BY HAYLEY SMITH STAFF WRITER SEPT. 19, 2023 UPDATED 6:57 AM PT A water district best known for supplying the celebrity-studded enclaves of Calabasas and Hidden Hills could soon become famous for a very different reason. The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District recently partnered with California-based OceanWell to study the feasibility of harvesting drinking water from desalination pods placed on […]

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Dec. 15, 2022 The Las Virgenes district, which supplies about 75,000 people, is almost entirely reliant on imported water from the State Water Project, a vast network of reservoirs, canals and pipelines that feeds dozens of agencies across the state. But the district faces routine challenges during times of drought, especially when state officials are […]

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June 7, 2022 But getting the desalination project past regulators will be a significant hurdle. The California Coastal Commission, the State Lands Commission, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Division of Drinking Water, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers are just some of the agencies that could be involved […]

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A storage tank at the Las Virgenes water district’s reservoir is shown. The district is almost entirely reliant on imported water supplies. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Oct. 13, 2022 However, Evelyn commended the company for reaching out to the Sierra Club and other environmental groups over the last year, and for taking their feedback and concerns into account while developing the technology. “I am happy to see that there is new technology and there is less harm to marine life, and […]

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EPA Administrator Michael Regan in March 2023. Credit: U.S. EPA

“This is the most significant step the EPA has taken in years to increase transparency about pesticides’ harms,” one advocate said.  by Johnathan Hettinger, Investigate Midwest July 27, 2023 ​The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency posted searchable databases of pesticide harm for the first time in agency history on Thursday. The databases, which include reports of harm to people, pets, […]

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The sun shines through the mist of Running Eagle Falls in the Two Medicine portion of Glacier National Park.

By Dana DrugmandAugust 15, 2023 “Game-changer ruling” has implications for future climate change lawsuits in the US and around the world. A Montana court ruled in favor of 16 young people who put their state government on trial in June in the first constitutional climate trial in U.S. history. In an order issued Monday, Judge Kathy Seeley […]

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Logging

The wood products industry is massively undercounting its impact on the climate, a new study has found. Through its production of paper, pulp, pellets and lumber, the industry releases at least 3.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year, according to a study published last week in Nature. That is a large number in its own right: more than […]

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Lumber, cut and stacked

Because concrete and steel used to construct buildings are a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions, there is growing interest in “mass timber” — a supposedly lower-carbon option — to replace them. New ways of gluing pieces of wood together to form strong beams and structural panels provide opportunities to use wood even in tall buildings. But new research finds that using wood in construction is likely to increase emissions for many decades, […]

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Tao Orion, author of “Beyond the War on Invasive Species”

Tao Orion is the author of “Beyond the War on Invasive Species: A Permaculture Approach to Ecosystem Restoration.” She is a permaculture designer, teacher, homesteader, and mother living in the southern Willamette Valley of Oregon. I interviewed her on May 18, 2020, for my podcast, “Voices for Nature & Peace.” What follows is a partial transcript of that conversation, edited for clarity. […]

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From article "Dental Director Buried Data Linking Fluoride to IQ Defects"

A new study led by a California public health official and long-time advocate of water fluoridation omitted data that contradicted its conclusion that fluoridated water is not associated with reduced IQ, according to documents obtained through Public Records Act requests. Attorney Michael Connett has provided the unearthed documents to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) so […]

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wood pellet production

California’s Forests Targeted As Feedstock for Global Wood Bioenergy Industry – Civil Society Responds With United Force to Oppose Massive Wood Pellet Export Project The opening of the environmental review of the Golden State Natural Resources wood pellet manufacture and export scheme in California received a robust response from civil society environmental and environmental justice organizations from […]

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A trail courses through an old growth forest along the Ohanapecosh River in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, USA

Published: March 9, 2023 8.40am EST Forests are critically important for slowing climate change. They remove huge quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – 30% of all fossil fuel emissions annually – and store carbon in trees and soils. Old and mature forests are especially important: They handle droughts, storms and wildfires better than young trees, […]

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The project area for the Carmel River restoration project as seen from the air. (Courtesy Big Sur Land Trust)

Funding Will Help Communities Implement Groundwater Recharge, Flood Management, Water Conservation and Water Supply Reliability Projects May 17, 2023 “California’s changing climate presents unique challenges to our regions across the state,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “These projects meet multiple needs including constructing new water infrastructure, improving water quality, protecting wildlife and preparing for a […]

