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| Press releases and coverage of PCL in the media. |
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Corporate Agribusiness Giant Goes Rogue (03-08-10)
IndyBay - The largest water district in the nation, Westlands Water District, has pulled its membership from the Association of California Water Agenices (ACWA). According to PCL Westlands is known as the "Darth Vader" of water agencies to groups trying to protect the Delta. |
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Senator Feinstein Backs Off on Salmon Killer Amendment for Now (03-02-10)
IndyBay - Senator Feinstein pulled her amendment that would have sent more water to the Westlands Water District at the expense of Delta fish populations. She continues to work closely with big agri-business and Governor Schwarzenegger to build the Peripheral Canal and new dams. |
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Opponents: Poll Shows Water Bond in Trouble (02-20-10)
RecordNet - Fifty-five percent of voters are opposed to the $11 billion water bond. Pollsters say they couldn't find an example of a statewide bond that passed after a majority of voters initially opposed iit. |
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Poll Shows Voters Ready to Flush $11 Billion Water Bond (02-19-10)
YubaNet - A recent poll by Tulchin Research indicates that 55% of voters are opposed to the bond placed on the November ballot by the Legislature and Governor. PCL's Tina Andolina states that no demographic group anywhere in the state supports the bond. |
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Poll Shows Water Bond Will Sink (02-19-10)
Sacramento Bee - Of 600 likely voters polled, the majority don't support the proposed water bond. Though critics say the poll was tainted, bond opponents say the state will have a hard time asking voters to borrow even more money at a fiscally constrained time. |
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Poll Finds Most Oppose Water Bond (02-18-10)
New poll shows a majority of California voters oppose the $11.1 billion water bond that the Legislature and the Governor have placed on the November ballot, according to a recent statewide poll conducted by Tulchin Research. |
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Poll Shows Voters Ready to Flush $11 Billion Water Bond in November (02-18-10)
Common Dreams - More than 55% of likely voters seem to oppose the proposed Water Bond, a bond that some say will just add more red ink to California's budget woes. PCL's Tina Andolina says she is glad to see voters agree that this bond is bad for taxpayers. |
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Menlo Park, Atherton Will Try to Re-Open High Speed Rail Lawsuit (02-09-10)
Silicon Valley Mercury News - Environmental groups, Menlo Park and Atherton sued the High Speed Rail Authority and are now trying to reopen the case since new information on ridership has come to light -- information that may have been hidden by the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission. |
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McGeorge Schedules Forum on State Water Policy (02-09-10)
Sacramento Bee - McGeorge is offering a free forum on February 22nd to discuss the proposed water bond, as well as environmental, legal and economic issues. PCL and the Metropolitan Water District will provide perspectives. |
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Water Agencies Meet, Discuss Self Sufficiency (02-08-10)
Contra Costa Times - Regional water agencies met to discuss local options to become more self sufficient -- such as groundwater, water recycling, and conservation. The proposed solution on the table now, is the $11 billion state water bond, which opposed by PCL. |
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HR 4225 Would Allow Stimulus Money to Pay Non-Federal Costs of Water Projects (02-04-10)
California Progress Report - HR 4225 is a departure from decades requiring private beneficiaries to pay for their fair share of public works projects. PCL's David Maurier writes the League and others are submitting a letter to the requesting an amendment that preserves the oversight of public dollars on federal stimulus projects. |
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Sustainability Symposium Draws Crowd Over 300 (01-31-10)
PCL and PCLF's annual event included exception keynote presentations by Senator Alan Lowenthal and sustainable builder Curt Johansen. Nearly 40 speakers and hundreds of business leaders, activists, attorneys and planners filled the Sacramento Convention Center for this solutions-oriented event. |
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California High Speed Rail Getting Stimulus Fed Funds (01-31-10)
Anaheim Examiner - If the High Speed Rail Authority has full environmental clearance by Fall 2011 and the project is obligated by 2012, the federal government will provide stimulus funds totaling $2.25 billion. PCL's General Counsel Gary Patton notes that the program level environmental impact report for the Bay Area portion must be redone, due to the League and others' lawsuit, and this will take time. |
