Transporation Daily News March 27

A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows Schwarzenegger's proposed draconian cuts to state services and education, lowered his approval rating to below 50 percent. The Legislature is even more unpopular. That sentiment is shared widely among Californians, who overwhelmingly think the economy has entered a recession (72 percent) and expect bad economic times in the year ahead (76 percent). According to the poll, residents are more pessimistic about the economy than they have been in at least a decade. CC Times 3/27/08

 

BART proposes to get back on the track toward cleanliness by spending more to replace train car seat covers and cushions. The rapid transit system board today will consider awarding a $2.7 million contract to replace wool seat covers and foam seat cushions on 200 of the 669 train cars. CC Times 3/27/08

 

Vehicles that run on batteries or hydrogen could take even longer to show up in America's showrooms under changes being considered by the state Air Resources Board. California air regulators are scheduled to vote today on a proposal that would reduce the number of zero-emission vehicles automakers must produce in California and 10 other states by 2014. CC Times 3/27/08

 

The nation's aging airline fleets, already struggling with high fuel costs and growing passenger demand, delivered another blow to travelers Wednesday as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights while planes were reinspected for compliance with federal maintenance rules. LA Times 3/27/08

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture Daily News March 27

A judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit by San Francisco and Santa Clara counties challenging the state's policy of dropping low-income youths from Medi-Cal when they are held in juvenile hall. SF Chronicle 3/27/08

 

Under pressure from the food industry, the Agriculture Department is considering a proposal not to identify retailers where tainted meat went for sale except in cases of serious health risk. Had that been the rule in place last month, consumers would not have been told if their supermarkets sold meat from a Southern California slaughterhouse that triggered the biggest beef recall in U.S. history. LA Times 3/27/08

 

With grain prices soaring, farm income at record highs and the federal budget deficit widening, the subsidies and handouts given to American farmers would seem vulnerable to a serious pruning. But it appears that farmers, at least so far, have succeeded in stopping the strongest effort in years to shrink the government safety net that doles out billions of dollars to them each year. Rep. Ron Kind, a Democrat from Wisconsin, sponsored a measure that would have slashed about $10 billion over five years in subsidies -- and saw it get crushed on the House floor. Wall Street Journal 3/27/08

 

Six years after a California law was signed requiring speedier health care visits, the problems remain: a half-hour on hold, a 45-minute stint in the waiting room to see a physician, a long delay to see a specialist and weeks to get an appointment. Capitol Weekly 3/27/08

 

"Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?," is a four-part PBS series that explores why social factors - economic status, race, neighborhood conditions - can be more powerful predictors of health and life expectancy than biology or even some behaviors such as smoking. SF Chronicle 3/27/08

 

The water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which holds more H{-2}0 than the biggest man-made reservoir, is about equal to the long-term average, despite an extremely dry March, state hydrologists said Wednesday. Measurements at historic Phillips Station, next to the Sierra-at-Tahoe resort, on Wednesday found 98 percent of the normal amount of water in the snow for this time of year, said Ted Thomas, the spokesman for the state Department of Water Resources. That's almost twice as much water as last year, but Thomas said it isn't enough to fill the reservoirs when the snow melts in the spring and summer. SF Chronicle 3/27/08

 

The Sierra, one of the state's primary sources of water, is poised to finish the season with an average snowpack, making it clear there is no drought in California. SJ Mercury 3/27/08

 

 

 

Agriculture Daily News March 26

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is considering a run for governor in 2010, injected himself into California's heated budget battle Tuesday by threatening to sue the state over cuts to its medical insurance program for the poor. Newsom called the cuts - a 10 percent reduction in reimbursements to doctors who treat Medi-Cal patients - "unconscionable." SF Chronicle 3/26/08

 

The Schwarzenegger administration will once again intervene -- this time with the state Supreme Court -- on behalf of a man who sued Blue Shield for illegally dropping his health insurance after he was permanently injured in a car accident. The Department of Managed Health Care has summoned representatives from the state’s five largest health insurance providers to Sacramento Wednesday to tell them it intends to file an amicus brief against Blue Shield. The state regulators intend to explain to health insurers the department's view of how the recent appellate court decision in the Hailey case has fundamentally altered health insurance policy and regulation in California.  Capitol Weekly 3/26/08

