Public News Service

The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Environmental advocates call on Newsom to sign 'make polluters pay' bills

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

E-scooter companies say shared micromobility can be made safer if more people wear helmets, streets are properly maintained, and more cities add protected bike lanes. (Bondariev Volodymyr/Adobe Stock)<br />

8 years into America’s e-scooter experiment, what have we learned?

By Syris Valentine for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration…

Brazil and Vietnam are currently the largest coffee-producing countries in the world. Production is increasing in China and even in California and on the Gulf Coast. (Somchai20162516/Adobe Stock)

Climate solutions for the future of coffee

By Anne Connor for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

On 2nd anniversary of Inflation Reduction Act, investments start to pay off

Two years ago this week, the U.S. made the biggest investment ever in the fight against climate change as the Inflation Reduction Act became law…

Concentrated animal feeding operations often house thousands of cattle at a single location. (Lukas Vincour/Zv�rata Nej�me/We Animals Media)

Report: CA factory farms perilously close to your produce

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collab…

Giant sequoia and other conifers were incinerated in the 2020 Castle

Report: CA giant sequoia groves in peril after megafires

Two new studies find that without sustained intervention, California may permanently lose big sections of old-growth giant sequoia groves. The …

Workers can file safety or heat-related complaints at the Cal/OSHA office nearest their work site or by calling 866-924-9757. (Sculpies/Adobe Stock)

As temps climb, CA workers encouraged to know their rights

California has shattered heat records left and right this month and temperatures are forecast to be 10 degrees above normal this weekend, so the …

The gas-to-energy plant at the Keller Canyon landfill near Pittsburg, Calif., generates enough electricity to power nearly 2,200 homes. (Ameresco)

CA landfills increasingly turn methane gas into energy

By Miranda Lipton for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Ne…

Finn Does (center), summit co-chair, and other youth participants at the 2023 Bay Area Youth Climate Summit in San Francisco. (Finn Does)<br />

'Composting' our emotions: How climate action cultivates well-being

By Elizabeth Hewitt for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

The wild and scenic Eel River is part of the Bureau of Land Management's planned 382,000-acre management area in northwest California. (Wikimedia Commons)

BLM releases final conservation plan for NW California public lands

Conservation advocates say a new Bureau of Land Management final Environmental Impact Statement takes positive steps toward developing a management pl…

The nonprofit Pacific Environment worked with University of California-Berkeley to develop recommendations for decarbonizing oceangoing vessels. (Federico Rostagno/Adobe Stock)<br />

For World Ocean Month, calls to cut emissions, pollution from shipping

June is World Ocean Month and groups fighting climate change are asking President Joe Biden to act to clean up emissions and pollution from the shippi…

Heavy flooding was seen in Dos Rios in April 2023. (River Partners)

A ranch, rewilded: The transformation of California’s newest state park

By Elizabeth Hewitt for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

About 40% of food produced by farmers worldwide is never consumed. (TheStockCube/Adobestock)

Making 'climate candy' from upcycled fruits and veggies

Worldwide, 40% of food is wasted but a new candy company is trying to make a dent in it and fight climate change to boot. The company is called …

Los defensores del medio ambiente dicen que un caso que se encuentra ahora ante la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos podr�a facilitar que los jueces debiliten leyes como el Clean Water Act en el futuro. (Visualitte/Adobe Stock)

Corte Suprema sopesa caso que podría debilitar protección ambiental

Se espera que la Corte Suprema se pronuncie en cualquier momento sobre doctrina de deferencia de Chevron de 1984 que decía que cuando se cuestion…

Environmental advocates say a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court could make it easier for judges to weaken laws such as the Clean Water Act in the future. (Visualitte/Adobe Stock)

Supreme Court weighs case that could weaken environmental protections

The Supreme Court is expected to rule any day now on two cases that could allow judges to more easily overrule federal agencies, which could have big …

Senate Bill 252 would require state pension funds to divest from oil and gas companies by 2031, with an extra four years of leeway if certain market conditions arise. (Dogora Sun/Adobestock)

CA climate-change groups press for fossil-fuel divestment

State lawmakers are considering a bill which would require two public pension systems to pull about $15 billion in combined investments from the fossi…

The Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacoima was covered in over 700,000 square feet of reflective pavement coating in the summer of 2022. Murals were painted on some of the covered areas. (GAF)

'Cool pavement' coating helps CA city beat the heat

By Ysabelle Kempe for Smart Cities Dive.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network…

A soldier participates in the Norwegian Foot March at Fort Ord National Monument in Monterey County, Calif., in 2022. (Winifred Brown/U.S. Army)

Vets exposed to Agent Orange at Fort Ord denied VA compensation

By Hannah Norman and Patricia Kime for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KFF Health Ne…

