Daily Green

Hello and good afternoon all. In the news today and over the weekend:

• Brown asks for deep cuts, five-year extension of taxes;
• Jerry Brown's agenda could get boost from labor;
• California's "basement bargains" on home efficiency;
• David Allgood's corner, and much more.

Top of the Ticket: Brown’s Budget

PolitiCal (LA Times blog) 1/10/11
Gov. Jerry Brown confident California voters will go for taxes
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/01/california-gov-jerry-brown-confident-voters-will-go-for-taxes.html

Capitol Alert (Sac Bee blog), Associated Press 1/10/11
Brown asks for deep cuts, five-year extension of taxes
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/brown-to-ask-for-deep-cuts-fiv.html
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/10/3313279/brown-seeks-5-year-extension-of.html

San Francisco Chronicle 1/10/11
Jerry Brown's agenda could get boost from labor
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/10/MNM91H624T.DTL

Capitol Alert (Sac Bee blog) 1/10/11
Rapid Response Roundup: Brown's budget
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/rapid-response-roundup-browns.html

View the full Budget Summary (PDF): http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/pdf/BudgetSummary/FullBudgetSummary.pdf

California Environmental News

Quest (KQED program) 1/10/11
California's Basement Bargains on Home Efficiency
http://www.kqed.org/quest/radio/californias-basement-bargains-on-home-efficiency

San Francisco Chronicle (opinion) 1/9/11
Brenda Payton: Urban communities aid green issues
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/09/INF81H3LSV.DTL&type=green

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/10/11
Green jobs project targets low-income residents
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/10/san-diego-green-jobs-project-targets-low-income-re/

Sacramento Bee (opinion) 1/9/11
Peter Gleick: State needs more water storage – underfoot
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/08/3308379/state-needs-more-water-storage.html

Greenwire/NY Times 1/10/11
Health Concerns Over 'Smart' Electric Meters Gain Traction in Calif.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/01/10/10greenwire-health-concerns-over-smart-electric-meters-gai-81496.html

Switchboard (NRDC blog) 1/10/11
Kristin Eberhard: Correcting 10 Common Misconceptions about California's Cap-and-Trade Program
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kgrenfell/correcting_10_common_misconcep.html

Press Democrat 1/9/11
Cutting-edge power plant coming to Sonoma County
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110109/ARTICLES/110109540

North County Times 1/10/11
SoCal Edison to add 831 megawatts of solar
http://www.nctimes.com/business/article_a58fb8c3-1f2c-5ae7-9b13-ff33ecf85c88.html

Bloomberg 1/10/11
General Electric buys stake in wind farm
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-10/general-electric-buys-stake-in-wind-farm.html

Greenspace 1/8/11
Fluoride in drinking water: Will the EPA get tougher?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/fluoride-drinking-water-regulations.html

North Bay Business Journal 1/10/11
When it rains, the regulations pour
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/28377/when-it-rains-the-regulations-pour/comment-page-1/

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/8/11
Sewage spills amid storms topped 8 million gallons
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/08/storm-related-sewage-spills-topped-8-million-gallo/

Fresno Bee 1/10/11
Dams release water as rain fills Valley reservoirs
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/01/09/2226218/rain-fills-valleys-reservoirs.html

Sacramento Bee 1/10/11
Heavy Sierra snowfall translates to happy skiers, replenished reservoirs
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/10/3311858/heavy-sierra-snowfall-translates.html

San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press 1/9/11
Hunters Point project moves forward
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/09/BAOQ1H6A5I.DTL&type=green
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/08/3309575/settlement-reached-over-hunters.html

California Report/Climate Watch 1/10/11
Hidden Treasure: An Eco-City in San Francisco Bay?
http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201101100850/b
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/01/08/hidden-treasure-an-eco-city-in-sf-bay/

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/8/11
Tug-of-war over sharks hits home in Point Loma
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/08/tug-war-over-sharks-hits-home-point-loma/

Sacramento Bee 1/8/11
Meetings will discuss plans for Delta
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/08/3308681/meetings-will-discuss-plans-for.html

State Politics

Associated Press 1/10/11
Face time with lawmakers in peril after shooting
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/09/3311230/face-time-with-lawmakers-in-peril.html

Associated Press 1/10/11
Calif. reps say shooting won't halt public events
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/08/3310104/california-leaders-grieving-over.html

Sacramento Bee (column) 1/10/11
Dan Walters: California's state-local relationship in flux
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/10/3311733/dan-walters-californias-state.html

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/9/11
Plan to increase local control raises questions
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/09/plan-increase-local-control-raises-questions/

California Progress Report 1/8/11
Peter Schrag: Brown’s Budget: The Message That Should Be In It
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8555

Calbuzz 1/10/11
Myth Busting: Latino Vote, Independents, Prop 13
http://www.calbuzz.com/2011/01/myth-busting-latino-vote-independents-prop-13/

