Focus
California’s top environmental regulator leaving Newsom administration
Associated Press – August 12
Jared Blumenfeld, head of California's Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and a key climate adviser to Governor Gavin Newsom, will leave the administration at the end of the month, Newsom announced August 12. As head of CalEPA, Blumenfeld was responsible for departments that regulate air pollution, water use, recycling, toxic substances, pesticides, and environmental health hazards like extreme heat. Yana Garcia, special assistant attorney general focused on environmental issues in the California Department of Justice, will take over as head of CalEPA next month. Blumenfeld said the agency now rivals the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its staff and budget.
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News
California gets reprieve on Colorado River water, but Arizona and Nevada face cutbacks
Times of San Diego – August 16
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Tuesday spared five Western states, including California, from immediate Colorado River water cutbacks to protect dwindling reservoirs from severe drought, instead falling back on previously negotiated cuts that for the second year in a row will impose reductions on Nevada and Arizona, as well as Mexico. Negotiations over further reductions are creating tension among the states, especially as California, the largest user, has so far avoided cuts triggered by low reservoir levels.
Governor Newsom urges lawmakers on climate change targets
The Bakersfield Californian – August 14
In a memo sent to leaders of both houses last week, Governor Newsom asked the California Legislature to accelerate greenhouse gas cuts, set new interim targets for reaching 100% clean electricity, and codify safety zones around new oil and gas wells. He is also seeking regulations from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that would govern controversial carbon capture projects that would remove carbon dioxide from the air and sequester it underground. Last month, he asked CARB to strengthen its draft climate change scoping plan by including measures for offshore wind, heat pumps in homes, and cleaner aviation fuels, among other areas. The last day for the Senate and Assembly to pass bills this legislative session is Aug. 31.
Central Valley cheesemaker to pay $170,000 EPA fine
The Business Journal – August 17
A Tulare County cheesemaker has reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over alleged Clean Air Act violations. According to EPA’s press release, under the settlement, Saputo Cheese will pay $170,000 and make safety improvements to its facility in response to an accident in 2018 that led to the release of 5,690 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. A 2019 EPA inspection found that Saputo Cheese did not fix corrosion on piping and structural supports and did not show that safety vents met industry standards, conditions that have since been addressed.
Water Board: Boeing must meet stringent cleanup standards at Santa Susana Field Lab site
CBS News – August 12
The Boeing Company will be required to prove stormwater runoff is no longer polluted and human health and the environment is no longer at risk after completing cleanup at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in southeastern Ventura County, according to a memorandum of understanding unanimously approved by the Los Angeles Regional Water Control Board. The former field laboratory, which spans 2,850 acres, was once the site of research, development, and testing of rocket engines, small-scale nuclear reactors and chemical lasers. All industrial activity at the site ended in 2006, but radionuclides and other contaminants remained in the soil.
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