Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In the news today:

• Assistant Attorney General Ken Alex reportedly tapped to be director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research;
• First draft of Delta plan released today;
• Debra Bowen announces she's running for Jane Harman's seat;
• Obama's budget and its environmental impacts;
• And much more...

Top of the Ticket

California Planning & Development Report 2/15/11
Asst. AG Ken Alex Reportedly Tapped to Lead Office of Planning and Research
http://www.cp-dr.com/node/2879

Multiple Sources 2/15/11
First draft of Delta plan shies away from canal recommendation
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110215/A_NEWS/102150322/-1/a_news14
http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_17389675

Read the Draft Delta Plan online: http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/draft_delta_plans.html

Sacramento Bee 2/15/11
Debra Bowen announces bid for Jane Harman's seat
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/02/debra-bowen-announces-bid-for.html

Groundswell (CLCV Blog) 2/15/11
An Election Makes You Forget It's Election Day
http://www.ecovote.org/blog/election-makes-you-forget-its-election-day

Multiple Sources 2/15/11
Obama's budget would trim funds to California
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-budget-california-20110215,0,2979015.story
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/02/sacto-flood-control-up-some-ca.html

CA Environmental News & Opinion

Sacramento Bee 2/15/11
Dan Walters: Jerry Brown's next big issue is water
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/02/15/3403060/dan-walters-jerry-browns-next.html

San Francisco Chronicle 2/15/11
GOP plan could endanger delta fish restoration
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/15/MNL01HN13L.DTL

Oakland Tribune 2/12/11
Aqueduct must not pose any threat to Delta environment
http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_17366612

Multiple Sources 2/14/11
Proposed shark fin ban stirs the pot
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=7958703
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/02/proposed-shark-fin-ban-stirs-the-pot.html
http://www.baycitizen.org/politics/story/leland-yee-opposes-shark-fin-bill/
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/15/MNLG1HMV3V.DTL

Contra Costa Times 2/09/11
California releases first state-approved K-12 environmental curriculum in U.S.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/environment/ci_17333357

California Planning & Development Report 2/14/11
Fictitious Draft EIR for Downtown L.A. Football Stadium
http://www.cp-dr.com/node/2875

San Jose Mercury News 2/14/11
As work begins to restore top of Mount Umunhum, funding dries up
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_17386280

The Stockton Record 2/13/11
Businesses may have to recycle under rules targeting emissions
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110213/A_NEWS/102130309/-1/A_NEWS05

San Jose Mercury News 2/14/11
Baylands developer must clean up toxic stew
http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_17388403

The Bay Citizen 2/15/11
Plan for Recycled Water Plant in Golden Gate Park Stirs Debate
http://www.baycitizen.org/environment/story/plan-recycled-water-plant-golden-gate/

Huntington Beach Independent 2/14/11
Community Commentary: Columnists have mesa restoration plans all wrong
http://www.hbindependent.com/news/opinion/tn-hbi-0217-communitycommentary-20110214,0,7014648.story

San Jose Mercury News 2/15/11
BART extension to San Jose gets a $130 million boost
http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_17387682

San Jose Mercury News 2/14/11
Routes for high-speed rail segment from Stockton to San Jose stirs debate
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17387209

State Budget & Politics

Sacramento Bee 2/15/11
Tug of war begins over Brown's budget plan
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/02/tug-of-war-begins-over-browns.html

Sacramento Bee 2/14/11
Legislative analyst identifies massive cuts if taxes fail
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/02/legislative-analyst-identifies.html

Fox & Hounds 2/14/11
Predicting the Redistricting Map
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/tony-quinn/8623-predicting-redistricting-map-how-republicans-will-be-screwed

Lowdown on Obama's Budget Proposal

Washington Post 2/14/11
Obama's budget battle
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/13/AR2011021302202.html

E² Wire (The Hill Blog) 2/14/11
OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Spending plans preview upcoming energy clashes
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/143995-overnight-energy-spending-plans-preview-upcoming-energy-clashes

