Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In the news today:

• Governor Brown's budget proposal and its effects on K-12 education, environmental programs, parks, transportation....
• Experts say that tales of California's demise have been greatly exaggerated;
• California called a "conservation hotspot;"
• David Allgood's corner, and much more.

Top of the Ticket

Multiple sources 1/11/11
Brown spares K-12 education, wants tax extension
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/10/BASJ1H6RON.DTL
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/11/3314670/brown-looking-for-three-sided.html
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_17058598
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576073760670210434.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/us/11california.html

Groundswell (CLCV blog) 1/11/11
Governor's Budget Proposal: Environmental Programs Share in the Sacrifice
http://www.ecovote.org/blog/governors-budget-proposal-environmental-programs-share-sacrifice

San Jose Mercury News 1/11/11
California budget: Parks and environment
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17060255

Transportation Nation, San Jose Mercury News 1/11/11
California Budget: On Balance, Not Bad for Transportation
http://transportationnation.org/2011/01/11/california-budget-on-balance-not-bad-for-transportation/
http://www.mercurynews.com/california-budget/ci_17059434

California Watch 1/11/11
Experts: Tales of state's demise greatly exaggerated
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/experts-tales-states-demise-greatly-exaggerated-7968

CA Environmental News & Opinion

Greenspace 1/11/11
California utility adds to its renewable portfolio
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/solar-power-renewable-energy-california.html

San Francisco Chronicle 1/11/11
Bay Area firms to build solar plants in utility deal
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/11/BU881H6UUH.DTL

Climate Watch 1/11/11
Report: California a "Conservation Hotspot"
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/01/10/report-california-a-conservation-hotspot/

Sacramento Bee 1/11/11
Local sewer district appeals state requirement to more thoroughly treat sewage flowing into river
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/11/3316483/local-sewer-district-appeals-state.html

New York Times 1/11/11
California’s Heavy Rains Counter La Niña’s Ways
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/science/earth/11nina.html

Los Angeles Times 1/11/11
Report targets waste, inefficiency in agricultural water use
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-water-farms-20110111,0,3008833.story

Greenspace 1/11/11
Delta water official presses agriculture to use water wisely
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/delta-water-official-presses-agriculture-to-use-water-wisely.html

Los Angeles Times (opinion) 1/11/11
Jim Newton: In deep at the port of L.A.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0111-newton-20110111,0,120681.column

Pasadena Star-News 1/11/11
EPA proposes $17 million settlement for Monterey Park Super Fund site.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17057184

San Jose Mercury News (opinion) 1/11/11
Jeff Stier and Henry I. Miller: Don’t buy into the chromium-6 hysteria
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_17059222

LA Daily News (column) 1/11/11
Kerry Cavanaugh: Ron Nichols the right man for tough DWP job
http://www.dailynews.com/columnists/ci_17059636

Transportation for America blog 1/11/11
Sean Barry: California needs smart station planning to maximize high-speed rail’s benefits
http://t4america.org/blog/2011/01/11/california-needs-smart-station-planning-to-maximize-high-speed-rails-benefits/

Orange County Register 1/10/11
In her hands, plastic bags don't go to waste
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-283195--.html

Los Angeles Times 1/8/11
Interfaith group seeks to protect California deserts
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs-desert-20110108,0,2708832.story

More State Budget & Politics

Forum (KQED-FM program) 1/11/11
Gov. Brown's First Budget
http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201101110900

Capitol Alert 1/11/11
GOP leaders: No votes to put taxes on ballot
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/legislative-republicans-on-put.html

Los Angeles Times 1/11/11
A breakdown of Jerry Brown's budget
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/la-me-0111-budget-effects-20110111,0,3166364,full.story

San Jose Mercury News 1/11/11
A look at Brown's tax proposals
http://www.mercurynews.com/california-budget/ci_17060077

California’s Capitol 1/11/11
Greg Lucas: A Lot Has to Go Right for Jerry Brown’s First Budget to Work
http://californiascapitol.com/blog/?p=4927

San Francisco Chronicle 1/11/11
With Dems at helm, similar cuts bring less anger
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/11/MNFM1H701B.DTL

Calitics 1/11/11
Robert Cruickshank: Reacting to Brown's Budget
http://www.calitics.com/diary/13023/reacting-to-browns-budget

