On the calendar today …
- MEETING: Central Valley Flood Protection Board beginning at 9am. Agenda items include a legilsative update, the Delta Levee Maintenance Subventions Program, Sacramento River projects, and an update on 2023 Tulare Basin flooding. Click here for the agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Feinstein introduces bill to restore San Joaquin Valley canals
“Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced the Canal Conveyance Capacity Restoration Act, a bill to authorize more than $653 million to restore the capacity of three San Joaquin Valley canals. Restoring these canals would improve California’s drought resilience and help farmers comply with limits on groundwater pumping under the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Congressman Jim Costa, with support from Congressmen John Garamendi and Josh Harder (all D-Calif.), previously introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. The bill also authorizes an additional $180 million to restore salmon runs on the San Joaquin River. The funding is for fish passage structures, levees and other improvements that will allow the threatened Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon to swim freely upstream from the ocean to the Friant Dam. … ” Read more from Senator Feinstein’s office.
Feinstein, Padilla introduce bill to provide clean drinking water to disadvantaged communities
“Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) today introduced the Restore Aging Infrastructure Now Act, or RAIN Act, which would invest in aging canals and other drinking water and irrigation facilities to provide environmental benefits and improve drinking water supplies for disadvantaged California communities. “Given the inevitability of increasingly severe and lengthy droughts as the West’s climate changes, maintaining and modernizing our water infrastructure is extremely important,” Senator Feinstein said. “Our bill would incentives collaboration and investment in projects that bring agricultural, environmental and urban interests together to address the very serious challenge of providing a reliable water supply for all, including disadvantaged communities.” … ” Read more from Senator Feinstein’s office.
SEE ALSO: Proposed bill seeks to restore Central Valley canals, salmon runs, from Your Central Valley
Feinstein, Kelly, Sinema introduce bill to increase, modernize water supply
“Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Support to Rehydrate the Environment, Agriculture and Municipalities Act or STREAM Act to increase water supply and modernize water infrastructure throughout the West. “As the last years have proven, climate change is making severe and prolonged drought a stark reality for the West. We must act now to improve our t resilience to severe drought in the future,” Senator Feinstein said. “We need an ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy to meet this challenge, including increasing our water supply, incentivizing projects that provide environmental benefits and drinking water for disadvantaged communities, and investing in environmental restoration efforts.” … ” Read more from Senator Feinstein’s office.
Congressman Valadao secures critical water language in energy and water appropriations bill
“Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) spoke in support of the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Energy and Water Appropriations Bill during a full committee markup. The bill text includes Rep. Valadao’s Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California Act. “For too long, complex and contradictory laws and regulations that control how much water we are able to pump, and what storage projects we’re able to build and use, have amplified the water shortage problems across the western United States,” said Congressman Valadao. “Provisions in this bill will help alleviate some of these issues by increasing water storage, streamlining operations, and bringing much needed accountability to the way water is managed.” … ” Read more from Congressman Valadao’s office.
UCLA Clinic submits amicus brief in water rate design case
“Court challenges to the use of tiered water rates in California are threatening the state’s own water conservation and affordability goals. That’s what’s at stake in a case called Patz v. City of San Diego. Climate change is intensifying California’s hydrologic variability and exacerbating the state’s water supply challenges. Dwindling water supplies have led to a substantial increase in the retail cost of water over the last decade. Drought-induced water shortages force water agencies to invest in additional supplies or enact expensive emergency measures. These costs are often passed on to households through increased rates and surcharges and fall disproportionately on low-income Californians, many of whom have seen their incomes stagnate. Meanwhile, high-income households generally consume more water than low-income households. In light of California’s current and future water supply and affordability challenges, water agencies need to make use of all available conservation strategies to meet demand and to improve equity in water rates. One important tool for agencies to advance conservation and equity is tiered water rates, by which agencies impose progressively higher prices for water service as water consumption increases. … ” Continue reading at the Legal Planet.
