Environment

BUTTE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 11: Heavy overnight winds push embers from the Camp Fire up Highway 70 west of Pulga, Calif. early Sunday morning, November 11, 2018. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Environment

Jerry Brown signed $1 billion in wildfire prevention—and none of it applies to the fires this year

The $1 billion wildfire prevention bill passed in the last legislative session was supposed to "prevent catastrophic wildfires and protect Californians." Months later, the state faces another epic disaster. Why?

By

Judy Lin

and

Laurel Rosenhall

• November 14, 2018

Environment

Trump fans flames by blaming wildfires on California, threatening to withhold federal funds

President Trump's tweet today blaming California, not climate change, for the state's catastrophic wildfires and threatening to withhold federal funding provoked a bitter reaction from many Californians, including Gov.-Elect Newsom

By

Julie Cart

• November 10, 2018

Climate Change

California to Trump: Your auto efficiency rules are “poorly argued, poorly organized, not based in fact and illegal”

Speaking against the backdrop of a busy freeway, California officials this morning reaffirmed their opposition to a Trump administration proposal to roll back automobile fuel efficiency standards—noting the state had just filed 415 pages of comment strenuously objecting to the federal plan.

By

Julie Cart

• October 26, 2018

Explainers

Tracking California’s deadly wildfires

We track key data on California wildfires: land consumed, lives lost, growing firefighting costs.

By

Julie Cart

• October 17, 2018

Environment

Meet Ken Alex, Gov. Jerry Brown’s climate concierge

Insiders say Alex may be the most consequential environmental authority California has known.

By

Julie Cart

• October 11, 2018

Diane Harkey speaks on the Assembly floor.

Elections

Trump’s choice falters in San Diego congressional race

In August, President Donald Trump tweeted an endorsement of Diane Harkey to replace Republican Congressman Darrell Issa: “Diane is strong on crime, loves our Military & Vets-has my total Endorsement!” Evidently, that’s not playing well in the changing district that includes north San Diego County and part of Orange County.

By

Dan Morain

• October 9, 2018

Loren Poncia of Marin County is one of dozens of California carbon farmers—participants in a promising state effort to suck climate-threatening carbon out of the air. Photo by Alastair Bland for CALmatters

Environment

Meet the newest recruits in California’s war on climate change: carbon farmers

Eighty California farmers are engaged in a state-funded effort to boost carbon concentrations in the soil—a promising way to combat climate change.

By

Alastair Bland

• September 26, 2018

Environment

Hollister Ranch

Bob Dornin, Goleta The Coastal Commission, represented by the California Attorney General, finalized a settlement of years’ long litigation with Hollister Ranch in December 2017. The Legislature intervened in the last minutes of the legislative session by passing Assembly Bill 2534. That was an inappropriate attempt to undermine a settlement, and I urge Gov. Jerry […]

By

Reader Reactions

• September 24, 2018