Multiple sources 1/11/11
Newsom takes oath as state's lieutenant governor; pledges to focus on Calif. jobs, economy
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_17058106
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/01/gavin-newsom-becomes-lieutenant-governor.html
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/11/3314336/newsome-takes-oath.html
http://www.baycitizen.org/politics/story/newsom-takes-office-last/

Capitol Alert 1/11/11
What else would be on a June statewide ballot
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/what-else-would-be-on-the-june.html

Capitol Alert 1/11/11
AM Alert: Special elections
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/am-alert-special-election.html

California Progress Report 1/11/11
Hannah Beth Jackson: We Must Stop the Right-wing Rhetoric that Incites Violence
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8556

National Environmental News

New York Times 1/11/11
Oil Spill Panel Calls for New Rules and Spending
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/science/earth/12spill.html

EcoCentric Blog (TIME Magazine) 1/11/11
Gabrielle Giffords Is a Green Patriot
http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/01/10/politics-wounded-representative-giffords-was-a-supporter-of-solar-cap-and-trade/

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/11/11
Pollution, water supply top environmental concerns
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/11/pollution-water-supply-top-environmental-concerns/

The Hill 1/10/11
Chamber's top energy official: Time for 'unemotional' talk about energy costs
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/137043-us-chambers-top-energy-official-calls-for-unemotional-energy-debate

David Allgood’s Cure for Insomnia

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

BP spill commission report could shape oil drillings future.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2011/01/oil_spill_commission_report_co.html

Supreme Court rejects appeal blaming oil companies for Katrina damage.
http://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2011/01/supreme_court_wont_hear_appeal.html

Will 2011 be another year of "Drill baby drill"?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47390.html

BP spill commission recommends reforms.
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/10/132816870/bp-spill-commission-recommends-reform

Oil leak in BP Alaska pipeline just the latest mishap.
http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/oil-leak-is-latest-mishap-for-troubled-alaska-pipeline-system

PG&E to halt intentional gas pipeline pressure spikes.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2011/01/11/MNLB1H6TR2.DTL

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

Insecticide engineered into genetically modified crops has polluted rivers across the US.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/gm-maize-has-polluted-rivers-across-the-united-states-2091300.html

American Farm Bureau challenges EPA over regulations to clean Chesapeake Bay pollution.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/10/farm-bureau-challenges-e-p-a-on-chesapeake-pollution/

US sets up consumer safety office in China.
http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=13812821

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

Mojave River sewage spill halted after 15 days.
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110110/ENTERTAINMENT/110110029/

Kings County Supervisors to weigh toxic landfill lawsuit.
http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/article_159a00ea-1ce4-11e0-9274-001cc4c03286.html

Amador County Sups. uphold biomass power plant approval.
http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=276130

Psyllids threaten citrus growers. 
http://www.recorderonline.com/news/citrus-47581-industry-find.html

NEWS FROM THE EU:

Glacier shrinkage will hit Alps hardest.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/09/global-warming-glaciers-sea-levels

Germany slaughters hundreds of infected pigs.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/10/3312399/germany-lifts-dioxin-related-bans.html

Inside the dioxin scandal: The criminal machinations of the feed industry.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,738610,00.html

Salmon farms contaminated wild fish.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/salmon-farms-contaminating-wild-fish/

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Undercover police officer spies on green movement.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/09/undercover-office-green-activists?intcmp=122

Activists demand inquiry into undercover officer's role.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/10/environmental-activists-inquiry-undercover-officer

Swans released back into wild.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/somersets-swans-go-wild-again-2181120.html

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

Landmark case on environmental cancers begins in Quebec.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec/landmark-class-action-on-environmental-cancers-begins-in-quebec/article1864414/

Ontario to spend $5 million in war against bedbugs. 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario/ontario-to-invest-5-million-to-fight-bedbugs/article1864298/

BC Hydro to pay $200 million in compensation to St'at'imc people for dam, canal.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-hydro-province-sign-200-million-pact-to-compensate-sttimc-people/article1863296/

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

Mongolian wilderness threatened by mining boom.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/11/mongolia-wilderness-mining-boom

The Warriors of Qiugang battle runaway pollution.
http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2358

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Freezing weather threatens frogs in Herefordshire.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-12154639

Frog of the week: Desert tree frog.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2011/01/11/frog-of-the-week-desert-tree-frog-litoria-rubella/

• Next Weekly Green
•  
• Previous Weekly Green