Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.
On the calendar today …
- WORKSHOP: Salton Sea Management Program from 9am to 7pm. The State Water Board will receive an update on the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) from the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and is seeking information and feedback on progress or actions since the last State Water Board Salton Sea Workshop. The workshop is an opportunity for participants to provide input to the State Water Board regarding the status of the Salton Sea Management Program. Click here for the workshop notice.
- MEETING: Delta Independent Science Board from 10am to 2pm. Agenda items include Delta Conveyance Project Final Environmental Impact Report Review, Draft Delta Plan Five-year Review Report with Performance Measures Report Cards, Draft Delta Adapts Adaptation Plan Update, Food-webs Review, and Subsidence Review. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: 30X30 Pathways in Focus Webinar: Expanding and Accelerating Environmental Restoration & Stewardship from 10am to 11am. Join us for the next Pathways in Focus webinar to hear bright spots and ongoing challenges from those working hard to expand and accelerate restoration and stewardship across the state in support of 30×30’s Pathway 6. Come learn and be inspired by the stories of those in the field who are partnering with state and local agencies to do the critical work to increase the scale of environmentally beneficial restoration. Lessons learned about working in partnership across a landscape and facing funding and permitting challenges will be discussed, as well as what’s next for these special places. Click here to register.
- WEBINAR: Addressing Groundwater Contamination in the Southern Portion of the OC Groundwater Basin from 12pm to 1pm. The Orange County Water District manages and protects the Orange County Groundwater Basin which underlies north and central Orange County, and from which 19 cities and retail water districts draw their water supply. OCWD implements a proactive groundwater and surface water monitoring program to protect the quality of the groundwater basin and to ensure the water meets all state and federal drinking water standards. Industrial chemicals have impacted areas in the southern part of the groundwater basin (portions of Santa Ana, Tustin, and Irvine). During this webinar, learn how OCWD is working on ways to clean up the pollution in a collaborative effort with state and federal regulatory agencies. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
California water officials mostly cleared in drought-related water rights saga
“Three California companies pushing back against state emergency regulations and water curtailment orders saw most of their claims dismissed by a federal judge Tuesday. Los Molinos Mutual Water Company, Stanford Vina Ranch Irrigation Company and Peyton Pacific Properties LLC challenged the restrictions, which were in response to 2021 and 2022 drought conditions. They named State Water Resources Control Board members and board staff as defendants. Additionally, Stanford Vina brought claims against Charlton Bonham, executive director of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, over abandoned fish ladders, and against board members for violating the Endangered Species Act. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Kings County Farm Bureau blames one local water board for state intervention; demands heads roll
“The fallout and recriminations in Kings County continue over the state Water Resources Control Board’s historic decision to place the Tulare Lake subbasin on probation for failing to come up with a cohesive plan to protect the region’s groundwater. The Kings County Farm Bureau, which has already sued the Water Board over the probationary designation, is now demanding the resignations of the manager and entire board of directors of one local water board, saying they are at fault for putting the region in jeopardy with the Water Board. The Farm Bureau is seeking to oust Kings County Water District General Manager Dennis Mills and all of the district’s board members. Mills and three of those board members also sit on the Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA). “Your failures have violated the law and the trust of your constituents, friends and neighbors,” a Farm Bureau letter states in regards to the board members and Mills. The Farm Bureau released the letter Monday and is asking all water users in Kings County to sign on to the letter and force a change in leadership of those two entities. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Solano takes another swing at state, tunnel project
“Solano County has sent yet another letter to the state protesting against the Delta Conveyance Project. This time the county argues against the Petition for Change in water rights by the Department of Water Resources, as reviewed by the State Water Resource Control Board, and stating the project “is not within the State Water Resource Control Board’s jurisdiction, is contrary to law, would not best serve the public interest, and would have adverse environmental impacts.” The 11-page county response, plus detailed exhibits, states that despite the proposed tunnel not being constructed in Solano, the project will have adverse impacts on the county. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
Suisun City offers residents template letter to sound off on Bay Delta Plan
“The city offers a template letter opposing the Bay Delta Plan residents can send their representatives and the State Water Board. A copy is also requested for the Suisun City clerk. The State Water Resource Control Board, a regulatory agency, is updating the Bay Delta Plan, which would have significant and detrimental impacts to Solano County. The state’s proposed ‘55% unimpaired flows’ would have a direct and significant impact on Lake Berryessa and the communities that depend on it. This amounts to approximately 144,000 acre-feet of water. The plan would require Lake Berryessa to be kept at 65% capacity, regardless of drought conditions. … ” Read more from the Daily Republic.
