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 (Tuesday) …
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. The Board will hold a workshop on the draft State Fiscal Year 2024-25 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Intended Use Plan (IUP), Including complementary funding from the Budget Acts of 2021, 2022, and 2023 and Propositions 1 and 68, with supplemental IUP for Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Emerging Contaminants Capitalization Grant. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
On the calendar tomorrow (Wednesday) …
- LEG HEARING: Senate Committee on Environmental Quality beginning at 9am. Click here for more information.
- MEETING: State Water Resources Control Board beginning at 9am. The Board will consider adopting a Resolution to adopt the proposed regulation to make conservation a California way of life. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Kaweah’s new groundwater plan may be enough to negate state action, if they can see eye-to-eye on subsidence
“The state came to Tulare County and gave water managers in the Kaweah subbasin kudos for being proactive on their new plan to stop over pumping in the region. The head of the state Water Resources Control Board Joaquin Esquivel himself was there to praise the managers. “We are heartened by the coordination we see in the subbasin,” he said at a workshop held June 27 where Water Board staff explained the ins and outs of the subbasin’s upcoming probationary hearing before the Water Board on Jan. 7. Probation is the first step toward a potential state pumping take over. In fact, the state was so heartened by changes made in Kaweah’s new groundwater plan, it may negate the need for that Jan. 7 hearing entirely. “We may change our probationary recommendation if we see progress toward these deficiencies and acknowledge the positive momentum of the Kaweah agencies,” said Natalie Stork, Water Board engineer. But here’s the catch. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
Using innovative approach, DWR studies feasibility of returning chinook salmon to historic habitat along the Feather River
“Along the North Fork of the Feather River, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is conducting an innovative reintroduction feasibility study for Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon that would help boost the salmon population and potentially return the species to its historic habitat. Historically, spring-run Chinook salmon would have access to spawning and rearing habitat areas located above Lake Almanor. However, numerous dams that were built since the 1920s have cut off Central Valley salmon from accessing that habitat. This, in addition to other factors such as climate change, has contributed to a decline in the salmon population over the past 100 years. The study tests two methods of salmon egg placement; an egg box method, which is normally used for reintroduction programs, and direct injection into the gravel, which closely mimics what happens in nature. The two methods of egg placement are used so scientists can compare how each method performed in that environment and have more control over how those eggs emerge. … ” Read more from DWR News.
Long-duration heat wave expected to bring dangerous conditions to California
“A heat wave that’s being called “anomalous” and “potentially dangerous” by the National Weather Service is expected to bring sizzling temperatures and a high risk of wildfires in California starting Tuesday and continuing for several days, including over the July Fourth holiday. “This level of heat could pose a danger to the public if proper heat safety is not followed,” the agency wrote in its forecast. The most notable factor that is expected to contribute to the severity of this event is its long duration, UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said in his heat wave forecast broadcast over YouTube on Monday. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
SEE ALSO:
- Extended California heat wave brings extreme health, fire risk; power shutoffs likely, from the LA Times
- California heat wave: Forecast trends even hotter as excessive heat will last for days, from the San Francisco Chronicle
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces over $20 million to collaborative efforts to conserve imperiled species in California
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced over $20.5 million in grants to seven projects in California that support land acquisition and conservation planning for at-risk and listed species through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. Partners in California will receive close to half of the $48.4 million awarded nationally to 19 states and Guam to conserve 23,000 acres of habitat for 80 listed and at-risk species. The grants will be matched by more than $27.75 million in non-federal partner funds. “Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, this critical funding will help in conserving our nation’s most imperiled wildlife and vital habitat while fostering partnerships between federal, state and local governments, private landowners and communities,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “These grants support the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative goal to conserve, connect and restore 30 percent of the Nation’s lands and waters by protecting biodiversity, slowing extinction rates and facilitating collaborative restoration efforts.” … ” Read more from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Fourth District Court of Appeal holds the “Pay First, Litigate Later” rule applies to Sustainable Groundwater Management Act fee lawsuits, but does not reach significant questions of groundwater usage by overlying landowners
“In Mojave Pistachio, LLC v. Superior Court (2024) 99 Cal.App.5th 605, the Fourth District Court of Appeal held that the “pay first, litigate later” rule applies to fees imposed by a local groundwater sustainability agency under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”). (Wat. Code, § 10720 et seq.) This is the first case to determine such issue. As a result of the court’s decision, water users must pay the outstanding amounts owed before bringing a legal challenge against a groundwater sustainability agency for imposition of the fee, even if the challenged fee allegedly violates SGMA and California water law, and even if the water users allegedly cannot afford to pay the fee. … ” Read more from the Land Use Law blog.
