Focus
California becomes first state to test drinking water for microplastics
San Francisco Chronicle – September 7
On Wednesday, California became the first state to begin requiring water agencies to test for microplastics, tiny particles that shed from common items such as clothing, food packaging, and tires. The State Water Resources Control Board, after years of working with more than 20 labs in seven countries to pioneer a means of monitoring microplastics, adopted new testing and reporting requirements that will take effect next year. Under the state program, up to 30 of the state’s largest water providers will have to begin monitoring for microplastics in their drinking water sources, such as reservoirs or rivers, starting in fall 2023. The testing will be expanded to treated water in fall 2025.
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News
California greenhouse gas emissions bill fails passage
Allen Matkins – September 6
On the last day of the current biennium, the California Assembly refused passage of Senate Bill 260, which would have required large companies to report annually on their greenhouse gas emissions. Many companies may nonetheless be required to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. In March, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rule amendments that would require registrants to provide certain climate-related information in their registration statements and annual reports.
Companies responsible for Huntington Beach oil spill agree to pay an additional $4.9 million
The Orange County Register – September 8
The Houston oil company behind last year’s spill off the coast of Huntington Beach has agreed to plead no contest to six misdemeanor charges in Orange County Superior Court and pay $4.9 million in fines and penalties to the state and county for failing to promptly notify regulators of the ongoing leak, harming protected birds, and for polluting California waters, prosecutors said on Thursday. Amplify Energy — along with its two subsidiaries, Beta Operating Co. and San Pedro Bay Pipeline — will appear in court on Friday, where they will be found guilty of the charges related to their failure to heed at least seven alarms that went off inside one of their three oil rigs in the Pacific Ocean last October, warning them that 25,000 gallons of crude oil had leaked into the water from a busted pipeline over more than sixteen hours.
Milpitas dump to pay $210,000 for environmental violations
The Mercury News – September 6
The Newby Island Landfill in Milpitas will pay $210,000 to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to settle a total of 30 violations spanning the course of six years, according to the agency. The violations, which occurred between 2014 and 2020, relate to gas surface leaks, misuse of equipment, and odor complaints coming from the 342-acre site. According to BAAQMD, the violations have been corrected.
Despite drought, California legislators reject curbs on drilling new farm wells
Times of San Diego – September 8
California lawmakers have rejected a proposal to rein in agricultural groundwater pumping as drought continues to grip California and more than a thousand domestic wells have run dry. A bill authored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett would have added hurdles to obtain a permit to drill an agricultural well. The bill, which Assemblymember Bennett elected not to bring up for a final vote following comments from Governor Newsom’s office, would have been the biggest change to California’s groundwater management since the 2014 enactment of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, said Roger Dickinson, one of the bill’s authors and a former assemblymember from Sacramento.
White House calls for action on crypto climate pollution
E&E News – September 8
A White House agency, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), on Thursday called on the Biden administration to consider cracking down on bitcoin miners and other producers of energy-intensive digital assets because of the threat they pose to the nation’s climate goals. A new OSTP report on the climate and energy implications of the crypto industry estimated the industry is now responsible for at least 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, similar to the direct annual emissions of the entire United States railroad industry. Before taking potential punitive measures on the emerging $1 trillion industry, OSTP urged federal agencies to work with states, communities, and industry to develop voluntary environmental performance standards for producing digital assets.
Napa County landfill faces federal lawsuit over alleged stormwater pollution
Napa Valley Register – September 8
Clover Flat Landfill outside Calistoga is facing a federal lawsuit claiming that it discharged polluted stormwater in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. The suit was filed on August 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by a Stockton-based nonprofit conservation group. The suit claims that Clover Flat has discharged polluted stormwater runoff into an unnamed creek adjacent to the landfill, which flows into the Napa River, in violation of the Clean Water Act and the statewide Industrial General Permit for stormwater discharges.
Air quality watchdog demands Hyperion fix lingering odor a year after sewage spill
Daily Breeze – September 8
The South Coast Air Quality Management District on Thursday approved an order of abatement requiring the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant to address odors that have plagued the surrounding community as a result of a catastrophic sewage spill in July 2021. The order requires the plant to institute a complaint response program and conduct regular odor patrols, among other mandates. El Segundo, meanwhile, declared a local emergency on Thursday regarding the odors and lingering health impacts, and decided to pursue a lawsuit against Los Angeles for the city’s alleged failure to properly operate the wastewater processing facility.
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