| |
General Coast News
April 25, 2008
Beaches closed after fatal shark attack in North County
SOLANA
BEACH - Several North County beaches were closed Friday morning after a man was
killed in a shark attack north of Fletcher Cove, officials said.
April 22, 2008
California to sign on Earth Day a compact to help China cut emissions
SACRAMENTO
- California, which puts out more greenhouse gases than
any other state, is promising to share ideas and research to help China cut back
on its own emissions, which rival those of the U.S. as the world's largest.
Electric
car for the masses to be made in Southern California
Norwegian
automaker Think Global said Monday it planned to sell low-priced electric cars
to the masses and will introduce its first models in the U.S. by the end of next
year.
April 16, 2008
California bans salmon fishing in coastal waters
Fish
and Game officials on Tuesday reluctantly voted to shelter a diminished
population of Sacramento River chinook by barring all ocean salmon fishing in
state waters, out three miles from shore. The state Department of Fish and Game
estimates the salmon closure will cost the California economy $255 million and
2,263 jobs.
April 11, 2008
Plans approved for redevelopment of hotel
IMPERIAL
BEACH - The California Coastal Commission approved plans yesterday to redevelop
a blighted oceanfront hotel in Imperial Beach using 100 percent condo-investor
financing.
April 8, 2008
Panel kills Coastal Commission bill
Legislation
that would have scaled back the California Coastal Commission's power to appeal
decisions by cities and counties to issue coastal development permits was killed
in the state Senate Tuesday.
March 19, 2008
L.A. and Long Beach ports propose air cleanup plan
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%.
February 25, 2008
Erosion forcing marine researchers from center
LA JOLLA - Eroding sea bluffs have prompted the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to plan a partial evacuation of its marine
research facility in La Jolla this summer.
February 24, 2008
Ports clean-up plan threatened
A labor-environmental alliance threatens to sink efforts to decrease
pollution at the L.A. and Long Beach facilities.
Navy sonar linked to dolphin death?
The death of a deep-diving dolphin near the site of controversial military
sonar exercises last month throws the Navy's claim that it has never harmed
a marine mammal in its 40 years of war games back into the spotlight.
For surfing daredevils, it's an Endless Winter
You may not know it, but a few miles off SLO County's coastline, elite
surfers are chasing giant storm-driven waves, towing into monster breaks
that can be as powerful as any off California's coast
February 22, 2008
Trucks to trains: Port's switch raises concerns
The Port of Oakland must show it won't worsen diesel air pollution before
getting up to $445 million in state bond money for railroad and trucking
improvements to move more freight, East Bay residents and environmentalists
told transportation officials Thursday.
Bluff wall collapses, injuring a worker
Failures of cliffs common in area
ENCINITAS - A makeshift retaining wall at the top of an Encinitas beach
bluff collapsed yesterday, trapping a landscaper in thigh-deep dirt until
rescuers freed him and took him to the hospital, city officials said
yesterday.
February 21, 2008
U.S. calls pelicans an environmental success story
Thriving seabirds, once devastated by DDT, no longer belong on the national
endangered species list, officials say.
February 20, 2008
Long Beach harbor panel OKs plan to reduce pollution
Over the objections of environmental, public health and labor organizations, the
Long Beach harbor commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a clean-air plan
that continues to place the burden of owning and maintaining diesel big rigs on
drivers rather than on shipping companies that hire them.
February 19, 2008
Security spotlight focuses on port workers
Beginning next month, more than 200 San Diego Unified Port District
employees who work at its two marine cargo terminals and its cruise ship
terminal must submit to background checks to qualify for a federal
Transportation Worker Identity Credential.
L.A., Long Beach port officials split over truck pollution
For months, officials in Los Angeles and Long Beach have touted plans to
jointly combat air pollution generated by their adjacent ports, but a
much-vaunted program to replace thousands of polluting trucks has hit a
significant snag.
February 16, 2008
Downtown hotel plan hits snag with state
OCEANSIDE - A $187 million luxury hotel and time-share development planned
for downtown Oceanside may be fine by the City Council, but the state
Coastal Commission staff doesn't like it.
February 15, 2008
Dead zones off Oregon and Washington likely tied to global warming, study says
NEWPORT, ORE. -- -- Peering into the murky depths, Jane Lubchenco searched for
sea life, but all she saw were signs of death.
February 14, 2008
Toll road appeal to take a year
A federal official said it could be a long wait, almost a year, until the U.S.
Secretary of Commerce rules on the appeal for the proposed San Onofre toll road
that was rejected soundly last week by the California Coastal Commission.
Court Says Coastal Commission Can Prevent Development
The California Coastal Commission may act on its own to designate an area as
environmentally sensitive habitat and, in effect, prevent development, even
if there is no certified local coastal program, according to the 2nd
Appellate District Court.
February 10, 2008
Whale wars: The battle over marine mammals and the Navy's use of sonar
National
security must trump environmental restrictions
President George W. Bush weighed in on the sonar vs. whales controversy and came
down solidly on the side of common sense and national defense interests by
acting to exempt the Navy from a federal judge's restrictions on the use of
sonar in waters off California.
Our
environmental laws are meant to protect marine life
They
say truth is the first casualty of war. That's certainly the case in the U.S.
Navy's long, losing court battle over its use of high-intensity sonar.