Tracking study seeks secrets of some of the Sacramento’s most successful salmon
“Researchers are tracking one of the most successful populations of young Chinook salmon on the Sacramento River downstream to the ocean—and you can, too. The researchers want to unravel the details behind the relative success of spring-run Chinook salmon from Butte Creek. Even as the species struggles, the fish from Butte Creek are growing faster and surviving at higher rates. They’re also returning in greater numbers than other spring-run populations in California’s Central Valley. Biologists hope the secrets of their success might help slow and perhaps reverse the decline of the threatened species. These declines have recently led to urgent measures by state and federal officials. … ” Read more from NOAA Fisheries.
Historic South of the Delta agreement announced
“The United Stateds Department of Interior, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Friant Water Authority, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Authority and the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority announced a groundbreaking agreement to establish the South of Delta Drought Resiliency Framework on Tuesday. The project is being funded by the Bureau of Reclamation from the Infrastructure Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, which doubled the annual funding for the Reclamation over the next eight years. “Today marks a significant milestone to improve climate resilience for the communities, farms and ecosystems served by the Central Valley Project contractors south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta,” stated a press release announcing the project. “The impacts of every growing regulatory constraints on project operations has exacerbated the hydrological variability, resulting in significantly reduced reliability of CVP water supplies for water a authorities’ member agencies,” stated the press release from the Friant Water Authority, which oversees the Friant-Kern Canal. … ” Read more from the Porterville Recorder.
SEE ALSO:
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $81 Million from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for Drought Resilience in San Joaquin Valley, press release from the Bureau of Reclamation
- Partnership announces historic agreement and funding award to advance South of Delta drought resiliency pilot program and projects, press release from the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority
- Water agencies, feds agree to new drought resilience program, from the San Joaquin Valley Sun
- Westlands gets $25 million for recharge projects, from the San Bernardino Sun
California’s largest reservoir fills for a second year in a row
“Shasta Lake, the largest reservoir in California, is virtually full for the second year in a row, following months of steady storms. NASA satellite images show how much conditions have changed at Shasta Lake from about two years ago, when the reservoir was at just 39% of total capacity. The reservoir is 96% full as of May 20, with water levels at 115% of the historical average for this time of year. “At this time with no more rain predicted, we anticipate this will be as full as Shasta Reservoir will be this year,” said Michael Burke, a public affairs specialist with the Bureau of Reclamation, by email. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Is hard water bad for you? Two water quality engineers explain the potential benefits and pitfalls that come with having hard water
“When you turn on your faucet to get a glass of water or wash your face, you’re probably not thinking about what’s in your water – besides water. Depending on where you live and whether you have a water-softening system, your water might contain dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. And these minerals can play a role in whether certain pollutants such as lead stay out of your water. The more dissolved minerals, the “harder” your water. But is hard water actually good or bad for you? As engineering researchers who study water quality, we have seen the effects – both good and bad – that soft and hard water can have on everything from plumbing systems to the human body. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
Portantino bill requiring robust study of microplastics in drinking water passes Senate floor
“SB 1147, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank) which requires the study of the health impacts of microplastics in drinking water, passed the Senate Floor. “It’s critical to understand what impacts microplastics have on our health,” stated Senator Portantino. “SB 1147 will evaluate and identify a level of microplastics in drinking water which does or does not pose a significant risk to our health and then initiate a strategy to increase public health. In order to uphold all sources of drinking water to the same standards, we have to begin monitoring bottled water along with tap water.” In 2018, there was an average of 325 pieces of microplastics identified in a liter of bottled water. Currently, California’s water bottling facilities do not test for microplastics, nor do they have a method to test for microplastics. SB 1147 requires all water-bottling plants that produces bottled water for sale must provide an annual report the State Department of Public Health’s Food and Drug branch on the levels of microplastics found in the source water. The bill requires the report to be included with the annual water-bottling plant report and, upon request, be made available to consumers. … ” Read more from Senator Portantino.
