By Mike Sprague, SGVN September 6, 2012 Lawsuits Against Water Replenishment District A regional water district could be facing more than a $100 million in damages after a Superior Court judge ruled on Thursday it had violated the state constitution when it didn’t follow procedural requirements for an assessment on pumping from the underground water […]
Read MoreCategory: Groundwater Impacts
Court Rules the Public must be Informed about Groundwater Pumping
On August 9, 2012 Judge Grillo of the Superior Court in Alameda, Ca. granted the environmental group, Living Rivers Council (LRC), their Writ of Mandate that the State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB) must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, regarding groundwater protection mitigations when applying for water diversions from streams in the […]
Read MorePetition for Writ of Mandate
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF ALAMEDA LIVING RIVERS COUNCIL, Petitioner and Plaintiff, vs. STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD, Respondent and Defendant. RG10-543923 WRIT OF MANDATE. (C.C.P. 1094.5; Pub. Res. Code 21168.9.) TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD: YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO: 1. Set aside and vacate […]
Read MoreWater Pollutant Technical Reports
You’ve seen this? I know Jay Lund. He presented in one of my conferences on water some years ago. Rue Center for Watershed Sciences • University of California, Davis Groundwater Nitrate Project, Implementation of Senate Bill X2 1 Prepared for California State Water Resources Control Board • March 2012 Prepared by: Thomas Harter and Jay […]
Read MoreStop Natural Gas, Oil and Mineral Fracking Now !
Dear Congressman Guinta, Bass and Senators Ayotte and Shaheen, As a constituent in New Hampshire, I request that you introduce legislation that will provide a federal ban on hydraulic fracturing for oil, natural gas and mineral mining. As a scientist working in the interest of public health and the environment, I am concerned with the […]
Read MoreFracking poses risk to water systems, research suggests: U.S. study
By Teresa Smith, Postmedia News, August 6, 2012 A new scientific study of the risks associated with Hydraulic fracturing — or “fracking” — in the United States, found that current methods for wastewater disposal put drinking water at risk. Fracking involves pumping a mixture of water, sand and other chemicals deep underground at high pressure […]
Read MoreDecision for Living Rivers Council vs. SWRCB
Chris, Good news! The court issued an order and proposed statement of decision partially granting the petition in Instream Flow. We won on the primary issue in the case — failure to analyze and disclose mitigation measures for groundwater impacts. The order directs the Board to vacate its approval of the Policy and to recirculate, at […]
Read MoreDecision for Living Rivers Council vs. SWRCB
Chris, Good news! The court issued an order and proposed statement of decision partially granting the petition in Instream Flow. We won on the primary issue in the case — failure to analyze and disclose mitigation measures for groundwater impacts. The order directs the Board to vacate its approval of the Policy and to recirculate, at […]
Read MoreVermont’s Ban Means Little
That’s a very nice precedent but means little. Vermont is dominantly composed of metamorphic rocks and so is not a likely target for any kind of oil / gas production. An easy vote! J
Read MoreVermont Ban on Fracking
Vermont just banned fracking yesterday ….Janus http://www.alternet.org/fracking/155360/vermont_will_be_first_u.s._state_to_ban_fracking
Read MoreAction to Limit Fracking in California
To All, Fracking is the dangerous method of oil and gas drilling that’s causing poisoned water and air in Wyoming, earthquakes in Ohio, and tap water that can light on fire in Pennsylvania. It’s happening here in California, too! Yet we have no laws to ensure we are protected from fracking — and incredibly, state […]
Read MoreNew Study Predicts Frack Fluids Can Migrate to Aquifers Within Years
Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica May 4, 2012 A new study has raised fresh concerns about the safety of gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, concluding that fracking chemicals injected into the ground could migrate toward drinking water supplies far more quickly than experts have previously predicted. More than 5,000 wells were drilled in the Marcellus between […]
Read MoreCalifornia lawmakers push for fracking rules
LA Times, May 9, 2012 California lawmakers on Wednesday took preliminary steps to increase the size of the state’s oil and gas agency — with the condition that regulators draft rules for hydraulic fracturing, a controversial form of oil extraction that some say can pose a hazard to drinking water. The lack of “fracking” regulations […]
Read MoreIn Response to “Steelhead Trout Lose Out…”
Steelhead Trout Lose Out (49-15-07) Comments of Jim Doerksen in Opposition to the Response by the SWRCB, etc. Robert. The first item is a Press Release by U.C. Berkeley titled “Steelhead Trout Lose Out When Water is Low in Wine Country”. This press release is a synopsis of the attached second item which is a […]
Read MorePublic Workshop on Nitrate in Groundwater
NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP The State Water Resources Control Board will conduct a workshop concerning UC DAVIS REPORT ON NITRATE IN GROUNDWATER The Public Workshop will commence on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Coastal Hearing Room – Second Floor Joe Serna, Jr. – Cal/EPA Headquarters Building 1001 “I” Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 The […]
Read MoreNews of Urgency for Planet Action Except in USA
(Try not to be discouraged please… please try to do a little bit more to help if you can manage it for Climate Resiliency or Recovery… I think we all find it hard at times… I certainly do. Courage… Let me know if I can be helpful please). Roni Thank you to Fred Krueger for […]
