May 2015

 Carl Pope, former executive director and chairman of the Sierra Club, spells out the connection between the development of water and of energy in California. It is a brief, important report based on a good question. -- blj
 
 

 

 

 The last of the permits was received earlier this week. In addition to a levee modification permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a California Endangered Species Act permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, DWR sought and received a Temporary Urgency Change Permit renewal from the State Water Resources Control Board.

 
Two environmental lawsuits about water, both including the California Environmental Quality Act,  one from the Earth, the other from the Astro Plane Where Flak Comes From.
Westlands Water District -- who else? -- is the respondent in one and the concealed petitioner in the other. -- blj
 
5-12-15
Maven's Notebook
 

 

This just in … Lawsuit Filed Against 10 – Year Water Transfer Program; Massive Transfers Threaten North State Farms, Fish and Communities

 We have come to use the term "astro-turfing," derived from plastic grass replacing real turf on playing fields and lawns, to describe various types of propaganda from political campaigns or corporate public relations campaigns (if they can be distinguished).
This posting compares one of doubtlessly many similar articles propagated by Monsanto and other pesticide manufacturers  to demonstrate their love and care for bees, and the horrifying statistics of Colony Collapse that plod down the years like the footsteps of doom itself.
 

 As we were looking at the state Department of Water Resources "Reer"leases this morning we had to think about Mark Twain and the weather. No one, however public spirited and desirous of remaining up-to-date on the World Famous California Drought -- dubious a desire as that is -- should have to start their week with a DWR Press Rerlease without at least a short antidotal quote from Twain on one of his favorite topics and the cause for a number of his greatest works long and short, including the blizzard-induced "Cannibalism in the Cars."