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PCL & PCLF Announce Sold Out Symposium (01-28-10)
The annual environmental legislative symposium has over 330 participants coming to Saturday’s event, which is focused on climate change, land use, water, and coastal issues. |
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Despite Storms, Water Supply This Year Could be Like Last Year (01-27-10)
Contra Costa Times - State official implemented water rationing last year due to a dry year and even though significant storms have increased rainfall and snowpack even less water may be available from the Delta. PCL's Jonas Minton commented that this shows why California needs to implement more water conservation measures instead of building more dams with less rainfall. |
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Senate Committee Critiques Governor's Attacks on Environment, Public Health (01-24-10)
California Progress Report - The Governor's proposals to cut transit, open the coast for oil drilling, and encourage poorly planned developments received review by the Senate Budget Committee. The Committee was skeptical that the proposals would create jobs or balance the budget writes PCL's Traci Sheehan. |
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California High Speed Rail Business Plan-Senate Transportation & Sub Committee on Finance (01-22-10)
Anaheim Examiner - The High Speed Rail Authority's newest business plan went under scrutiny by the Senate, specifically questioning ridership numbers and state guarantees. PCL's Tina Andolina says high speed rail needs to be done right or there won't be a train. |
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Interior Puts Brakes on 2-Gates Delta Experiment (01-15-10)
IndyBay - Fisherman, farmers, environmental groups have a proposal that would divert fish away from the Delta water pumping facilities. The Bureau of Reclaimation states the project's premise needs to be established before the project can move forward. |
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'The Cadillac of California Irrigation Districts' Has More Than a Tiny Fish to Blame For Its Troubles (01-12-10)
High Country News - A two year drought and the endangered Delta smelt have significantly reduced water exports to farms in the Central Valley. PCL's Jonas Minton says there's a notion to restore the Delta means separating the fish from the water -- and that is biologically unsound. |
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Carlsbad Legal Challenge Loses Surfrider Foundation (01-11-10)
International Desalination and Water Reuse Quarterly - Coastkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation had filed an appeal to a 2008 State Land's Commission approval of the Carlsbad Poseidon Desal Plant. PCL's Jonas Minton challenges Poseidon's statement of a zero-carbon footprint. |
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Committee Rejects Suspending Calif. Greenhouse Gas Law (01-11-10)
Legal Newsline - A business-backed measure to put California's innovative climate legislation on hold due to the lagging economy was rejected. The League, along with others, opposed this proposal to ensure greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in a timely manner. |
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Pumping Depletes Central Valley Water, Data Show (01-08-10)
Best Make Money - Overzealous pumping has depleted the Central Valley's aquifers and the rate of pumping is no longer sustainable. California doesn't require monitoring of groundwater pumping. The League and others say the recently passed monitoring regulations aren't binding and force unfunded local agencies to take the matter on. |
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Health and Environment Groups Support Adoption of Air District Greenhouse Gas and Toxics Standards (01-06-10)
The League, along with other conservation groups have supported the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's adoption of standards for greenhouse gas emissions and toxics. Projects not meeting the standard would be required to take measures reducing their emissions. |
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California Hangs on to PEX Pipe Plans for Now (01-05-10)
Plastics Today - The League, along with the California Pipe Trades Council, convinced a Superior Court Judge that the state failed to test the health risks associated with the use of PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) pipes. At the end of December, the Plastic Pipes and Fitting Association filed an appeal to reverse the decision. |
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Luxury Development's Dubious Delta Water Supply (01-04-10)
Contra Costa Times - The development of 3,500 houses in Kern County will likely rely on a 15 year old agreement for using Delta water. The agreement stated Kern's Delta water supply would be as reliable as the water sent to Southern California. Some groups are challenging the development for this and other reasons. |
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