State and federal officials move forward plans and policies for water conservation, conveyance, and climate resilience. The winter of 2022-23 brought historic levels of precipitation to California after years of deep...more
On May 24, 2022, the California State Water Resources Control Board announced emergency drought restrictions resulting from Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-7-22. The regulations are the latest in a series of attempts by...more
The past few weeks have been active ones for California in assessing the severity of its current drought and how it plans to manage its water during the third year of that drought. On top of other, more localized action,...more
Potential Ramifications for Urban Water Suppliers and Well-Permitting Entities - Gov. Newson has signed Executive Order N-7-22 (Order) in response to intensifying drought conditions. The Order, signed earlier this week,...more
Limited water supply, restrictions on use, and higher costs may be in store for next year if the state’s drought conditions persist. This year has been critically dry and hot for California, resulting in déjà vu as the...more
As drought worsens, regulators impose unprecedented water restrictions on California farms - Los Angeles Times – August 3 - Amid intensifying drought, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) voted on Tuesday...more
Focus - Governor Newsom issues executive order requiring drought-climate plan - San Francisco Chronicle - April 29 - Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday issued an executive order directing state agencies to review and...more
All three branches of the federal government had a busy spring. The U.S. Supreme Court just completed its 2017 term in June with a full-strength bench after spending much of the previous term with only eight justices after...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - Trump signs executive order to expand drilling off America’s coasts - Washington Post - Apr 28 - President Trump signed an executive order Friday that aims to expand offshore...more
On April 7th, Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order that lifts the drought emergency in fifty-four of the fifty-eight California counties. After six years of a prolonged drought in California, Executive Order B-40-17...more
Urban water suppliers would face significant new requirements under water conservation and drought resiliency legislation proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The legislation, released in the form of budget trailer bill language...more
Despite plentiful rain and snow across much of California, the State Water Resources Control Board is considering extending its emergency drought regulations in early February. During a public workshop in Sacramento on...more
State Water Resources Control Board Releases Draft Regulation to Modify Water Conservation Requirements - Mandatory statewide water use restrictions in California would be replaced by a more locally driven set of water...more
Public Comments Due Jan. 6 - The State Water Resources Control Board released a proposed regulatory framework for extending statewide emergency water conservation mandates through October 2016. The framework could result...more
California’s sweeping restrictions on water use could be extended deep into next year under a new Executive Order by Gov. Jerry Brown. If drought conditions persist through January 2016, the Order provides that emergency...more
On June 18, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California denied a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, finding the plaintiff failed to establish that an emergency...more
As California enters another summer under severe drought conditions, regulators are taking steps to encourage significant reductions in water usage. After years of a “carrot” approach, Californians may start seeing the...more
To address the worsening drought, on April 1, 2015, Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-29-15 (“Executive Order”), mandating a 25% reduction in potable urban water consumption. In response, the State Water Resources...more
Sweeping Regulations Expected to Take Effect by May 15 - The State Water Resources Control Board took final action on emergency regulations designed to achieve an overall 25 percent reduction in potable urban water use...more
State Water Resources Control Board Cites Need to Avoid Potential “Catastrophic Impacts” - The State Water Resources Control Board released revisions to its draft emergency regulations to restrict overall potable urban...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: Governor Brown touts aggressive plan to cut greenhouse gases: KPCC - Apr 29: California would aggressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under a plan announced Wednesday by...more
In an Executive Order issued yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown set “a new interim statewide greenhouse gas emission reduction target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 is...more
As reported on Nossaman's Endangered Species Law & Policy blog, on April 1, 2015, Governor Jerry Brown issued a landmark executive order mandating water cutbacks for urban residents to address the state's historic drought....more
Expanded Tiering System; Next Round of Comments Due Wednesday - Moving at a swift pace, the State Water Resources Control Board released a draft emergency regulation over the weekend that, for the first time, would...more
The State Water Resources Control Board’s proposed regulatory framework for mandatory statewide water cutbacks drew 277 comment letters during the brief window of time allowed for input. The Water Board released its...more