 

 

 

 

Transporation Daily News March 26

Due to open to westbound traffic in 2012 and eastbound motorists in 2013, the new bridge connecting Yerba Buena Island and Oakland is designed to withstand just about anything scientists have imagined. High-strength bolts make the structure much safer during an earthquake, which is why all the rivets in the western span of the bridge were replaced with such bolts when it was retrofitted four years ago.  CC Times 3/26/08

 

Motorists whose commute includes the eastbound snake-dance through the Bay Bridge western approach detour, take heart: The project is not only on schedule, but seven months early. By the middle of next month, Caltrans expects to open the new double-deck main approach structure to traffic, eliminating the S-curve that has bedeviled eastbound motorists for the last year. SJ Mercury 3/26/08

 

As struggling airlines add extra-luggage fees and travelers worry about growing security restrictions, services like Luggage Forward and Luggage Free have emerged as ways to bypass the hassles of checking bags. While typically seen as a luxury, more Americans are using such options for run-of-the-mill trips. Others are simply mailing bags themselves, using the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx or UPS. SJ Mercury 2/36/08

 

The California Air Resources Board, under pressure to meet the state's ambitious goals to fight smog and global warming, on Thursday will consider relaxing rules on automakers to produce vehicles that release no air pollution and instead encourage them to make more low-emissions vehicles. SF Chronicle 3/26/08

 

San Francisco bicyclists would be able to ride on 34 miles of new bike lanes - routes that would, in some cases, mean a loss of curbside automobile parking and traffic lanes, under a plan being circulated by city officials. The plan would nearly double the city's existing network of bike lanes, which cover 44 miles of city streets. SF Chronicle 3/26/08

 

The first steps towards bullet trains that would connect Sacramento, the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego could begin if voters approve a $10 billion transportation bond proposed for the November ballot, rail advocates said Monday. Activists from the consumer group CALPIRG rallied outside City Hall Monday in support of a bond measure they hope would jump start a project that has been in the planning stages for decades. KCBS 3/25/08

 

About 50 college students from throughout California gathered with city and state officials on the steps of San Francisco City Hall Monday to build momentum and support for a statewide electric high-speed train system. Quentin Kopp, chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, said there has been a steady progression toward implementing high-speed trains since 1996, when the authority was established. NBC11 3/24/08 Schedule

 

Democratic lawmakers have agreed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's request to include public-private partnerships for a high-speed rail. Supporters of the high-speed "bullet" train are hoping the changes will ensure that a $10 billion bond measure doesn't get delayed a third time – which some fear would jeopardize the entire project. Under a compromise bill, Assembly Bill 3034 would modify a measure already on the November ballot to encourage private investment, whether through regional transportation authorities, Wall Street investment firms, or a combination of both. Sacramento Bee 3/22/08

 

Los Angeles and Long Beach harbor commissioners Monday approved a plan to subsidize low-sulfur fuel to ships traveling close to the two ports or while docked. The program aims to improve air quality by reducing toxic ship emissions. At a joint meeting in Wilmington, the harbor commissioners approved the incentive program aimed at accelerating cargo vessel operators' use of the cleaner-burning fuel for one year to ships transiting within 40 miles of San Pedro Bay and at berth in the port complex.  Environmental News Service 3/25/08

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transporation Daily News March 25

As California joins five other states in requiring drivers to use hands-free devices when talking on cellphones, an increasing body of research suggests the legislation will accomplish little. The risk doesn't stem from whether one or both hands are on the wheel, the research suggests. It's whether the driver's mind is somewhere else. LA Times 3/25/08

 

An Alameda County agency has proposed a toll lane for Interstate 580 that may open sooner than a similar lane planned for southbound Interstate 680 over the Sunol Grade. Both lanes would speed the commute for solo drivers willing to pay for the privilege and would open in 2011. Some people may consider a toll on a publicly-owned freeway elitist and unfair. SJ Mercury 3/25/08

 

