Infrastructure

Democrats push back against new GOP water bill

In California, not all rainwater is equal. “Two different water years may have identical precipitation and runoff amounts, yet result in significantly different export amounts,” Eric Alvarez told CalWatchdog.com; he’s the Public Information Officer for the Delta Stewardship Council,

Green power shocking big utilities

Greg Karraker December 10, 2014

Peter Rumble, an outgoing Sonoma County administrator, recently announced the formation of California Clean Power, a new private company where he serves as CEO. According to Rumble, the mission of CCP is “to provide cleaner power at a lower cost

Meet the Mother Jones staffer who thinks the bullet train is nuts

Chris Reed December 9, 2014

There are bullet-train apostates among California Democrats, starting with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, and bullet-train fans among state GOPers, starting with Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin. But by and large, the bullet-train debate in the Golden State is a partisan affair.

If CA can’t build bridge, what about bullet train through mountains?

Chris Reed December 8, 2014

If the state of California can’t build a bridge, how can it handle the huge technological and engineering challenge of building a bullet train through two mountain ranges laced with seismic faults? Such questions are inevitable after the latest Sacramento Bee

Oil taxes fuel state budget

Wayne Lusvardi December 4, 2014

The group Californians Against Fracking seeks to eliminate oil and gas drilling by hydraulic fracturing methods, called “fracking,” statewide in California. A post-election article by David Atkins in the Washington Monthly, and cross-posted on the CAF website, lamented the defeat of Measure P

57% of CA infrastructure $ on mass transit? More, more, more!

Chris Reed December 2, 2014

In 2008, California enacted SB 375, the most important state law you never heard about. It was Senate leader Darrell Steinberg’s bid for the sort of green reverence that Arnold Schwarzenegger enjoyed because of 2006’s AB 32. SB 375 (Chapter

San Onofre nuke shutdown shocks consumers

Joseph Perkins December 1, 2014

“This is very good news for the people of Southern California.” So said Erich Pica, president of the outspoken environmental group Friends of the Earth, celebrating in June 2013 the announced closure of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. A year

Hoover Dam low water to double water costs to SoCal

Wayne Lusvardi November 28, 2014

California is facing yet another drought-caused water and energy shortage from an unexpected source. Hoover Dam’s hydroelectric power may have to be curtailed if the water level drops below 1,000 feet, an elevation it last reached in May 1936, when

Good news: Lantern brings Internet to everybody

John Seiler November 22, 2014

Some good news. A new pocket-sized, solar-powered device, Lantern, brings the Internet to everybody — including the poorest people who have no local Internet. Lantern brings down satellite signals to your computer or smart phone, then lets you communicate with the

Federal drought bill dead in water until 2015

Wayne Lusvardi November 21, 2014

Better and wetter luck next year, California. On Thursday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., put the kibosh on passing a federal water bill dealing with California’s drought during the lame-duck session. She wrote in a statement: “Over the past several