Winter storms rekindle fears that Oroville Dam could burst over, with catastrophic consequences
“It’s hard to get one’s head around the magnitude of calamity if the tallest dam in the U.S. were to overtop. But that almost happened to the Oroville Dam in 2017, and this year’s epic storms have engineers on edge that the dam could indeed break. Most of our discussion of the Oroville Dam — the tallest dam in the country holding back the second-largest reservoir in California, located about 150 miles northeast of San Francisco — is around how Lake Oroville has alarmingly low water levels in drought years, or abundant water levels in years like this when we have healthy winter rains. But here’s a scary secret about the Oroville Dam that’s hiding in plain sight: were its earth-fill embankment rocks to fail holding the dam together, it would send a 185-foot wave to the surrounding valleys. And this almost happened, though not to such an enormous degree, when the dam was in danger of failure in 2017, and 188,000 people had to be evacuated from nearby areas. … ” Continue reading from SFist.
Advancing a collaborative agenda to meet California’s emergent groundwater management needs
“Among the most significant challenges related to California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) are emergent social and economic questions regarding implementation. Despite passing almost ten years ago, there’s still a long road to achieving groundwater sustainability. We are at a critical moment now that sustainability plans have been submitted – with some deemed inadequate – and implementation is just beginning. On June 6th, 2023, roughly 60 practitioners, researchers, and community members met at UC Berkeley to discuss social and economic issues around groundwater management in California. Organized by University of California Cooperative Extension Specialists Kristin Dobbin and Ellen Bruno, the convening aimed to identify how researchers, practitioners, and communities can work together to support SGMA implementation. … ” Read more from The Confluence.
National Heritage Area signs going up in the Delta
“Rich farmland on the left, the Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel and Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on the right. These iconic Delta scenes form the backdrop for one of the first three signs welcoming motorists to the Delta and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area. Two signs were installed last week by the California Conservation Corps: one on southbound Jefferson Boulevard just outside of West Sacramento, where the road rises to the Ship Channel levee; the other on Interstate 80 at the eastbound East Chiles Road onramp to the Yolo Causeway. One was installed in late April on Hood Franklin Road just west of the southbound offramp from Interstate 5. Eight more signs are planned in locations throughout the Delta along I-5, I-580, Highway 12 and Highway 4. … ” Read more from the Delta Protection Commission.
Delta Cross Channel open to boaters this weekend. Here’s what to know
“Just in time for the first weekend of summer in Northern California, the Bureau of Reclamation on Friday announced the opening of the Delta Cross Channel gates. The Delta Cross Channel Gates control the diversion of freshwater water from the Sacramento River into the Delta through Snodgrass Slough and into the Mokelumne River. The opening of the gates, located in Walnut Grove, allows water to move to the headworks of the Central Valley Project’s Delta-Mendota and Contra Costa canals, as well as the State Water Project’s California Aqueduct, according to the bureau. … ” Read more from KCRA.
Dems pour cool water on Newsom’s Delta plan
“Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators are running out of time to find common ground on the 2023 budget deal — and it could all come down to the Delta Conveyance Project. The governor has until Tuesday to sign the $311 billion spending plan passed by lawmakers last week, but he’ll likely want commitments on his top priorities before then. Newsom is asking the Legislature to approve 11 proposals aimed at speeding up energy, water and transportation infrastructure projects — including one that would ease the path of a long and fiercely disputed tunnel to transfer water to Southern California. Negotiators representing the Assembly, Senate and governor were scheduled to meet this afternoon. Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua, who represents much of San Joaquin County and is part of the talks, said Democrats in the Legislature are standing firm against the governor’s tunnel proposal, which would transfer water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta at the expense of salmon and sandhill crane habitats and agriculture. … ” Read more from Politico.
