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Archive for May 6th, 2015
California moving to stage 2 of drought grief: Anger
Posted by Grist: None Given on May 6th, 2015
Grist: Californians are supposed to cut their water use by 25 percent. So far those of us in the Golden State have only cut back 8.6 percent. The utilities that supply water are still in denial, officials say.
But that`s OK! Denial is a necessary step in the journey to recovery. As the Los Angeles Times notes:
Most of the state`s water suppliers issued 20 or fewer notices of water waste in March even though they have received thousands of complaints.
“It`s a collective issue we all need to rise...
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Activist deported from Cambodia continues fighting dam from abroad
Posted by Mongabay: Rebecca Kessler on May 6th, 2015
Mongabay: "I am arrested and ready to be deported now – Alex." So read the text sent at 5 pm on February 23 by Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, the founder of the Cambodian conservation group Mother Nature, to key supporters and members of the media. He sent it from the Department of Immigration office where he was being held at Phnom Penh International Airport. An hour later, his last message from Cambodian soil captured the mission for which he has become known: "Message to youth and Cambodian nature lovers,...
Flawed methane monitor underestimates leaks at oil and gas sites
Posted by InsideClimate: Lisa Song on May 6th, 2015
InsideClimate: A popular scientific instrument used to measure methane leaks from oil and gas operations severely underestimates emissions under certain conditions, a preliminary study found. The results could have major implications for federal policies as the Obama administration moves to regulate methane from the natural gas industry.
The research paper raises serious questions about the validity of existing methane data. Measurements taken by the instrument are frequently used by the Environmental Protection...
Emergency 25 Percent Cut in California Cities’ Water Use Approved
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 6th, 2015
National Public Radio: Saying state officials and residents simply haven't done enough to curb water use, California regulators unanimously approved unprecedented water restrictions on Tuesday.
The AP reports:
"The State Water Resources Control Board approved rules that force cities to limit watering on public property, encourage homeowners to let their lawns die and impose mandatory water-savings targets for the hundreds of local agencies and cities that supply water to California customers.
"Gov. Jerry Brown...
Energy Rich U.S. States Move to Quash Local Limits on Drilling
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 6th, 2015
Associated Press: Lawmakers in Texas and energy producing states across the nation are rushing to stop local communities from imposing limits on oil and gas drilling despite growing public concern about the health and environmental toll of such activities in urban areas.
The slump in oil prices that has led to job losses in the oil patch has only added to the urgency of squelching local drilling bans and other restrictions the industry views as onerous. The number of jobs nationwide in the sector that includes...
Australia must reduce reliance on coal
Posted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Jake Sturmer on May 6th, 2015
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Australia must move away from its reliance on coal, says the United Nations' top climate negotiator Christiana Figueres.
The executive secretary of the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change spoke to delegates at the Australian Emissions Reduction Summit in Melbourne on Wednesday.
She said peak global emissions had to be reached within the next 10 years so the reduction could begin and climate neutrality could begin in the second half of the century.
In her first major interview since...