On the calendar today …
- EVENT: California Financing Coordinating Committee Virtual Funding Fair California Financing Coordinating Committee Virtual Funding Fair from 9am to 2pm. The California Financing Coordination Committee (CFCC) conducts free funding fairs statewide each year to educate the public and offer potential customers the opportunity to meet with financial representatives from each agency to learn more about their available funding. CFCC members facilitate and expedite the completion of various types of infrastructure projects by helping customers combine the resources of different agencies. Project information is shared between members so additional resources can be identified. Presentations will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and participants can visit virtual booths from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. to meet with representatives. Click here to register.
- MEETING: The California Water Commission will meet beginning at 9:30am. Agenda items include Resolutions of Necessity for the Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project (Big Notch Project) and Six-Year Drought: Presentation of Initial Interviews and Framework. Click here for full agenda and remote access instructions.
- WEBINAR: Building Capacity in Frontline Communities Through Partnerships from 10am to 11am. WaterNow Alliance will host a 1-hour virtual workshop for utility and community leaders in frontline communities nationwide on how they can use partnerships to meet their most pressing water challenges. Trusting relationships between water utilities and the communities they serve can add much-needed capacity in neighborhoods and cities bearing the first and worst impacts of climate change and water infrastructure divestment—flooding to drought to basement backups to water contamination. The workshop will explore a constellation of 8 building blocks of trust, feature a real-world example of the benefits of partnerships, and demystify the range of partnerships available to water utilities. Click here to register.
- MEETING: The State Water Resources Control Board will meet beginning at 12pm. Agenda items include Consideration of a proposed Resolution to adopt a rule establishing Water Loss Performance Standards for Urban Retail Water Suppliers, and a Racial Equity Action Plan Workshop that will be held from 5pm to 7pm. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
- OCWA WEBINAR: OC San’s Support of OC’s Water Supply from 12:30pm to 1:00pm. Robert C. Thompson, Assistant General Manager, Orange County Sanitation District, will join us to discuss the support OC San provides for the county’s water supply. Among the topics he’ll cover will be urban runoff, supercritical water oxidation, and wastewater flows. Click here to register.
- LEG HEARING: Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum at 1pm: The forum will feature “some of the nation’s top fishery experts (providing) a much-anticipated update on California’s iconic salmon population amidst this historic drought, (as well as) an important briefing on where the (Dungeness crab) season stands. Also, there will be a first-of-its kind panel on the collapse of the Golden State’s kelp forest and what’s being done to bring the ‘redwoods of the sea’ back to life.” The hearing begins at 1 p.m. on Oct. 19, and will be live-streamed via the Senate web site: http://senate.ca.gov/.
- PUBLIC WORKSHOP: California Drought Planning from 3pm to 5pm. The Save Our Water campaign, Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA), California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA) and California Water Association (CWA) cordially invite you to join Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and water leaders from across the state to collaborate on drought and conservation actions. As we head into the new water year, this webinar is an opportunity to share your organization’s experiences, challenges and most innovative efforts to build resiliency against drought and increase regional water conservation. The webinar will feature presentations from a diverse set of water agencies as well as collaborative discussion on best practices and programs that are helping combat drought. Click here to register.