February 9, 2008
So Cal Edison to build giant kelp forest
Southern California Edison will build a 127-acre artificial reef this summer to
offset the loss of kelp, algae and animals caused by the San Onofre nuclear
power plant, company officials announced Friday.
State
game wardens fear becoming mussel-bound
Scuba divers plunged into a reservoir south of San Jose on Friday to hunt for a
tiny, troublesome shellfish that is seeking, like so many travelers from afar,
to start a new life in the Bay Area.
Senators
want to OK guns in parks
WASHINGTON - Russell Galipeau looks at the current ban on loaded guns in
national parks as a perfectly sensible way to keep public lands as the safe,
scenic treasures they were intended to be.
Fishermen,
researchers still clashing over catch
Biologists
initially thought that it would take as long as a decade to notice any changes
to the marine environment around the Channel Islands after vast swaths of the
ocean were closed to fishing five years ago. But already there are signs of
change.
UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL
Fins
win again
Thursday,
in response to an activists' suit, the California Fish and Game Commission
decided that a second fish, the longfin smelt, should join the delta smelt as an
endangered species.
February 8, 2008
Toll road may have life yet
SAN ONOFRE ---- The battle over extending the Highway 241 toll road through San
Onofre State Beach may not be over yet. Toll road officials said that they may
exercise their right to appeal the commission's decision to U.S. Secretary of
Commerce Carlos Gutierrez.
Toll
road project's backers to appeal
Many folks believe the proposed Foothill-South freeway project became roadkill
Wednesday after the state Coastal Commission rejected it. But the Irvine-based
Transportation Corridor Agencies, which is proposing the toll road that would
slice through a habitat reserve and San Onofre State Beach, is determined to
resuscitate it.
UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL
Road
blocked
Coastal panel ensures continued gridlock.
February
7, 2008
Toll
road proposal voted down
After hearing testimony and deliberating for more than 12 hours, the California
Coastal Commission yesterday voted 8-2 to deny a proposed toll road that would
cut across a habitat reserve in Orange County and San Onofre State Beach next to
Camp Pendleton.
February
5, 2008
Sonar waiver for Navy is ruled invalid by judge
A federal judge yesterday said White House officials cannot override her order
requiring the Navy to take special precautions to protect whales and dolphins
from sonar used during its training off Southern California.
Nature
conservation imperiled by indoor lifestyles, study says
WASHINGTON - As people spend more time communing with their televisions and
computers, the impact is not just on their health, researchers say. Less time
spent outdoors means less contact with nature and, eventually, less interest in
conservation and parks.
February 4, 2008
Where blubber meets the road
Elephant seals are sneaking past beach fences meant to protect them from busy
California 1.
January 29, 2008
Coast Guard report faults spill response
SACRAMENTO -- In a sobering self-assessment of the response to last year's
San Francisco Bay oil spill, a U.S. Coast Guard study released Monday
conceded that the first crews on the scene dramatically underestimated the
trouble and onshore commanders failed to properly alert the public and local
officials.
Toll road's damage estimate downsized
SAN ONOFRE - State regulators have decreased the amount of environmental
damage they think would be caused by the toll road Orange County officials
want to lay down across North San Diego County.
January 28, 2008
Governor's bid to close parks stirs broad dissent
SACRAMENTO - State lawmakers have quickly learned that sparing treasured
parks from painful budget cuts will be no picnic. Alternatives from raising
fees to shifting revenues to counting on volunteers are riddled with
obstacles.
January 27, 2008
County farm tries degradable plastic
On one hand, making an item out of cornstarch instead of petroleum seems
like a great way to reduce the use of limited resources. On the other hand,
many researchers conclude it takes more energy to make plant-based plastic
than plastic from oil.
Fishermen face new, increasing threat from jumbo squid
SANTA CRUZ - Researchers in Santa Cruz have found that the squid's favorite
foods are some of the most popular catches of fishermen in the region --
meaning competition, and perhaps another threat to an industry that has long
struggled in the Monterey Bay.
January 26, 2008
China targets plastic bags
A ban on the thinnest goes into effect in June. Some wonder how effective it
will be.
January 24, 2008
Ports hope to sink rule change
A Florida-based cruise line's efforts to protect its lucrative Hawaii
business through a federal rule change is generating a wave of concern among
port and business representatives, who say it would harm jobs and tourist
revenue.
Air quality, visual issues dominate Carlsbad power plant workshop
CARLSBAD ---- The city of Carlsbad wants an air quality monitoring device
installed at the Encina Power Station, so that neighbors can see what a
recently proposed addition to the facility could produce.
January 22, 2008
Whole Foods Market to Sack Disposable Plastic Grocery Bags by Earth Day
AUSTIN, Texas. Whole Foods Market, the world's leading natural and organic
foods supermarket, announced today (Jan 22) it will end the use of
disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in
the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with the goal to be plastic bag-free by Earth
Day, April 22, 2008.
January 21, 2008
Unsafe trucks stream out of L.A.'s ports
Pushed by thin profit margins, many drivers rely on shadowy fix-it men or
skip repairs as they elude inspectors.
Bagging the plastic bag?
New law requiring retailers to offer recycling bins, reusable bags may not
have proved to be fruitful
Coastal staff OKs Oceanside riverbed clearing
OCEANSIDE -- State officials say they support the clearing of vegetation and
sediment that clogs the San Luis Rey River channel and threatens parts of
the city with flooding and brush fire, but they say endangered species must
be protected.