Solar panels and a battery backup will provide an emergency power supply for Alliance Medical Center in Healdsburg, which serves more than 12,000 people per year, half of them children. (Alliance Medical Center)

Medical center installs microgrid to safeguard clinic power supply

Alliance Medical Center in Healdsburg just switched on new solar panels and battery backup as part of a plan to make the clinic more resilient to powe…

Some 170 community groups and nonprofits rallied in Sacramento on Wednesday in favor of a proposed bond measure to fund a variety of climate-related projects. (Community Water Center)

Coalition presses lawmakers to put climate bond on CA November ballot

A huge coalition of 170 groups rallied in Sacramento on Wednesday, pressing lawmakers to put a climate bond measure on California's November ballot…

Marine research on a recent expedition off of Santa Cruz Island in Southern California mapped the habitat of red gorgonian coral, sea stars and sheepshead fish. (Danny Ocampo/Oceana)

Ocean expedition seeks to map CA biodiversity

Marine researchers just wrapped up the first of three ocean expeditions off the coast of Southern California to map the biodiversity and support effor…

The new Public Lands Rule is designed to protect places such as Joshua Tree National Park, which is bordered by vast swaths of Bureau of Land Management land. (Dmitry/Adobestock)

Conservation groups praise new rules governing oil and gas on public lands

Groups fighting for public lands and national parks are praising two recent Biden administration rules for managing federal land. The oil and gas …

A new study showed polluting chemicals in car interiors are a bigger risk for children and for people who drive for a living or have long commutes. (Dmindphoto/Adobe Stock)

Consumer groups call on feds to regulate flame retardants in cars

UPDATE: A response has been added from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. (2:02 p.m. PDT, May 14, 2024) A new study showed the flame …

Union workers spent Wednesday lobbying California lawmakers to pass bills to protect labor during the transition away from fossil fuels. (Brooke Anderson)<br />

Union coalition calls for CA worker climate bill of rights

Dozens of union members rallied Wednesday in Sacramento, calling on lawmakers to pass a set of bills called the California Worker Climate Bill of …

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument's new Molok Loyuk region provides habitat for tule elk, mountain lions, bears, bald eagles and golden eagles. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Public lands groups cheer expansion of two CA national monuments

Conservation groups, tribes and community organizers are praising President Joe Biden's decision Thursday to expand two national monuments in …

Currently, more than 2.7 million Californians live within 3,200 feet of an operational oil well. (MSPhotographic/Adobe Stock)

CA climate leaders fight to keep setbacks around oil and gas wells

Leaders concerned about pollution and climate change are raising awareness about a ballot measure this fall on whether the state should mandate buffer…

Protests in May 2023 called for cleaner air at the ports. State data show ships idling at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in 2021 during the pandemic emitted as much diesel particulate matter pollution as 100,000 big rig trucks per day. (Pacific Environment)

Clean-air activists to hold 'die-in' Friday at LA City Hall

A coalition of climate groups seeking cleaner air at the rail yards and ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will hold a "die-in" rally tomorrow at Los…

The proposed Ambler industrial mining road would have crossed nearly 3,000 waterways, including the Kobuk and Koyukuk rivers, which are important spawning grounds for the Yukon salmon. (National Wild and Scenic Rivers System)

Biden administration moves to protect Alaska wilderness

Conservation groups are rejoicing over the decision Friday by the Biden administration to reject a proposed mining road in Alaska. The 211-mile …

Advocates say a proposed bond measure could help improve fire resiliency in California's redwood forests. (Kchassiephoto/Adobe Stock)

On Earth Day, climate activists press for CA bond measure

Today, in honor of Earth Day, climate advocates are asking California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom to rally around a plan to put a $15 billion …

Environmental advocates are asking California's next state budget to prioritize climate mitigation and cut tax breaks for fossil fuel companies. (The Climate Center)

Climate groups seek to remove tax breaks for oil and gas companies

As state budget negotiations continue, groups fighting climate change are asking California lawmakers to cut subsidies for oil and gas companies …

Protesters rallied in San Diego in 2012 against trade agreements that allow corporations to sue for future profits when governments deny permits. (Arthur Stamoulis/Trade Justice Education Fund)<br />

Climate activists call on U.S. company to halt trade lawsuit over LNG

Environmental activists are rallying today in Sunnyvale, asking the American company Ruby River Capital to drop a lawsuit the protesters called "a …

Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego celebrates a bilingual Mass for Earth Week at St. James Church in Solana Beach, California, April 17, 2021. (CNS/The Southern Cross/John Gastaldo)

San Diego Catholic Diocese divests from fossil fuels

By Brian Roewe for Earthbeat.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service …