SEE ALSO: Microplastics discovered in human and dog testes, from the LA Times
California bill to clean up dangerous idle oil, gas wells passes Assembly
“A bill that would substantially increase oil companies’ requirements to plug and clean up idled oil and gas wells across the state passed the California Assembly today. California currently has more than 40,000 wells that sit idle, but existing laws do little to force operators to plug these dangerous wells. The bill from Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) is sponsored by the Center for Biological Diversity. It’s backed by more than 100 public health, labor and environmental groups, who sent a letter of support for the bill, which would speed well cleanup, protect communities and the climate, and create tens of thousands of jobs. “Legislators agree that it’s time to make polluters pay for their dangerous leaking wells,” said Hollin Kretzmann, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “This crucial bill will finally force oil companies to start their massive cleanup job and ensure these costs don’t land on the taxpayer.” … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Lake Tahoe Wildfire Summit explores interdisciplinary solutions
“Wildfire is one of the pressing issues facing society and our environment today, in the Lake Tahoe Basin and around the world. Faculty from the University of Nevada, Reno across disciplines are meeting today, May 21, through Wednesday, May 22 at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe to discuss new research and potential solutions to the world’s growing wildfire challenges. “We have exceptional faculty and students at the University of Nevada who are answering the big questions related to wildfire and wildfire management,” Sudeep Chandra, Foundation Professor and Director of the Global Water Center said. “This collaborative retreat was completely faculty-driven so we can understand the cutting-edge areas of science and community engagement that can lead to problem-solving in this topical area. We all understand just how critical the sharing of information, research and perspectives will be in solving climate change-induced impacts of wildfires, and that is what we are doing here today.” … ” Read more from Nevada Today.
Wildfire smoke has covered up to 70 percent of California in recent years, affecting land and water: Study
“Wildfire smoke covered as much as 70 percent of California in recent years — wreaking havoc not only on land, but also in the state’s vast freshwater ecosystems, a study published Wednesday has found. In the past 18 years, maximum smoke cover over the state has increased by about 116,000 square miles — equivalent to about 74.4 percent of California’s entire land area, according to the study published in Communications: Earth & Environment. The authors came upon these dramatic percentages while researching how smoke has specifically affected the Golden State’s lakes. Although wildfire smoke regularly deposits aerosols and reduces sunlight in freshwater ecosystems, there is little data available about the overall impacts on these basins, the scientists noted. … ” Read more from The Hill.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
When the dams come out, the Klamath will come back
“On the border of Oregon and California, the largest dam removal ever attempted, anywhere on the planet, is underway on the Klamath River. The Klamath originates in the high desert as cold headwater streams feeding Klamath Lake, where native bull trout live year-round and redband rainbows migrate in and out. Below the lake, beyond irrigated farms and ranches and networks of wetlands, the river consolidates into a powerful mainstem, its whitewater cutting a deep gorge through the Cascades and the Klamath Mountains. Arriving at the Pacific Ocean some 200 miles later, it is surrounded by thick, wild coastal rainforest. Once, this was one of the great Pacific salmon and steelhead rivers. But for over a century, mainstem dams have blocked the fish from spawning and rearing in the watershed’s upper basin—420 miles of prime habitat. … ” Continue reading from Trout Unlimited.
