News
California bill would force corporations to cut emissions or face fines
Courthouse News Service – January 27
Under proposed legislation announced Wednesday by state Senator Scott Wiener, both publicly traded and private corporations doing more than $1 billion in business annually in California would be required to track and disclose the full scope of their greenhouse gas emissions. By 2025, corporations would be mandated to submit extensive reduction goals to state regulators, who would then have the authority to crack down on potential offenders. Senate Bill 260 would require corporations to log the entirety of their carbon footprints, from electricity used, supply chain activities to even fuel spent during employee commutes.
Department of Interior delays rollback of migratory bird protections
The Hill – February 4
The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) is delaying by one month the Trump administration’s rollback of protections to migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act—previously scheduled to take effect on February 8—and is opening the rule back up for public comment. The Trump administration rule removed penalties for companies that accidentally or incidentally killed migratory birds. DOI is now working to determine what additional steps it can take, and the Fish and Wildlife Service will give the public 20 days to comment on the rule to allow for “additional engagement.”
California Supreme Court allows broader warning labels for bisphenol A
San Francisco Chronicle – January 29
California will broaden its warning labels for bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in plastic cups and other food and drink containers, after the state Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the chemical industry last Wednesday. Since 2015, the state has required labels on products containing BPA, originally developed as a synthetic estrogen in 1936, stating that it can cause reproductive harm in women. The court order upholds state health officials’ decision to require additional warnings of “developmental toxicity,” or harm to fetuses and newborn and young children whose mothers are exposed to the chemical during pregnancy. The warnings would be given pursuant to Proposition 65, a 1986 ballot measure requiring warning labels on products sold in California that pose a danger of cancer or reproductive harm.
Attorney General Becerra files motion to intervene in lawsuit challenging Guenoc Valley development
Lake County Record-Bee – February 2
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a motion on Monday to intervene in a lawsuit challenging Lake County’s approval and certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Planned Development Project. According to the filing, Lake County finalized an EIR in July 2020 that fails to adequately analyze and mitigate the increased wildfire risk associated with the project, as well as the greenhouse gas emissions and other adverse environmental impacts. The project site is largely designated as a very high fire hazard severity zone, and has suffered from numerous wildfires in recent years.
Bayer reaches $2 billion deal over future Roundup cancer claims
Reuters – February 3
Bayer AG struck a $2 billion deal to resolve future legal claims that its widely used weedkiller Roundup causes cancer, the company said this Wednesday. The company has been struggling to finalize the settlement of claims that Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer. Bayer inherited the litigation as part of its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto. The agreement must be approved by U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco. In June 2020, the court questioned the legality of a prior settlement plan that Bayer proposed, which envisioned creating a panel of scientists who would rule on the viability of claims.
Automakers drop efforts to derail California climate rules
The New York Times – February 2
Several major automakers said this Tuesday that they, like General Motors, would no longer try to block California from setting its own strict fuel-economy standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In light of the Trump administration’s rollback of Obama-era fuel economy standards (to about 40 miles per gallon by 2026) California reached its own agreement with Ford, Honda, BMW, Volkswagen, and Volvo, to achieve a standard 11 miles per gallon greater in that same timeframe. The Trump administration, backed by G.M. and other automakers, blocked California’s legal authority to independently set those standards. The White House is expected to explore ways to adopt the California policy that only zero-emissions vehicles can be sold after 2035.
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