States can't require airlines to provide food, water and fresh air to passengers stuck on the ground during long delays, a federal appeals court ruled today in overturning a New York law that is similar to legislation pending in California. New York's Passenger Bill of Rights, which would apply to runway delays of more than three hours, conflicts with a 1978 federal deregulation law that prohibits states from regulating airline prices, routes or services, the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 3-0 ruling. SF Chronicle 3/25/08

 

 

 

Agriculture Daily News March 25

Federal and state officials say they need to study the environmental effect of building a canal around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta—even though a decision about the project is years away. Lester Snow, director of the state Department of Water Resources, says the issue is so complex and controversial that the state must begin its environmental studies now. Snow and other government officials on Monday held the first of many planned meetings on how to stabilize the delta's ecosystem and water delivery. SJ Mercury 3/24/08

 

Tuberculosis cases in the Bay Area are increasing after a decade of decline, a worrisome change that local public health officials believe is linked to years of eroding financial support for TB control efforts. In 2007, the number of TB cases in the nine Bay Area counties rose 10 percent over the prior year, while cases statewide dropped 1.9 percent. SF Chronicle 3/25/08

 

After a week of negotiating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Mexico has backed off its demands for more stringent regulations regarding the light brown apple moth. Mexican officials agreed to remove a required trapping protocol that the USDA and the California Department of Food and Agriculture had determined would be impossible to meet, said Jay Van Rein, a spokesman for the state agency. The Packer 3/25/08

 

A 10-square-mile area in Carpinteria has been placed under quarantine because of the discovery of two light brown apple moths, a crop-destroying scourge of the agriculture industry. SJ Mercury 3/25/08

 

To reduce fuel consumption, more farmers are changing their cultural practices, even adopting methods that their Midwestern counterparts have used for years. Others are incorporating new technologies into their operations to maximize overall farm efficiency. For example, a growing number of farmers in California are shifting toward minimum tillage practices, which allow him to do fewer passes in the field with tractors and other equipment and thereby save not only fuel, but time and labor. California Farm Bureau 3/25/08

 

There are no confirmed human cases yet, but a dead bird has tested positive for West Nile Virus near Bakersfield. KGET 3/25/08

 

Lincoln Burton, state conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California, has announced that statewide distribution of conservation cost share contracts has been completed for fiscal year 2008. According to Burton, 1,078 farmers and ranchers are receiving contracts totaling nearly $39 million under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  Some of the most popular conservation improvements funded this year include air quality improvements, nutrient planning and management on dairies, and water efficiency measures. Western Farm Press 3/24/08

 

Water tables are dropping in the Sacramento Valley portion of the Great Central Valley as farmers respond to cutbacks in supplies from federal reservoirs. Agricultural contractors in the Central Valley Project have seen allotments cut with the giant pumps turned down under court order to protect an endangered fish, the Delta smelt. But another reason is more elemental: There isn’t as much water in storage, such as the state’s Lake Shasta. Central Valley Business Times 3/25/08

 

Tony Lesperance, a rancher who had a key role in an anti-federal government crusade in eastern Nevada a decade ago, took over Monday as head of the state Agriculture Department. Lesperance said he will work with federal agencies but remains committed to representing "the state's interests to the best of my abilities." KTNV March

 

With obesity-related illnesses now costing $28.5 billion annually in lost wages and medical care statewide, two California organizations have stepped in to create "how to" guides to help thousands of doctors emphasize to patients the importance of diet and nutrition to kids and adults alike. The massive informational "tool kit," available today, will encourage physicians to conduct body mass index, or BMI, measures on all patients. It will also offer guides on how doctors should discuss weight issues with patients, how to include more information about nutrition inside waiting rooms, and the importance of providing a sturdy scale for those 300 pounds or more, as well as appropriate-size examination gowns. Daily News 3/24/08

 

Water Recycling Efforts Spark Policy Debate in California PBS 3/24/08

 

In California, a state of 37.4 million people, there are only 198 Fish and Game Wardens in the field working to prevent and prosecute polluters, and protect fisheries, wildlife, fauna, and the public. This staffing level is the same as in the 1950s in actual personnel. This state level of wardens per capita to the general populace is the “worst in America,” according to the “2007 California Fish and Game Warden Expose Update.”  Aquafornia 3/24/08

 