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microplastics

Brian Nguyen  1 , Dominique Claveau-Mallet  1 , Laura M Hernandez  1 , Elvis Genbo Xu  1 , Jeffrey M Farner  1 , Nathalie Tufenkji  1 March 29, 2023 Abstract The vast amount of plastic waste emitted into the environment and the increasing concern of potential harm to wildlife has made microplastic and nanoplastic pollution a growing environmental concern. Plastic pollution has the potential to cause both physical and chemical harm […]

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Map of 10 Rivers Facing Pollution

An annual report highlights 10 waterways that have arrived at forks: where public support could determine whether they receive protection. By: EosApril 20, 2023By Saima May Sidik America’s waterways need help. Threats such as industrial pollution, poorly planned development, and climate change are widespread. In some cases, help could be imminent—but only with support from the public […]

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Melting Glaciers threaten ocean circulation systems

“It’s way faster than we thought these circulations could slow down,” said one researcher. “We are talking about the possible long-term extinction of an iconic water mass.” Julia ConleyMar 30, 2023 Scientists from the United States and Australia on Wednesday warned in a new study that the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting rapid […]

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A very large salmon caught during a research cruise

California’s commercial and recreational salmon season was officially canceled late Thursday — and Gov. Newsom quickly announced he’s seeking a federal fishery disaster declaration to ease the pain for fishing communities.

As CalMatters’ Alastair Bland reported last month, California’s commercial and recreational fishing fleet landed about 300,000 salmon last year. But crashing populations are forcing this drastic move by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, something that hasn’t been done since 2009. The closure is expected to take effect in mid-May. And on May 17, […]

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Gloomy day at Fisherman's Wharf

Officials vow to push for speedy action to support a salmon fishing industry facing full season closure. MARY CALLAHANTHE PRESS DEMOCRATApril 7, 2023, 11:54AM State and federal officials are vowing to move quickly to secure disaster aid for Californians affected by the closure of this year’s commercial and recreational salmon season, which could have an […]

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Napa County has work to do to get Napa Valley wine country groundwater supplies in balance for the long haul.   Groundwater pumping in 2021-22 was 18,790 acre-feet, according to a new report. It was the third consecutive year that pumping exceeded the Napa Valley sub-basin’s sustainable yield of 15,000 acre-feet, coinciding with a three-year drought. […]

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Forest Carbon Coalition and John Muir Project presents Biomass Logging: Bad for Communities, Climate & Forests

Forest Carbon Coalition and John Muir Project presents  Biomass Logging: Bad for Communities, Climate & Forests Please join our esteemed panelists Katherine Egland of Mississippi’s Education, Economics, Environmental, Climate and Health Organization (EEECHO), Dr. Shaye Wolf, of Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and biologist, author, and filmmaker Maya Khosla for an in-depth discussion of biomass logging.  Katherine […]

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Planet Over Profit image

20 May 2021 Intense storms and flooding triggered three times more displacements than violent conflicts did last year, as the number of people internally displaced worldwide hit the highest level on record. There were at least 55 million internally displaced people (IDPs) by the end of last year, according to figures published by the Norwegian Refugee […]

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Our Children's Trust Logo (16x9 size)

Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken denied the request of 18 Republican attorneys general to intervene as defendants in the Juliana case. Judge Aiken indicated that when her ruling comes down on the plaintiffs’ motion for leave to amend, the states could attempt to refile their motion, suggesting a ruling in Juliana v. United States – where a favorable decision would put the youth back on the path to trial – may be imminent! After we notify our […]

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2023 Water Supply Demand Balance - One Water and Stewardship Committee

What a difference 11 atmospheric rivers make.  Metropolitan, as recently as January facing a 574,000-acre deficit, is now anticipating putting 119,000 acre-feet or more into storage this year, the first time since 2019.  Metropolitan staff delivered the good news at the One Water Committee meeting on March 14. The big change is attributed to the […]

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National Toxicology Program U.S. Deportment of Health and Human Services

The final report of a 6-year National Toxicology Program (NTP) review of fluoride neurotoxicity was blocked from public release by the Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Administrator in May 2022 according to the Fluoride Action Network (FAN). But under an agreement reached in an ongoing lawsuit against the EPA, the report was made public today […]

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Image from Fluoride Associated with Hypothyroidish in pregnancy article from Fluoride Action Network

“Researchers say healthy thyroid function is crucial for fetal brain development and their latest research may explain earlier findings looking at fluoride and children’s IQ” A new study (Hall, et al., 2023) led by scientists from Toronto’s York University in the journal Science of the Total Environment linked fluoride exposure with an increased risk of hypothyroidism in […]

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