In California water news today …
Imperial Valley farmers brace for water cuts to help Colorado River
“As the Colorado River water crisis deepens amid withering drought in the West, Imperial Valley growers with historic rights to water from the river are making calculations on whether to farm or fallow. This month, the Imperial Irrigation District, which supplies Colorado River water to farmers in America’s largest growing region for winter vegetables, joined other California water agencies in offering to take a dramatic cut in the amount of water they pull from the river. Imperial Valley farmer Ronnie Leimgruber, who grows carrots, wheat, hay, lettuce and onions in Holtville, said he is willing to do his part to conserve water or cut back on farm acreage. But he said the uncertainty is wearing on him. … ” Read more from Ag Alert here: Imperial Valley farmers brace for water cuts to help Colorado River
New mega reservoir in final planning phase for California
“California is getting closer to creating a massive new reservoir within a huge natural Colusa County valley that’s shaped like an elongated oval bowl. When completed, the long-proposed, $4 billion Sites Reservoir will hold enough water to feed the needs of five million homes a year or a half million acres of farmland. That’s enough water to cover every square inch of San Francisco 50 feet deep. Currently, there’s a big gap between the supply of water in California and the demand for it. But, if you close off a 300-foot wide gap and another one just like it, you could easily create one of the largest reservoirs in all of California. In fact, it would be the seventh-largest mega reservoir. … ” Read more from KTVU here: New mega reservoir is final planning phase for California
Blocked for decades, Chinook salmon are once again swimming in Shasta County tribe’s ancestral river
“With a helicopter ride and a trip down Interstate 5, a remarkable effort is underway to save Califorina’s endangered salmon. In Shasta County, The California Department of Fish & Wildlife, The US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe have partnered to try to reintroduce winter run Chinook to the McCloud River. In July and August, hatchery eggs were delivered – one round by helicopter – to the upper McCloud to be raised in river-fed incubators. The Winnemem Wintu have been fighting for the return of the Chinook since their path to and from the Pacific was blocked by the construction of Shasta Dam, 80 years ago. … ” Read more from CBS News here: Blocked for decades, Chinook salmon are once again swimming in Shasta County tribe’s ancestral river
California drought made Coalinga run out of water—here’s what happened next
“Federal water supplies in the California city of Coalinga could be all used up by the end of 2022 due to pressure from drought conditions, and it could push the city’s budget to the brink. Coalinga is a city in Fresno County with a reported population of around 17,000. Its sole source of water is the federal Central Valley Project—a complex network of dams, canals and reservoirs that extends 400 miles through central California. In 2022, Coalinga was allocated 2,500 acre-feet of water according to The Washington Post—far short of the 10,000 acre-feet it normally gets. … ” Read more from Newsweek here: California drought made Coalinga run out of water—here’s what happened next
Audio: Subsidence issues and SGMA for almond farmers
“Joe Del Bosque farms almonds and other crops on the westside of Fresno and Merced Counties. He noted when there is no surface water, groundwater pumping can cause subsidence, but it is difficult to see.” Listen at Ag Info here: Audio: Subsidence issues and SGMA for almond farmers
California-Nevada drought update
“Water Year 2022 started wet with a strong atmospheric river and ended in continued drought due to almost no precipitation during January through March. The past 3 Water Years have been the driest in the California record. Both California and Nevada remain in almost 100% moderate-to-exceptional drought. Both evaporative demand and lack of precipitation are drivers of the current drought since it began in October of 2019. Water Year 2022 had much lower evaporative demand than Water Year 2021, which limited the drying of the landscapes and helped mitigate fire risk. … ” Read more from NIDIS here: California-Nevada drought update
DWR releases California Water Plan 2023 Assumptions and Estimates Report
“In preparation for the California Water Plan Update 2023 (Update 2023), the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will release the Draft Assumptions and Estimates Report (A&E Report) on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. The A&E Report describes data and data sources; improvements to analytical tools, methods, and approaches; and the supporting documents and companion State plans being used to prepare Update 2023. The California Water Plan (Water Plan) is the State government’s strategic plan for managing and developing water resources for sustainability and resilience. To meet the many challenges posed by climate change and extreme events, Update 2023 harnesses state-of-the-art science, a commitment to equity, and collaboration between multiple sectors such as water quality, flood, groundwater, and more. … ” Read more from the Department of Water Resources here: DWR releases California Water Plan 2023 Assumptions and Estimates Report
Interior sets $210m for Western drought resilience