SEE ALSO: Update: Legislators oppose Delta Tunnel project’s inclusion in Governor’s legislative package!, from the Daily Kos
Lawsuit seeks final Endangered Species Act protections for foothill yellow-legged frogs in California
“The Center for Biological Diversity filed suit today against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to finalize Endangered Species Act protections for foothill yellow-legged frogs in California. Four distinct populations of the foothill yellow-legged frog (Feather River, Southern Sierra, Central California Coast and Southern California Coast) were proposed for protection in December 2021, triggering a one-year deadline for finalizing protections, which has yet to occur. “It’s frustrating that the Service has stalled protections for imperiled populations of foothill yellow-legged frogs along the California coast and in the Sierra foothills for more than a decade,” said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center. “The agency should be proactively protecting and recovering vulnerable wildlife. The Endangered Species Act is incredibly powerful at preventing extinction, but it can’t work if species aren’t protected first.” … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Update on Copco Number 2 dam removal: Construction is underway and expected to continue though Summer
The deconstruction of Copco No. 2, the smallest of the four hydroelectric dams being removed from the Klamath River, is underway. This week, crews removed the gates, walkway, and two of the five bays down to the spillway. This work was done to direct waters around the dam, rather than over it, allowing construction crews to do work through the summer months. “While this is just the first step, it certainly is an exciting moment,” said Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC). “Crews are making fast progress in these early stages of the project, and we are on track with our removal timeline.” …
Arcata: The big wastewater plant upgrade is underway
“South I Street will be closed Wednesday, June 20 through Friday, June 23 for Phase One of the Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvement Project. The City of Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF) is continuing its Facility Improvement Project with rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment enhancement marshes and construction of new infrastructure at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. Construction activities will begin in the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary on South I Street starting Monday, June 19 and will continue into July and August. For public safety reasons, South I Street will be temporarily closed to vehicles Wednesday, June 20 through Friday, June 23. Additionally, public trails around Klopp Lake and Hauser Marsh will also be closed. The City will post project updates for additional closures anticipated in early July. … ” Read more from the Mad River Union.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Wyandotte Creek groundwater agency seeks new tax
“The Wyandotte Creek Groundwater Sustainability Agency is seeking to impose a property tax in its jurisdiction to cover long-term costs of carrying out state law on groundwater regulation. The agency, created under the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, holds regulatory power over groundwater in the Wyandotte Creek Subbasin — encompassing areas of Oroville, Palermo and surrounding unincorporated Butte County; and the proposed tax will affect residents in its jurisdiction. On Thursday, the agency held a public information workshop at the Oroville City Council Chambers to inform residents of its proposed fee structure, or property tax, to carry out requirements mandated by the state, but not funded by the state. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record.
BAY AREA
Map: more than 5,000 toxic sites along SF bay threatened by rising groundwater, new study finds
“More than 5,200 toxic sites buried along the lip of San Francisco Bay could be impacted by rising groundwater levels over the next century, posing potentially severe risks to human and environmental health, according to a recently released study. That’s more than 10 times as many potentially at-risk Bay Area sites as had been identified in previous reports. A disproportionate number are located in lower-income communities of color, including in low-lying areas of San Francisco, Richmond, West Oakland and East Palo Alto. “The higher the social vulnerability, the higher the density of contaminated sites,” said Kristina Hill, director of UC Berkeley’s Institute of Urban and Regional Development, who co-authored the study. … ” Read more from KQED.
Oakley: Creek project could mean new bridge
“A planned expansion of a creek restoration project at a local community park could result in the replacement of a key pedestrian bridge. The City of Oakley is planning on expanding the restoration of Marsh Creek at Creekside Park just south of Laurel Road. The project, which is funded by grants, is an expansion of the first phase of the Marsh Creek restoration project, which was completed in 2012 along with construction of a pedestrian bridge over Marsh Creek. The project is restoring a portion of Marsh Creek to give back to the natural habitat and environment for the sake of the wildlife in the creek. The pedestrian bridge is vital because it is the only safe access to get from Creekside Park to the Marsh Creek Trail. … ” Read more from The Press.
Diablo Water District looks to make improvements
“The Diablo Water District may be celebrating its past for its 70th anniversary, but it hasn’t lost sight of the future as the district also strives to become carbon neutral within the next five years. The district’s tentative goal to achieve 100% carbon neutrality is 2027 – which is 18 years ahead of the state goal to become carbon neutral by 2045 – according to Public Information Officer Kait Knight. The Governor’s Office describes carbon neutrality as the removal of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere at a rate that is greater than or equal to the emission of these same gasses. … ” Read more from The Press.
