On the calendar today …
- The Central Valley Flood Protection Board meets at 9am. Agenda items include a legislative update, Flood Risk Notification Program, 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan Update, Several action items on American River Common Features projects, and Transfer of Operation and Maintenance Responsibility of the Sacramento River Bank Protection Project. Click here for the full agenda and remote access instructions.
In California water news today …
Atmospheric rivers will hit the West Coast next week. Will rains reach California?
“Back-to-back atmospheric rivers are expected to bring 3 to 6 inches of precipitation to parts of the Pacific Northwest through the middle of next week. But is the storm system going to make it all the way to California? Not exactly, Newsroom Meteorologist Gerry Díaz said, but the remnants of the atmospheric river means the Bay Area will likely see rain next week. Díaz compared moisture from an atmospheric river to gasoline. “You’re filling up your car at a gas station – that gas is the atmospheric river and the car engine is the storm itself,” Diaz said. “Eureka, Redding … the storm will have plenty of fuel to work with up there, but as it starts moving toward the Bay Area the atmospheric river will have less and less fuel.” Rain that reaches San Francisco will be due to a more familiar type of weather system. ... ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle here: Atmospheric rivers will hit the West Coast next week. Will rains reach California?
SEE ALSO: CW3E AR Update: 26 October 2022 Outlook: Multiple Atmospheric Rivers to Bring Precipitation to the Pacific Northwest, from the Center for Western Weather & Water Extremes
Valley can expect heavy rain amid climate change. Irrigation district aims to capture some
“The Turlock Irrigation District will help test a new approach to recharging the groundwater underneath farmland. The trial will take place at two almond orchards in the Ballico area of Merced County. TID will wait for good-size rainstorms, hopefully as soon as this autumn, and divert the runoff to the farms via a canal idled at the end of irrigation season. The project is one of several aimed at boosting Central Valley aquifers, overseen by the California Department of Water Resources. TID is partnering on the project with Sustainable Conservation, a nonprofit that works with farms and other businesses around the state. “Recharge has a great potential to help buffer the effects of drought,” said Aysha Massell, a program director for the group, during a Zoom briefing for the TID board Tuesday. “It can’t solve everything in our groundwater overdraft problem, but it’s definitely a very important tool in our tool belt.” … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Valley can expect heavy rain amid climate change. Irrigation district aims to capture some
California tree carnage: A decade of drought and fire killed a third of Sierra Nevada forests
“Admirers of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains are familiar with the swaths of blackened trees flanking its sprawling green forest ranges. A new UC Berkeley study quantifies that devastation, finding nearly a third of southern Sierra conifer forests have died in the last decade. California has seen devastating bouts of drought and record-breaking wildfire events in the last several years. From 2011-2020, a combination of fire, drought and drought-related bark beetle infestations killed 30% of forests in the Sierra Nevada mountain range between Lake Tahoe and Kern County, according to the analysis. “It’s kind of a wake up call, even to those of us that are kind of steeped in this field,” said Zackary Steel, lead author of the study. “We’re moving from knowing this is a problem to quantifying the problem.” … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee here: California tree carnage: A decade of drought and fire killed a third of Sierra Nevada forests
Column: The salmon finally return
Columnist Denis Peirce writes, “Salmon are the glamour fish in Northern California. When the fishing is good off the coast it is hard to find a seat on a boat heading out after them. For valley and foothill anglers the focus switches to the Sacramento River system in late July when the river salmon season opens. … This year with the warm and low river flows brought on by the drought, the fish did not come up in any appreciable numbers. Those that did try to run the warm water gauntlet did not fair well. There were anecdotal sightings of salmon swimming in circles down in some of the deeper holes. These fish would not bite and there were some sightings of dead salmon along the traveling sections of the rivers. Compounding the problem were the warm days, into the 80’s, extending through the third week of this month. … ” Read the full column at The Union here: Column: The salmon finally return
Plant processes may be key to predicting drought development, according to Stanford researchers
“As physical links between the ground and the sky, plants play an important role in shaping Earth’s weather and climate. Now, Stanford University researchers have revealed how a closer look at plants’ inner workings may be able to help improve model predictions of some devastating global disasters. Flash droughts, which develop rapidly and deplete water availability in a matter of weeks, are associated with changes in evapotranspiration – the process of plants moving moisture from their roots to the air. Water undergoing evapotranspiration is sometimes considered “lost” to the atmosphere, so accurate calculations of this loss can be critical to understanding impacts on water resources and ecosystems. … ” Read more from Stanford News here: Plant processes may be key to predicting drought development, according to Stanford researchers