E² Wire (The Hill Blog) 2/15/11
Obama challenges lawmakers to support cuts to oil subsidies
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/144197-obama-lawmakers-should-back-plan-to-cut-oil-tax-breaks-if-they-are-serious-about-the-deficit

Switchboard (NRDC Blog) 2/15/11
Obama's International Climate Budget Proposal Would Make Key Investments
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jschmidt/obamas_international_climate_budget12.html

The Fast Lane (Secretary of Transportation Blog) 2/14/11
Tightening our belts, strengthening our future
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/02/tightening-our-belts-strengthening-our-future.html

Streetsblog Capitol Hill 2/14/11
Obama Admin’s Bold Transpo Plan Leaves Funding Question to Congress
http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/02/14/obama-admins-bold-transportation-bill-leaves-funding-questions-to-congress/

Streetsblog Capitol Hill 2/15/11
Transportation Reformers Applaud Obama’s Six-Year Transpo Plan
http://streetsblog.net/2011/02/15/transportation-reformers-applaud-obamas-six-year-transpo-plan/

Smart Growth America Blog 2/14/11
Smart Growth America Applauds President Obama for Budget Provisions that Strengthen Communities
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2011/02/14/smart-growth-america-applauds-president-obama-for-budget-provisions-that-strengthen-communities/

Environmental Defense Fund Blog 2/15/11
A modest proposal: ACC should support and defend President’s proposed budget increase for EPA chemical safety efforts
http://blogs.edf.org/nanotechnology/2011/02/15/a-modest-proposal-acc-should-support-and-defend-president%E2%80%99s-proposed-budget-increase-for-epa-chemical-safety-efforts/

Los Angeles Times 2/14/11
Obama's budget would deeply cut farm subsidies
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-farm-subsidy-cut-20110214,0,7952883.story

Climate Watch 2/14/11
NASA Climate Funding Under Attack
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/02/14/nasas-climate-science-funding-under-attack

National & International Environmental News & Opinion

Politico 2/15/11
Fred Upton vs. Barbara Boxer
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49558.html

The Hill 2/14/11
Secretary Steven Chu: U.S.’s race to ‘win the future’ hinges on spurring clean-energy innovation
http://thehill.com/special-reports/energy-a-environment-february-2011/144057-uss-race-to-win-the-future-hinges-on-spurring-clean-energy-innovation

The Hill 2/14/11
Rep. Fred Upton: Government’s red tape tangles up fuel sources right in our backyard
http://thehill.com/special-reports/energy-a-environment-february-2011/144011-governments-red-tape-tangles-up-fuel-sources-right-in-our-backyard

The Hill 2/14/11
Senator Barbara Boxer: Safeguarding public health requires protecting our environmental laws
http://thehill.com/special-reports/energy-a-environment-february-2011/144049-safeguarding-public-health-requires-protecting-our-environmental-laws

E² Wire (The Hill Blog) 2/15/11
GOP senators assail wildlife agency's 'troubling' work on climate change
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/144181-climate-clash-animates-wildlife-hearing

Reuters 2/14/11
Global solar power growth doubled in 2010: study
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/us-energy-solar-idUSTRE71D4WJ20110214

Washington Post 2/15/11
Ecuadorian court rules Chevron must pay $9 billion for oil pollution
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/14/AR2011021406935.html

Green House (USA Today Blog) 2/14/11
Builders offer MPG-like home efficiency labels
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/02/kb-builders-mpg-like-home-labels/1

Climate Watch (KQED Blog) 2/14/11
Why the Pros Need "Citizen Science"
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/02/14/why-the-pros-need-citizen-science

Green House (USA Today Blog) 2/15/11
Greenest cars? Not all are electric or hybrids
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/02/greenest-cars-not-all-are-electric-or-hybrids/1

• Next Weekly Green
•  
• Previous Weekly Green