Two congressmen request review after Times report on Central Valley water heist
“Two members of Congress have asked the Government Accountability Office to review how vulnerable the Bureau of Reclamation is to water theft following a Los Angeles Times report on an audacious and long-running heist from a federal canal in the Central Valley. The facts related in the story “raise serious concerns about how widespread water theft is and what Reclamation can do to prevent water theft in the future,” Reps. Jarred Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) wrote in their letter requesting the review. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
State lawmakers push two $10 million bonds
“California lawmakers have announced plans to introduce two bond measures on the November ballot in order to seek voter approval to borrow $10 billion each for climate programs and public school construction or repairs. The bond proposals were announced a day after Governor Gavin Newsom signed California’s budget, which included $16 billion in spending cuts to partially address the estimated $46.8 billion deficit. What they’re saying: “These bond measures are critical to the future of this state and invest in our kids, their neighborhood schools, and they ensure communities big and small have access to clean drinking water and are wildfire safe,” said Democratic state Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire in a statement. … ” Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun.
SEE ALSO: California voters could see schools bond and historic climate initiative on November ballot, from the LA Times
Laser, sonar technology finds this Northern California reservoir’s capacity has shrunk by 3%
“The state Department of Water Resources has started using laser and sonar technology to measure reservoir capacity, determining that Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, has shrunk since its creation in 1960. In 2021, the DWR used laser pulses mounted on an airplane to map parts of the basin’s terrain that were not underwater at the time due to historically low lake levels. Following that, in 2022, a boat sent sonar pulses into Lake Oroville to map the underwater terrain. Engineers calculated that the reservoir had 3% less capacity — over 100,000 acre-feet — than previously estimated. “You could even detect the old intact roadways and train tracks that were used during the dam’s construction in the ’60s,” said Tony Squellati, manager for the photogrammetry and computer mapping unit of DWR’s Division of Engineering-Geomatics, in a news release. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee. | Read via AOL News.
Some California cities are choosing drone shows over fireworks
“Fireworks and the Fourth of July have always seemed like a package deal. But in recent years, some cities are opting for drone shows instead. These shows use groups of drones to create formations in the sky — like a bald eagle, or California’s iconic grizzly bear. It’s a light show that’s similar to fireworks, but without the smoke and noise. Organizers of these shows often explain the swap as an environmental one that comes with less pollution and trash than fireworks. Katie Biggers, executive director of the Tahoe City Downtown Association, said her organization started hosting drone shows along the northern side of Lake Tahoe in 2022 as a way to be more environmentally sustainable. This year marks their third drone show for the Fourth of July. “We looked at doing a more sustainable option for a lot of different reasons, whether it be noise, chemicals going into the air and into the lake … as well as, obviously, fire risk,” Biggers said. … ” Read more from Capital Public Radio.