Advocates press for changes to CA lead pipe replacement program
“October has been Children’s Environmental Health Month and this week is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, so groups in California that advocate for children’s health are asking for changes to the state’s 10-year plan to replace lead pipes. California could get up to $1.25 billion from the infrastructure bill to replace old lead water lines. Kelly Hardy, senior managing director of health and research for the group Children Now, said a coalition of health and environmental groups has written a letter asking the California State Water Resources Control Board to “get the lead out.” … ” Read more from the Public News Service here: Advocates press for changes to CA lead pipe replacement program
U.S. streams are drying up
“For millennia, communities throughout North America have adapted to the ebb and flow of waterways. Water infrastructure provides reservoirs for times of drought and flood control for instances of deluge. Drought is a way of life in some parts of the United States, said Jeffrey Mount, a geomorphologist and senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California. “What you worry about is whether you’re picking up a trend.” Long-term shifts in streamflow could signal a fundamental change in climate that scientists believe the country’s infrastructure is not designed to endure. Unfortunately, such a trend is emerging. In the first comprehensive picture of streamflow in the United States, scientists reported that streams in the South and West have gotten drier in the past 70 years. Though unsurprising to many, the result is worrisome. The finding was published in the journal Water Resources Research. ... ” Read more from EOS here: U.S. streams are drying up
In commentary today …
Delta Flows: Working for a healed future, despite a broken past
Barbara Barrigan-Parilla writes, “On October 13th and 14th, Restore the Delta held its two-day symposium featuring next generation Delta leaders. … Not only were these panels filled with researched, professional and accurate commentary, but the participants revealed what they want to see for the future of the estuary and within their Delta communities. We need to acknowledge that the Delta’s youth represent those who will be living with Delta management decisions today, and leaders from government and NGOs truly have a responsibility to keep their interests in the forefront of their daily work.The first panel found that current state sponsored climate programs like the Transformative Community Climate Program and the California Resource Agency’s 30×30 Program, while a good start, do not address the full climate adaptation needs of the Delta. ... ” Read more from Restore the Delta here: Delta Flows: Working for a healed future, despite a broken past
On the Public Record: Two lovely things.
“I am sincerely enjoying the work coming from women academics younger than me, demonstrating that mainstays of California water management are pretty well bullshit. … You know what else has been wonderful? It isn’t in Water; it is over in Housing. Friends, if you are not following the saga of the Builders Remedy, it is absolutely delightful. It is also a lesson about the importance of changing the BATNA. More or less, it goes like this. … ” Read the full post from On the Public Record here: On the Public Record: Two lovely things.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Friends of the Eel River sues County for failure to protect public trust by regulating groundwater extractions in Lower Eel
“Friends of the Eel River (FOER) has filed suit in Humboldt County Superior Court to secure protection for the public trust values at risk when groundwater pumping depletes surface flows in the Lower Eel River. First, FOER is asking the court to declare that the County has a duty to protect public trust values in the lower Eel River from the impacts of groundwater pumping. Then, FOER seeks an order requiring the County to create a program to regulate groundwater pumping in the lower Eel River as necessary to protect public trust values. Finally, FOER asks the court to require the County to stop issuing permits for new and expanded well-drilling in the lower Eel until such a program is in place. ... ” Read more from the Lost Coast Outpost here: Friends of the Eel River sues County for failure to protect public trust by regulating groundwater extractions in Lower Eel
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Fire Weather Watch issued for Lake Tahoe area this weekend due to strong winds
“In the Sierra, the National Weather Service Reno issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Tahoe and Truckee areas this weekend due to strong wind gusts. The warning is in effect from 11 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday, according to ABC7 Meteorologist Mike Nicco. “Though it’s a small window, it’s when most of us will be sleeping, so you need to be ready just in case,” he said. … ” Read more from ABC Bay Area here: Fire Weather Watch issued for Lake Tahoe area this weekend due to strong winds
Sly Park meadow restoration boosts water quality, recreation access
