Region: California

New Laws in California

Climatewire reports that that the governor has signed several new environmental laws: •A.B. 920, which expands the state’s net-metering program to require all investor-owned and publicly owned utilities to purchase surplus energy back from customers that generate their own wind and solar power, up to 2.5 MW per utility. The CPUC will set the rate. …

CONTINUE READING

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Climate Hypocrite

Schwarzenegger loves to talk about how concerned he is about climate change.  And talk he does — mostly at meaningless press events like the Governors Climate Summit.  But when it comes to, you know, actually doing his job, he’s decided that he’d rather side with the wingnuts in his party. A couple of hours ago, …

CONTINUE READING

The Low-Carbon Meat Diet

If you’re like me, you like meat.  Especially red meat, like a pepper-crusted steak or a juicy burger drizzled with bleu cheese.  But if you’re also like me, you’re concerned about climate change and the impact that our lifestyle has on the planet.  While hyrbids and CFL light bulbs get a lot of attention, Ezra …

CONTINUE READING

Feds re-engage on the Delta

Last week brought a lot of good California water news. Restoration of the San Joaquin River took a giant step forward, as the first flows were returned to the channel in accordance with a settlement agreement negotiated in 2006, ending years of litigation by NRDC. As Steve and I noted, removal of four dams on …

CONTINUE READING

Schwarzenegger’s REAL Test on Climate

Like any Hollywood actor, and like any politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger likes to talk a good game.  And on climate, he talks a lot.  He loves to promote inconsequential gab-fests like the Governors Global Summit on Climate Change.  But when the rubber hits the road, will he actually, you know, do anything about it? Whether a bill …

CONTINUE READING

For Renewable Energy in California, It’s Not Clear Which Way the Wind is Blowing

If California’s governor sticks to the plan he announced last week, California’s leadership role in promoting domestic renewable energy development is in doubt.  As Cara Horowitz reported in a recent post, the governor announced his intention to veto recently-passed legislation that would have set a target of 33% renewable power by 2020.  Instead of signing …

CONTINUE READING

David Nawi Appointed to High-Ranking USDOI Post

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has named a respected California environmental lawyer to serve in a key, newly-created Department of Interior post. Salazar appointed David Nawi as his Senior Advisor to the Secretary for California and Nevada. In his announcement selecting Nawi, Secretary Salazar stated, “The current water crisis and land management challenges …

CONTINUE READING

Meg Whitman Would Suspend AB 32

In a rather stunning and little-noticed op ed last week, California GOP gubernetorial candidate Meg Whitman — former CEO of EBay – called on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to suspend the implementation of AB 32.  Her rationale?  To create jobs in California.  AB 32, also known as the Global Warming Solutions Act, cuts California’s greenhouse gas emissions …

CONTINUE READING

A third is a third is a third?

On the last day of its term, the California legislature did wind up passing SB 14, the hotly debated bill to boost the state’s renewable energy supply requirement to 33% by 2020.  But its prospects don’t look good — the Governor announced within hours that he would veto (SacBee story here).  Presumably in its stead, …

CONTINUE READING

Delta blues

California’s legislature ended its session Saturday morning without doing anything to address the problems of the Bay-Delta, or more generally of the state’s dysfunctional water governance system.  As Rick explained last month, water was at the top of the agenda this year for both the Republican Governor and the Democratic leaders of the legislature. This …

CONTINUE READING

TRENDING