Water:
*Federal regulators weigh status of longfin smelt in delta -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday it will review the status of the longfin smelt to determine whether it is a threatened or endangered species. The 4 inch-long fish is native to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Last year it registered its lowest population count in four decades of monitoring. SJ Mercury 5/7/08
*Bill reviving the San Joaquin River gets an OK -- Long-stalled legislation to bring life back to the dried-up San Joaquin River and restore its historic salmon run cleared a significant hurdle Wednesday when a U.S. Senate committee gave its approval. The bill passed by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee now joins similar legislation approved by a House committee in November. The legislation would pay for restoring the once-mighty river, which foamed with spawning salmon until it was dammed in 1942. SF Chronicle 5/7/08
State water agency says canal could increase water supply -- In its first study of a controversial canal around the Delta in nearly a decade, California's statewide water agency concluded that it might be able to squeeze 20 percent more water out of the beleaguered Delta. The report suggests it can do that while better protecting fish and without substantially worsening water quality. CC Times 5/8/08
Richmond spill killed up to 300 fish - delay probed -- A toxic chemical spill Monday at the north end of Richmond apparently killed between 200 and 300 fish in an irrigation canal - and brought an investigation about delays in reporting the spill. SF Chronicle 5/7/08
Bio-fuels:
*Lawmakers turn up the heat on ethanol in response to rising food prices -- Under pressure to do something about surging food prices, members of Congress are increasingly questioning the government's incentives for corn-based ethanol production, which have been blamed for contributing to the crisis. At hearings Tuesday and Wednesday, a bipartisan chorus in the Senate and House called for rethinking ethanol policy. The corn lobby is pushing back, but even ethanol supporters acknowledge that some tinkering may be needed. LA Times 5/8/08
With food costs rising, ethanol benefits now questioned -- In a dramatic reversal, ethanol has shifted from being an object of widespread, bipartisan praise to one of derision, even among some of its past supporters. Despite the change in attitude, a change of course is unlikely. Democratic leaders in Congress appear to have little interest in reversing a pro-ethanol policy they mapped out only last December. And the powerful farm lobby is on the attack. AP 5/7/08
Gates reduces his stake in Pacific Ethanol stock -- Bill Gates, whose early investment in Pacific Ethanol Inc. was a big boost for the promising startup, has reduced his stake in the now-struggling Sacramento company. Sacramento Bee 5/8/08
Farm Bill:
Farm bill negotiators say they have agreement -- Negotiators on a five-year, $300 billion farm bill say they have reached a tentative agreement on the legislation and it will be considered by the House and Senate next week. But the Bush administration has objected to the bill, and the White House says it seems unlikely that Congress will pass farm legislation the president can sign. President Bush has said the bill is "bloated" with farmer subsidies in a time of record crop prices and is too expensive. Forbes 5/8/08
Forests:
Flame retardant found in peregrine falcon eggs -- The eggs of peregrine falcons living in California's big cities contain some of the highest levels ever found in wildlife of a flame retardant used in consumer products, a new study has found. Studies of peregrine falcon eggs and chicks by state scientists reveal that the birds hunting in San Francisco, Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego are ingesting the flame retardant called PBDEs, believed to leach out of foam mattresses, synthetic fabrics, plastic casings of televisions, electronics and other products. SF Chronicle 5/8/08
Food and Wine:
Tough times may cut sales of high-end wines -- Tough economic times may put the squeeze on sales and profits for high-end wines - those above $15 a bottle - over the next 12 months, according to a report released Tuesday about the West Coast's wine industry. But the overall forecast by the Silicon Valley Bank's Wine Division, which surveyed nearly 500 wineries in California, Oregon and Washington, was largely positive. A weak dollar is expected to benefit local producers, and a balanced wine supply will keep demand high and prices afloat. SF Chronicle 5/7/08
Health:
Bay Area bids for stem cell bonanza -- California voters who raised $3 billion for stem cell research in 2004 finally will see their tax dollars at work - not yet in the form of diseases cured, but in the rise of vast laboratories built of concrete, glass and steel. The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is expected to give final approval today to a package of grants that will prompt a construction boom at academic campuses throughout the state. SF Chronicle 5/7/08
Ag:
Animal rights group video depicts abuse of chickens at egg farms -- An animal rights group released an undercover video on Tuesday showing chickens at a major California egg farm being mistreated by workers and housed in cages so small they can't spread their wings. SF Chronicle 5/7/08
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