“The Hazel Creek restoration projects at Sly Park Recreation Area not only improved the water quality at Jenkinson Lake and vitality of a thriving meadow, but the much-needed infrastructure also allows more people to enjoy its scenic beauty. Funding by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Game, and the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) paved the way for this critical drainage to be restored after construction activity and years of overuse. ... ” Read more from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy here: Sly Park meadow restoration boosts water quality, recreation access
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Wild pigs cause concern for Northstate locals
“Hundreds of wild pigs are destroying yards, flower beds and more in the Lake area. However, this isn’t exactly a new thing for Shasta County. The county has had a large population of wild pigs for years—from Redding all the way to the Bay Area. Wild pigs are also nothing new for California as a whole. In fact, even though the pigs are a nonnative species, they have been around for years and are now as common as deer in some places; causing chaos in local communities and forcing residents to get creative while protecting their yards. … ” Read more from KRCR here: Wild pigs cause concern for Northstate locals
Critical flood risk reduction projects making progress across Sacramento region
“This week is California Flood Preparedness Week, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District is making progress on several projects throughout the Sacramento region aimed at reducing the flood risk for one of the most at-risk regions in the nation. The American River Common Features 2016 project is a $1.8 billion project that will upgrade nearly 45 miles of levee and widen the Sacramento Weir and Bypass. In 2022, USACE and its partners—the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, California Department of Water Resources, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA)—is wrapping up its fourth year of levee improvements along the Sacramento River East Levee, primarily in Sacramento’s Pocket and Little Pocket neighborhoods. This work to address flood risk associated with seepage, stability and overtopping, which presents a significant vulnerability for levee failure along the Sacramento River East Levee, has proceeded on schedule despite complications presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. … ” Read more from the Army Corps of Engineers here: Critical flood risk reduction projects making progress across Sacramento region
BAY AREA
San Francisco’s nutrient removal bill approaches $1.5 billion
“Though the peak season for harmful algal bloom in source water is coming to a close, the costs of protecting the San Francisco Bay from nutrient pollution is approaching a startling figure. “Removing nutrients from the wastewater that flows from San Francisco sewage plants into the bay — which likely encouraged the growth of massive algae bloom this summer — could cost up to $1.5 billion,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported. “The main source of these nutrients is treated wastewater coming out of 37 sewage treatment facilities, and San Francisco is responsible for up to 20% of those nutrients.” … ” Read more from Water Online here: San Francisco’s nutrient removal bill approaches $1.5 billion
Berkeley Hills homeowner fined for using too much water during drought
“A Berkeley Hills homeowner with a job related to environmental sustainability has been fined for using too much water during California’s current severe drought. The East Bay Municipal Utility District voted in April to mandate a 10% water use reduction from 2020 and instate “excessive use” penalties for households using more than 1,646 gallons of water per day — the strictest policy around water conservation in the Bay Area. The Berkeley homeowner’s name was included in a list of hundreds of violators across the East Bay that was released by the district Tuesday in response to a public records request by Berkeleyside. Her six-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home not far from John Hinkel Park used an average of 2,815 gallons per day this summer, and she’ll be fined about $180. … ” Read more from Berkeleyside here: Berkeley Hills homeowner fined for using too much water during drought
Toxic cleanup begins at Brentwood site
“Hazardous materials cleanup has begun at the long-vacant Delta Cleaners property in Brentwood. The building at 219 Oak St. was demolished in June of 2020, leaving behind hazardous amounts of the dry-cleaning solvents tetrachloroethene, also known as perchlorethylene (PCE), and trichloroethene (TCE) in the soil, soil vapor, and groundwater. The dry cleaners, located on the bottom floor of the former two-story building, operated from 1978-93. … Treatment of the groundwater contamination will include injection of assorted amendments into 85 sites using direct push technology, according to the remediation plan from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. … ” Read more from the Brentwood Press here: Toxic cleanup begins at Brentwood site
CENTRAL COAST
Cachuma Lake treated to 4,000 pounds of rainbow trout
“Cachuma Lake has just received 4,000 pounds of rainbow, bolstering the lake’s trout population. At this time of year, trout move from deeper waters to the shallower hollows. This is the first of four scheduled 4,000-pound rainbow trout releases for the 2022-23 stocking season, with fish ranging in size from half-pound “catchables” to eight-pound “trophies.” The fish come from Mt. Lassen Trout Farms, Inc., in Paynes Creek, California. The next trout plants are tentatively scheduled for December, January and April. … ” Read more from Noozhawk here: Cachuma Lake treated to 4,000 pounds of rainbow trout
Fire retardant pollutes Sespe Creek as Howard Fire extinguished
