Yolo County Environment Digest

Key moisture measurements are only 2% to 5% of average, leaving dusty soils. And the recent swing from wet to dry is among the most extreme on record. This combination of climatic conditions crossed into a danger zone, priming much of Southern California for wind-whipped fires.

In a striking setback to reduce California’s air pollution but a win for trucking companies, state regulators have walked away from their ambitious plan to phase out diesel trucks less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Read on to learn about the partnership between the Yolo County Central Landfill and the Mattress Recycling Council which has seen over 100,000 mattresses and boxsprings recycled in an eight-year period.

Plan to join upcoming Yolo Bird Alliance lecture and birding field trips. Read on to learn more.

Read on to learn more about the periodic Santa Ana winds which whip Southern California every year, and how they are literally fanning the flames of the devastating fires which have so far killed over two dozen people and destroyed over 10,000 structures.

Read on to learn about the two new California National Monuments to be declared by outgoing President Biden.

Use this explainer by the National Science Foundation-sponsored National Center for Atmospheric Research to understand atmospheric rivers and how they'll change as the climate warms.

The US EPA granted California’s waiver, which the incoming Trump administration is likely to try to overturn in the courts. The state’s zero-emission vehicle mandates have been the driving force behind California’s progress in cleaning up dangerous air pollutants.

Some rural California communities are resisting efforts to streamline permitting for wind and solar farms and battery storage for environmental or safety reasons.

The Supreme Court justices agreed to review whether oil companies have standing to try to overturn a federal waiver for a California clean-car rule that ramped up electric car sales. The standards are the cornerstone of California’s efforts to clean its air and combat climate change.

When disaster strikes, California gets federal funding to hire temporary workers to clean debris. But the jobs are tough, and some agencies struggle to manage the grants.

The Biden administration is awarding Inflation Reduction Act money to help clean the air before President-elect Trump takes over.

California has an aggressive mandate for zero-emission trucks, which are powered by electricity or hydrogen. But trucking companies face big obstacles — and people are still breathing dangerous diesel exhaust.

Most ships discharging ballast water into California waters are inspected, but state officials have tested the water of only 16 ships. Experts say invaders like mussels are inevitable under current rules and enforcement.

Experts don’t know how much gas prices may rise from the revised California climate program, which tightens standards and gives incentives for low-carbon fuels. The board ordered an annual review of the cost impacts.

A lot is at stake with the new Trump administration: California’s water projects, its unique authority to clean its air, federal support for offshore wind and disaster aid for wildfires.

Learn more about how the just-passed $10 billion climate bond measure will fund resiliency projects across the state.

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.

Sign up for the Yolo Bird Alliance field trips on November 2 and 10 with experts to view local and migrating birds.

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.

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.

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

A look at the cleanup held on September 21 at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve.

A new incentive program has been launched by the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District to assist homeowners to make the transition to electric heat pumps.

The California state goal to conserve 30% of its land and coastal waters has advanced, with conserved lands reaching 25% and coastal waters 16%.

Applications are being accepted for paid part-time positions with the Putah Creek Council’s OneCreek Seasonal Restoration Technician Program.

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.

Recology Davis and Meals on Wheels Yolo County are collaborating on a five month pilot project to reduce waste in packaging and promote recycling.

The EPA must grant a waiver before the diesel truck measure can be implemented. It’s one of California’s most controversial measures to clean up air pollution and greenhouse gases.

Learn more about how the Yolo County landfill works hard to divert as much refuse and trash into recycling and other secondary use programs.

Legislators and Gov. Newsom are working behind the scenes to draft energy legislation before the end-of-the-month deadline.

Hedgerow Farms in Yolo County specializes in cultivating native plants for seeds to be used in land restoration.