“The U.S..Interior Department has announced $210 million in funding from the recently enacted infrastructure bill for Western water storage and conveyance, including $137 million for projects in California’s Central Valley. The projects are expected to develop over 1.7 million acre-feet of additional water storage capacity, enough water to support 6.8 million people for a year, the agency noted in a release. The funding will also invest in two feasibility studies that could advance water storage capacity further once completed. … ” Read more from the Western Farm Press here: Interior sets $210m for Western drought resilience
Fragile forests: Millions of California trees dying due to drought
“In forests throughout the Golden State, trees are turning a dark shade of rust, succumbing to the impacts of the drought in a well-documented phenomenon known to forest scientists as tree mortality. The problem first peaked in 2016 when the U.S. Forest Service released images from a statewide aerial survey, estimating 62 million trees died that year. Heavy rain and snowfall in 2017 gave the forests a new lease on life. But the climate keeps changing the terms of that lease. According to the Forest Service, 9.5 million trees died last year in California, mostly fir and pine. And scientists are concerned one more year of drought could lead to another mass die-off. “It’s on a trajectory to be even worse than when the last one peaked in 2016,” said Curtis Ewing, a senior environmental scientist with Cal Fire. … ” Read more from Fox 40 here: Fragile forests: Millions of California trees dying due to drought
Video: Why California wildfire activity had major drop
“The California wildfire season this year is looking much different than the past several years. Last year, 2.5 million acres burned and so far this year just 366,000. While we still have this month and November to get through, which can historically bring very dry and dangerous winds, Chief Meteorologist Jeff Ranieri takes a look at what’s contributed to our lower wildfire season so far in the video update above.” Watch at NBC Bay Area here: Video: Why California wildfire activity had major drop
Mobilizing to address California’s wildfire crisis
“California’s wildfire crisis stands as one of the state’s most serious challenges. Forests and wildlands have become so overgrown that the slightest sparks now trigger fires of unimaginable size and speed. The costs are enormous, including loss of life, property damage, fire response and recovery, community and economic disruptions, harm to water supplies and other natural resources, and threats to health from spreading smoke. In 2018, the year the town of Paradise was destroyed by the Camp Fire, wildfires in California caused a staggering $150 billion in damages, with costs extending far beyond burned areas, according to research by the University of California, Irvine. … ” Read more from California Forward here: Mobilizing to address California’s wildfire crisis
California’s 2020 wildfires negated years of emission cuts
“Carbon pollution from California’s 2020 wildfires erased 16 years of the state’s greenhouse gas emission cuts, according to a new UCLA study. The fires were the state’s most destructive on record, burning 4.2 million acres, killing dozens of people and destroying thousands of homes. The study—published in Environmental Pollution—adds another statistic: the fires released roughly 127 million megatons of greenhouse gas emissions, or about twice California’s total emission cuts from 2003 to 2019. “What happened in 2020 was basically like a new sector; a new sector of emissions just came out of nowhere,” said study co-author Amir Jina, a University of Chicago professor. The wildfire emissions were “almost as big as their main emission sector, which is transport.” … ” Read more from Scientific American here: California’s 2020 wildfires negated years of emission cuts
SEE ALSO: Western wildfires are fueling extreme weather in other states, federal scientists say, from Inside Climate News
In commentary today …
Critical race theory new priority for drought-stricken California’s water board
Tori Richards writes, “California is in a decadelong drought , but the government water boards have taken on a new priority as farms turn to dust: critical race theory. The state water board and its nine local entities have been holding public hearings and staff retreats since May 3 to address inequality in doling out the state’s water supply among disadvantaged populations. The need to address California’s racist allocation of water and too-white board staff was highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement, a state report says. ... ” Read more from the Washington Examiner here: Critical race theory new priority for drought-stricken California’s water board
SEE ALSO: Comment on the Racial Equity Action Plan, from Don Wright at Water Wrights
Today’s featured article …
METROPOLITAN’S IMPORTED WATER COMMITTEE: Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR
The Department of Water Resources released the Environmental Impact Report on July 27, 2022; the extended public comment period will end on December 16, 2022. The document is over 20,000 pages, not including the appendices.
At the October meeting of Metropolitan’s Imported Water Committee, committee members were given the first of two briefings on the Delta Conveyance Project draft EIR. This briefing included a project overview, objectives and key elements; how climate change impacts the State Water Project and how the Delta conveyance performs under modeled scenarios; how the project relates to MWD’s One Water; and the role of the State Water Project in Metropolitan’s water resource portfolio.
