom are a good compromise to streamline development. The package aims to speed up lawsuits for solar farms, reservoirs and other infrastructure, and relax protection of some species.

From CalMatters...

Economy & Jobs Environment Government

Will California’s Largest Pension Funds Divest From Fossil Fuels?

06/28/2023
Climate activists and some lawmakers want two of California’s pension funds to shed about $15 billion of fossil fuel holdings. They say the move would reduce oil and gas companies’ political power, but opponents say it would be a bad move financially.

From Good Times...

Public Safety Environment Sustainability Resilience

Burning Up

06/27/2023
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Prescribed Burn Associations could be the future of mitigating wildfires in Santa Cruz County. These volunteer associations pool their resources, time and knowledge to put “good fire” back on the land.

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Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Government

$15.5 Billion ‘Climate Bond’ Headed for 2024 Ballot

06/27/2023
Image for display with article titled $15.5 Billion ‘Climate Resiliency Bond’ Getting Ready for Voters on 2024 Ballot

After cuts to climate change spending in budget, state to propose massive bond issue.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water Government

California Budget Deal Delivers Major Setback to Delta Water Tunnel Project

06/27/2023
California Gov. Gavin Newsom had to concede defeat on trying to get the Legislature to give a very contentious water tunnel project streamlined regulatory treatment.

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Economy & Jobs Environment Health Government Resilience

How California Protects Workers From Rising Heat

06/26/2023
Image for display with article titled The Heat is On! What California is Doing to Protect Workers From Rising Temperatures

Hot temperatures kill employees every year and climate change is making work more deadly.

From CalMatters...

Economy & Jobs Environment Government

California May Force Big Businesses to Disclose Climate Impacts

06/26/2023
Corporate reports would reveal top polluters and climate-related financial risks. But companies warn about faulty data and a “gold-plated exercise” if the two bills become law.

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Economy & Jobs Environment Land Use & Development Sustainability Housing Government

Should Zoning Laws Be Abolished?

06/21/2023
Image for display with article titled Should Zoning Be Abolished? How the Land Use Laws We Take For Granted Are Hurting Us

Zoning laws create segregation, inequality and unsustainability. So why do we keep them?

From CalMatters...

Environment Elections & Politics Government

California Lawmakers Wage Delta Water War With Newsom

06/20/2023
Legislators threatened to reject Newsom’s infrastructure package if he won’t remove the Delta water tunnel. The issue could be ammunition as the budget deadline looms.

From YubaNet...

Public Safety Environment

First-of-Its-Kind Fund Provides Support to Reduce Wildfire Risks

06/19/2023
The State of California will provide new protections for prescribed fire and cultural burning practitioners. The $20 million allocated for the Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot will cover losses in the rare instance that a prescribed or cultural burn escapes control.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Environment Land Use & Development Parks & Recreation

Apple Co-Founder to Sell Huge Carmel Valley Ranch for $35 million to Become Public Nature Preserve

06/18/2023
Rana Creek Ranch is half the size of the city of San Francisco, with “the grandeur of many of California’s state parks.”

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Environment Animals Sustainability

Program Helps to Protect Blue Whales

06/17/2023
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, likened to the “Serengeti of the Sea,” is world-renowned for its mammal, bird, and habitat diversity.

From Good Times...

Environment Agriculture & Gardening Sustainability County of Santa Cruz

Our Shot to Let It Rot

06/14/2023
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At the Dimeo Lane Resource Recovery Center, the program responds to the SB1383 mandate that each jurisdiction reduce organic waste by 75% relative to 2014 levels by 2025.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Environment Land Use & Development Housing City of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz City Council Suspends Natural Gas Ordinance

06/14/2023
The city’s attorney analyzed the ruling and it was determined that there was no way to avoid applicability in Santa Cruz.

From Good Times...

Environment Water Animals

Toxic Chemicals Found in Local Waterways

06/07/2023
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In a recent study, the City of Santa Cruz found high levels of a chemical that is lethal to Coho salmon, which once thrived in the San Lorenzo River but are now on the endangered species list.

From Tahoe Daily Tribune...

Public Safety Environment Water

Judge Allows Use of Fire Retardant While Permit Pends

06/06/2023
The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana ruled the U.S. Forest Service can continue to use aerial fire retardant to fight wildfires while waiting on a Clean Water Act permit.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Environment Animals

Great White Sharks Lurked Near Swimmers, Surfers 97% of the Time in Drone Study

06/06/2023
Shark researchers have released “shocking” results from a 2-year drone study showing that apex predators came very close to people.

From Good Times...

Environment

Plasticless Fantastic: Low Turnout at the 46th Annual Santa Cruz County Coastal Cleanup

06/01/2023
Image for display with article titled Plasticless Fantastic: Low Turnout at the 46th Annual Santa Cruz County Coastal Cleanup

Cars driving along Portola Drive on Saturday honked and cheered at the dozen or so volunteers collecting plastic from the roadside. The volunteers were participating in the 46th coastal cleanup, hosted by Clean Oceans International (COI), as well as One People One Reef and Surfrider, that kicked off Memorial Day weekend on May 27. Based [...]

Santa Cruz County Local News: Environment