Boulevard, owner Nancy Oakes and The Slanted Door, owner Charles Phan, both of San Francisco, were nominated for James Beard Foundation awards for Outstanding Restaurant. James Beard Foundation 3/24/08

 

In planning for this future, the State Board of Food and Agriculture will bring together the public and the agricultural industry to create an “Ag Vision” for California at this month’s board meeting and will begin to determine the format for the agricultural vision and when public input meetings will occur. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s main auditorium, 1220 ‘N’ Street, Sacramento. CDFA Press Release 3/25/08

 

Agriculture Daily News March 24

Steps to prevent catastrophic wildfires in the Lake Tahoe basin have been hampered for years by bureaucratic infighting among agencies that often work at cross purposes, according to thousands of pages of documents reviewed by the Associated Press. The failure of the agencies to adequately protect the basin was brought to light last June when the Angora fire ripped through a thickly forested ravine and destroyed 254 homes near South Lake Tahoe. Using state and federal freedom of information laws, the AP obtained more than 4,000 pages of documents from local, regional, state and federal agencies involved in planning, environmental protection and fire prevention around Tahoe. CC Times 3/21/08

 

The public trust doctrine could lead to sweeping revisions in the amount of water that may be taken from the Delta. The doctrine, which has been buttressed in California's courts, says that certain values belong to present and future generations and that the state has an obligation to protect those values. In the Delta, for example, that could mean regulators might strike a new balance between the needs for Delta water and recreational fishing and water quality. CC Times 3/22/08

 

Congress is considering permanent protection for 26 million acres of historic landscapes in the American West, but it quietly has excluded millions of acres of California desert.  In a system that would rival the national parks and forests, the National Landscape Conservation Act would unify the management and funding for areas such as the original Pony Express National Historic Trail. But more than half of the 10.6 million acres of the California Desert Conservation Area, which stretches from the Mexican border to Mono Lake, have been dropped on technical grounds. Because the word "national" isn't in its title, the conservation area doesn't qualify, according to U.S. Bureau of Land Management attorneys. CC Times 3/23/08

 

Retail egg prices have been increasing at rates not seen in at least 30 years. Egg eaters are feeling the pain of soaring chicken feed prices, which egg producers are passing down to the grocery aisle. What's more, the egg industry's normal response to good times, which is to feverishly add capacity until prices drop like a rock, hasn't materialized. That could keep supplies tight and prices high well into 2009. CC Times 3/23/08

 

This winter, a controversial new item has been showing up in the fine print of menus at some of the hottest restaurants: a surcharge to help pay for worker health insurance. At issue is the city's new effort, kicked off Jan. 9, to provide health care for all residents. Since then, employers with more than 20 workers are required to spend a minimum amount on health insurance, set aside money in health reimbursement accounts or pay a fee to the city's Healthy San Francisco program.  CC Times 3/23/08

 

Throughout Contra Costa county's agricultural core, growers are looking forward to a strong year and bountiful U-pick season, which will likely be in full swing Memorial Day weekend. The fertile soil on the county's eastern edge is coming alive with the fruits of the upcoming summer harvest as sunny days, mild nights and a decent amount of rain have combined to create ideal growing conditions. Inside Bay Area 3/24/08

 

Amid growing concern over an imminent shutdown of the commercial and sport chinook salmon season, scientists are struggling to figure out why the largest run on the West Coast hit rock bottom and what Californians can do to bring it back. SF Chronicle 3/24/08

 

Representatives of the Bay Area Sutter Health hospitals weathering a strike by registered nurses said it was business as usual Saturday with babies delivered smoothly, trauma patients treated quickly and elective surgeries, except in one case, going ahead as planned. Several said that a third to more than half of the nurses were crossing their own picket lines and that with replacement workers already hired, their staffing levels were about normal. SF Chronicle 3/23/08

 

According to a study by Davis researchers, a warming trend already under way could shut down the deep churning of oxygen and nutrients that supports life in Lake Tahoe – in just 11 years. Sacramento Bee 3/22/08

 

Transporation Daily News March 24

California lawmakers are considering granting special parking privileges to women in the final three months of pregnancy and the first two months after birth. The legislation would apply to more than a half-million women who give birth every year in California. Inside Bay Area 3/21/08

 

