skip to main content

Thursday, June 8, 2023

play newscast audioPlay

Alabama must redraw its Congressional maps, CNN reports a former official told the feds Trump knew the process for declassifying documents, and Canadian wildfires affect the health of humans and wildlife.

play newscast audioPlay

The Supreme Court upholds a key provision of the Voting Rights Act over Alabama redistricting, smoky skies could spell EPA trouble for some states, and President Biden calls on Congress to pass LGBTQ+ protections.

play newscast audioPlay

Rural communities launch projects with funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a study says rural transgender adults feel less supported than those in urban areas, and a summer road trip could mean majestic scenic byways or a sprinkling of donut shops.

State Lawmakers to Consider Wildlife Crossings Bill Today

play audio
Play

Tuesday, June 28, 2022   

A bill to prioritize wildlife crossings gets a hearing in the state Senate Transportation Committee today.

The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act would require Caltrans and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop a strategic plan to map out where wildlife crossings are necessary to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect habitats.

Tiffany Yap - senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity - said the problem is particularly severe for mountain lions in parts of Southern California, which could soon face what's called an "extinction vortex."

"There's a lot of inbreeding occurring in these populations," said Yap. "And if that is occurring, we might start seeing signs of reproductive issues and other health issues. And they could become extinct within 50 years in those areas if we don't do anything to improve connectivity."

She noted that animals need to roam the landscape in order to find unrelated mates and pursue food and better habitat, especially as California experiences more drought and wildfires linked to climate change.

Data from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center show that Californians reported more than 44,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions from 2016 to 2020, resulting in much injury and death - as well as at least $1 billion in damages.

The bill also would require Caltrans to keep wildlife connectivity in mind when designing new roads or making repairs.

Assemblymember Laura Friedman - D-Burbank - is a co-author of the bill and is optimistic that it will pass.

"I don't think anybody's objected to the policy very much," said Friedman. "It's had bipartisan support. And we've made it less expensive because we took out the mandate that said that Caltrans had to do any particular number of projects."

The bill already has passed the State Assembly. The next step would be the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 12.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.




get more stories like this via email
A case before the California State Supreme Court looks at whether a person who has been named a health care agent in an advance directive has the legal standing to sign an arbitration agreement requested by a skilled nursing facility. (Shishkin137/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

This week, four advocacy groups have filed an amicus brief in a case before the California Supreme Court involving allegations of elder abuse and the …


Environment

play sound

The New York State Senate has passed the HEAT Act, which now goes to the Assembly. The legislation aims to phase out gas-line extension allowances…

Social Issues

play sound

As hostility toward Jewish people continues to spike in Arizona and nationally, the Biden administration has issued a National Strategy to Counter …


George Floyd's murder brought such issues as generational wealth disparities to the forefront. Even prior to his death, awareness was growing in Midwestern states about a host of racial disparities, including economic. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The upcoming Juneteenth holiday marks the kickoff of a new wealth building grant program for Black residents who are decedents of slavery in a few nor…

Environment

play sound

As more research emerges about the chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, government agencies are faced with the task of figuring …

Portland Police will move forward initiatives including Portland Ceasefire and Cure Violence to tackle gun violence. (4kclips/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Portland has nixed plans to bring gunshot detection technology to the city. The technology - designed by a company formerly known as ShotSpotter…

Health and Wellness

play sound

This week, Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed Senate Bill 239, which would have allowed medical aid in dying in Nevada. The bill would have given mentally …

Environment

play sound

An experimental nuclear technology project slated for testing in Idaho is raising concerns about the potential for nuclear weapons proliferation…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021