California

OAKLAND, July 26, 2023 – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 attorneys general in submitting a letter to Congress in support of H.R. 1255, the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2023. Authored by Congressmen Seth Moulton (D-MA) and James Clyburn (D-SC), the federal legislation […]

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2023 — From 2000 to 2021, climate change caused the loss of more than 40 trillion liters (10 trillion gallons) of water in the Colorado River Basin — about equal to the entire storage capacity of Lake Mead — according to a new study that modeled humans’ impact on hydrology in the region. Without […]

SACRAMENTO – California ratepayers might have to foot a staggering $45 billion-plus cost to keep the aging Pacific Gas & Electric, or PG&E, Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant online beyond its slated 2025 closure, a new Environmental Working Group analysis finds. The outrageous price tag is the estimated cost for operating the plant from 2021 to 2045, or […]

CHINO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was invited by students and traveled to Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) on Thursday, July 20, to speak against a policy before the board that would out an LGBTQ+ student to their parents even if the student is not yet ready to share that information. Students had […]

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2023 —The Department of the Interior announced the distribution of $24,881,884 to the state of California today as part of the $295,582,830 granted this year from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. Recent changes to the LWCF Manual guides states to […]

SACRAMENTO, July 21, 2023 – The California Department of Conservation released a draft list of orphan wells it proposes to be permanently sealed as part of the first wave of such projects that will be supported by state and federal funding. Public comments can be emailed to CalGEMOrphanWells@conservation.ca.gov​. Orphan wells – those deserted or without a […]

SAN FRANCISCO, July 18, 2023 – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will host the 4th annual pre-season public briefings for electric investor-owned utilities to present to the CPUC and the public on their preparedness should any Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events occur through the remainder of 2023. The electric utilities will provide updates […]

Los Angeles, CA, July 18, 2023—Public interest groups filed amicus letters with the California Supreme Court seeking review of a decision by the First District Court of Appeal that would allow Boeing to demolish radioactive structures at Santa Susana Field Lab and dispose of the resulting debris in unequipped landfills and metal recycling centers without any […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. July 18, 2023 – The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today affirmed the legality of an expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument made by President Obama in 2017, reversing a lower court decision that threw the Monument’s boundaries into doubt.  This federal court ruling joins a victorious ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court […]

Santa Cruz, Calif. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are responding to reports of a 5-year-old female southern sea otter exhibiting concerning and unusual behaviors in Santa Cruz, California, including repeatedly approaching surfers and kayakers recreating in the area. Sea otters are naturally wary of […]

Heat. Wildfires. Drought. Floods. Sea-levels. Scientists predict that human contributions to our changing environment will cause a rise in the number and intensity of these climate-related hazards. As a result, legal and policy experts expect a corresponding increase in the number of climate-related lawsuits and other regulatory issues coming before the courts. Courts Are Getting […]

Sacramento—Cal/OSHA is reminding all employers to protect workers from heat illness as a dangerous heat wave is forecast to impact many parts of the state for the next two weeks. A significant warming trend in temperatures is likely to occur from July 12 through July 18, increasing the risk for workers to suffer heat illness […]

July 11, 2023 – The Xerces Blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces) was native to the coastal dunes of San Francisco, in the United States. As the city grew, much of the butterfly’s habitat was destroyed and its population was relegated to Golden Gate National Park. Its wings were a deep iridescent blue, with characteristic white spots […]

SACRAMENTO — California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and State Sen. Tom Umberg have delayed further consideration of the California Journalism Preservation Act (AB 886) until 2024. The lawmakers pushed the legislation back to allow more time to examine the bill, which has run up against strong opposition from civil- and digital-rights groups, small publishers and community […]

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. July 7, 2023 – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (the parks) is inviting public review and comment on an environmental assessment (EA) evaluating alternatives to restore giant sequoia groves and adjacent fisher habitat in areas severely impacted by the 2020 Castle and 2021 KNP Complex wildfires, and where […]

REDWOOD VALLEY—Today tribal leaders, local law enforcement and lawmakers gathered to learn how the a new tool – the Feather Alert – will work to help law enforcement quickly notify the public about missing Native Americans and enlist their aid. The law, AB 1314, which took effect in January was authored by Assemblymember James C. […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The results of the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) recent Independence Day Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) are a sobering reminder of the consequences resulting from unsafe driving behaviors. Sixty-eight people were killed in crashes throughout the state during the Independence Day MEP, which began at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, June 30, and concluded […]

MINERAL, CA — The 30-mile highway through Lassen Volcanic National Park opened for the season on July 1, 2023. A higher-than-average snowpack slowed operations, but through the hard work of National Park Service and Caltrans road crews, the road has been fully cleared. Visitors to the park should prepare for winter conditions at higher elevations, […]

June 29, 2023 – On June 27, 2023 Governor Gavin Newsom signed the $310 Billion dollar 23-24 budget with Senate Bill 101. While the headlines captured the challenge to balance a $30 billion dollar budget deficit to protect funding for social services and education and negotiations related to infrastructure and clean energy, the arts were […]