January 20, 2008
State beaches may have reduced lifeguard services
SANTA CRUZ - The governor's proposal only eliminates lifeguard positions in
three counties: Santa Cruz, Orange and San Diego. Of those, Santa Cruz is
the only area that may face a 100 percent reduction in seasonal guards; the
Southern California counties would have to cut to half of their seasonal
lifeguards.
January 19, 2008
State to curb toxic runoff
Millions of gallons of polluted runoff from state highways in Los Angeles
and Ventura counties will be prevented from contaminating local waters and
beaches every year under a court agreement reached Friday between Caltrans
and environmentalists.
January 18, 2008
Judge sets aside some restrictions on sonar
A federal judge in Los Angeles on Thursday temporarily set aside some of the
tough restrictions on upcoming naval exercises off Southern California that
employ a type of sonar linked to the injury and death of whales and
dolphins.
Lockyer asks coastal agency to reject San Onofre tollway
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, saying he was "deeply disappointed" by Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's support for a toll road extension through San Onofre
State Beach, called on the state Coastal Commission to reject the project.
January 17, 2008
Parks plan intended to 'rattle the cage'
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday he proposed closing 48 state parks
to "rattle the cage" at the Capitol but fully expects lawmakers to come
forward with alternatives - including higher fees - to keep parks open.
January 13, 2008
Walls of waves tackled at Mavericks
Two dozen surfers show up for the contest just south of San Francisco to
challenge one of the world's most dangerous breaks.
Ports urge trucking firms to hire full-time drivers
Ports along the western seaboard are studying ways to cut diesel fuel
emissions from trucks and ocean-going vessels.
January 10, 2008
Costal panel report on Foothill South tollway 'inaccurate, one-sided,' says
O.C.
Orange County's tollway agency Wednesday criticized a state Coastal
Commission staff report that urged rejection of a proposed road through San
Onofre State Beach as heavily "inaccurate and one-sided."
January 1, 2008
Californians recycling more beverage containers
It's amazing what a penny can do. State officials credit last year's
one-cent increase in the refund people receive for returning used beverage
containers for boosting California's bottle-and-can recycling rate to more
than 70 percent in 2007.
December 29, 2007
State back to create marine reserves
The California Fish and Game Department announced this month that they
intend early next year to begin studying where it might be appropriate to
create marine reserves in waters up to three miles offshore between Santa
Barbara and the border - including San Diego County.
December 25, 2007
Rival ports join forces on green growth
Riding a tide of regional discontent over noxious emissions, the ports of
Los Angeles and Long Beach are yielding to public health concerns in a way
that has dramatically changed the policy landscape of Los Angeles County's
largest economic engine.
December 24, 2007
UNION TRIBUNE EDITORIAL "Costly zealotry"
Suits over habitat will hit taxpayers, agency
December 21, 2007
More Californians cashing in on recyclables
Almost 7 billion containers were recycled in the first half of the year,
study says. Conservation experts believe a rise in the state's redemption
value could be the reason.
December 20, 2007
EPA denies California's right to mandate emissions
WASHINGTON -- In a blow to California's efforts to combat global warming,
the Bush administration Wednesday denied the state's bid to regulate vehicle
tailpipe emissions. But state officials promptly vowed to fight the decision
in court.year by wild, tsunami-driven currents that hit the harbor
of Crescent City.
December 19, 2007
Groups sue to overturn habitat decisions
Environmental groups Wednesday sued to force the federal government to void
decisions that they contend protect too little habitat for 13 imperiled
species of animals and plants in four states, including Southern
California's arroyo toad.
December 18, 2007
Long Beach OKs fee on cargo to fund green efforts
The Port of Los Angeles is expected to enact a similar measure. Drivers
protest, saying they can't afford to operate newer, cleaner trucks.
December 14, 2007
Tsunami threat to L.A., Long Beach ports studied
SACRAMENTO -- Concerned about the threat a tsunami could pose to the ports
of Los Angeles and Long Beach, a state agency agreed Thursday to launch a
study of potential risk to the busy ports in light of nearly $10 million in
damage caused last year by wild, tsunami-driven currents that hit the harbor
of Crescent City.
December 13, 2007
Habitat reduced for two species
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced major cutbacks yesterday in the
amount of habitat it deemed essential for protecting two imperiled species
in San Diego County. Its ruling could, among other things, speed
construction of a hotly contested toll road between San Diego and Orange
counties.
November 20, 2007
Congressional panel seeks probe of oil spill
A congressional subcommittee today grilled the federal and state commanders
in charge of handling the oil spill in San Francisco Bay and, unhappy with
the responses, announced they would seek a new probe by the Inspector
General for the Department of Homeland Security.
November 19, 2007
Government sued over pollution from mothballed ships
SAN FRANCISCO - Several environmental groups have sued the federal
government over toxic pollution caused by a fleet of mothballed warships
floating near San Francisco Bay.
November 6, 2007
Long Beach agrees to ban old diesel trucks from ports
In a rare display of partnership, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
and Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster on Monday touted a joint plan to scrap old
diesel rigs and replace them with newer, cleaner models as part of an effort to
slash port-related pollution linked to 2,400 premature deaths a year.