In regional water news and commentary today …
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Yuba Water approves more than $4.2 million for south county infrastructure and forest biomass plant
“Yuba Water Agency today approved more than $4.2 million in funding to support a major water and wastewater infrastructure expansion project in south Yuba County and a planned forest biomass plant and business center in the foothills. Two loans, one for $2.6 million to the City of Wheatland and a second for $1.55 million to Olivehurst Public Utility District will be used to complete a unified grant application by the two entities to combine their water and wastewater systems in the south part of the county. The loan from Yuba Water is expected to make the project more competitive for potentially tens of millions in grant funding through a State Water Resources Control Board wastewater regionalization program targeted toward disadvantage communities. … ” Read more from Yuba Water here: Yuba Water approves more than $4.2 million for south county infrastructure and forest biomass plant
BAY AREA
A bird’s eye view on Bay Area marshes (via Unoccupied Aerial Systems) yields new insights
“SFEI continues to leverage our Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) capabilities to support conservation and monitoring efforts around the Bay. Two recent projects include monitoring for the Sears Point Restoration Project in San Pablo Bay, as well as conducting a number of flights to support the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) filming of existing marshes and marsh restoration projects that help protect both communities and critical infrastructure. The Sonoma Land Trust restored the 940-acre Sears Point Tidal Marsh Restoration Project to tidal action on October 25, 2015 and the project is now part of the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The constructed design for this subsided diked bayland allows natural sedimentation to raise site elevations relatively rapidly from around low tide heights at breach up to intertidal emergent marsh elevations, drawing upon the known high sediment loads of northern San Pablo Bay. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Estuary Institute here: A bird’s eye view on Bay Area marshes (via Unoccupied Aerial Systems) yields new insights
The Pulse of the Bay 2022
“The Pulse of the Bay aims to make the most important information available on water quality in the Bay accessible to water quality managers, decision-makers, scientists, and the public. The theme of the 2022 Pulse is “50 Years After the Clean Water Act.” Nine different individuals or groups have contributed perspectives on progress to date and challenges ahead. This Pulse also includes summaries, with a historical perspective, on the major water quality parameters of concern in the Bay.” Click here to view/download The Pulse.
Marin water, flooding fears flagged in new report
“Contaminated drinking water, worsening flooding, sewage issues and pollution were among the top water issues raised in Marin County’s lower-income communities as part of a new state and federal report. The assessment, published by the state and federally led San Francisco Estuary Partnership, highlights water quality issues voiced by disadvantaged and tribal communities in the Bay Area that it states have historically been overlooked or left out during project planning. For Marin, the report worked with existing nonprofits and community organizations in Marin City, San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood and the West Marin towns of Dillon Beach and Point Reyes Station. … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal here: Marin water, flooding fears flagged in new report
Zone 7 water rates likely to increase
“Water rates will likely rise as a result of challenges currently facing the Tri-Valley’s Zone 7 water supplier. Reduced sales during the drought, forever-chemical treatments, and state infrastructure contributions all loomed over the agency’s four-year rate study that discussed annual rate increases between 2.0 and 9.5 percent, with the board favoring the higher end, at its Sept. 21 board of directors meeting. “Water supply reliability is going to take a significant investment,” said Director Dennis Gambs. “In order to accomplish that, we have to do it through our water sales. I don’t see any fat in these projects we’ve identified.” … ” Read more from the Livermore Independent here: Zone 7 water rates likely to increase
Livermore voting on sewer extension to wine country
“The South Livermore Sewer Extension Project will be on the Nov. 8 general election ballot as Measure P after receiving unanimous support and approval from the City Council back in July. The measure was initially proposed by the Tri-Valley Conservancy in an effort to protect groundwater from contamination and allow a limited expansion of wine country-related businesses in the area. The official ballot question reads as, “Shall the ordinance amending the South Livermore Urban Growth Boundary policies in the City of Livermore’s General Plan to allow the City to extend sewer service to permitted uses within the South Livermore Valley Area Plan Planning Area be adopted?” … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly here: Livermore voting on sewer extension to wine country
Pleasanton council to discuss different ways to address PFAS-contaminated water, aging wells
“The Pleasanton City Council is set Tuesday to debate a new capital investment project that would develop and analyze water supply alternatives for the city. The city owns and operates three well facilities that provide approximately 20% of its annual water supply. The remaining water is purchased from the Zone 7 Water Agency. Over the last several years, city officials have discovered PFAS in the city’s groundwater supply facilities — specifically in those city-maintained wells. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are long-lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly here: Pleasanton council to discuss different ways to address PFAS-contaminated water, aging wells
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
City of Turlock to manage surface water project