David Allgood’s Insomnia Corner

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

Leak in BP's Alaska oil pipeline forces shut down.
www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/10/bp-shuts-alaska-pipeline-after-leak

No estimate for reopening BP's Alaska pipeline.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60810

BP cleanup called cover up.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40970247/ns/us_news-environment/

BP clean up inadequate in Louisiana, marshes are dying, land is washing away.
www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2011/01/gulf_of_mexico_oil_spill_clean_2.html

Tar balls still washing up on Grand Isle beaches.
www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2011/01/tar_balls_still_being_cleaned.html

Louisiana marshes still covered with BP's oil 8 and 1/2 months after catastrophe.
www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/07/gulf-oil-spill-still-foul_n_805983.html

Scope and pace of Gulf clean up criticized.
www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/us/08spill.html?_r=1&hpw

Tough coal mining law survives court test.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/06/AR2011010603361.html

Authorities dismayed at the state of PG&E records, foresee expensive road ahead to establish safe gas pressures in PG&E gas lines.
www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_17050161

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

On first day of new Congress, Republicans attempt to halt action on climate change.
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/07/republicans-climate-change

Senators want nuclear waste for South Carolina.
www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/07/106414/graham-demint-bring-nuclear-waste.html

Substitutes for chlorine, used to disinfect water, carry risks of their own.
www.npr.org/2011/01/07/132743638/disinfectant-to-clean-water-has-problems-of-its-own

Millions of fish wash up dead on Chesapeake beaches.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40947831/ns/us_news-environment/

Environmental health groups look to EPA to examine fluoride levels in drinking water.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/fluoride-drinking-water-regulations.html

Snake lovers see mammalian bias in invasive species laws.
www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/science/earth/09snakes.html?_r=1&hpw

New Jersey residents hope for bailout from water contaminated by DuPont munitions factory.
www.northjersey.com/news/environment/113186944_In_tainted_area__some_hope_for_a_bailout.html

Why is CIA spying on a changing climate?
www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/10/106406/why-the-cia-is-spying-on-a-changing.html

Future for Vermont nuclear plant grows dim.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110109/ap_on_bi_ge/us_yankee_s_fate

Ohio EPA's emphasis on permits over protection worries environmentalists.
www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/01/09/epas-priority-to-be-permits.html?sid=101

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

Massive sewage spill in Mojave River raises health concerns.
www.vvdailypress.com/news/raises-25262-sewage-spill.html

California EPA may lower limit for perchlorate in drinking water.
www.desertdispatch.com/news/water-10056-barstow-november.html

Path of high speed rail worries Central Valley farmers.
www.fresnobee.com/2011/01/08/2225457/rail-project-worries-valley-farmers.html

Need for better measurement of chrome 6 in drinking water.
www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110110/A_NEWS/101100315

NEWS OF THE WORLD:

Climate study concludes global warming will continue for centuries.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60811

Climate change reveals disease as a national security threat.
www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/10/106405/climate-change-reveals-disease.html

Scientists find drastic climate-related shift in Atlantic currents.
www.independent.co.uk/environment/scientists-find-drastic-weatherrelated-atlantic-shifts-2179367.html

Two studies say global warming to wipe out glaciers, Antarctic ice sheet by end of century.
www.independent.co.uk/environment/warming-to-devastate-glaciers-antarctic-icesheet-2180447.html

NEWS FROM THE EU:

Germany halts sale of poultry, pork and eggs due to dioxin poisoning.
www.npr.org/2011/01/07/132741322/germany-halts-sales-of-pork-eggs-in-dioxin-scare

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Poisoned food made with German eggs on market shelves for 3 weeks.
www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1344914/Dioxin-scandal-Contaminated-eggs-German-farms-reached-Britain.html

Axing of sustainability watch dog weakens oversight.
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/10/sustainable-development-commission-scrutiny-gap

Rise in flood risk will make 1 million homes uninsurable.
www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/rise-in-flood-risk-could-make-one-million-homes-uninsurable-2179746.html

High food prices could limit grass for energy plan.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60808

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF THE 4 O’CLOCK SUN:

Prime minister lauds oilsands production for creating jobs.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60805

Residents sue Ottawa over water poisoning.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/918792--military-town-residents-take-ottawa-to-court-in-200-million-suit

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

China faces tough fight against desertification.
www.independent.co.uk/environment/china-says-faces-tough-fight-against-desertification-2179233.html

China to regulation rare earth extraction, pollution.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60813

Kenya bans plastic bags.
www.independent.co.uk/environment/kenya-bans-plastic-bags-2179928.html

More than 500 pounds of elephant ivory seized from poachers.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60809

Nigeria urged to clean up after mass lead poisonings.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60804

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

South Africa's giant bonking bull frogs go bed-hopping.
www.macedonrangesweekly.com.au/news/national/national/general/south-africas-giant-bonking-bullfrogs-go-bedhopping/2040421.aspx

Flying vampire frog's name scarier than frog is.
www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/frogs-scary-name-is-worse-than-its-bite-20110106-19hn1.html

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