Crooked Bough News Round-up

— Endangered California condors in Sequoia National Park for the first time in 50 years

 

at 7/8/20 3:38pm

At least six of the giant birds were spotted in the park in late May, biologists said, a testament to the continued recovery of the species.

— California megadrought? Not if you look at precipitation

 

at 7/5/20 8:00am

Climate change is increasing California's wet-to-dry extremes, but average precipitation is not declining.

— 'Something bad's going to happen': Big surf and high tide hit Balboa Peninsula with flooding

 

at 7/4/20 3:20pm

Flooding hits Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach amid high tide and surf. Residents started July 4 by shoveling sand and water out of their driveways.

— Worries mount in Yucca Valley that Joshua trees will be designated an endangered species

 

at 7/3/20 7:00am

The proposed listing of western Joshua trees as an endangered species has some residents of Yucca Valley worried.

— Rainfall season was a 'roller coaster ride' when two wettest months turned dry

 

at 7/2/20 9:05pm

Rain year in L.A. was near-average, but far from normal

— U.S. says leaking nuclear waste dome is safe; Marshall Islands leaders don't believe it

 

at 7/1/20 2:14pm

The DOE says that radioactive leakage from Runit Dome, a respository for U.S. atomic waste, is insignificant. Marshall Islands leaders are skeptical.

— Want jobs and clean energy? This overlooked technology could deliver both

 

at 7/1/20 5:00am

"You could have all the renewable energy in the world. But if you don't have the transmission lines, you have nothing," then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in 2010.

— Citing 'existential threat,' House climate action plan has a big focus on California

 

at 6/30/20 7:54pm

California, other U.S. states and communities of color face threats from climate change, a House select committee stated in a report Tuesday. It laid out an action plan for reversing those threats.

— See how your favorite beach ranks in the latest pollution report card

 

at 6/30/20 1:00pm

Heal the Bay's annual survey of California beaches gives high water-quality marks to 92% of beaches. Six of the dirtiest were in the Bay Area.

— Remember the Aliso Canyon disaster? SoCalGas just tried to delay safety tests

 

at 6/30/20 12:35pm

The company cited the COVID-19 pandemic, but state officials denied the request. Aliso was the site of the largest gas leak in U.S. history.

— Strong winds and low humidity will bring critical wildfire danger to much of the West

 

at 6/27/20 8:23pm

Red flag fire warnings are up for the Sacramento Valley and southeastern California

— Trump broke the law by using military funds for border wall, appeals court rules

 

at 6/26/20 11:48am

In a major border wall ruling, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals says the Trump administration broke the law using defense funds for wall construction.

— California mandates big increase in zero-emission trucks

 

at 6/25/20 6:44pm

A new state mandate would require 4,000 new zero emission truck sales by 2024 and 300,000 by 2035.

— A Confederate warship haunts California's Alabama Hills National Scenic Area

 

at 6/25/20 8:00am

Named after a Confederate warship in the Civil War era, the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area is the focus of a name-change campaign.

— Bicycles have enjoyed a boom during the pandemic. Will it last as car traffic resumes?

 

at 6/25/20 6:00am

Bicycle sales and ridership skyrocketed as people were forced to stay home during the pandemic, resulting in much less car traffic on city streets. Will Americans stick with it?

— California high-speed rail board delays key finance plan after lawmakers push back

 

at 6/24/20 6:00am

California's bullet train board this week put off approving its 2020 business plan, a sign it may want to reassess growing opposition in the state Legislature.

— Nevada to adopt California's stricter car pollution standards, rejecting Trump rollback

 

at 6/22/20 2:00pm

Nevada is the latest state to announce it is adopting California's tougher tailpipe pollution standards, putting it at odds with Trump administration.

— An unusual spring draws to a close on a somewhat normal June-gloom note

 

at 6/18/20 10:12pm

Summer officially arrives on Saturday after a highly unusual winter and spring.

— Federal approval of oil well at Carrizo Plain National Monument sparks outrage

 

at 6/18/20 9:00am

The Federal Bureau of Land Management has approved oil drilling in Carrizo Plain National Monument, sparking outrage among conservationists.

— Battle between off-roaders and rare bird heats up at Oceano Dunes state park

 

at 6/17/20 6:25pm

With the park closed due to the coronavirus, rare snowy plovers began to nest there. Park rangers are accused of destroying the nests.

— Meet the new PG&E. It looks a lot like the old PG&E

 

at 6/17/20 6:11pm

As Pacific Gas & Electric exits bankruptcy, it's not clear there's anything fundamentally different about the California utility.

As of 7/9/20 11:38am. Last new 7/8/20 4:39pm.