President Donald Trump on Monday issued a memorandum directing the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to develop a new plan within 90 days “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to...more
California officials have joined a legal effort to restore water to the Kern River after an abrupt shutoff of water dried up the river and killed thousands of fish in Bakersfield....more
Farmers in southern Tulare County will face greater scrutiny for groundwater pumping after the state placed the region on probation following a lengthy hearing in Sacramento on Tuesday....more
On February 23, 2023, California EPA (Cal EPA) finally released a “final draft” version of the much-awaited vapor intrusion guidance, Final Draft Supplemental Guidance: Screening and Evaluating Vapor Intrusion (VI Guidance)...more
Sonoma County vintner to pay $925,000 in environmental damage settlement Bullet The Press Democrat – July 31 The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office last Friday announced that a $925,000 settlement had been reached with...more
Ninth Circuit blocks permits for hydraulic fracturing off California coast Bullet Los Angeles Times - June 3 The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last Friday blocked hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, off...more
EPA’s power to curb greenhouse gases faces Supreme Court scrutiny - Courthouse News Service – October 29 - The Supreme Court announced last Friday that it will hear challenges brought by the states of West Virginia...more
EPA unveils strategy to regulate PFAS - Associated Press – October 18 - Michael Regan, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced on Monday that the agency is launching a broad strategy to...more
EPA to propose first-ever PFAS discharge limits - The Hill – September 8 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it will propose a rule to set the first-ever limits on the...more
BAAQMD delays vote on new pollution controls for refineries - East Bay Times – June 4 - After hearing five and a half hours of public commentary on Wednesday night, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District...more
Governor Newsom moves to ban hydraulic fracturing by 2024 - NPR – April 23 - Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans last Friday to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, by 2024 as part of a longer-term...more
At its January 20, 2021 Board meeting, the State Water Resources Control Board (“SWRCB” or “Board”) adopted its final General Waste Discharge Requirements (“WDRs”) for Winery Process Water (“Winery Order”) and associated...more
Redwood City salt ponds subject to environmental protections, federal judge rules - San Francisco Chronicle – October 5 - A federal court ruled this Monday that an area containing salt ponds in Redwood City are waters...more
Federal court blocks Interior Department’s relaxation of migratory bird safeguards - U.S. News & World Report – August 12 - The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York this Tuesday struck down a U.S....more
Congress sends landmark conservation bill to White House - Bullet The New York Times – July 22 - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a measure that, for the first time, guarantees maximum annual funding...more
In February, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, or DTSC, the State Water Resources Control Board, or SWRCB, and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board released a much-anticipated draft...more
The California State Water Resources Control Board (“Board”) is proposing to adopt a definition for microplastics. The definition would be applicable to the Board’s drinking water program....more
The State of California recently sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue to the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior and concurrently filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California...more
Governor Newsom proposes new plan for San Joaquin River Delta - Governor Gavin Newsom revealed a novel approach Tuesday to managing the San Joaquin River Delta that would keep more water in the fragile delta while restoring...more
Focus - Ninth Circuit upholds federal waiver of state environmental laws in California border wall construction - San Francisco Chronicle - February 11 - The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected environmental...more
Regulation of “toxicity” in the State of California has generally been following 3 State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) precedential decisions that require dischargers under an NPDES permit, which have a...more
California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed AB 313, which would have shifted the hearing process for certain water rights enforcement actions to a new Water Rights Division within the Office of Administrative Hearings. However, his...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - State lawmaker seeks to close old SoCal Gas wells in Aliso Canyon - Los Angeles Business - Jan 12 State Senator Fran Pavley is calling for Southern California Gas Co. to close older...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - North Dakota federal court limits injunction as to “Waters of the U.S.” rule to 13 states: The Hill - Sep 4 - A federal judge today declined to extend his order enjoining application of...more