BAY AREA
Contra Costa County: Central San appeals to customers to speak out on large fee hikes
“The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District wants their customers to communicate with the Regional Water Quality Board, who is proposing nutrient regulations that will result in very large wastewater fee hikes for customers if approved. All three Lamorinda mayors have already written to the board expressing their concerns. Nutrients in wastewater are a serious environmental problem. According to Emily Barnett, Communications and Government Relations Manager at Central Contra Costa Sanitary District, in the past couple of years there have been at least two significant fish kills in the San Francisco Bay owing to the presence of algae blooms caused by nitrogen from a number of sources, including wastewater. … ” Read more from Lamorinda Weekly.
CENTRAL COAST
The Diablo Dilemma: Nuclear power plant faces multiple hurdles in effort to keep reactors in operation
“Nuclear power has had a renaissance of sorts within the last decade. With more focus on combatting climate change, there has been an increased interest in all types of green energy, even if it’s not renewable. President Joe Biden set a goal to decarbonize the power grid by 2035 and his administration sees nuclear power as a critical component of that. In California, a bigger thirst for power combined with increasing drought reducing the amount of hydroelectric power, nuclear energy began to get the attention of Governor Gavin Newsom as well. … ” Read more from KSBY.
Building moratorium in Los Osos could be lifted after decades. Here’s how
“Los Osos could end its building moratorium by the end of the year and see new construction for the first time in decades under a plan led by the California Coastal Commission and San Luis Obispo County. The proposal could eventually bring 1% residential growth to a community that has been under a building ban since 1988. The history of Los Osos’ moratorium began with the septic tank discharge prohibition issued by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board in 1983. That agency found that the town’s 5,000 septic tanks were sending millions of gallons of effluent down the drain and into both the groundwater and the bay. … ” Read more from the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
EASTERN SIERRA
Court issues opinion striking down approval of gold drilling in the Eastern Sierra Nevada
“A federal appeals court today issued an opinion reversing the decision of a lower court that would have allowed exploratory drilling east of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. The court found that the Forest Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it relied on two categorical exclusions for a single project to avoid the required environmental reviews. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s decision and overturned the U.S. Forest Service’s 2021 approval that allowed gold-mining exploration in sensitive habitat in Inyo National Forest’s Long Valley area. The 9th Circuit had issued an earlier ruling in September 2023, just one day after oral arguments, because the company had planned to begin drilling at that time. In their 2021 lawsuit, conservation groups said the Forest Service’s use of two categorical exclusions, rather than more detailed environmental review, effectively ignored the mining project’s effects on bi-state sage grouse in the area, as well as the potential harm to nearby Hot Creek, where endangered Owens tui chub live. … ” Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Mono and Walker: Lakes with parallel streams of history
“It’s an old story. A State Fisheries biologist is assigned to a remote area and begins patrolling and documenting the abundant fisheries there. He becomes concerned when upstream water diversions start to degrade the riparian ecosystems that he was assigned to protect. Stepping into a political minefield, he shares his concerns with his supervisors. He is told to back off and mind his own business. At Mono Lake this story began in 1938 when Elden Vestal was assigned to the Eastern Sierra as one of California’s first professional Fish & Game biologists. In 1941, after “becoming deeply disturbed about the state of Rush Creek” due to the onset of stream diversions by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (DWP) he “wrote the Chief of the Bureau of Fish Conservation. The reply was a thinly veiled warning to stop my investigations into what was apparently a very sensitive political question.” Elden’s story lent an aura of deja vu to a lecture I recently attended, entitled “The Fisheries History of Walker Lake, Nevada: Past, Present, and Future!” … ” Read more from the Mono Lake Committee.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Environment California announces intent to sue Port of Los Angeles over Clean Water Act violations
“The nonprofit group Environment California on Tuesday sent a formal notice of intent to sue the Port of Los Angeles for approximately 2,000 days of alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The group charges that, for years, the Port has routinely exceeded legal limits on the fecal bacteria, copper and several other pollutants it discharges into San Pedro Bay. Environment California also alleges that the Port’s stormwater treatment system is drastically undersized and that, as a result, untreated wastewater frequently bypasses the system entirely, in violation of federal law. … ” Read more from Environment California.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Imperial Irrigation District Board adopts resolution reinforcing Colorado River resources and local water management commitments to serve community water demands, including Lithium Valley
“The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors passed a resolution during its Tuesday meeting reaffirming its dedication to meeting community water demands. The resolution highlights Imperial County’s efforts to support the development of Lithium Valley, which aims to diversify the Imperial Valley’s economy and create local employment opportunities. The resolution emphasizes IID’s commitment to collaborating with Imperial County and other stakeholders to expand water conservation initiatives and enhance water management tools, policies, and programs. This effort aims to support new non-agricultural beneficial uses while maintaining an equitable distribution of Colorado River supplies across all water use categories within the district. … ” Read more from the Imperial Irrigation District.