The pilot of a container ship that spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the Bay in November pleaded not guilty Friday to breaking two federal environmental laws. Cota is charged with a misdemeanor count of killing migratory birds and another misdemeanor charge of illegal dumping. He faces up to 18 months in jail and more than $100,000 in fines if convicted. He is due back in court April 4. CC Times 3/22/08

 

Trucking's owner-operators, the self-employed drivers who haul everything from Hummers to hay, are suffering. Many say they're running on the edge of bankruptcy, about to disappear unless they get help. While a wave of trucking failures now might be invisible to consumers, when the economy rebounds, it would push up shipping rates, helping increase prices. Industries that depend on independent truckers, such as logging, are starting to suffer. Maine Gov. John Baldacci declared a civil emergency at the end of November, speeding fuel tax reimbursements for logging truck operators and asking the Department of Transportation to identify roads that could tolerate logging-truck weight, allowing truckers to take more direct routes and save fuel. CC Times 3/15/08

 

Parking is an issue at several BART stations, and while a few lot expansions are in the works, BART says just building more parking lots and garages is a costly and impractical solution. CC Times 3/24/08

 

A proposal going before the Air Resources Board on Thursday fails to sway critics convinced that the state continues to retreat from its once-lofty goal of seeing thousands of electric cars on the roadways. A staff report recommends that the board greatly reduce the required number of purely electric vehicles that automakers offer for sale and instead focus on more readily available and less expensive hybrids that would still cut pollution dramatically. It's a difference that would save the auto industry more than $2 billion through 2017.  Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols said any new approach must reflect the limits of technology but at the same time steer automakers toward adding electric and fuel-cell-powered cars to their fleets. San Diego Union Tribune 3/24/08

 

A large number of cargo ships visiting California ports may be unable to perform an important task after an oil spill: phoning critical agencies and emergency teams within 30 minutes. In public records obtained by The Bee, 21 of 164 ships subjected to spot state inspection in a three-year period could not place four notification phone calls, as required by state law. Often the ship's crew failed to locate the phone numbers or didn't understand the task. Sacramento Bee 3/23/08

 

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a clean air plan requiring shipping companies to buy and maintain a modernized fleet of big rigs and employ thousands of independent truckers who currently operate under contract. LA Times 3/21/08

 

Threatened with legal action, the California League of Cities has decided to stop appointing city council members to the regional air district board, leaving two board seats in limbo. The two empty seats are up for appointment at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, which copes with one of the country's worst air quality problems. Eventually, the problem could affect a total of five board seats that the league would have filled. Fresno Bee 3/20/08

 

Agriculture Daily News March 20

A small pest delivered a hefty blow to Central Coast strawberry growers Wednesday when growers learned about Mexico's decision to refuse all crops planted, refrigerated or packed within a 1.9-mile radius of a reported light-brown apple moth. If the ban stays in effect through this year's strawberry season, it could cost county growers about $1.9 million in lost revenue, according to local estimates. Virtually no Santa Cruz County strawberries -- by far the county's largest crop -- would be allowed across the border.  Inside Bay Area 3/20/08

 

Ethanol – hailed by some as a "green" fuel that would reduce America's dependence on foreign oil – is in a major slump here and nationwide. Across California, profit margins are vanishing, new plants are being canceled and some existing facilities are struggling. The state's first major plant, opened in Tulare County in 2005, has suspended operations. Sacramento Bee 3/20/08

 

Grape growers from northern Sonoma County gathered Wednesday with conservationists to announce a joint effort to provide enough water for the region's fish and vineyards. The two groups, which have been meeting for two years, expressed hope that state and federal regulators one day would allow groups of growers on a single creek to use off-stream reservoirs to capture excess water during winter storms. Press Democrat 3/20/08

 

Frank Bruni’s choice for the best new restaurant is O Ya, a Japanese restaurant in Boston, and his second is Ubuntu, a vegetarian restaurant and yoga studio in Napa. NY Times 3/19/08

 

Local water authorities have begun closing some of the state's prime fishing lakes in an effort to keep an infestation of tiny quagga mussels from fouling drinking water supplies for nearly 375,000 residents and threatening fish populations. LA Times 3/20/08

