Environment

Newsletters

Who must pay for wildfires

Legislators begin to tackle the complex law surrounding fire liability, without knowledge of the cause of the most devastating fire in California history. One legislator questions whether they should act without that information.

By Dan Morain • July 26, 2018

Elections

Candidates take heed: Environmental policy matters

A new statewide poll shows that voters are increasingly concerned about environmental policy, which could play out in the governor's race between Newsom and Cox.

By Dan Morain • July 25, 2018

Elections

What an $8.9 billion water bond would buy

A 152-mile long canal that irrigates pistachios and other crops in the eastern San Joaquin Valley is sinking by an inch a month, the result of groundwater over-pumping by farmers. The Sacramento Bee described the Friant-Kern Canal as an engineering marvel, but its capacity has been reduced by as much as 60 percent at because of subsidence. […]

By Dan Morain • July 16, 2018

Environment

Ontario ready to pull out of carbon market, leaving California in limbo

California's cap-and-trade program is under threat by the withdrawal of Ontario from the bi-national carbon-trading market.

By Julie Cart • June 27, 2018

Education

UC faculty: Trump’s “hostility toward science” could cost us research grants

Calling the political vetting of federal research grant applications “a significant threat to academic freedom,” UC faculty are urging the university to better track whether and why its proposals are turned down in the Trump era.

By Felicia Mello • May 31, 2018

Commentary

Commentary: Hasty rooftop solar decree could backfire

The California Energy Commission has decreed that new homes must have rooftop solar power installations beginning in 2020. However, energy experts warn that the new rules were hastily drafted and could have adverse effects.

By Dan Walters • May 27, 2018

Politics

Auto mileage and emissions: Will Washington and California be negotiating?

News reports say federal officials are to negotiate auto emission and fuel-efficiency standards with California. But the state's air regulators haven't heard from Washington yet.

By Julie Cart • May 15, 2018

Environment

News Analysis: Here’s what’s important for land, sea and air in California’s fight with Trump

The sparring between the Trump administration and California over environmental rollbacks is getting serious.

By Julie Cart • April 30, 2018

Environment

Court orders Trump administration to comply with clean air laws

A court ruled today that the Environmental Protection Agency must identify regions of the country that exceed federal smog levels, giving another win to California and other states that have sued to compel the regulator to enforce the Clean Air Act.

By Julie Cart • March 12, 2018

Environment

California lawmakers get partisan over even a symbolic move to deter offshore drilling

A resolution declaring the California Legislature’s opposition to the Trump administration’s proposal to expand offshore oil drilling, shouldn’t, on the face of it, be very controversial. But never underestimate the potential for politics to rear its head.

By Laurel Rosenhall • January 23, 2018