“The Turlock City Council voted at their Oct. 11 meeting to accept a proposal on the management of the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority’s Regional Surface Water Supply Project that will see the City take an active role in oversight and provide significant cost savings. This proposal — which will put the SRWA management under the Turlock Municipal Services Director in the City’s organizational chart — was first brought to the SRWA Board of Directors by Turlock City Manager Reagan Wilson at their Sept. 22 meeting and received unanimous support. The board will vote on the contract later this year. “I am proud of the collaboration between the cities of Turlock and Ceres to ensure we will realize further savings for our ratepayers,” said Wilson. … ” Continue reading at the Turlock Journal here: City of Turlock to manage surface water project
Lois Henry: Roundtable to discuss solutions that might work for Kern River
“The Kern River isn’t special. Rivers and streams throughout California are fought over with just as much passion and vehemence as the Kern River has seen from the 1880s to the present. But opposing parties on some of those rivers have found their way to compromise. The Putah Creek in Northern California is one such stream. Bakersfield group Bring Back the Kern will host a roundtable discussion on how the Putah Creek parties found, if not harmony, at least detente, and whether there are any lessons for those fighting over the Kern River. … ” Read more from the Bakersfield Californian here: Lois Henry: Roundtable to discuss solutions that might work for Kern River
EASTERN SIERRA
Ridgecrest: Groundwater Authority talks money
“Money was the recurring theme at Oct. 12’s board meeting for the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority. Where the money is coming from, how much of it is left, what it’s being used for, and how people can learn more about it. Residents of Indian Wells Valley have long enjoyed relatively low costs of water, considering that it’s a desert community. This is largely due to the community’s use of the vast stores of water held below it in the IWV groundwater basin. This basin has a large storage of water, but the prevailing scientific reports show that not much water flows back into it to recharge the basin each year. Residents and businesses pump multiple times more water out of the basin than recharges back into it each year. Over decades, water levels in the IWV basin have declined. … ” Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here: Ridgecrest: Groundwater Authority talks money
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Burbank to allow one day of outdoor watering per week starting in November
“Officials with the City of Burbank announced Tuesday that residents will be allowed to water their lawns and outdoor plants one day per week starting Nov. 1. A Sustainable Water Use Ordinance is now in State III. The ordinance limits potable water usage for outdoor watering due to the California drought. During the colder months of November through March, outdoor irrigation will be allowed on Saturdays only before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m., for up to 15 minutes per irrigation station, officials said. … ” Read more from CBS LA here: Burbank to allow one day of outdoor watering per week starting in November
Along the Colorado River …
Commentary: Interior’s plan won’t solve the Colorado River crisis. Here’s what will.
Nick Hagerty, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University, and Bryan Leonard, an associate professor at the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University, write, “It’s now clear that the Colorado River simply does not deliver as much water as we take from it. Fast, dramatic cuts — totaling up to 30% of all the water currently in use — are needed now if we’re going to avoid the “deadpool” conditions in Lake Mead and Lake Powell that would trap any remaining water behind dams. The urgency is clear, yet the seven Colorado River Basin states have repeatedly failed to agree on how to share the cuts. On Oct. 12, the Department of the Interior announced one step toward a solution: the Lower Colorado Conservation and Efficiency Program. The program invites water users to propose new water conservation projects. In return, they’ll receive some of the $4 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act that’s been earmarked for water conservation in the West. Two parts of the program focus on short-term action for the immediate crisis; the third is focused on longer-term solutions. There is a lot to like about Interior’s new program. … ” Read more from High Country News here: Commentary: Interior’s plan won’t solve the Colorado River crisis. Here’s what will.
Why you should care about Colorado River cuts: Experts weigh in on what it means for cities, agriculture and the individual
“The headline on Aug. 16 was ominous: New water cuts coming for Southwest as Colorado River falls into Tier 2 shortage. Then came the details – and the really bad news. Arizona will lose approximately 21% of the state’s yearly allotment from the drought-stricken Colorado River. The cuts, experts said, will dramatically impact agribusinesses, smaller farms and, to varying degrees, cities across the state. Tanya Trujillo, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for water and science, told reporters that without prompt action, the “Colorado River and the citizens that rely on it will face a future of uncertainty and conflict.” “We have a window of opportunity here,” said Bart Miller, the Healthy Rivers program director for Western Resource Advocates, an organization dedicated to protecting the West’s land, air and water. ... ” Read more from Arizona State University here: Why you should care about Colorado River cuts: Experts weigh in on what it means for cities, agriculture and the individual
Gila River tribe will take offer to conserve water, but Yuma farmers say it’s not enough
“The Gila River Indian Community is the first Arizona water rights holder to publicly pursue the federal government’s new offer of compensation to leave Colorado River water in Lake Mead. Tribal Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis announced the plan on Monday at a gathering of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s water advisory council, which is reviewing ways to spend $4 billion of Inflation Reduction Act funds targeted at Colorado River drought relief, as well as funds approved in an infrastructure funding law. While several participants in Sinema’s council praised the community’s proposal as a first step toward attracting others to rapidly conserve water, there were signs that getting significant buy-in from other Arizona farmers will be difficult. … ” Read more from Arizona Central here: Gila River tribe will take offer to conserve water, but Yuma farmers say it’s not enough
What does forest restoration in the U.S. Southwest look like in the age of climate change?
