California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. April 16, 2017 – In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Trump suggested an intention to hold hostage the cost-sharing subsidies that make it possible for low-income Americans to afford to seek medical care when they need it. Responding to these comments, Insurance Commissioner Jones said: “The cost-sharing subsidies, an important […]

April 16, 2017 – Historically low numbers of fall-run and winter-run Chinook salmon have prompted the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) to drastically limit the state’s salmon fishery for the remainder of 2017. In the Klamath Management Zone, which is the area between the Oregon/California border and Horse Mountain (40° 05′ 00″ N. latitude), […]

SACRAMENTO April 14, 2017 – With record rainfall in the Northern Sierra and the snowpack still building, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today increased its estimate of this year’s State Water Project (SWP) supply to 100 percent for contractors north of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and 85 percent of requests for other contractors. “We’re […]

SAN FRANCISCO, April 14, 2017 – For decades, Shell and Dow hid a highly potent cancer-causing chemical in two widely used pesticides, contaminating drinking water for millions of people in California and beyond, according to lawsuits detailed in a new report from EWG. The chemical 1,2,3-trichloropropane, or TCP, was formerly an unwanted and ineffective byproduct […]

LOS ANGELES, CA, April 11, 2017 – California pressures poor people who cannot pay bail to plead guilty in order to be released from jail, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The system of money bail and pretrial detention also results in the unnecessary jailing of innocent people and undermines justice for […]

SACRAMENTO, CA April 11, 2017 – California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and State Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) are calling for California voters to have an earlier say in the Presidential Primary process. California typically has a June primary. The late timing dilutes California’s impact and influence in the Presidential Primary nomination process. California […]

PALM SPRINGS, April 11, 2017 – Last week, the Department of Interior reversed course and took steps that could lead to approval of a controversial groundwater mining proposal. The Cadiz Inc. proposal would pump 16 billion gallons of water per year from the Mojave Desert to southern Orange County by way of a pipeline. By […]

HAPPY CAMP, CA, April 10, 2017 –  The Karuk Tribal Council has taken the unprecedented step of placing restrictions on subsistence fishing by Tribal Members for the first time in history. “It’s my saddest day as Chairman,” said Karuk Tribal Chairman Russell ‘Buster’ Attebery, “this is the first time in our history that we have […]

SACRAMENTO April 7, 2017 – Today, Attorney General Xavier Becerra delivered a formal request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for thirty-two categories of documents related to known conflicts of interest of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and any actions taken by EPA or the Administrator to comply with federal ethics laws. Administrator Pruitt, until […]

SACRAMENTO, CA, April 7, 2017 – After an unusually wet winter, Governor Jerry Brown today lifted the emergency drought order for most of California – exempting Tulare, Fresno, Kings and Tuolumne counties. Brown declared the drought state of emergency action in January 2014. While surface storage and snowpack are at near-record highs, California’s groundwater remains severely […]

SACRAMENTO April 7, 2017 – Following unprecedented water conservation and plentiful winter rain and snow, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today ended the drought state of emergency in most of California, while maintaining water reporting requirements and prohibitions on wasteful practices, such as watering during or right after rainfall. “This drought emergency is over, but […]

April 5, 2017 – Late Tuesday afternoon, Governor Jerry Brown released his proposal to align medical marijuana regulations passed by the Legislature in 2015 and the 2016 Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Prop 64), both of which call for commercial licensing and regulation to begin in January 2018. The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) applauds the […]

SACRAMENTO, CA, April 6, 2017- In a major victory for California’s fight against climate change, the state’s Third District Court of Appeal today forcefully rejected a challenge to the carbon auctions in California’s ambitious cap-and-trade program, a key feature of the landmark program. The 2-1 majority decision in favor of the California Air Resources Board, […]