SAN DIEGO
Proposed rules on water quality may overwhelm San Diego farmers
“Farmers in San Diego County say proposed water quality regulations that establish updated general waste discharge requirements for commercial agricultural operations are burdensome, costly and duplicate work by growers participating in other regulatory programs. Tasked with protecting water quality, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board on March 29 released a proposed draft that creates new monitoring and reporting requirements for nitrogen applications and removals. It also identifies paths to compliance for individuals or use of third-party programs to help farmers achieve the order’s objectives. Kari Fisher, senior counsel for the California Farm Bureau, said the draft order for the region stems from the state’s 2018 adoption of a precedential order that revised agricultural requirements for the Eastern San Joaquin River watershed and required all regional boards to update their irrigated lands programs. … ” Read more from Ag Alert.
California Senate approves Senator Padilla’s legislative package protecting the Tijuana River watershed
“The California State Senate has passed Senate Bills 1178 and 1208, authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), which address corporate pollution poisoning California waters (Senate Bill 1178) as well as halt the development of a landfill that would only further pollute the Tijuana River Watershed (Senate Bill 1208). “Business as usual at the border is over and done with,” said Senator Padilla. “We are fed up with corporations poisoning Californians all to make a quick buck. We must hold these polluters accountable for untold harm they have caused our community.” … ” Continue reading from Senator Padilla.
SEE ALSO: New Imperial Beach task force to take on sewage spill health concerns, from NBC 7
Along the Colorado River …
The ‘academic proposal’ for the Colorado River
“Two groups of states submitted conflicting proposals in March describing how federal officials should manage reservoirs on the Colorado River after 2026. Former Colorado River Water Conservation District General Manager Eric Kuhn, along with two other water experts, have their own idea to pitch. Kuhn and his co-authors, University of New Mexico professor John Fleck and Utah State University professor Jack Schmidt want to add more flexibility to dam operations to address environmental and recreation concerns in the Grand Canyon below Glen Canyon Dam (the dam that forms Lake Powell). Kuhn presented what has been called the “academic proposal” during a Colorado Basin Roundtable meeting in Glenwood Springs on Monday. He said the document is not a “proposal” akin to the states’ proposals, describing it as more of an “approach” that can be incorporated with other proposals. “What we’ve proposed is a one-speed bicycle with pedal-back brakes,” Kuhn said. “What all of the parties are likely to negotiate for an actual accounting system is more like a Mars rover.” … ” Read more from Aspen Daily News.
In agricultural Yuma, state, federal and local water talks are dictated by the law of the river
“It’s impossible to talk about water in Arizona without talking about the Colorado River. It supplies water to 40 million people across the American West, including more than two dozen tribes, cities like Phoenix and Tucson, and agriculture. The river travels some 1,450 miles all told and drains into seven US states, including Arizona, and two in Mexico. The Yuma Valley is sort of at the crux of all that. It sits on the westernmost corner of Arizona and abuts both Mexico and California. But for the farming operations that define this region, like Jesus Tovar’s, it’s an almost imperceptible transition. “Maybe 50-55% of the acreage I farm are here on the Yuma Valley, and the rest of it is on the Quechan reservation, which is in California — the Quechan Nation,” he said. “Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, just about everything you can think of, we grow it.” … ” Read more from KJZZ.