In the California desert, a new wastewater plant might hold the key to cheap carbon removal
“On the edge of the Mojave Desert, 60 miles north of Los Angeles, a new water treatment plant will turn wastewater into drinking water. The plant will also test something new: removing CO2 from the atmosphere at little to no cost. Right now, using machines for “direct air capture” is an expensive process. Removing and storing a single ton can cost as much as $1,000. With around 40 billion tons of CO2 emitted by humans each year, the nascent industry can’t easily scale up to address the problem. But Capture6, a startup partnering on the new project in Palmdale, California, is taking a different approach. … ” Read more from Fast Company.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Klamath Basin irrigation leaders meet with U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
“KWUA was honored to host U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon for a meeting with irrigation leaders from the Klamath Project. Board members from KWUA and its constituent districts spoke with the Senator about priority issues affecting Klamath Basin agriculture. “Senator Merkley has always been generous with his personal time with us, and he and his staff are quick to respond when they hear from us,” said KWUA Executive Director Paul Simmons. The meeting focused on infrastructure and opportunities for rehydrating the basin for multiple benefits, the immediate challenge of grasshopper infestations damaging crops, and the current water year. “Given the changes of climate and drought we are experiencing, if we don’t help the irrigators in the west we are going to lose a massive amount of agriculture,” said Senator Merkley. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Press release: Water reductions in the Klamath Basin devastate jobs and local economy
write, “A recent study conducted by Oregon State University (OSU) (funded in part by Klamath County) highlights the devastating regional economic impacts from water shortages for farms and ranches in the Upper Klamath Basin. According to the study, the crops and livestock grown and raised in the Upper Klamath Basin are worth approximately $368 million annually, generating $176.5 million in income for 3,180 full- and part-time employees. This economic activity is directly threatened by the increasing restrictions on farmers and ranchers’ ability to water their crops and livestock. … As water shortages increase so do the impacts on the regional economy. According to the study, if the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) only makes 225,000 acre-feet of water available from Upper Klamath Lake, it causes the loss of 650 jobs and reduces income by approximately $34 million. An allocation of 100,000 acre-feet from Upper Klamath Lake costs 790 jobs and $41 million in lost income. … ” Read more from the Herald & News.
Fire, flood and ice: Local scientists document climate threshold crossed in the Klamath Mountains
“On a sweltering October day in 2022, Justin Garwood tucked a piece of glacial ice into his sleeping bag, carefully arranged clothes around the bundle, hiked 10 miles out of the Trinity Alps and stuck the chunk in his freezer, where it remains today. “I don’t know what to do with it now,” Garwood admitted. The Trinities were once home to the lowest altitude, western-most glaciers in California: the Grizzly and the Salmon. But in 2015, after years of severe drought, the Grizzly Glacier broke apart and the Salmon disappeared entirely (or “went extinct,” in science-speak). And in the fall of 2022 the Grizzly went extinct too. “A certain climate supports glaciers, and we’ve left that,” said Garwood, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, who described their loss as a “threshold crossed.” … ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Big Hill Preserves get bigger, vital habitat connectivity expands in Sierra foothills
“It may be only 60 acres, but the Kotomyan Vista Preserve located just north of the popular Hidden Falls Regional Park and adjacent to other Placer Land Trust preserves and conservation easements now brings the total acres of protected land in the north Auburn area to nearly 9,000. With help from a Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) grant, this small acquisition by the nonprofit organization, which protects more open space and strategically connects vital wildlife corridors, is a pretty big deal in the Sierra Nevada foothills. “After visiting the property, we knew this would be an excellent addition to the block of protected land in the Big Hill area,” said Jeff Darlington, executive director with the Placer Land Trust (PLT). … ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
With Sacramento’s robust water infrastructure, why are homeless residents still dying of thirst?
Megan Fidell, chair of the City of Sacramento’s Utility Rate-setting Advisory Commission, writes, “When a Sacramentan loses their home and is forced to live on the streets, they lose access to a safe and reliable water supply as well. Access to water is simply not an option. We can do better. Currently, under the official water delivery program for people who live outside in Sacramento, the county contracts with Safer Alternatives through Networking & Education (SANE), a non-profit, to deliver water to the unhoused. SANE has one van and two full-time staff to cover every homeless encampment in the county and city on a rotating basis. Everyday, two people load the van with pallets of plastic, one-gallon containers of water. Then they drive to the next camps in their rotation. … It would make a great deal more sense, however, for the city of Sacramento to use its wonderful engineered system to deliver water to people experiencing homelessness. … ” Read the full commentary at the Sacramento Bee.