“On a sunny and stormy Saturday afternoon Oct. 8, the Howard Fire ignited along a sweeping bend of Sespe Creek in the mountains north of Ojai. In response, the U.S. Forest Service dispatched a fleet of aircraft, which contained the blaze using swaths of fire retardant painted across more than a mile of forest, and intercepted Sespe Creek in two locations. The Forest Service estimated that the aerial attack, which successfully limited the fire to just 85 blackened acres, also polluted critical habitat in Sespe Creek with 12,000 gallons of a neon-pink surfactant called Phos-Chek. … ” Read more from the Ojai Valley News here: Fire retardant pollutes Sespe Creek as Howard Fire extinguished
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Change is coming to the Westlands Water District board. What will it mean for the future of the sprawling district and its controversial general manager?
“The makeup of the Westlands Water District board will change this election – shifting power to a coalition of growers with a list of new actions, at the top of which appears to be ousting longtime General Manager Tom Birmingham. “There needs to be a change of leadership, that’s a foundational issue,” said Sarah Woolf, a member of a Westlands farming family, who helped organize the coalition. Woolf also served on the Westlands Board, resigning in 2018 after issuing a letter that publicly called the district out as mired in outdated methods that left it “fighting over the scraps.” In the years since, Woolf has worked with Jon Reiter, with McConnell Farms, to gather like-minded Westlands growers who want to find ways to enhance water resources regionally rather than leaving farmers completely at the mercy of supplies from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Change is coming to the Westlands Water District board. What will it mean for the future of the sprawling district and its controversial general manager?
VIDEO: Frustrated San Joaquin Valley farmers take grievances to Sacramento
“A group of farmers, mostly from Madera, protested on the steps of the capitol in Sacramento against what they feel has been extreme mismanagement of the state’s water resources.” Watch video at SJV Water here: VIDEO: Frustrated San Joaquin Valley farmers take grievances to Sacramento
Commentary: Dos Rios Ranch riverside preserve, a gem hiding in plain sight near Modesto
Doug Maner, a retired Modesto criminal lawyer and member of The Modesto Bee’s Community Advisory Board, writes, “Dos Rios Ranch is a 2,100-acre nature preserve 10 miles southeast of Modesto. It was originally farmland owned by the Lyons family, who generously gifted the property to the Tuolumne River Trust and later to River Partners. These eight miles of Tuolumne riverfront property are across from the San Joaquin National Wildlife Refuge and include land at the confluence of the San Joaquin and Tuolumne rivers. River Partners has been hard at work transforming this former farm into a beautiful nature preserve, with the help of the Tuolumne River Trust and literally dozens of government and private sector partners. As part of this transformation process, they have planted over 350,000 native trees and shrubs, 4,000 pounds of grass and flower seeds, and notched or removed berms that block floodwaters from this historical floodplain. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee here: Commentary: Dos Rios Ranch riverside preserve, a gem hiding in plain sight near Modesto
Despite water woes, Fresno County crop values reached a record high in 2021
“Farmers in Fresno County grew a record $8.08 billion dollars worth of crops in 2021, according to the latest crop report released Tuesday. Almonds remain the top crop in production alongside grapes, pistachios and poultry products. “It’s pretty special that so much of the nation’s plate and the world’s plate when it comes to flavor and color is produced right here and this report helps to show some of that,” said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau. … ” Read more from KVPR here: Despite water woes, Fresno County crop values reached a record high in 2021
SEE ALSO: Fresno leads nation in almond, pistachio production, from the Western Farm Press
Coalinga to keep taps flowing but at a hefty price – nearly $2,000 an acre foot
“The City of Coalinga is shelling out $1.138 million to keep taps flowing this year. The city finally found water it could afford and is buying 600 acre feet of water from Patterson Irrigation District at about $1,900 per acre foot. The deal was finalized and announced Oct. 26. The water was desperately needed as Coalinga was set to run out of water by mid-November. “It’s the cheapest one we could find, honestly,” said Adam Adkisson, Coalinga city councilman. “Happy that we were able to find it at that price because it could have been a lot worse.” … ” Read more from SJV Water here: Coalinga to keep taps flowing but at a hefty price – nearly $2,000 an acre foot
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SCV Sanitation District seeks one-year extension for chloride compliance project
“The Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District requested in September that water regulators revise the deadline for completion of its chloride compliance project from December 2022 to October 2023, citing delays in equipment due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most of the construction of the $87.3 million chloride-reducing plant has been completed, according to agency officials. The new facility will be part of the existing water treatment plant on The Old Road at Rye Canyon Road.
