Infrastructure

State in use-it-or-lose-it mode with $4B in bullet-train funds

The California bullet-train project — stalled for years by legal fights over land acquisition and the state’s business plan, uneven progress in planning and Gov. Jerry Brown’s abrupt downsizing of the scale of the project in 2013 — had its symbolic

Ground broken on troubled high-speed rail project

Kathy Hamilton January 7, 2015

Yesterday in Fresno the California High-Speed Rail Authority officially conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for its bullet-train project – but no dirt actually was turned. After an hour of speeches, a “ceremonial signing” of a railroad tie was conducted by

Gov. Brown boosts energy-policy leverage

John January 7, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown believes it will take “pragmatic caution” and “active collaboration” to achieve his goal of seeing half of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2030. “How we achieve these goals and at what pace will take great thought

Gov. Brown’s 50% renewable goal a tough target

Wayne Lusvardi January 6, 2015

In his Jan. 5 inaugural address for his historic fourth term as California’s governor, Jerry Brown proposed an ambitious expansion of California’s renewable energy goals from 33 to 50 percent by 2030. The current level in 2015 is 20 percent renewables.

Will Little Hoover compel green-energy testimony?

Wayne Lusvardi December 31, 2014

Here’s the 13,000-megawatt question to be answered in 2015: Will the Little Hoover Commission begin issuing subpoenas in 2015 to compel Gov. Jerry Brown and California legislative leaders to meet green energy accountability requirements spelled out in its 2012 report, “Rewiring

Oil tech for CA: From Russia, with love?

Wayne Lusvardi December 30, 2014

On Jan. 1 California’s fracking law drills in – just as the price of oil has dropped to its lowest levels of recent years. And just as something new from Russia, Plasma Pulse Technology, may make fracking superfluous. Senate Bill

CARB draws sharp fire on AB 32 — from the left

Chris Reed December 29, 2014

David Roberts — a Grist.org journalist who has an easy command of energy issues that makes his NRDC-style environmentalism easier to take — has written a sharp piece about AB 32. Roberts details what he calls an “avoidable mess” in the

No NFL in LA in 2015

John Seiler December 28, 2014

I hope you’re enjoying the final NFL games of the regular season today. No NFL team for Los Angeles this year — and for next year. On Tuesday Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the 32 teams there will be no teams entirely

Buzz returns for Elon Musk’s Hyperloop

James Poulos December 24, 2014

Silicon Valley impresario Elon Musk’s Hyperloop transportation concept is back in the news. With a price tag that seemed daunting, especially when Musk warned he lacked the time to pursue the project, when it was advanced a year ago Hyperloop achieved little

Gov. Brown appoints new chair to scandal-plagued CPUC

John December 24, 2014

After months of damaging headlines and questions about its coziness with energy companies, the California Public Utilities Commission is getting new leadership. On Tuesday, Gov. Jerry Brown promoted Commissioner Michael Picker, a longtime Democratic political consultant and Brown’s former energy