“While fire is an integral part of Southwest forest ecosystems, a century of policies geared toward fire suppression in the American West that has led to a lack of diversity is colliding with climate change, upending the rules. Historically, a mature forest would burn, then, over time, return to a healthy, recognizable state. Today, however, an unprecedented decades-long drought, rising temperatures and massive insect outbreaks are hammering forests across the region, creating ideal conditions for megafires like the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak inferno. Thanks to climate change, experts say many southwestern forests destroyed by megafires may never return. Conditions across the region have become too hot and too dry for normal forest succession, and wildfires such as Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak are a catalyst for rapid change to an entirely different ecosystem. … ” Read more from Ensia here: What does forest restoration in the U.S. Southwest look like in the age of climate change?
In national water news today …
PFAS pollute 83% of U.S. waterways
“The overwhelming majority of U.S. waterways are likely polluted with “forever chemicals,” according to a grim new analysis that comes as the country marks a half-century of its landmark water protection law. PFAS have cropped in detectable levels across 83 percent of waterways tested across the country, per findings from the nonprofit Waterkeeper Alliance, which represents U.S. watershed monitors. Those numbers reflect the presence of the chemicals in 114 waterways across 29 states and the District of Columbia. During a press conference Tuesday, Waterkeeper Alliance CEO Marc Yaggi said his organization’s findings should send a warning message to the public, along with officials. “Existing laws and regulations are inadequate for protecting us,” Yaggi said. … ” Read more from E&E News here: PFAS pollute 83% of U.S. waterways
EXPLORE MORE COVERAGE:
- Lack of ‘forever chemicals’ testing could be leaving most victims in the dark, from KTLA
- Global PFAS Guidance Fuels Debate as EPA Tap Water Limits Loom, from Bloomberg Law
Pollution still flows through Clean Water Act loophole
“Congressional staffers who helped craft the landmark Clean Water Act 50 years ago acknowledge they left a big hole in the law — one that’s now blamed for the single largest pollution source in streams, rivers and lakes. Nonpoint-source pollution — a technocratic term describing pesticides, oil, fertilizers, toxins, sediment and grime that storms wash into waterways from land — still befuddles federal regulators to this day. “I don’t think it was possible to do a good job on nonpoint sources with the extent of knowledge, with the extent of understanding, the extent of what the problems were, what the impacts were on the receiving waters,” said Gordon Wood, a former Republican staffer on the House Public Works and Transportation Committee. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Pollution still flows through Clean Water Act loophole
What a Republican Congress would mean for EPA
“Here’s what awaits EPA if Republicans take control of Congress: Senior political appointees facing multiple, hourslong hearings. Piles of letters demanding documents from every corner of the agency. And perhaps even subpoenas for text messages. Republicans have pledged tough, vigorous investigations of the agency if they flip the House, the Senate or both. They are eager to use the congressional committees overseeing EPA to do so. “EPA will be in the spotlight if the GOP takes over the majority in the next Congress,” Joseph Brazauskas, who led the Trump EPA’s congressional and intergovernmental relations office, said in a recent interview. “The agency will be switching into a defensive posture.” … ” Read more from E&E News here: What a Republican Congress would mean for EPA
The consequences of a plastic-filled world
“Plastic has become a staple of life all around the world, from the water bottles we drink out of to the utensils we use to the packaging we receive products in. However, rampant plastic production only really began 50 years ago. Between the 1950s and 1970s, production was quite minimal and therefore manageable. Beginning in the 1970s, plastic production rapidly picked up, tripling by the 1990s, according to the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP). Today, the world produces approximately 400 million tons of plastic waste per year. … ” Continue reading from The Week here: The consequences of a plastic-filled world
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE: Public Comment Period Opens for a GSP Periodic Evaluation: Monterey County 180/400 Foot Aquifer
UPDATE: October 18 Weekly Update on Curtailment Status of Water Rights and Claims in the Delta Watershed
NOW AVAILABLE: Release of updated versions of EPA’s Watershed Index Online (WSIO) indicator library, WSIO Tool and Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool Series
