California

FOLSOM, Calif. – The California Independent System Operator (ISO) is anticipating high temperatures and increased electricity demand across key parts of the West for much of this week and closely monitoring for impacts to the power grid. Throughout California, the northern interior of the state is forecast to see highs from 98- 108 degrees Monday […]

California has a new gray wolf pack in Tulare County, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced today. This is the Golden State’s southernmost pack and it is at least 200 air miles from the nearest known pack in northeastern California. In July, CDFW received a wolf sighting report from a location in […]

Dam removal on the Eel River is closer than ever after county water agencies and a tribal government announced a last-minute conceptual plan for how a trans-basin water diversion from the Eel River to the Russian River watershed might be continued after the Pacific Gas & Electric Company removes two century-old dams on the upper […]

How long can trees tolerate drought before the forest dies? Researchers from UC Davis can now predict which forests could survive despite future drought. Their new method links precipitation to tree growth, and it can help people decide where to put their resources as climate change affects patterns of snow and rainfall that impact the health of […]

KINGS BEACH, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, hosted the 27th Annual Lake Tahoe Summit, convening a bipartisan, bi-state coalition of local, state, federal, Tribal, and environmental leaders at Kings Beach State Recreation Area in California. This year’s summit, “Protecting Lake Tahoe: Sustainability and Stewardship […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is taking an ambitious and coordinated approach to accelerate fuels reduction projects on public lands with high wildfire risk throughout California and northwest Nevada. Today’s signing of the Statewide Wildland-Urban Interface Fuels Treatment Programmatic Environmental Assessment will streamline plans to protect communities, reduce wildfire risk and improve […]

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding the deaths of CAL FIRE Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, CAL FIRE Fire Captain Tim Rodriguez, and contract Pilot Tony Sousa, who were killed in a midair collision while engaged in firefighting operations on the Broadway Fire in Riverside County on Sunday: “On behalf of all […]

August 2, 2023 – The first-ever study to look at drivers of both marine heatwaves and cold spells in the shallow nearshore along the California Current —coordinated by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary — found that certain environmental conditions and the […]

SACRAMENTO, August 1, 2023 – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH), in collaboration with local health departments, is alerting the public and health care providers to a potential increased risk for Valley fever in California. Because many Valley fever infections take place during the summer, August has been designated as Valley Fever Awareness Month. “California’s […]

Oakland, CA—San Francisco Baykeeper’s field science team investigated reports to the organization’s pollution hotline and confirmed reddish brown (“tea colored”) waters in the Berkeley marina, and subsequently along the shores of Emeryville, Berkeley, and Albany. Following preliminary analyses, Baykeeper scientists suspect this is likely caused by an outbreak of the algae Heterosigma akashiwo. Last year, […]

SACRAMENTO, July 31, 2023 — Building on the Newsom Administration’s commitment to strengthen partnerships with California Native American tribes, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) today launched a $101 million grant program to support tribal initiatives that benefit their communities while helping to achieve the state’s world-leading climate and conservation goals. Developed with tribal input […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) urged people to avoid physical contact with water at Pyramid Lake in Los Angeles County until further notice due to the presence of blue-green algae. Vaquero Swim Beach is closed, and Emigrant Landing Beach has a caution algal bloom advisory. People should also avoid eating […]

OAKLAND, July 26, 2023 – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 attorneys general in submitting a letter to Congress in support of H.R. 1255, the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023. Authored by Congressmen Seth Moulton (D-MA) and James Clyburn (D-SC), the federal legislation […]

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2023 — From 2000 to 2021, climate change caused the loss of more than 40 trillion liters (10 trillion gallons) of water in the Colorado River Basin — about equal to the entire storage capacity of Lake Mead — according to a new study that modeled humans’ impact on hydrology in the region. Without […]

SACRAMENTO – California ratepayers might have to foot a staggering $45 billion-plus cost to keep the aging Pacific Gas & Electric, or PG&E, Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant online beyond its slated 2025 closure, a new Environmental Working Group analysis finds. The outrageous price tag is the estimated cost for operating the plant from 2021 to 2045, or […]

CHINO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was invited by students and traveled to Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) on Thursday, July 20, to speak against a policy before the board that would out an LGBTQ+ student to their parents even if the student is not yet ready to share that information. Students had […]

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2023 —The Department of the Interior announced the distribution of $24,881,884 to the state of California today as part of the $295,582,830 granted this year from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. Recent changes to the LWCF Manual guides states to […]

SACRAMENTO, July 21, 2023 – The California Department of Conservation released a draft list of orphan wells it proposes to be permanently sealed as part of the first wave of such projects that will be supported by state and federal funding. Public comments can be emailed to CalGEMOrphanWells@conservation.ca.gov​. Orphan wells – those deserted or without a […]

SAN FRANCISCO, July 18, 2023 – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will host the 4th annual pre-season public briefings for electric investor-owned utilities to present to the CPUC and the public on their preparedness should any Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events occur through the remainder of 2023. The electric utilities will provide updates […]

Los Angeles, CA, July 18, 2023—Public interest groups filed amicus letters with the California Supreme Court seeking review of a decision by the First District Court of Appeal that would allow Boeing to demolish radioactive structures at Santa Susana Field Lab and dispose of the resulting debris in unequipped landfills and metal recycling centers without any […]