BAY AREA
Marin County Fair returns with water theme
“Organizers of the 2024 Marin County Fair hope to “make a splash” with this year’s iteration of the annual summer event. The theme signifies a celebration of all things water, said Gabriella Calicchio, the county’s director of cultural services, with a focus on water education, conservation and drought-resistant gardening, but also competitive exhibits such as art on driftwood, water poetry, a sea theme mural and water-themed fine arts and photography. Among the featured exhibits will be a virtual reality deep sea experience and a fountain centerpiece on the fairgrounds. The theme is intended to function as celebratory and educational, she said. “The fair is back and better than ever. It’s going to be a great way to spend your Fourth of July long weekend,” she said. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Corte Madera launches online flood risk tool
“Corte Madera has launched a new online resource to evaluate potential flood risks. Town leaders hope the site — called the “Corte Madera shoreline flood explorer” — will foster support for potentially pricey coastline infrastructure projects such as the installation of berms, flood barriers, drainage systems and marsh land. “We created the shoreline explorer as an interactive tool to help residents understand what we’re up against in terms of Corte Madera’s current and future flood risk, and to make sure folks have the information they need as they join the conversation on how best to protect our community,” said Mayor Eli Beckman. The video and online tool use data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Coastal Storm Modeling System to model flooding impacts under various storm surge and high tide scenarios. The program was developed by Virtual Planet, an environmental technologies firm, and the town. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal.
Ironhouse Sanitary District recycled water facilities reopen following upgrades
“The Ironhouse Sanitary District in California is reopening its Residential Recycled Water Fill Station to the community beginning July 1, 2024. The recycled water stations allow customers to take advantage of free recycled water through October 31, 2024. The station has undergone several upgrades and improvements since its closure in May 2023. Improvements include pressurizing and increasing the pipe size to 8-inches in diameter for better water flows, as well as adding signage and making the station more user-friendly. The upgrades allow Ironhouse to continue offering recycled water for outdoor watering needs while preserving drinking water and saving its customers money. … ” Read more from Water World.
Valley Water changes course on flood-control project
“Citing high costs and wavering commitment from its federal partner, the Santa Clara Valley Water District has abandoned its plan to replace the aged tide gate structure in the Palo Alto Baylands, a $40 million project that officials say is critical to reducing flood risks. Instead, the agency is now looking to launch next year a seismic rehabilitation of the prominent concrete structure at Byxbee Park, a project that is scheduled to start in fall 2025 and that will require the closure of a popular hiking and biking trail for about five months. The water district, commonly known as Valley Water, announced its change of plans last week at a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission, which had reviewed and generally endorsed the replacement project in 2021. At that time, the district was preparing to start replacing the tide gate structure in 2022 and to have it completed by 2026. But agency staff told the commission at the June 25 hearing that rising costs have made the replacement unworkable. … ” Read more from the Mountain View Voice.
CENTRAL COAST
Draining groundwater and pocketbooks in the Cuyama Valley
“It’s been nearly 10 years since the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was signed into law in California, launching a historic effort to halt the headlong decline of the state’s most depleted underground water basins. The state law, dubbed “SGMA” and pronounced “Sigma,” triggered the formation of groundwater sustainability agencies that, in concert with their communities, developed schedules of mandatory pumping cutbacks to bring their basins back into balance by 2040, the deadline set by the state. That was the easy part. Now, the law has entered a period of reckoning. Water rights lawsuits have been filed in 10 regions, challenging both the cutback plans and the authority of the agencies that drew them up. Ground Zero in this courtroom battle is the Cuyama Valley, a vast, dry agricultural region east of Santa Maria, where the world’s largest carrot corporations are pitted against 30 much smaller farms, a few longtime cattle ranchers and a low-income community of more than 1,200 people. … ” Read more from the Santa Barbara Independent.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Inside look at Fresno County westside solar plan to power 9 million homes
“A wide band of sun-baked land running along the Interstate 5 corridor in western Fresno County is the proposed site for a large-scale solar farming, electricity storage, and transmission project that could produce as much as 20,000 megawatts of solar-generated electricity — enough for nine million homes. Proponents say the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan would provide the infrastructure, including five new substations and high-voltage lines that would be needed to move that much power onto California’s electrical grid, in addition to the master-planning of up to 130,000 acres owned by Westlands Water District or held privately by farmers. That’s nearly double the size of the city of Fresno’s footprint. It would dwarf the solar generation facilities now operating in the region. … ” Read more from GV Wire.