Read MoreA Report from the Soil and Water Conservation Society
Dear Interested public: One of the objectives of the growing community with respect to changes to Vineyard and Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance (VESCO) is to satisfy conditions of Reg’l Board’s Irrigated Lands waiver. Although the condition of our impaired water bodies and fisheries are the public’s business, the growers do not want the public […]
Read MoreClearcutting Action Letter
All, Our forests are under attack from clearcutting axes that hack, hack, hack! But with your help we can stop this frightful assault and bring the destruction to a grinding halt. Add your name to our petition, and let’s protect our forest’s from demolition. Have you heard the story of the Lorax — the fuzzy, orange […]
Read MoreThe Department of Terroir Security Website
I came across this interesting website–The Department of Terroir Security–that seems to focus on the rampant increase of vineyards/wineries everywhere and the environmental/social impacts. Who are those guys? http://terroirsecurity.com/?p=595 Larry
Read MoreDWR’s online groundwater information system
DWR’s online groundwater information system http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/gama/geotracker_gama.shtml GeoTracker GAMA is an online groundwater information system that gives you access to water quality data and connects you to groundwater basics and protection information. This online database integrates groundwater quality data from multiple sources, which are searchable by chemical or location with results displayed on an interactive Google […]
Read MoreLetter to Supervisor: Hobbs is Not One Bad Apple
October 27, 2011 Supervisor Efren Carrillo Board of Supervisors 575 Administration Dr. Rm. 100A Santa Rosa CA 95403 RE: Paul Hobbs, Henry Cornell, and the Public Trust Dear Efren, Many thanks for your recent candid and accurate public comments concerning Paul Hobbs’ desecration of Highway 116 corridor trees and beauty. To many Sonoma County residents, […]
Read MoreMeetings and Issues Announcements from NCRWQCB
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board ANNOUNCEMENTS The next Regional Board meeting will be 11/03/2011 Policy For Implementation of the Water Quality Objective for Temperature Public Comments on the Policy for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration CEQA Scoping Document due November 8, 2011 Citizen’s Guide to Working with the California Water Boards Waiver of Waste Discharge […]
Read MorePetition for Congress to Protect Clean Water
Friends– Tomorrow marks the 39th Anniversary since the signing of the Clean Water Act and it is currently under attack by big polluters and their cronies in Congress. We need your help! Please take a moment to sign the following petition demanding that Congress take action to protect clean water, and the health of our […]
Read MoreRWB Requests Information for Developing Plan for Irrigated Lands
To All, This email is being sent on behalf of Catherine Kuhlman, Executive Officer of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board). Regional Water Board staff is developing a Water Quality Compliance Program for Discharges from Irrigated Lands in the North Coast Region (Program). More information on the Program is available online […]
Read MoreAgricultural water Security and Instream Flows for Endangered Species
American Journal of Agricultural Economics Advance Access published July 15, 2011 DAVID A. NEWBURN, NICHOLAS BROZOVIC, AND MARIANO MEZZATESTA Conclusion and Policy Implications We analyze the potential effects of ESA listing on the joint decision of land use and water management using parcel-level data in coastal California. Our empirical results are distinct from the perverse […]
Read MoreGrapevines or Redwoods?
I thought you might be interested. Now there are blogs discussing western Sonoma County in the LA Times. Have a glorious summer week, Rue ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2011/08/grapevines-or-redwoods.html Daily Dish The inside scoop on food in Los Angeles Grapevines or redwoods? Sonoma County may have to choose August 25, 2011 | 10:31 am The Pacific coast of […]
Read MoreFracking and Water
Hi All, I am sure you have noticed alot of commercials on TV telling us how great the natural gas companies are. They are on a campaign to obscure the facts of how destructive this practice is. The shale extends from Monterrey to LA. A Federal judge in Wyoming (I sent this out last week) […]
Read MorePublic Meeting on Groundwater
Public Meeting Voluntary Groundwater Level Monitoring Graton Community Club Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 6:30 p.m.— 8:00 p.m. The Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District and the Sonoma County Water Agency are working to implement the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) program, designed to collect groundwater elevations so we can better manage our water resources. […]
Read MoreIn Response to BLM’s Leasing of 2,600 Acres in CA for Fracking
Hi all– I want to note that the rocks in these areas are known to have been petroleum source rocks, but they have never been heavily exploited for oil or gas production. This means that petroleum formed in the rocks but apparently migrated elsewhere, perhaps during recent events of faulting and folding. This means that […]
Read MoreFracking: Monterey shale exploration draws protest
July 19, 2011 Environmental groups filed a formal protest this week with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management calling for a halt to the leasing of 2,600-acres in California’s Fresno and Monterey counties for oil and gas shale exploration. They said future drilling would likely involve high-pressure hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” a new drilling method linked to […]
Read More