November 14, 2007
Troubling
sign in Baja
Southern California surfers have reason to be especially
wary about venturing to Baja California after a spate of armed robberies by
paramilitary-style criminals.
Carlsbad
council approves Ponto development plan
CARLSBAD -- Calling it a "real step forward" for
a mostly forgotten region, Carlsbad's City Council unanimously approved a
planning document Tuesday for the coastal region known as Ponto on the city's
southern border.
Ruling
restores sonar ban off coast
A federal appeals court Tuesday restored a ban on the U.S.
Navy's use of submarine-hunting sonar in upcoming training missions off Southern
California until it adopts better safeguards for whales, dolphins and other
marine mammals.
Captain
delayed calling in cleanup contractor
Governor
bans fishing in Bay, on S.F. coast
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took the unprecedented step Tuesday of banning
fishing in San Francisco Bay and off portions of the Northern California coast
until Dec. 1 because of last week's oil spill.
Fishing
season delayed because of Bay oil spill
Ban
effective until Dec.1, maybe earlier if human risk eliminated
PRINCETON-BY-THE-SEA - Fishermen got what they asked for on Tuesday - a ban on
all fishing in areas affected by last weeks oil spill. But they weren't too
happy about it.
November 11, 2007
NORTH
COUNTY TIMES
A river of red tape runs through it
From beginning to end, the saga of the San Luis Rey River
is a case study in what happens when good intentions, poor planning and
bureaucratic inertia collide. Whether floods or fires, the mismanagement of the
river opens North County to a serious, long-term public safety threat.
Uncooperative state agencies must get out of the way before our worst fears come
racing down the riverbed.
November 6, 2007
Long Beach agrees to ban old diesel trucks from ports
In a rare display of partnership, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
and Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster on Monday touted a joint plan to scrap old
diesel rigs and replace them with newer, cleaner models as part of an effort to
slash port-related pollution linked to 2,400 premature deaths a year.
November 3, 2007
Bush
vetoes $23-billion water bill
WASHINGTON -- President Bush delivered his threatened veto of a $23-billion
water bill Friday, but Congress is virtually certain to reverse it in the first
override of a Bush veto.
November 2, 2007
L.A.
panel OKs cleanup plan for port trucks
The Los Angeles Harbor Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a phased ban
of old-model trucks, a move that is expected to reduce harmful diesel emissions
by 80% within five years but also ignite controversy among shippers, drivers,
trucking companies and environmentalists.
'An epic journey'
A paddleboarder with a message follows coast
Barring injury or some other calamity, Tom Jones of Orange County will be the
first to conquer the state's 1,200-mile coastline on a stand-up paddleboard.
Jones is making the trip to highlight the growing problem of plastics injuring
or killing marine life.
October 28, 2007
East Bay park district draws up expansion plans
The East Bay Regional Park District wants to develop seven new parks --
including one nestled under the new Bay Bridge, and others at an old coal mining
town site near Livermore, on grazing land near Hercules and in closed parts of
the Concord Naval Weapons Station.
Rescue
planned for fish in danger
Ten years after the steelhead trout was placed on the endangered species list,
an outline has been released on how to recover the species.
Biodiversity
takes a hit
Native chaparral and coastal sage scrub in the overlapping burn zones may not
recover in time to prevent the spread of fast-growing, non-native grasses. The
areas were home to most of San Diego County's more than 40 species listed as
threatened or endangered by the federal government.
October 27, 2007
ID program to tighten port security
Nine thousand Oakland port workers will have to enroll next month in a new
identification program required by the Department of Homeland Security to
prevent terrorists from infiltrating the Port of Oakland.
October 25, 2007
L.A. port spends $3.1 million to fight suit
The plaintiff, not represented by a lawyer, alleges the agency used fuel
facility funds to build a container terminal.
October 18, 2007
Officials float idea of port research center
The currents of change coursing through Los Angeles Harbor were evident
Wednesday when Geraldine Knatz went to the waterfront and stood among aging
chemical storage tanks, spread her arms and announced: "This is where we
hope to house a world-class marine research center."
October 13, 2007
Agency wants analysis of sand, habitat proposals
SAN DIEGO -- With billions of dollars at stake and a long list of goals to
accomplish, the San Diego Association of Governments is directing its staff to
analyze the costs and benefits of several ambitious proposals to replenish beach
sand, preserve open space and treat stormwater runoff.
Plan
aims to protect quality of life locally
Local governments agreed
yesterday to a regional policy to protect San Diego County's quality of life
through better pollution control, beach sand replenishment, improved public
transit, and the acquisition and management of habitats.
State
recommends banning lead ammo
CONCORD, Calif. - The California Department of Fish and Game recommended Friday
that the state commission that regulates hunting prohibit the use of lead
ammunition in areas where condors are flying free.
October 12, 2007
UCSD Scripps researchers share Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore
Researchers
at UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography are sharing the Nobel Peace Prize
with other scientists and Al Gore.
October 9, 2007
Decision on south O.C. tollway is postponed
After a blistering report concluded that a planned toll road through San Onofre
State Beach would violate the state's coastal act, the California Coastal
Commission has agreed to postpone its decision on the road at the request of its
proponents.
October
8, 2007
Study says fish born in hatcheries losing ability to reproduce in wild
GRANTS PASS, Ore. - The power of natural selection is producing steelhead
in hatcheries that lose their ability to produce offspring in the wild, raising
concerns about the effectiveness of captive-breeding programs to save endangered
fish, a new study concludes.