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz filling in squirrel holes on San Lorenzo River levee with concrete
“Walkers, runners and cyclists on the San Lorenzo Riverwalk may have found themselves befuddled by the numerous blobs and smears of dried concrete covering the river levee, primarily between Water Street and Felker Street. The concrete-infused soil is part of an effort that began in late May by the city of Santa Cruz Public Works Department to fill in the tunnel systems created by California ground squirrels on the San Lorenzo River levee in order to receive a certification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will keep flood insurance rates down for residents of the area. According to Santa Cruz Public Works Operation Manager Filipina Warren, who is overseeing the project, the mix of cement, bentonite and water being used to plug the ground squirrels’ tunnel systems has no adverse effects on the soil or wildlife in the area that she is aware of at this time. … ” Continue reading from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Anaergia to build anaerobic digestion facility at Monterey One Water
“Renewable energy provider Anaergia and Monterey One Water are partnering on an anaerobic digestion project that aims to generate energy from food waste and wastewater in northern California. With support from CalRecycle, this initiative hopes to help make future operations of wastewater utilities more efficient. The project entails a significant expansion of anaerobic digestion capacity at Monterey One Water’s regional treatment plant in Marina, California. Additionally, organic waste receiving and pre-processing equipment will be provided, enabling the utility to co-digest food waste in the existing digesters used for wastewater biosolids. The anaerobic digestion process will convert this waste into renewable biogas, which will be utilized to generate electricity and heat at the Monterey One plant. … ” Read more from Environment + Energy Leader.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Fresno County Supervisors pass water increases for El Porvenir residents, hear false voter fraud claims
“At their Tuesday meeting, the Fresno County Supervisors approved a steep increase of $183 per month in water-service fees for the rural community of El Porvenir, which will begin July 1 and increase 2% annually through 2028. The approval followed a Proposition 218 hearing, during which only two of 59 residents’ ballots were returned, registering opposition to the increase for the debt-burdened community. In March, El Porvenir rejected an increase in monthly water rates, a slightly smaller increase than that approved Tuesday, which will increase rates from $104.21 to $287.58 per month. … ” Read more from Fresnoland.
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: IWVWD sources weigh in on IWVGA’s op-ed
“Indian Wells Valley Water District sources weighed in with reactions to the recent opinion piece by Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority General Manager Carol Thomas-Keefer. Thomas-Keefer suggested a “peaceful resolution” to water woes could possibly be reached by using the Las Posas Basin in Ventura County as a model for resolving local groundwater management conflicts. The idea was reportedly first broached by General Counsel Keith Lemieux. IWVWD General Manager Don Zdeba noted that the proposed solution involved getting all parties to accept the approved Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the local basin. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Lancaster to buy water rights for soccer center
“The City of Lancaster will purchase 50 acre feet of permanent ground water rights for use at the Lancaster National Soccer Center under a purchase and sales agreement between the city and Los Angeles County Sanitation District No. 14 approved at the June 13 City Council meeting. As a participant in the Antelope Valley Ground Water Adjudication the city was granted certain water rights for the soccer center as part of the judgment, which was finalized in December 2015 after a 16-year court battle involving thousands of litigants, city and county governments, farmers, property owners, water agencies and others. … ” Continue reading at the Antelope Valley Press.
Malibu Creek discussion brings similar concerns on the sediment removal
“California State Parks held a public workshop on the Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project at Malibu City Hall last week and gave participants an opportunity to ask State Parks and the project team questions about the project and share their concerns. State Parks and a team of 10 civil engineers, consultants, and project managers attended the workshop to answer participants’ questions, provide project information and receive feedback. Senior Environmental Scientist for California State Parks Richard Van Sant facilitated the discussion and shared a brief history of the project’s timeline, goals, and objectives. “This is the team that’s going to make this all happen, so a lot of what I’m doing is facilitating, helping everyone along, making sure studies get completed, and making sure we’re on time with our budget,” Van Sant said. … ” Read more from the Malibu Times.
