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Feinstein: West Coast Earthquake Early Warning System Needed
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2014
VOLUME 2, NO. 34
FREE
Southwest Sizzles as Drought Drains Life From Ecosystem, Agriculture
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) Monday released the following statement on the earthquake in Napa and the need for an earthquake early-warning system: “With more than 100 injured and estimates of damage approaching $1 billion, the Napa earthPlease see page 3
Retired Deputy Sentenced for Discharging Firearm after a Prank A retired deputy accused of negligently discharging his gun after a group of children repeatedly rang his doorbell pleaded no contest and was sentenced today, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced today. Please see page 4
-Photo by Terry Miller
AccuWeather reported last week that the “withering grip of prolonged drought draining the Southwest of life and agricultural prosperity continues to worsen, raising concerns about the future for sustainable reservoirs, energy, agriculture, wildlife and healthy ecosystems.” More than 58 percent of California is now experiencing “exceptional” drought, or the most severe on the scale, with an additional 23 percent of the state cast in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. With drought conditions extending for more than a decade in the southwestern United States, states are now reinforcing preparations for the impending water shortage. The mighty, blue Colorado River is one of the country’s most vital natural resources, and supplies more than 40 million people with precious water. A healthy river and reservoir system in the Southwest is essential to hydroelectric power generation, fish and wildlife. In addi-
tion, the Colorado River supplies water for municipal, industrial and agricultural use, according to the U.S. Department of the Bureau of Reclamation. By 2017, officials said there is a greater-than50-percent chance of a water shortage in the state of Arizona. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns the Southwest will continue to thirst as warming decreases spring snowpack and Colorado River flows. Severe water restrictions continue in Williams, Arizona, northwest of Flagstaff, where the city has faced a critically low reservoir level since February after an extremely dry winter. In July, the California Water Resources Control Board gave local agencies the ability to go to court seeking fines on those who fail to implement water conservation. The water levels in Lake Mead, which supplies 90 percent of the Las Vegas’s water, have also Please see page 4
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Mike Gatto’s Landmark Water APPROVES NOISE MEASURES FOR FOOTHILL GOLD LINE Conservation Package Heads to Governor Amidst Summer Drought Measures Provide Significant Quality of Life Benefits for Area Residents Most homeowners want cheaper water bills. If provided the infrastructure, they’d gladly use recycled water or water-efficient technologies to wash cars and irrigate lawns. Many cities have vast reservoirs of recycled water. If offered a market, they’d gladly allow the water to be used for more than just landscaping medians. Drought-scorched California moved one step closer to a sensible marriage of these interests, passingtwo key pieces of legislation both authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles). AB 2282, which requires the state to adopt building standards for recycled water in newly constructed commercial and residential
buildings, passed the legislature today by a vote of 71-0. This bill was followed by a companion bill, AB 2636, which establishes CalConserve, a revolvingloan program to finance water-efficiency projects for home owners and businesses, and help cities and counties reach their waterreduction goals. AB 2636 passed the legislature by a vote of 70-0. Conserving water has long been a goal of California policymakers, but with the state in the midst of a disastrous drought, conserving precious water resources has never been more important. Earlier this year, water exports to Central Valley farms Please see page 4
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved a request by the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority to implement noise mitigation for the street-level (or at-grade) rail crossings near residential areas along the Foothill Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa. The mitigation measures approved by the CPUC include the installation of shrouds (or covers) that direct the sound of the warning bells down to the intersection, as well as the ability to silence the bells once the crossing gates are in the horizontal position when a light rail train is approaching. “We are very pleased that the CPUC agreed to
allow the Authority to install these measures not only in the areas of the corridor that will be served solely by light rail, but also within the shared corridor that is served by freight as well,” commented Construction Authority CEO Habib F. Balian. “It has been our experience that these simple measures provide a significant quality of life benefit for the area residents.” Earlier this year, the CPUC approved the requested mitigation measures within the nonshared corridor, including crossings in the cities of Monrovia and Duarte. The recent decision expanded the use of these measures Please see page 3
-Photo by Terry Miller