Transporation Daily News March 20

California must swiftly enact budget reforms or suffer a neverending fiscal roller coaster ride, a relaxed but insistent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told East Bay business and elected leaders Wednesday. CC Times 3/20/08

 

Diesel emissions from trucks, machinery and other sources elevate the risk of premature death, cancer, asthma and other chronic diseases for more than 3 million people living in West Oakland and the surrounding region, according to the most detailed study yet on the issue. The analysis by the California Air Resources Board, released Wednesday night, shows that the greatest health dangers related to toxic air emissions stems from diesel trucks traversing the freeways and other roadways around West Oakland and the Port of Oakland. SF Chronicle 3/20/08

 

BART officials are seeking feedback from the public on a plan to extend service to Antioch. The first phase of the eBART extension would use a system of diesel trains to carry passengers between Hillcrest Avenue and the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART station. Residents have until April 15 to voice their opinions on how the eBART extension could affect the environment, local businesses and neighborhoods. CC Times 3/20/08

 

Contra Costa County officials unveiled Tuesday a draft spending plan for $8.6 million in federal money aimed at easing commuter congestion between Bay Point and Concord. John Greitzer of the county's Community Development staff outlined a revised version of a plan to spend money the U.S. Navy gave the county following the closure of the Concord Naval Weapons Station.The plan would put $1.3 million toward a second left-turn lane from Evora Road onto Willow Pass Road, thus reducing the morning backup as commuters drive over the hill into Concord, Greitzer said. Other road improvements on Evora Road have been identified in plans for redeveloping old Concord Naval Weapons Station land. CC Times 3/20/08

 

Local water authorities have begun closing some of the state's prime fishing lakes in an effort to keep an infestation of tiny quagga mussels from fouling drinking water supplies for nearly 375,000 residents and threatening fish populations. LA Times 3/20/08

 

 

 

 

Transporation Daily News March 19

According to a recently published study from the Department of Statistics, California State University, East Bay, and the University of California, Berkeley's Department of Electrical Engineering there were only limited benefits from the HOV system. Researchers there questioned the rationale for expanding the network. They collected peak-hour traffic data at more than 700 points along California's almost 1,200 miles of HOV routes to measure the effectiveness of the lanes that give priority to hybrid vehicles and those carrying two or more passengers. Miller Mccune 3/18/08

 

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Tuesday unveiled a $19-million plan to persuade shippers to burn cleaner fuel when vessels are near the California coast, a move expected to slash local air pollution by 11%. The proposal, which may go into effect as soon as July 1, would rely on financial incentives to encourage most of the 5,000 ships that berth at local ports each year to use much cleaner low-sulfur diesel fuels in their main propulsion engines. LA Times 3/19/08

 

Environmental groups are ratcheting up pressure on California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state Air Resources Board to revive the state's program for Zero Emissions Vehicles, otherwise known as electric cars, immediately. Cosigned by an array of environmental, civic, and business leaders that includes James Woolsey, former director of the CIA, and Ze'ev Drori, CEO of electric car company Tesla Motors, today's letter urges Schwarzenegger to fulfill his pledge to "turn back the clock on pollution" on the eve of a vote by the California Air Resources Board on March 27 to revise its ZEV program. US News and World Reports 3/18/08

 

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) today awarded $52 million to cities and counties for 139 projects funded through the state's Safe Routes to School program, which is designed to give students in grades K-12 easier and healthier ways to safely travel to and from schools. PR Inside 3/19/08

 

San Francisco-area air quality regulators are proposing to charge a fee to most businesses based on the amount of greenhouse gases they emit. The fee--4.2 cents per metric ton of carbon dioxide--would affect everything from oil refineries to power plants and would include landfills, factories, and small businesses such as restaurants and bakeries. Heartland Institute April edition

 

After warnings of rampant fraud and abuse, California's Attorney General Jerry Brown is calling on the feds to regulate the unwieldy frontier of retail carbon offset sales. The national market for carbon offsets is expected to reach $100 million within the next four years -- with an estimated 80 percent of the offset market going to companies attempting to reduce their carbon footprint. Legal News Online 3/19/08

 

