Region: California

Fracking Lawsuit Filed in California Against State Agency

Earthjustice filed a lawsuit two days ago in Alameda County Superior Court on behalf of four environmental plaintiffs charging that the California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) has failed to consider or evaluate the risks of fracking, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Plaintiffs — the …

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Previewing This Week’s Constitutional Battle Over California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard

On Tuesday morning, October 16th, attorneys will gather at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s majestic courthouse in downtown San Francisco to argue one of the nation’s most important, currently-pending environmental cases.  The case is Rocky Mountain Farmers Union v. Goldstene, and the issue is the constitutionality of California’s Low Carbon Fuel …

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Conference on Saving Public Transit, Friday November 2nd at UCLA Law (Simulcast Available)

Please join us on Friday, November 2nd, for a free (with registration) conference on strategies to save public transit during a time of shrinking budgets.  The conference will feature experts on transit finance, real estate development around transit, and new technologies that may revolutionize transit in the coming years. Art Leahy, Chief Executive Officer of …

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Making the Best of a Bad Day in LA

Drivers in LA may be holding their collective breath waiting for “Carmageddon II” to end, but a new UCLA study suggests that they may have it backwards.  For those of you who don’t live with the traffic here in the City of Angels, this weekend a major artery was shut down to allow for removal …

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CarmaHeaven?–One way to improve air quality in LA

Los Angelenos are mostly dreading the return of “Carmageddon” this weekend, when a key section of one of our city’s main freeway arteries will once again be shut down for construction.  But apparently we should be craving the respite from our city’s pervasive air pollution.  Researchers at UCLA have just posted an analysis of the effect of the last …

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What foie gras and low carbon fuels have in common

Many of you may have heard of California’s ban on foie gras. The ban was signed into law in 2004 by that notorious hippie, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but did not take effect until 2012. Fewer of you may be aware of the current litigation over California’s low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program. Litigation concerning both …

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Genetically Modified Foods: a Controversial New Study and Prop. 37

Genetically modified organisms are in the news these days for two big reasons.  First, California voters will decide in November whether to require the labeling of foods that have been genetically engineered.  And second, a new study — subject to significant criticism even from some who advocate labeling — found that rats fed with genetically …

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Why Developers Shouldn’t Blame Environmental Review for the Lack of Infill

Members of the business community are smelling blood when it comes to effectively dismantling environmental review statutes like the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  They now have a political opening with the high unemployment rate, some well-publicized bad outcomes of CEQA litigation, and examples of lawsuits by rival businesses abusing the process for competitive purposes …

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Price Implications of the California 33% RPS as the Federal Government Cuts Green Subsidies

Frank Wolak is quoted in today’s LA Times about the electricity price implications of California’s pursuit of a 33% RPS by the year 2020.   He argues that electricity prices will rise as a consequence of this regulation.   At the same time that California is ratcheting up its RPS standard, the Federal Government is …

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BART Turns 40: Some History Lessons

BART, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, turns 40-years-old today, with the unfortunate anniversary of 9/11.  Some historical and financial tidbits: The original system was supposed to serve Marin and San Mateo Counties, along with San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties.  According to Stephen Zwerling, San Mateo dropped out due to concern that neighboring …

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