News & Commentary

AB 1167: Putting the Brakes on the Orphan Well Catastrophe

March 22, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaAnn Alexander

The measure is a step that California—facing potentially billions of dollars of orphan well cleanup liability—can’t afford not to take.

Riparian Forests: How California Farmers Can Protect Waterways

March 22, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaArohi Sharma

California can work with growers to scale up riparian forest buffers along farm and rangelands to help sequester carbon, protect waterways, and improve biodiversity.

The Lower Klamath River Will Soon Flow Freely Again

March 21, 2023 DispatchCalifornia, WestNicole Greenfield

Sparking hope for the West’s rivers and beyond, a decades-long battle leads to the world’s biggest dam removal project.

CA Electric Rates Should Support Equity and Climate Goals

February 17, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaSylvie Ashford, Mohit Chhabra

The California Public Utilities Commission has started a process to better align electric rates with the state’s climate and equity goals.

It’s Time to Clean the California Transportation Budget

February 17, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaZak Accuardi, Miles Muller

California's leaders must prioritize safe, equitable, zero-emissions mobility choices in this year's state budget. Here's how.

Environmental Groups and Fishers Collaborate to Reduce Entanglements, Gear Loss in Southern California

February 17, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaFrancine Kershaw

Pop-up fishing systems virtually eliminate entanglement risk and enable fishing to continue in areas that would be otherwise closed to fishing to protect endangered species.

California Forecasts Electricity Resource Needs Through 2035

February 17, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaKelsie Gomanie

It is increasingly important to ensure that electricity procurement and transmission processes are effectively poised to help California reach its ambitious climate goals.

Does California Have a Lead in Drinking Water Problem?

February 16, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaEllen Lee

More testing and proper lead service line replacement is needed throughout the state.

MPAs Work, Let’s Make Them Work for Everyone

February 16, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaAnupa Asokan

If California is to remain a leader in marine protection, we as advocates, scientists, and state agencies must adapt our perspectives on who values our ocean and its resources.

New Program Will Help Ensure Reliable Electricity in the West

February 16, 2023 Expert BlogCanada, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, WestKelsie Gomanie

The Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP) is designed to provide benefits for customers, utilities, and the environment.

This Is Not Your Father’s Automobile Industry

February 15, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CaliforniaDavid Doniger

Seven automakers just filed a remarkable brief defending California’s leadership vehicle emissions standards in federal court.

A ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ Card for Stealing the Delta's Water

February 15, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaDoug Obegi

It’s time for the federal government to once again intervene to protect the Bay-Delta before it’s too late.

Big Oil Sets Its Pants Aflame Fighting Setbacks

February 15, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaAnn Alexander

California's SB 1137, which established a health and safety setback buffer requirement to protect communities from oil drilling operations, is being attacked by Big Oil.

Getting Smart About Transmission Lines: A Southwest Story

February 13, 2023 Expert BlogCalifornia, ArizonaCullen Howe

Ten West Link demonstrates how we can build infrastructure in a way that is Smart from the Start, a methodology that enables us to build the renewable energy projects we need while protecting wild spaces.

A Once-Thriving Black-Owned Beach Is Returned to Its Rightful Owners

February 10, 2023 DispatchLos AngelesCourtney Lindwall

The victory at California’s Bruce’s Beach, improperly seized 100 years ago, has reignited the conversation around land restitution for Black Americans.