Tahoe Truckee Region Local Environment News Articles

Environment

NY Times Meteorologist Talks California’s Big Year of Weather for 2023

12/11/2023
Judson Jones, a meteorologist and reporter for The New York Times, gave a Q&A about California’s year of intense weather. This included the state’s largest snowpack in 40 years and a “pretty astonishing” amount of precipitation.

From YubaNet...

Environment Animals

Millions of Birds Lose Precious Energy Due to New Year’s Eve Fireworks

12/11/2023
Birds are affected by the mass use of fireworks on New Year’s Eve up to a distance of 10 km away, reports an international team of researchers.

From Sacramento Bee...

Environment Water Agriculture, Food & Gardening Government

State Releases EIR for Delta Tunnel

12/08/2023
The California Department of Water Resources released an environmental impact report for a tunnel that the state would like to build through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The report identifies potential impacts to farmland, tribal remains and endangered species of fish.

From YubaNet...

Education Environment Sustainability

Research Explores Capacity of Biochar to Combat Climate Change, Improve Forest Soils

12/08/2023
A Cal Poly Humboldt professor is partnering with USDA researchers to study biochar, which results from heating dry plant-based materials at high temperatures without oxygen. The CO2 in the charcoal then stays in the soil for hundreds of years, rather than in the atmosphere.

From New York Times...

Environment Animals

Plan to Eliminate Catalina’s Deer Infuriates Locals

12/07/2023
Conservationists intend to shoot all of the deer on Santa Catalina Island by helicopter. Some people are opposed, either for not wanting to eliminate the deer or for missing out on future chances to hunt them.

From Capital & Main...

Environment Government

CA Air Resources Board Staff Barred from Talking to Retired Staffer

12/06/2023
Staff at the state’s air regulatory agency have been restricted from communicating with Jim Duffy, a scientist who retired from the agency in 2022. Duffy had criticized gas lobbyists and an agency director.

From Sacramento Bee...

Environment Land Use & Development Housing

State Might Soon Require Replacing Broken A/C Units

12/06/2023
California energy regulators are considering requiring homeowners to replace broken air-conditioning systems with heat pumps or HVAC systems that are more energy efficient. The change would go into effect in 2026.

From Los Angeles Times...

Environment Transportation Sustainability

High-Speed Rail Project Connecting SoCal to Las Vegas Wins Grant

12/05/2023
Private company Brightline secured a $3 billion grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation toward a 218-mile high-speed rail line from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas. The line would allow people to make the trip to Sin City in a little over two hours.

From SFGate...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Sustainability

Imperial County Might Have Enough Lithium for 375 Million Batteries

12/04/2023
A new study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has found that approximately 3,400 kilotons of lithium are located below Imperial County in Southern California. This could produce more than $7 billion in lithium carbonate annually, helping power significant numbers of electric vehicles.

From KQED...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Transportation Sustainability Government

Oakland Might Have to Pay Developers Millions Over Coal Terminal

12/04/2023
An Alameda County judge ruled on Nov. 22 that the city of Oakland thwarted a proposed coal export terminal. The judge will rule if the developer who sued is entitled to $159 million in damages or moving forward with the project.

From Tahoe Daily Tribune...

Environment Animals United States

Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Public Comment on Draft Strategy to Manage Invasive Barred Owls

12/02/2023
Image for display with article titled Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Public Comment on Barred Owl Strategy

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public input on a draft environmental impact statement and draft management strategy that addresses the threat of invasive barred owls to native spotted owls.

From YubaNet...

Environment Sustainability

Science Points to ‘Climate Collapse’ as UN Chief Calls for Action

11/30/2023
The world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, new climate data shows, and leaders gathered for the COP28 conference in Dubai must get us out of “deep trouble,” UN chief António Guterres said.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Water Sustainability Government

California Looks to Ocean Waves for New Clean Energy Source

11/29/2023
Image for display with article titled Surf's Up! California May Look to Ocean Waves as Possible New Clean Energy Source

Costs to turn waves into energy are high, but so's the payoff for California's clean energy future.

From SFGate...

Public Safety Environment Health

Sewage Spill Closes Southern California Beach

11/29/2023
Two miles of public beach were closed in Laguna Beach following a spill of 94,500 gallons of sewage. Orange County is testing water to determine when the beach will be safe to reopen.

From YubaNet...

Environment Sustainability

DOE Analysis Confirms Salton Sea Is a Rich Domestic Lithium Resource

11/28/2023
An analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy found that with expected technology advances, the Salton Sea region’s total lithium resources could produce more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles—more than the total number currently on U.S. roads.

From Tahoe Daily Tribune...

Environment Sustainability

The Significant Environmental Impact of Tahoe’s Scarce Wetlands

11/25/2023
Image for display with article titled The Significant Environmental Impact of Tahoe’s Scarce Wetlands

Research shows that one acre of healthy Sierra Nevada wetlands can capture as much carbon from the air as one acre of a tropical rainforest.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Environment Health Agriculture, Food & Gardening Community Service & Support Government

Hunger and Food Insecurity in California: What It Is, What to Do About It

11/17/2023
Image for display with article titled Hunger and Food Insecurity in California: What Must We Do to Make Sure Everybody Eats?

Almost 1 of every 4 people in the world’s fifth-largest economy has trouble getting enough nutritious food to eat.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Sustainability Government

California Slashes Rooftop Solar Incentives—Again

11/17/2023
Image for display with article titled California Slashes Rooftop Solar Incentives for Building Owners—Again

California's Public Utilities Commission cut payments to building owners who sell solar power to the grid.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water

As Storms Hit California, Reservoirs are Healthy. But Water Forecast Remains Unclear

11/16/2023
Unlike a year ago, water storage is above average. Whether the year is wet or dry, though, remains uncertain despite El Niño conditions.

From CalMatters...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Government

In Rare Strike by Civil Servants, State-Employed Scientists Walk Out for Better Pay

11/15/2023
More than 4,000 state scientists have worked under an expired contract for three years. Average wages in 2020 were $83,586, 27% less than state engineers’ pay. The state filed an unfair labor practice charge to stop the strike.

Tahoe Truckee Region Local News: Environment