Tulare County inaugurates Okieville Recharge Basin
“More than 40 engineers, landowners, water officials and drinking water advocates gathered along the banks of a full, flowing canal in Tulare County Thursday, June 27 to inaugurate the Okieville Recharge Basin. But the first order of business on the hot summer day was snow cones. The 21-acre project is a “poster child” of partnership that will yield multiple benefits, Tulare Irrigation District manager Aaron Fukuda said. But like most construction projects, it didn’t come without delays or obstacles. “This project epitomizes how people worked together and did not give up,” he said of the nine-year effort. … ” Read more from the Foothills Sun-Gazette.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Metropolitan increases turf rebate for businesses, public agencies
“Starting today, Southern California businesses and public agencies looking to replace ornamental grass with more sustainable landscaping can receive a larger rebate from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Thanks to a $30 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources, Metropolitan has added an additional dollar to its Turf Replacement Program base incentive – boosting it to $3 per square foot for commercial, industrial and institutional sectors and $4 for public agencies that swap out non-functional grass with California Friendly® and native landscaping. “We’ve made huge gains in water-use efficiency in Southern California, and businesses and public agencies have the opportunity to help us further that progress,” said Metropolitan Interim General Manager Deven Upadhyay. “By switching to landscaping that is both beautiful and sustainable, they can help our region better adapt to our changing climate while cutting costs and demonstrating leadership in sustainability in their communities.” … ” Continue reading from the Metropolitan Water District.
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Feds tout Colorado River deal despite concern over residents, wildlife near Salton Sea
“The federal government and Imperial Irrigation District on Friday unveiled a key environmental assessment of a potential huge Colorado River conservation deal that could save nearly 1 million acre-feet of water through 2026 — and yield the agency and area farmers as much as $700 million in public funds. Growers said they’re ready to begin summertime fallowing and other measures as soon as the paperwork is finalized, and the clock is ticking. But a veteran analyst of intertwined Colorado River and Salton Sea issues and an area environmental justice advocate both said they have concerns. The proposed System Conservation Implementation Agreement calls for up to 300,000 acre-feet a year to be conserved, or nearly 98 billion gallons of water — as much river water as the state of Nevada receives annually. That’s an extra 50,000 acre-feet more than was originally proposed by IID, itself sufficient to supply a small city. … ” Read more from the Arizona Sun.
SAN DIEGO
Groups work to remove invasive plants from California’s wetlands
“Conservation groups are coming together to fight an invasive plant that is threatening California’s wetlands. Carolyn Lieberman is the Coastal Program coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife office out of Carlsbad. Along with a volunteer crew from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, she is working to eradicate the devastating Algerian sea lavender from taking over the coastal wetland. “It is pretty,” Lieberman said. “No, but I think I hate it,” she joked. Lieberman said it chokes out important vegetation for the endangered Belding’s savannah sparrow. “This is the nesting habitat for the Belding’s savannah sparrow and the Algerian sea lavender just takes it away,” she said. “By having the nonnative sea lavender in here, the native birds and plants that are supposed to be here can’t thrive. And so by removing it, the natives can take ahold again and that can help recover the native plants and animals that have been displaced.” … ” Read more from Spectrum One.
San Diego water rates to increase Monday
“San Diego water rates will go up by 5.2%. This increase, approved by the City Council last September, includes a 1.8% charge from the San Diego County Water Authority to cover higher costs of imported water and other services. The rate hike will help fund essential upgrades to the city’s water infrastructure, such as replacing old pipelines and supporting projects like Pure Water San Diego, which aims to ensure a reliable water supply. … ” Read more from Channel 10.
Along the Colorado River …
Is paying farmers to conserve Colorado River water worth the cost?
“During the growing season on Leslie Hagenstein’s ranch near Pinedale, Wyoming, water typically flows in and the fields come to life. But last season, her fields were desolate. “Last year, it looks like Armageddon — there’s just no growth at all,” she said. “There’s no green. Everything was brown.” But these barren fields aren’t the result of drought; Hagenstein left the fields dry on purpose. She signed up for the System Conservation Pilot Program. “I made 13 times more money in one summer than I had the previous summer. It’s black and white, it’s money in your pocket,” she said. … ” Read more from Marketplace.