“We’ve made great progress,” said Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of the SCV Sanitation District. “Two of three project components started on time in 2021. But factors beyond our control have delayed completion of the final component.” … ” Read more from the Santa Clarita Valley Signal here: SCV Sanitation District seeks one-year extension for chloride compliance project
New tool shows Southern California is a key pit stop for migrating birds
“Southern California baseball fans all briefly became birders earlier this month, when a goose made a hard landing in right field at Dodger Stadium during the eighth inning of the Dodgers vs. Padres game. Thousands cheered as the goose evaded ground crews, then booed when workers used a towel and a trash can to scoop up the confused waterfowl. Fans deemed it the “rally goose,” with at least one mural painted in the bird’s honor. And they demanded updates on the status of the bird, which eventually was identified as a greater white-fronted goose. “It started a conversation about where did this bird come from, where was it going, what was it doing there?” said Jill Deppe, senior director of Audubon’s Migratory Bird Initiative. ... ” Read more from the OC Register here: New tool shows Southern California is a key pit stop for migrating birds | Read via the Long Beach Press Telegram
IMPERIAL/COACHELLA VALLEYS
Salton Sea cleanup in jeopardy as states battle over Colorado River water
“California communities exposed to hazardous dust by a drying lake bed have found themselves at the center of tensions between Arizona and California over how to conserve water along the overtaxed Colorado River. U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat facing reelection, wants the federal government to withhold money for environmental cleanup at the Salton Sea until California agrees to use less of its share of the river. He also faulted the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for not being clear about when and how it will act if the seven Western states that rely on the river fail to significantly lower their use. … ” Read more from the LA Times here: Salton Sea cleanup in jeopardy as states battle over Colorado River water
Arizona senator slams California on Colorado River use, wants Salton Sea funds withheld
“California communities near the Salton Sea have found themselves at the center of tensions between Arizona and California over how to conserve water along the overtaxed Colorado River. Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat facing reelection, wants the federal government to withhold money for environmental cleanup at the Salton Sea until California agrees to use less of its share of the river. He also faulted the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for not being clear about when and how it will act if the seven Western states that rely on the river fail to significantly lower their use. “We are out of time,” Kelly wrote Tuesday in a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior. “The longer the Department waits to press for an agreement … the more difficult this crisis will be to solve, leading only to tougher choices and litigation.” … ” Read more from the Desert Sun here: Arizona senator slams California on Colorado River use, wants Salton Sea funds withheld
SAN DIEGO
San Diego nears new deal with East County water project to avoid court fight over pump station
“A San Diego committee has approved a series of agreements between the city and a planned water recycling project in East County, potentially heading off a court fight over a plant that could help hundreds of thousands of people. The documents pave the way for San Diego to hand over a pump station to the Advanced Water Purification Project, and for the construction of a pipeline so waste generated by East County can be diverted from the city. The agreements were accepted Thursday in a 4-0 vote by the San Diego City Council’s environment committee. … ” Read more from the San Diego Union-Tribune here: San Diego nears new deal with East County water project to avoid court fight over pump station
San Diegans could get up to $2,000 for past due water bills: see if you qualify
“Federal money is on the way to low-income water customers in San Diego County. A new emergency relief program could help thousands of San Diegans struggling to pay their water bills. The program helps with past due bills that thousands of California’s have already taken advantage of. “A lot of these programs they are a lifeline for our customers,” said Carlos Quintero, the general manager of Sweetwater Authority. ... ” Read more from Fox 5 here: San Diegans could get up to $2,000 for past due water bills: see if you qualify
