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Environment - page 5

California gives rivers more room to flow to stem flood risk

in Environment

MODESTO, Calif. (AP) — Between vast almond orchards and dairy pastures in the heart of California’s farm country sits a property being redesigned to look like it did 150 years ago, before levees restricted the flow of rivers that weave across the landscape.

The 2,100 acres (1,100 hectares) at the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers in the state’s Central Valley are being reverted to a floodplain. That means when heavy rains cause the rivers to go over their banks, water will run onto the land, allowing traditional ecosystems to flourish and lowering flood risk downstream.

The Dos Rios Ranch Preserve is California’s largest single floodplain restoration project, part of the nation’s broadest effort to rethink how rivers flow as climate change alters the environment. The land it covers used to be a farm, but the owners sold it to the nonprofit River Partners to use for restoring wildlife habitat.

Continue Reading on FOX40

Yelp: California ranked 2nd most eco-friendly state

in Environment

CALIFORNIA – California is one of the most eco-friendly states to live and work in, according to Yelp.

While “The Golden State” may not have taken the number one spot, California did come in as the second-most eco-friendly place in the United States.

So, who took the top spot?

Yelp says that Oregon’s “sustainability mentions in professional, home and local services, as well as restaurants and food categories” all helped to give the state the highest ranking. California’s heavy emphasis on electric vehicles is what pushed it into the top two, the review site stated.

Continue Reading on FOX5 San Diego

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How California’s last remaining nuclear power plant transformed marine life off the coast

in Environment

Take a dip into the Pacific Ocean along most of California’s Central Coast, and the cold water will send you running for a wetsuit.

But there’s one spot where the water isn’t so teeth-chattering and insteadfeels much like a lukewarm bath: Diablo Cove, the oblong 40-acre inlet that sits at the base of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant near Avila Beach.

There, the ocean waters are heated by the power plant’s cooling system, which sucks in and spits out billions of gallons of seawater every day.

Water in the cove directly adjacent to the discharge structure hovers at an abnormal 70 to 80 degrees — notably warmer than the 50 to 60 degrees typical here.

That has created a unique phenomenon in Diablo Cove, significantly altering the makeup of its marine ecosystem and turning the area into a case study of how cold-water ocean species are impacted by warmer waters.

Continue Reading on The Sacramento Bee

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Visit Tuolumne County and enjoy the nature and history of California this winter

in Around California/Environment

When you think of California, images of sunshine and the stunning Pacific coastline are likely the first to pop in your head. Between the beaches and nearby mountains and lakes, there's much to see. The state has even more to offer, especially in Tuolumne County, where you can have a memorable winter vacation for the whole family.

Tuolumne County offers wide-open spaces, small crowds and plenty of activities to entertain the whole family. It’s close to other California destinations like San Francisco and the larger Bay Area. It's also a hot spot for eco-friendly tourism and adventure.

"Tuolumne County has much to offer, and the local community is doing its part to make sure it's around for generations to come," said Lisa Mayo, president and CEO of Visit Tuolumne County. "Visitors can enjoy the county's nature and experience California’s rich history."

Continue Reading on MySA

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Chevron To Build 30 Hydrogen Fueling Stations In California

in Environment

(CBM) – Timothy Simon, CEO of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, says a new clean energy program in Southern California is an “awesome opportunity” for Black businesses.

Simon, who is an attorney and former Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission, says he looks forward to more Black entrepreneurs and companies participating in the emerging green economy.

Last Thursday, the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) announced a proposal to introduce green hydrogen infrastructure in the greater Los Angeles region, an early step in a broader statewide plan to help replace fossil fuels by 2035.

Continue Reading on The Observer

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Grayson residents get their hands dirty for next phase of riverside forest restoration

in Environment

A new phase of river restoration launched Saturday with help from people in nearby Grayson.

They planted native trees and brush in an area that will augment work already done at Dos Rios Ranch, just to the northeast.

The nonprofit River Partners hopes that mimicking natural floodplain can aid wildlife while buffering high flows where the Tuolumne and San Joaquin meet.

The new 285-acre project is notable also because it is much closer to a town than any other part of the total 2,400 acres. Grayson is just a few hundred feet away as the crow flies, and someday a trail might provide easy access.

Continue Reading on The Modesto Bee

Turlock Irrigation District will be the first in the nation to put solar panels on canals

in Environment/technology
Project locations are located just outside of Ceres and outside of Turlock Lake in the Hickman area.
Project locations are located just outside of Ceres and outside of Turlock Lake in the Hickman area.

TURLOCK, Calif. — A small portion of Turlock Irrigation District's canals will be part of a first-of-its-kind project that puts solar panels over canals.

"On its surface, it's putting solar panels over canals, right? Not necessarily groundbreaking, however, this is the first type of project in California... this is really a groundbreaking project and the first in the nation," said Josh Weimer, External Affairs director for TID.

The project is formally known as Project Nexus. It follows research out of UC Merced that studied how putting solar panels over canals could net some positive impacts for the state. During the project, TID will have their eyes on water evaporation, improvements to water quality, canal maintenance and renewable energy generation. 

Continue Reading on ABC10

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The world of renewables this week

US EV maker Mullen Automotive issued Q1 figures completing its purchase of Electric Last Mile Solutions for $105 million in cash, announced in November,

Sites Reservoir in Colusa County Clears a Critical Funding Hurdle, California Farm Bureau Reports

in Environment

The atmospheric river storm that brought some rain and snow to the parched state may serve as a reminder that California is still waiting to build planned infrastructure for storing water in wet years for use in dry years.

The California Water Commission last week took a key step forward on funding four water storage projects. They now are eligible to receive funds from $2.7 billion earmarked for public benefits of new projects authorized through the Water Storage Investment Program.

The funds are a portion of the $7.1 billion authorized through Proposition 1, a water bond passed by voters in 2014.

While commission members did not formally award any funds, they voted to advance four projects as feasible for construction and eligible to receive bond money.

Continue Reading on Sierra Sun Times

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Innovative Projects Key to Water Conservation at Stan State

in Environment/News

Water reclamation is vital to Stan State’s mission of sustainability. Essentially, the way the campus is heated, cooled, irrigated and powered depends almost entirely on water.

Situated behind Bizzini Hall and next to Village Lake is the Central Plant, the heart of the water reclamation system on campus. Nestled within the plant lies an essential piece of the university’s water puzzle, a computer panel that tracks every move the reclamation system makes in real time.

Keeping an eye on the system, which is connected to multiple buildings all around campus, is one of Louie Oliveira’s jobs. As manager and chief engineer for Capital Planning and Facilities Maintenance (CPFM), he’s got a computer monitor in his office to keep tabs on the system and is alerted via an app on his phone if anything ever goes wrong, even if it’s the middle of the night.  

Continue Reading on CSU Signal

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Historical society’s Ghost Walk reveals downtown’s secrets

in Community/Environment

Turlock’s downtown buildings have a haunting history that I never would have known about if it weren’t for the Turlock Historical Society.

The society’s museum reopened to the public last weekend after a year and a half of COVID-19 closure, welcoming the community back in to learn all about the city’s past. As a lifelong Turlock resident, I thought I knew all there was to know about downtown Turlock — I’ve even educated myself on some of the scary ghost stories rumored to be true. 

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

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