Arizona: Forest thinning may provide water benefits downstream
“Arizona’s wildfire season has begun, as several fires are burning across the state. Long-term drought and climate change contribute to the intensity of these fires, which are often human caused. Following a wildfire in the state’s watersheds, rainfall washes ash and debris into rivers, the reservoirs that provide water to the Valley. When a large amount of debris fills the reservoirs, it reduces the capacity for water storage and can damage water infrastructure such as dams and water treatment plants. In a pilot program, Arizona State University and Salt River Project are investigating whether forest thinning will increase water supplies, in addition to reducing wildfire risk and protecting important infrastructure. The project is focused on a 3,400-acre area in the Kaibab National Forest. … ” Read more from Arizona State University.
Colorado peak at 1000% of snowpack norm, two regions at less than half of what’s typical
“As of May 20, the statewide snowpack level in Colorado is at 107 of the norm for the date, but how much snowpack there is varies greatly by region. Leading the charge in terms of snowpack is the Arkansas River Basin of central and southern Colorado. Snowpack here is currently at 136 percent of the norm – roughly 46 percent of the typical peak for the area, which tends to be hit around April 3. Meanwhile, the adjacent Upper Rio Grande River Basin in southern and southwest Colorado sits at just 41 percent of what’s expected for this point in the year, at just 11 percent of what’s typical during a normal April 2 snowpack peak. This area seems to be where the most rapid snowmelt is taking place. … ” Read more from the Denver Gazette.
Warming climate is turning rivers rusty with toxic metals
“Mountain rivers in the US state of Colorado are going rusty and the warming climate is to blame, according to research. An increase in toxic heavy metals has also been observed in Arctic streams, leading to concern that this phenomenon may be more widespread. From the Andes to the European Alps, researchers have seen an increase in heavy metals in mountain streams in recent decades, but it has not been clear what is driving the trend. Analysing 40 years of water chemistry data from 22 of Colorado’s mountain streams, researchers found that the concentrations of copper, zinc and sulphate had doubled over the past 30 years. The study, published in Water Resources Research, found that drier weather and reduced stream flow accounted for about half of the rise, but the remaining increase was most likely due to thawing of underground ice, exposing more rocks to groundwater and releasing the metals contained within them. … ” Read more from The Guardian.
In national water news today …
Default passwords jeopardize water infrastructure
“Drinking-water systems pose increasingly attractive targets as malicious hacker activity is on the rise globally, according to new warnings from security agencies around the world. According to experts, basic countermeasures—including changing default passwords and using multifactor authentication—can still provide substantial defense. However, in the United States alone, more than 50,000 community water systems also represent a landscape of potential vulnerabilities that have provided a hacker’s playground in recent months. … “When we think about cybersecurity and cyberthreats in the water sector, this is not a hypothetical,” a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson said at a press briefing last year. “This is happening right now.” … ” Continue reading from IEEE Spectrum.
States sue over Biden policy that ‘elevates environmental justice and climate change considerations’
“Twenty states, including Texas, Florida and Georgia sued a federal agency Tuesday over a series of regulatory reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act, finalized this month by the Biden administration and set to go into effect on July 1. The states — nearly all considered “red states” in that they tend to elect Republicans — say in their suit that the “problematic” policy changes include the “elevation of atextual environmental justice and climate change considerations,” the “politically motivated fast-tracking favored projects” and the “creation of new mitigation obligations.” They say the proposed changes create an “open-ended obligation and impossible-to-meet standard” that will lead to delays and cost overruns in federally-funded infrastructure projects. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
How much worse will extreme heat get by 2050? New report outlines worrisome future
“The next quarter of a century will bring considerable climate danger to millions of Americans living in disadvantaged communities, who will not only experience increased exposure to life-threatening extreme heat but also greater hardships from reduced energy reliability, a new nationwide report has found. The report, published Wednesday by the ICF Climate Center, examines global warming projections in Justice40 communities — those identified by the federal government as marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution. The Justice40 Initiative was established under President Biden’s strategy to tackle the climate crisis, which aims to funnel 40% of benefits from certain federal climate, energy and housing investments into these communities. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