Along the Colorado River …
Historic Lake Mead drought leads to disturbing discoveries on dried up ground
“Climate change and a historic drought affecting the Colorado River have turned local waterbeds throughout the southwest into veritable deserts. And in Lake Mead, just outside Las Vegas, the environmental crisis has led to the discovery of artifacts and even the remains of people who were lost to the waters long ago. Tina Bushman, of Waco, Texas, learned this summer that the remains of her father, Thomas Erndt, were found this spring, 20 years after he was lost in the waters while her family was swimming in the lake. … ” Read more from ABC News here: Historic Lake Mead drought leads to disturbing discoveries on dried up ground
Government funds compete with small private ranches in southern Nevada
“The Southern Nevada Water Authority wants other western water districts to conserve resources in the face of the region’s 20-year drought, saying it’s wasteful to grow certain water-intensive crops in parched desert landscapes. But records show the agency is not heeding its own advice. California’s Imperial Valley is a breadbasket where all manner of winter vegetables are grown, but a drive through the valley makes clear what it grows most of all. Field after field of thick green alfalfa. It takes seven feet of water to grow each acre of alfalfa, all of which is fed to animals and most of which is exported to Asia, especially to China. “Ordinarily, I stay out of my neighbor’s business,” explains John Entsminger, general manager of the Las Vegas Valley Water District. “When you have a math problem and 90 percent of the water use is in agriculture, and 80 percent of that 80 percent is for forage crops which are largely exported, it’s hard not to see how that’s not part of the solution.” … ” Read more from KLAS here: Government funds compete with small private ranches in southern Nevada
Rockies snowstorm blankets Colorado ski resorts in fresh powder ahead of Halloween weekend
“Talk about an early taste of winter. An autumn storm is dumping a significant amount of snow on the Rockies. The FOX Forecast Center is tracking heavy snow, likely to bring hazardous travel and the potential for the first measurable snow of the season in the Front Range Urban Corridor of Colorado. Snow has already overspread the mountains in central Colorado Thursday morning. It is expected to expand in coverage and intensity throughout the morning. Snow showers could be heavy at times, with snowfall rates exceeding 1 inch an hour in the heaviest bursts of snow. … ” Read more from Yahoo news here: Rockies snowstorm blankets Colorado ski resorts in fresh powder ahead of Halloween weekend
In national water news today …
Flood waters can cause electric vehicles to catch on fire—and some did after Ian. Why experts aren’t alarmed
“A small number of electric vehicles in Florida burst into flame during flooding caused by Hurricane Ian, and the fires are raising awareness about a previously little-known safety issue for the millions of Americans who have bought or are thinking of buying an EV. They are also generating political heat, with some Florida Republican lawmakers calling for more regulatory oversight for electric vehicles. Florida’s State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis tweeted, “there’s a science experiment taking place in Florida with EVs and salty storm surge waters.” ... ” Read more from Tech Xplore here: Flood waters can cause electric vehicles to catch on fire—and some did after Ian. Why experts aren’t alarmed
Biden admin picks up pace on Endangered Species Act rewrite
“The Biden administration could be done with its rewrite of Trump-era Endangered Species Act rules by May 2024, an official noted in an update for a federal judge overseeing a crucial legal challenge. Samuel Rauch III, NOAA Fisheries’ deputy assistant administrator for regulatory affairs, stated that he had previously estimated the final ESA rule changes could be published two years after the judge rules on the lawsuit, first filed in 2019. Now, he says definitively that the final rule changes could be done by May 2024. “Since my [earlier estimate] was filed, the Services have been further examining and clarifying an anticipated timeline for a rulemaking to propose revisions to the 2019 rules,” Rauch wrote in the administration’s most recent legal filing. … ” Read more from E&E News here: Biden admin picks up pace on Endangered Species Act rewrite
National weather and climate update …
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces this weekly report using data and products from the National Water and Climate Center and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S.
dmrpt-20221027