Colton residents concerned over poor water quality
“For more than a decade, residents in Colton have been experiencing a decline in water quality and many people who live there say they are feeling ignored by officials at the local water district. While the city has put out notifications about the water quality on their social media channels, residents who spoke to KTLA say one of the main problems is they never know when the water is going to be changing from a clear color to brown. “It’s okay right now, it’s clear,” Colton resident Cheyenne Hendricks said as she ran her water, “but it could be running just like this and all of a sudden it’s coming out looking like coffee.” … ” Read more from KTLA.
Sea lions suffering seizures and dying on Orange County beaches due to neurotoxin-producing algae bloom
“An algae bloom pumping neurotoxins into the ocean has rescuers scrambling to save poisoned sea lions that have washed onto Orange County’s beaches on a near-daily basis since the beginning of June. The animals are suffering from the effects of domoic acid. It’s being produced by a massive bloom of pseudo-nitzschia plankton that began off of the coast of San Luis Obispo and eventually spread into Orange County at the beginning of the month. Reports of sea lions having seizures or dying on sands from Huntington Beach through Laguna Beach have been coming in practically every day since then, Dr. Alissa Deming of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center said. She warned concerned bystanders against trying to push the animals back into the water because they can react unexpectedly and weigh anywhere between 200 and 400 pounds. And doing so would prevent rescuers from getting a chance to treat them. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
LAND OF EXTREMES: Aquifers: Exploring Earth’s unseen groundwater storage
“As all of us who call the Imperial Valley home can attest, our arid climate and extreme temperatures might make the thought of large amounts of water existing here seem improbable. After all, what defines a desert is not its heat or how much sand it has, but rather its low levels of rainfall. If we exclude entirely man-made bodies of water and canals from the equation, there’s not much surface water to be seen locally. However, like many of mother nature’s gifts, its bountiful but delicate supply of groundwater lies hidden from view beneath the surface. … ” Read more from the Imperial Valley Press.
SAN DIEGO
Water Authority Board approves 2024 wholesale rates after public hearing
“The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today approved wholesale water rates for 2024 following a public hearing and approved the recommended budget for the next two fiscal years. The budget and rates support continued work on numerous agency priorities, including capital projects critical for maintaining safe and reliable water supplies. “The Board and staff have worked tirelessly for months to minimize rate increases while supporting the reliability of our water supply,” said Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz. “Despite cost increases created by extraordinary inflation and depressed water sales, we have a budget that allows the Water Authority to do what it does best – provide the water that sustains our economy and quality of life.” … ” Read more from the Water News Network.
SEE ALSO: SD County Water Authority considering water rate increases due to inflation, from KPBS
The US plant treating Tijuana’s sewage is busted
“A San Diego treatment plant at the U.S.-Mexico border is having a hard time cleaning Tijuana sewage before it contaminates the Pacific Ocean. That’s because parts of the plant are basically broken, which is not great news for beach communities waiting on the federal government to build a bigger, better plant with newly-promised funding from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. It’s clear now that a large chunk of that money will be spent fixing parts of the old plant before building anything new. Some of the plant’s most critical equipment hasn’t been replaced since former Vice President Al Gore helped break ground on the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment plant in 1994. … ” Continue reading from the Voice of San Diego.
Fixing, expanding water treatment plant partly responsible for contamination at San Diego beaches could take years
“It’s been more than 550 days since the ocean water at Imperial Beach has been safe for swimmers and surfers. Between wastewater treatment plant repairs and expansions, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done, but city leaders say all hands on deck are needed to make progress. “The pipelines open towards the ocean and its dark water. So that means it’s not good water. It’s sewage,” said Brenda Hernandez, a Tijuana resident who said she often has to travel 45 minutes to find a beach that is not contaminated. “You smell feces and things like that, and you know it’s sewage so that, to me, it’s really really alarming because it’s so dangerous for humans and people that are fishing, and we’re eating this, and we’re consuming … this is our home,” Hernandez said. … ” Read more from NBC 7.