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a federal complaint against Global Shipping and Global Marketing Systems, Inc. for distribution in commerce and export of materials containing PCBs on the old cruise liner MV Oceanic, formerly the SS Independence. The ship is being sent by Global to be scrapped overseas, the EPA declared. The MV Pacific Hickory is towing the MV Oceanic to its final destination. Fines against these two companies may be assessed up to $32,500 per violation per day. Environmental News Wire 3/18/08

 

Agriculture Daily News March 19

A lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco, contends that the Park Service and its local administrators have “systemically discriminated against plaintiffs on the basis of their disabilities,” failing to make adjustments, required for decades, to assist people with restricted mobility, poor or no vision, hearing loss or other needs. Federal law requires the Park Service to provide universal access to its land and attractions. People with disabilities say they cannot gain entry or use many of the Golden Gate area’s historic buildings, trails, museums, restrooms or water fountains. NY Times 3/18/08

 

State officials announced Friday afternoon that California would join Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in urging U.S. exporting facilities to turn away Mexico-bound Canadian cattle. California's decision follows an order issued March 4 by the Texas Department of Agriculture that would stop state-operated exporting facilities from allowing Canadian cattle to pass through to Mexico. Earlier this month, Canadian and Mexican officials signed an agreement that allows Canada to trade breeding cattle less than 30 months old. But Mexico prohibits imports of U.S. breeding cattle, with the exception of dairy heifers under the age of 24 months. Bizjournals 3/18/08

 

Tuesday's "Celebrate" breakfast at the Monterey Fairgrounds showcased the diversity of challenges facing Monterey County's largest industry. The breakfast, sponsored by local agriculture groups and the Monterey County Fair, was a kickoff to National Ag Week, March 16-22, designed to celebrate "the importance and success and progress of agriculture," said Connie Quinlan, executive director of Monterey County Agricultural Education, Inc. But in Monterey County, where agriculture was a $3.5 billion industry in 2006, leafy greens standards, immigration policies, pest eradication and beef cattle handling practices are just some of the challenges facing those in agriculture.  Monterey Herald 3/19/08

 

Lawmakers failed to come up with new farm bill legislation by the March 15 deadline and as a result the Senate and the House of Representatives last week voted for an extension to April 18. California Farm Bureau Report 3/19/08

 

California’s agricultural secretary defended plans Tuesday to continue aerial spraying for the light brown apple moth this summer, saying it’s the only way to prevent long-term devastation.At the Monterey County Fairgrounds, Secretary A.G. Kawamura attempted to reassure the public by explaining the facts of the eradication plan and addressing widespread concerns about the aerial spray. He said the agency will hold public meetings throughout the state before June 1, when spraying is set to resume. The spray effort could cost as much as $74 million. The Californian 3/9/08

 

A new UC Davis Olive Center center opened in January under the umbrella of the university's Robert Mondavi Institute, which also houses the campuses' Department of Viticulture and Enology, the scientific names for grape-growing and wine-making. Olives have been growing in California for more than a century, but most of the state's 600 oil makers are of recent vintage.  Collectively, they produce 500,000 gallons of  olive oil each year, a tiny fraction of the 75 million gallons Americans consume butCalifornia's output is expected to increase fivefold in the next five years. SJ Mercury 3/19/08

 

Two statewide environmental organizations, the California Water Impact Network (C-WIN) and the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, said they will file a public trust, waste and unreasonable use of water and method of diversion petition with the State Water Resources Control Board on March 19. They contend the Board has failed to halt the continuing ecological collapse of the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary by permitting excessive amounts of Northern California water to be pumped to western San Joaquin mega-farms and Southern California. Indy Bay 3/19/08

 

A series of workshops will be held throughout California’s Central Valley later this month and in early April to discuss the future of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is conducting the workshops to gather comments on the program elements and environmental information that should be considered in the development of a long-term program.  Western Farm Press 3/19/08

 

Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri on Ag Day 2008 - “It’s off the Hook” @ State Capitol Building, March 25 CDFA Press Release

 

Schwarzenegger’s plan for Delta sustainability. DWR will start the public process to study the environmental impacts of a Delta conservation plan including alternative water conveyance, implement new statewide water conservation initiatives, and strengthen emergency response plans for the Delta. DWR Press Release 3/17/08