October
6, 2007
Tourmaline Tailgaters raising money to build memorial
SAN DIEGO - At Tourmaline Surf Park, a loose-knit group of locals has served as
caretakers of this scenic cove where gently folding waves attract hordes of
longboarders.
Old
surfers never die, they just keep telling their stories
OCEANSIDE - There are many legendary surfing stories, and a lot are told at the
California Surf Museum in Oceanside.
October 5, 2007
Toll road delay rejected
An Irvine-based agency that wants to build a six-lane toll road across a popular
state park at San Onofre has asked for the delay of a key decision amid signs
the project might be rejected. The California Coastal Commission's staff,
however, refused Thursday to pull the North County road project off the agenda
for a meeting next Thursday in Los Angeles.
Parks
panel survey says voters oppose toll road
SAN DIEGO -- A survey released Tuesday by a state parks foundation said voters
wouldn't support the idea of building toll roads through parks, including an
$875 million Orange County proposal that would cut close to a popular San Diego
County surfing spot.
October 3, 2007
LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL
No to the Foothill South Toll Road
Building a new toll route through parkland and pristine wilderness is not the
way to go in Orange County.
Brown
to broaden fight over dirty air
State Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, joining with national environmental groups, will
petition the Bush Administration today to crack down on global warming emissions
from ocean-going vessels, which make more than 11,000 calls at California ports
each year.
October 2, 2007
Babcock buyout boosts plan for first U.S. offshore wind park
Bluewater Wind has been acquired by Babcock & Brown in a deal which should
address the last major hurdle in the effort to finance and build what will
likely be the first offshore wind park in the U.S., where costs stand at US$1.6
billion.
Science
marks milestone in Scripps-inspired sea research
A pioneering effort to take stock of the world's oceans will reach a milestone
today when an international team of scientists celebrates the launch of its
3,000th floating laboratory.
September 30, 2007
Seals' approval of beach poses problem in La Jolla
SAN DIEGO -- Oblivious to the 15-year legal and political fight their presence
has caused, harbor seals loll in the water off the Children's Pool in La Jolla.
Whales'
deaths spur questions on ship speeds
Since three blue whales have died off the Southern California coast this month,
including two off Ventura County - all of which were either confirmed or greatly
suspected to be killed by ship strikes - biologists are scrambling to see what,
if anything, can or should be done to protect the endangered species swimming
through one of the country's busiest shipping lanes.
September 29, 2007
Proposed O.C. tollway violates Coastal Act, report says
Building
a six-lane toll road through San Onofre State Beach near San Clemente would lead
to widespread violations of state environmental laws designed to protect
endangered species, natural resources and recreational opportunities, according
to a California Coastal Commission report released today.
New
bill would open San Onofre for another reactor
A
bill introduced earlier this week by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, would
allow the building of a new nuclear reactor at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating
Station.
September 27, 2007
San Diego joins opposition of toll road extension
San
Diego has joined a growing chorus of cities opposed to a toll road extension
through San Onofre State Beach, surprising and disappointing tollway officials
who are battling for support.
September 23, 2007
Whale death attributed to ship strike
The
blue whale found dead last week in the Santa Barbara Channel was probably the
third victim of a ship collision in two weeks, scientists said Saturday as they
conducted a post-mortem on the 60-ton creature.
September 22, 2007
Rising seas likely to flood U.S. history
In
about a century, some of the places that make America what it is may be slowly
erased. Global warming — through a combination of melting glaciers,
disappearing ice sheets and warmer waters expanding — is expected to cause
oceans to rise by one meter, or about 39 inches.
Federal
permit not yet issued for eradication of invasive arundo
The
delay is costing critical time, said Pam Lindsey, an ecologist with the Ventura
County Watershed Protection District, which is overseeing the project. Under
terms of the state grant funding the project, work must be completed by August
2008.
Clean
air strategy would further tighten restrictions
Air
quality officials from Southern California and the state jointly announced a
sweeping set of measures Friday aimed at improving Los Angeles' badly polluted
air in time to meet a 2014 federal deadline.
September 21, 2007
State moves to protect marine life habitats
After
years of haggling with fishermen and coming to compromises in countless public
hearings, the California Department of Fish and Game closed off hundreds of
miles of Central Coast ocean today to protect marine life and help boost
declining fish populations.
September 17, 2007
Retailers push reusable bags to save money, environment
Several
large retailers, including Stop & Shop, New England's largest food retailer,
and housewares store Ikea, now sell reusable shopping bags. Some groceries,
including independent stores and natural foods chain Whole Foods, go a step
further, offering credits of a few cents for each bag that's reused.
September 15, 2007
Sewage project's deadline is upheld
A
SAN DIEGO judge yesterday refused to give the U.S. government more time to stop
discharging toxic sewage off the South Bay coastline.
September 14, 2007
Marine debris bills faced rough time in Legislature
At
the outset of the year, environmentalists and coastal advocates took dead aim at
trash soiling California's beaches and harming marine life hundreds of miles
offshore. But by the time the Legislature adjourned this week, just one of five
bills they had proposed to attack the problem had safely navigated the rough
waters of Sacramento politics.