Editorial: Finally, more San Diego officials back sewage emergency
The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board writes, “Broken sewage infrastructure in Tijuana regularly leaves raw waste flowing north, sickening surfers and swimmers and forcing the closures of San Diego County beaches at least 100 days a year since 2010. It’s an infuriating nightmare that too many local leaders haven’t made enough of a priority, and it’s only getting worse despite threats to public health, tourism and regional security. The federal government’s lack of urgency is all the more galling because dozens of Border Patrol agents and Navy personnel are among those at risk. Yet Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have all somehow perceived the problem as routine. The biggest federal step to address the problem — the 2019 commitment by the Trump administration to provide up to $300 million to fix the problem — was done not because of a perception of need but for purely political reasons: so the White House could secure local House members’ support for the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. … ” Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Along the Colorado River …
Supreme Court water ruling deals blow to Navajo Nation
“The largest Native American reservation in the United States has lost a key legal battle to protect access to a waterway that is critical to its citizens’ spiritual practices — and their survival. All but one member of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled Thursday against the Navajo Nation in its fight to ensure that the federal government is legally obligated to address the tribe’s need for water from the dwindling flows of the Colorado River. One Republican-appointed justice, however, broke ranks to decry the devastating effect of the court’s decision on the Navajo people, who live on just a fraction of the water used by the average American household. … ” Read more from E&E News.
SEE ALSO: Supreme court rules against Navajo nation in Colorado River water dispute, from The Guardian
Colorado: Here’s who will be on the panel tasked with helping state lawmakers respond to the Colorado River crisis
“The 17-member task force charged with spending the rest of the year studying the Colorado River water crisis to help state lawmakers respond is starting to take shape, with most of the panel now appointed. The Colorado River Drought Task Force, which will be made up of representatives from local governments, the agricultural industry, tribes and water management boards, starts meeting next month. It was formed through a bill passed this year by the legislature, which initially planned to take broad action on water but instead created the task force in recognition of how complicated — and sensitive — water issues are. The task force will meet up to a dozen times before it sends a report to the General Assembly by Dec. 15 with policy suggestions. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
In national water news today …
New drought and public health roadmap outlines key opportunities for advancing engagement & preparedness
“Drought is one of the costliest and deadliest climate-related disasters in the United States, necessitating public health engagement at a national level. Although drought is not typically thought of as a health hazard, the pathways to human health outcomes are prevalent and numerous. To better understand these pathways and the actions that could be taken to reduce health impacts associated with drought, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) has supported the first comprehensive assessment of drought and health. Over the last 5–10 years, drought’s effect on public health has become increasingly noticeable, such as during the historic California 2012–2016 drought. By 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had released 2 resource guides (and more resources since then) and completed the first Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPERs) for drought in 2015 in California. … ” Read more from NIDIS.
3M reaches $10.3-billion settlement over ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water systems
“Chemical manufacturer 3M will pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over the contamination of many U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds used in firefighting foam and a host of consumer products, the company said Thursday. The deal would compensate water providers for pollution with per- and polyfluorinated substances, known collectively as PFAS — a broad class of chemicals used in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as clothing and cookware. … The agreement would settle a case that was scheduled for trial earlier this month involving a claim by Stuart, Fla., one of about 300 communities that have filed similar suits against companies that produced firefighting foam or the PFAS it contained. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
USDA and NASA team up to bolster research efforts
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are teaming up to advance research efforts. A memorandum of understanding was signed to strengthen ties between the agencies. The announcement furthers the collaborative partnership in their efforts to improve agricultural and Earth science research, technology, and agricultural management. Campaigns will be bolstered that support outreach to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. The partnership will also build on NASA’s Bridge Program and USDA’s NextGen program, both aimed at fostering workforce development. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said they are dedicated to preparing the next generation to lead the ag industry. Nelson also noted that the agency is committed to bringing more actionable data to the farm to help producers navigate climate-related challenges. … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
National water and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
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