A bill called Save Our Sequoias to fund wildfire resilience is tucked into this year's farm bill, currently being negotiated in Congress. (Save the Redwoods League)

Major progress in effort to protect CA giant sequoias from megafires

Crews have been ramping up wildfire resilience projects to thin out brush and dead wood in California's giant sequoia groves, clearing twice as many …

Small seasonal streams lost Clean Water Act protections last year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Biden administration in 'Sackett v. EPA.' (Derrick/Adobe Stock)

On World Water Day, advocates call on Congress to reinstate protections

Today is World Water Day, established 21 years ago by the United Nations to promote clean, fresh water. This year, advocates in the U.S. are …

New EPA rules on vehicle emissions aim to save drivers money through reduced fuel and maintenance costs of electric and hybrid vehicles. (Tongpatong/Adobestock)

Environmental advocates cheer new EPA clean-car rules

Clean-air groups are calling the Biden administration's new rules on vehicle pollution the single biggest action the Environmental Protection Agency h…

An estimated 3 million Californians live within 3,200 feet of an oil or gas well. (MSPhotographic/Adobestock)

CA referendum would lift ban on new oil wells near homes

A referendum on the ballot this fall gives California voters the chance to either uphold or reject a law which would require oil and gas wells to be s…

Leaders from the Yurok Tribe and the nonprofit Save the Redwoods walk among native plants planted as part of a revegetation effort at 'O Rew. (Evan-Marie Petit)

Historic agreement to return Redwoods land to Yurok Tribe

Plans to open a new gateway to Redwoods State and National Parks got a big boost Tuesday, paving the way for a key parcel of land to be returned to …

A proposal before the California Air Resources Board would allow fossil fuel producers in California to buy credits from factory farms that use anaerobic digesters like these to extract methane from animal waste. (Rob Thomas/Adobe Stock)

Midwest community activists slam proposed CA emissions incentives

Community groups in the Midwest are worried a change in California carbon emissions policy could hurt quality of life in the nation's heartland…

Water flows through part of Dos Rios Ranch Preserve. The former farmland now acts as a storage area for floodwaters during wet years. (Cameron Nielsen/Grist)

How can California solve its water woes? By flooding its best farmland

By Jake Bittle for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration Th…

Many school lunch programs are introducing more non-meat, non-dairy meals to normalize a healthier, more climate-friendly plant-based diet. (CivilEats)

California leads way in low-carbon school meals

By Naoki Nitta for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…

The Ports for People ordinance calls for more vessels like the Maersk ship Laura, which is the first low-emissions container ship powered by methanol. (Jens Dorhn/Creative Commons)

Conservation group promotes 'Ports for People' ordinance

Groups concerned about air pollution and public health are asking the city councils of Long Beach and Los Angeles and their respective Harbor Commissi…

California is home to 18 national forests, covering more than 20 million acres of land. (Galyna Andrushko/Adobe Stock)

Conservation groups cheer feds' move to protect old-growth forests

Groups fighting to protect public lands are praising first-of-their-kind moves to protect old-growth forests on U.S. Forest Service land. The Biden …

California is streamlining the permitting process for floating offshore wind turbines. (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

CA offshore wind projects picking up steam

The California Energy Commission has just released its strategic plan for offshore wind, and more than 200 elected officials across the state have …

Santa Barbara County Fire Department's Firehawk is shown making a water drop. It can hold 1,000 gallons per trip. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Dept.)

Ahead of fire season, tips on how to protect home and family

California's wildfire death toll has ticked down in recent years, mostly because mega-fires have managed to avoid urban areas. Firefighters have …

An octopus hides out while a squat lobster stands guard beneath a vase sponge at a recently identified reef off Santa Barbara Island. (Oceana)

CA coral reefs protected as new fishing areas reopen

Good news for fishing crews and marine conservationists: Large fishing grounds are reopening, while other areas receive new protections. Some 4,500 …

The California Public Utilities Commission rejected a plan by So Cal Edison to help consumers buy new appliances, like electric heat pumps, arguing current state and federal programs are sufficient. (Arnt Brandseth/Wikimedia Commons)

CA Public Utilities Commission rejects electrification plan, draws criticism

The California Public Utilities Commission rejected Southern California Edison's plan to help families trade in their gas appliances for electric…

The Madre Tierra project is active in many communities in California, including the Oxnard, Mecca and Salinas areas. (Alianza Nacional de Campesinas)

New grant helps CA farmworker women grow sustainable gardens

Women across California who are farmworkers will get help to maintain home and community gardens using fewer pesticides. It is the goal of a grant …

Around 99% of species listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1973, including the chinook salmon, have been saved from extinction. (Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

Endangered Species Act turns 50 today

Fifty years ago today, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law - establishing protections that saved species such as the …

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CA: Environment