September 7, 2007
Port
picked for security program
SAN
DIEGO - The Department of Homeland Security has
chosen the Port of San Diego to participate in a $10 million pilot program aimed
at detecting nuclear or radiological weapons aboard small commercial and
recreational boats.
September 5, 2007
Catch adds to knowledge of great whites
A
longtime fisherman helps aquarium get sharks.
August 29, 2007
Kuehl bill would set rules for lab cleanup
Proposed legislation that would prohibit the sale or transfer of Boeing
Co.'s Santa Susana Field Laboratory unless the contaminated site is cleaned
to the strictest standards has gained some behind-the-scenes momentum.
August 20, 2007
Tribe fears for village site along proposed O.C. toll road
The sacred burial site, mentioned in mission logs from the 1770s, abuts the
planned extension of the 241 toll road.
August 10, 2007
Boxer says EPA stalling ports' air cleanup
Joined by a chorus of California and local officials, U.S. Sen. Barbara
Boxer accused federal air regulators Thursday of stalling on rules for
highly polluting ocean vessels and said Congress must act instead.
August 7, 2007
Judge bans Navy from using sonar off Southern California
Federal jurist backs activists, saying use during training exercises off Southern California could harm whales.
Malibu Pier poised to recapture its past
Restaurants and other beach services are in the works after years of rebuilding delays.
August 2, 2007
Plastic water bottles open can of worms
Light, popular and easy to throw away, plastic water and drink bottles are
dragging down California's recycling performance.
July 30, 2007
Californians all talk on environment
Poll reveals discrepancy between lifestyles, desire for green living.
July 29, 2007
Agency OKs waterfront makeover plan
SAN DIEGO - San Diego officials gave a green light to developer Douglas
Manchester's massive waterfront makeover plan Wednesday, despite objections
from the public that the project caters to the wealthy and sits on an
earthquake fault.
City officials challenging draft report on bayfront
NATIONAL CITY - National City officials are questioning the accuracy of a
consultant's report that seems to preclude the South County city from
redeveloping a portion of its bayfront.
Project to bring undersea wonders to Web users
Scientists hope sea floor maps, data will aid conservation
July 28, 2007
Deaths of 11 trout in dried pools questioned
The only thing anyone knows for sure is that 11 dead fish were found in
dried up pools in the Ventura River last month. Then the questions begin.
March 20, 2007
Navy sued twice over sonar use near coast
The California Coastal Commission filed suit yesterday to contest the
Navy's assertion that the agency has no say over training maneuvers beyond the
state's waters, which extend three miles from shore.
March 20, 2007
Two men caught in lobster traps
Suspecting poaching in a marine reserve, game wardens set up a sting.
March 9, 2007
Governor wants funds for parks' repairs back
Even
as the cost of addressing disrepair in the state parks tops $1
billion, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to take back money
that had been earmarked for the backlog.
March 5, 2007
More firms market to 'green' consumers
McDonald's
Corp. is blogging on the environment, Starbucks Corp. has
designed a green-themed online game and Hilton aims to link
manager pay to making its hotels greener. Using less energy,
producing less waste, recycling and teaching customers to
reduce heat-trapping carbon emissions are some of the ways
companies show they care about the planet.
February
20, 2007
Dire warnings issued over rise in deep fishing
SAN
FRANCISCO – With declining catches close to shore,
commercial fishing is turning to deeper waters, threatening
species that live in the cold and gloom of the deep oceans,
according to researchers.
February
18, 2007
Carlsbad research institute working to increase sea bass
population
CARLSBAD
---- Hundreds of thousands of white sea bass swam in large
blue tanks Saturday morning at the Hubbs-Seaworld Research
Institute's hatchery in Carlsbad, as visitors learned about
the institute's project to increase the sea bass population.
February
16, 2007
Coastal Commission approves use of goats
SAN
DIEGO ---- The city of San Diego was given the green light
Thursday to employ goats to munch overgrown brush and chew
away at the wildfire danger in coastal neighborhoods that back
up to fields and canyons.
February
13, 2007
Mammals face deployment to guard Puget Sound base
Dolphins
and sea lions trained by the Navy at Point Loma might soon be
swimming guard duty at Kitsap-Bangor Naval Base in Washington,
home of the United States' largest nuclear weapons arsenal.
February
9, 2007
Proposed energy generator downsized
CARLSBAD
– NRG Energy plans to replace its aging 965-megawatt power
plant and smokestack on Carlsbad's coastline with a smaller,
300-megawatt plant that would run only when the region is at
peak demand for electricity.
February
5, 2007
El Niño all washed-up, forecasters say
The
phenomenon has “collapsed,” the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center in Camp
Springs, Md., declared Thursday. If it has any effect on North
America's winter and spring weather, it will be negligible.
February
1, 2006
180 turn out to question parks plan
As
part of a re-engineering effort by Mayor Jerry Sanders, the
city is contemplating chopping up the parks department and
shifting big chunks elsewhere to save money. Roughly 600 jobs
would be affected, or about 65 percent of current park
department employees, city officials have said.
January 29, 2006
San Diego wants goats on the coast
SAN
DIEGO ---- After harnessing the feeding-frenzied energy of
goats to reduce fire danger in Scripps Ranch and other inland
neighborhoods, the city of San Diego wants to employ the
voracious farm animals to prune brush in coastal areas, too.
But the city first must get permission from the powerful
California Coastal Commission, which has broad authority to
issue or deny permits for coastal activities.