Water corner: The Colorado Basin Roundtable works on water and rivers
“If you care about water and rvers on the Western Slope, you’ll want to know more about the Colorado Basin Roundtable. It’s a public forum that discusses water projects that affect the upper Colorado River and its tributaries, including the Fraser, Blue, Eagle and Roaring Fork rivers. If you are an irrigator and think your system could be improved, come talk to the roundtable. If you know of a river reach that could benefit from more water, come talk to the roundtable. You will be heard. The Colorado Basin Roundtable has been meeting in Glenwood Springs every other month since 2005 when the state legislature passed the Water for the 21st Century Act. That act, HB 05-1177, created nine basin roundtables that support every major river basin across Colorado, including the Colorado River Basin. … ” Read more from Ski Hi News.
In national water news today …
Water scarcity likely to increase in the coming decades
“It falls from the sky and, in some parts of the world, runs freely from faucets. But accessing clean water is an issue for a significant swath of the population, and the situation is only apt to worsen in coming decades, new modeling work reveals. About 55% of the world’s population currently has trouble accessing clean water at least 1 month out of the year, and by 2100, that number could rise above 65%, researchers calculated. Minimizing water scarcity now and into the future will rely on curbing water use, reducing pollution, and mitigating the effects of climate change, the researchers suggest. From agriculture to manufacturing to cooking and drinking, human existence is inextricably linked to the availability of clean water. That need is reflected in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, one of 17 goals representing targets for global development. … ” Read more from EOS.
The Supreme Court significantly undercuts agency authority by overruling Chevron in landmark ruling
“On June 28th, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (Loper Bright) and Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce (Relentless), overruling its own 1984 decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council (Chevron). Cited in over 18,000 published cases, Chevron is considered one of the foundational cases in agency law because it created the doctrine of Chevron deference, which requires judges to defer to a federal agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute if it is reasonable. In overturning Chevron, the Supreme Court held that the deference given to agencies under Chevron is incompatible with the Administrative Procedure Act’s (APA) requirement that judges decide all relevant questions of law. While the Supreme Court stated that former cases that relied on Chevron would not be overturned, judges will make the ultimate decision on the correct interpretation of an ambiguous statute going forward. … ” Read more from Downey Brand.
How to create a ‘world without waste’? Here are the plastic industry’s ideas.
“In the time it takes you to read this sentence — say, four seconds — the world produces nearly 60 metric tons of plastic, almost entirely out of fossil fuels. That’s about 53,000 metric tons an hour, 1.3 million metric tons a day, or 460 million metric tons a year. Those numbers are fueling widespread and growing contamination of Earth’s oceans, rivers, and the terrestrial environment with plastic trash. In March 2022, the United Nations’ 193 member states got together in Nairobi, Kenya, and agreed to do something about it. They pledged to negotiate a treaty to “end plastic pollution,” with the goal of delivering a final draft by 2025. The most ambitious vision espoused by member states in the negotiating sessions that have taken place so far would require petrochemical companies to stop making so much of the darn stuff by putting a cap on global plastic production. Given the existential threat this would pose to fossil fuel and chemical companies, you might expect them to be vociferously opposed to the treaty. Yet they claim to support the agreement. They’re even “championing” it, according to statements from a handful of industry groups. … ” Read more from Grist.
EPA releases updated climate indicators report showing how climate change is impacting people’s health and the environment
“Today, July 2, the United States Environmental Protection Agency released the Fifth Edition of Climate Change Indicators in the United States. The report highlights new data showing the continuing and far-reaching impacts of climate change on the people and environment of the United States. New to the report this year are an indicator on Marine Heat Waves (showing trends related to multi-day high ocean temperatures) and a feature on Heat-Related Workplace Deaths. “EPA’s Climate Change Indicators report is an authoritative resource of how the climate crisis is affecting every American right now and with increasing intensity,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Extreme heat, flooding, and wildfires have become more common, harming human health, threatening livelihoods, and causing costly damage. Regular updates to the data in the Climate Indicators website and report help us track these unprecedented changes so we are better informed in our shared work to confront the crisis.” … ” Read more from the EPA.
