Infrastructure

What groundwater regulation will bring

This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Part 1 is here, and described California’s new green groundwater regulatory scheme. For the first time, California is not only going to manage groundwater basins, but conduct surveillance and policing of groundwater withdrawals.

Gov. Brown, Legislature push groundwater regulation

Wayne Lusvardi March 14, 2014

This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Due to the current compound drought and water storage shortage, California legislators are considering enacting groundwater regulation over the entire Central Valley aquifer. Some recent developments: State Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills,

Ruling on Chuck Reed’s pension initiative not end of the world

Chris Reed March 14, 2014

Editor’s update, 2 p.m.: San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is reportedly suspending the initiative push until 2016 because the court delays related to the ballot language challenge will make it difficult for signature gatherers to meet deadlines — not because

High-speed rail lawsuit advances

Kathy Hamilton March 13, 2014

March 17 marks the next critical date in legal action surrounding California’s high-speed rail project. By that date, the office of California’s Attorney General Kamala Harris, which represents the High-Speed Rail Authority, is expected to file a new appeal. At issue

Will ripping out home lawns conserve water?

Wayne Lusvardi March 12, 2014

During the first week of March, Mother Nature herself violated numerous calls by Gov. Jerry Brown and municipalities for home owners to conserve water — by showering home lawns for several days. We can’t stop Mother Nature. But cities now actually

Sen. Feinstein moves toward compromise on drought legislation

Wayne Lusvardi March 12, 2014

Crises commonly produce compromise. That seems to be happening in the U.S. Congress with solutions to California’s drought. In particular, Sen. Dianne Feinstein appears to be moving away from her San Joaquin River Restoration Act of 2009, which was a

Buzz builds in TX, FL over privately funded bullet-train projects

Chris Reed March 11, 2014

Back in 2008, perhaps the single biggest thing that supporters of Proposition 1A had going for them was that a California bullet-train network just sounded cool and futuristic. Critics, however, pointed out correctly that the $9.95 billion bond that went