This
proposed smoking ban has some fuming
A
San Francisco suburb may prohibit lighting up in multi-unit
dwellings, potentially drawing a new line in tobacco war.
County
hires O.C. chief administrator
Ending
a five-month search, the chief administrator in Orange County
was selected today to head Los Angeles County's government.
January 28, 2006
Key
study of global warming prepared
Scripps,
UCSD scholars contribute to document
The “Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007,” is
expected to shape discussions of global warming for years to
come – from national capitals, statehouses and city councils
to university lecture halls, corporate board rooms and media
outlets everywhere. The report originates from the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC.
Coronado
Cays group is scrambling on upkeep lawsuit
CORONADO
– The Coronado Cays Homeowners Association, a group
representing 1,200 property owners, filed suit in September,
alleging the city has failed to maintain concrete channels
along its waterways. The group claims the channels are
dangerously close to collapsing. The city asked a judge to
throw out the lawsuit because the homeowners group failed to
name all affected landowners.
What
fate awaits key coastal bridge?
DEL
MAR – This could be the year when the fate of the
74-year-old North Torrey Pines Bridge is decided. The
structure, a regional transportation asset, will have to be
seismically retrofitted to meet current earthquake standards
or be demolished and rebuilt from scratch.
January 27, 2006
Matilija Dam removal might be postponed
The
expected demise of Matilija Dam has been pushed a little
further into the future, as doubts persist about the federal
government's enthusiasm for paying its share of the $130
million project.
Oceanside
councilman wants city to support toll road
OCEANSIDE
---- Councilman Jack Feller said Friday that he plans to ask
the council to reconsider its decision last year to oppose a
controversial toll road planned to run from eastern Orange
County to Interstate 5 just south of San Clemente.
January 26, 2006
Concerns,
finger-pointing greet audit of sewage spills
A
county report that says most incidents aren't acted on sparks
calls for new measures.
Dry
cleaners in California barred from use of solvent
SACRAMENTO –
California regulators enacted the nation's first statewide ban
on the most common chemical used by dry cleaners yesterday,
pleasing environmentalists but worrying some small businesses.
Tons
of recyclables
Private company opens construction debris plant.
Sanders
condemns council's proposal
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders ripped City Council members for
the first time in his 13-month tenure yesterday, accusing them
of considering a proposal that would derail his efforts to
revamp the finances of the cash-strapped city.
OPINION
Rethinking
San Diego's waterfront
Steve Peace and Ron Roberts
Opportunity is a funny thing. It cannot be planned. It must be
recognized when it chooses to present itself. And when it's
missed, it never seems to return in quite the same form. And
then, eventually, it's simply lost, never to return at all.
Oceanside
holds meeting on resort project
OCEANSIDE
---- Plans for a 336-Westin resort in downtown Oceanside
received positive comments from most of the 30 residents at a
meeting Thursday to discuss environmental studies for the
highly anticipated project.
January 25, 2006
Residents
are asked: golfing or gridiron?
OCEANSIDE – Surf City or Turf City? An overflow crowd jammed
the City Council chambers last night to debate whether
Oceanside's future should be tied to the beach or football.
Encinitas
sets hours for door-to-door solicitors
ENCINITAS
-- Whether that knock on the door comes from a peddler or
promoter, the individual must carry a permit and may not
solicit before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m., the Encinitas City
Council unanimously agreed Wednesday.
Study
finds unreported contamination
More
than 90% of raw sewage spills in L.A. County since 2002 were
neither officially recorded nor cleaned up, report says.
January 24, 2006
Oceanside mayor's position on regional committee questioned
OCEANSIDE
---- Several North County officials said Tuesday that Mayor
Jim Wood passed up an opportunity earlier this week to have an
Oceanside official serve on a powerful regional transportation
committee, but Wood said he did what is best for the city and
region.
January 21, 2006
Encinitas wants less paper used
ENCINITAS
---- Encinitas is asking people help to reduce the city's
paper bill by viewing more documents online. The request
coincides with efforts by a council member and an
environmental advocate to increase the use of recycled paper
at Encinitas City Hall.
January 20, 2006
City
may divvy up Park and Rec Dept.
The city is contemplating chopping up the Park and Recreation
Department and shifting big chunks elsewhere to save money,
infuriating some community members who say the public is being
left out of the process.
January 19, 2006
Disagreement
could keep pelican on endangered list
State officials say they don't have the money to conduct
environmental studies to change the status of the California
brown pelican.
January 18, 2006
O.C. developer sues over Foothill South route
Citing
a disagreement over 150 acres, one of the largest developers
in South County on Wednesday sued the transportation agency
planning to extend a toll road through San Onofre State Beach.
UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL
Mysterious green sea turtles and South Bay Power Plant
The pending closure of the South Bay Power Plant offers a
chance to finally solve the scientific mystery of why giant
green sea turtles come to south San Diego Bay.
State
agency to look at Hwy. 101 widening
The
state Department of Transportation has asked the California
Transportation Commission to consider funding a proposal to
widen six miles of Highway 101 with a carpool lane from Mussel
Shoals in Ventura County to Carpinteria.
January 14, 2006
Floating airport proposal resurfaces
ENCINITAS
– Forget for a moment all the logistical issues associated
with building a massive airport in the Pacific Ocean. The
biggest hurdle of all might be selling a skeptical public on
the idea.
County
illegal immigration study going nowhere
SAN
DIEGO ----County supervisors noisily voted more than seven
months ago to look into doing a study to pinpoint how much
illegal immigrants cost the county and taxpayers, but the
study has gone nowhere since then, officials said last week.
Changes
to downtown building standards proposed
CARLSBAD
---- To the casual visitor, Carlsbad's downtown Village region
evokes the very essence of charming days gone by. But to some
property owners and developers, the area seems stuck in the
past. They argue that strict Village development standards
limit their ability to transform the area into a retail
shopping and residential mecca that is vibrant beyond the
standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business day.
City
takes stock of its real estate
San
Diego's real estate division is cleaning house, hoping to make
millions on land that has languished for decades.
January 13, 2006
Port's growth may get corn fed
STOCKTON
- Fresno-based Pacific Ethanol wants to build a $100 million
refinery at the Port of Stockton, using Midwestern corn to
create ethanol.
Drilling
surprises Onofre park staff
SAN
ONOFRE STATE BEACH – Tensions rose this week between state
park rangers and toll road builders when a drilling rig
appeared, apparently unannounced, on parkland that could
become the site of a new tollway.
Suit
over L.A. port funds can proceed
Retreating
from his own dismissal order, a federal judge has granted a
harbor-area activist the chance to reopen a lawsuit alleging
that the Port of Los Angeles misappropriated $1.2 billion in
government funds to build a giant cargo terminal.
New
Santa Cruz sales tax revenue going to the parks
SANTA
CRUZ — Part of the windfall of cash expected from the higher
sales tax Santa Cruz voters approved in November will be spent
to prevent the 2,000 acres of parks and open space across the
city from becoming a garbage dump and home to drug dealers and
prostitutes.
January 12, 2006
Sanders: Fixing mistakes will cost
Mayor
Jerry Sanders invoked the mistakes and mismanagement of San
Diego's recent past in his second straight State of the City
address last night, this time as a rationale for costly fixes
he proposes for the cash-strapped city.
Major
piece of O.C. land set aside as nature reserve
More
than 32,000 acres in foothills east of Mission Viejo will be a
haven for endangered species. Housing developments will
proceed nearby.
January 11, 2006
Navy, state can't agree on sonar safeguards
LONG
BEACH – The California Coastal Commission and the Navy
yesterday failed to agree on how to protect marine mammals
from potentially deadly sonar transmissions during 14 training
exercises scheduled for the next two years off San Diego
County's coastline.
January 9, 2006
Aquaculture report urges growth, better regulation
There's
a 90 percent chance the next slice of fresh salmon you eat
will have been raised in a floating fish pen rather than
plucked from the ocean by a salty fisherman. Aquaculture, the
production of aquatic plants and animals under controlled
conditions, is looking like the next gold rush in the food
industry.
Whale-watching
season in full swing
NORTH
COUNTY -- Whale watching is in full swing along the San Diego
coast as boat tours offer people like Spiro a chance to see
the migration of gray whales as they travel from the arctic to
the lagoons of Baja, Mexico. The seasonal activity begins in
December and generally ends around April 1.
Long-Term
global forecast? Fewer continents
Kiss
the Mediterranean goodbye. Ditto the Red Sea and its
wonderland of coral reefs and exotic sea life. And prepare for
the day when San Francisco has a gritty new suburb: Los
Angeles. Indeed, much of Southern California, including the
Baja Peninsula, will eventually migrate up the west coast to
make Alaska even more gargantuan.
January 8, 2006
MARTIN WISCKOL
O.C. Democrats looking organized
It's
usually the GOP that displays campaign discipline, but Dems
may have the edge in the supervisor's race.
SLO
to decide hotels’ say in county tourism district
The
San Luis Obispo City Council is expected to decide Tuesday
whether the city’s innkeepers should get the ultimate say
over the wisdom of a countywide tourism improvement district
funded by an increase in hotel room taxes.
Catch
of the day
Recreational
divers fear a depletion if commercial abalone fishing reopens.
Big-box
grocery ban is headed for the ballot box in Long Beach
A
petition backed by Wal-Mart to repeal the city's prohibition
got enough signatures. Now the issue will be decided at the
polls -- at a cost.
January 7, 2006
Mayor looks at taking council's grant control
He's
said he would slice hundreds of jobs from the city payroll. He
told department heads to trim their budgets by 10 percent and
warned residents that water and sewer rates are on the way up.
Now Mayor Jerry Sanders is mulling plans to assume control of
millions of dollars in block grants that council members have
traditionally disbursed to community groups.
January 6, 2006
Court
rules in favor of harbor board's railway buy
A
state appeals court has ruled that the Oxnard Harbor District
acted within its rights when it purchased a small railroad
company in 2003 without the city of Port Hueneme's permission.
More
anti-terror funds available to Bay Area
WASHINGTON
— Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced
several changes in how the government chooses to dole out
anti-terror money to major U.S. cities, moving away from what
he said was too much "bean-counting" last year that
subjected the agency to ridicule. The San Francisco Bay Area,
the Los Angeles-Long Beach area and the Anaheim-Santa Ana area
are among 45 metropolitan areas considered at serious risk of
attacks and eligible to share $747 million.
Dellums
names his top staffers
OAKLAND
|