Weekly Green: January 12, 2015

Good evening, all. This week's news:

• 2014: officially California’s warmest year on record;
• Senate majority asks attorney general to guard against gas price hikes;
• Sen. Barbara Boxer won’t run for re-election in 2016;
• Harris expected to announce for U.S. Senate Tuesday; Villaraigosa, Steyer considering.

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Above the Fold

2014: California’s Warmest Year on Record
Federal climate scientists confirmed today that 2014 stands as California’s warmest year on record. The state’s average temperature for the year clocked in at 61.5 degrees Fahrenheit, 4.1 degrees higher than the 20th century average. Last year’s average bested the previous record, set in 1934, by nearly two degrees.
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2015/01/08/2014-californias-warmest-year-on-record/

Senate majority asks attorney general to guard against gas price hikes
A majority of the state Senate members wrote to California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris on Thursday, asking that her office watch to make sure gas prices are not increased without justification by the oil industry to undermine the state's cap-and-trade program.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-lawmakers-gas-price-spikes-20150108-story.html

Gov. Brown's renewable energy plan could boost solar, wind industries
Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal this week to significantly boost the amount of energy California derives from renewable sources could reinvigorate the state's utility-scale solar and wind industries, as well as launch another land rush in the Mojave Desert.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-renewable-goals-20150108-story.html

The Governor's Budget

Diminished services at state parks likely to continue under funding proposed by Gov. Brown
The North Coast’s new state senator has vowed to press for more money for California’s state parks, warning that Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget released Friday threatens public access and the long-term financial health of the 279-park system.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/3357259-181/diminished-services-at-state-parks

California drought: Jerry Brown unveils proposal on how to start spending $7.5 billion water bond
As part of his 2015 budget, California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday proposed spending $532 million on drinking water treatment, water recycling and other projects, but new dams will have to wait.
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_27290113/california-drought-jerry-brown-unveils-proposal-how-start

Brown targets education, cap-and-trade money
Jerry Brown kept the purse strings tight on the University of California, but proposed an $8 billion boost for public education and wants to spend $1 billion of cap-and-trade auction money on high-speed rail, transit and related projects.
http://capitolweekly.net/budget-brown-education-emissions-taxes-temporaryc/

Key aspects of the governor's proposed California budget
Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a record $113 billion California budget amid an improving economy. It's a 5.4 percent increase from the current $107.4 billion general fund spending.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article5719383.html

California's infrastructure left out of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget
Gov. Jerry Brown acknowledges California's crumbling roads, highways and bridges are a multi-billion dollar problem - but his newly released budget won't provide much relief.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/01/09/49179/california-s-infrastructure-left-out-of-gov-jerry/

California Environmental News

New national monument proposed for Santa Cruz coast
The plan, which would establish the Santa Cruz Redwoods National Monument, could bring national attention to the bucolic oceanfront land along Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Davenport.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_27300683/new-national-monument-proposed-santa-cruz-coast

Brown: History Will Affirm Wisdom of Building Bullet Train
Gov. Jerry Brown began his fourth term as governor by acting on a promise to bring a bullet train to California, signing a symbolic piece of railroad track at a groundbreaking ceremony held on an empty lot in downtown Fresno Tuesday.
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/01/07/brown-history-will-affirm-wisdom-of-building-bullet-train

California High-Speed Rail: A Minor End, an Important Beginning
Who should get the benefit of the doubt when we consider the unknowable future?
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/01/california-high-speed-rail-an-end-and-an-important-beginning/384238/

Tiny Parasite Threatens Native Plants
Twenty years ago, scores of trees began visibly dying off around the Bay Area, in what turned out to be the advent of Sudden Oak Death. The cause was a microscopic parasite, Phytophthora ramorum.
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/tiny-parasite-threatens-native-plants/

San Joaquin Valley farmers reach secret deal in water dispute
A staggering economic and environmental problem festering for three decades in the southern San Joaquin Valley would be addressed by a secret deal reached between the Obama administration and farmers — one that is sounding alarms for Bay Area lawmakers.
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/San-Joaquin-Valley-farmers-reach-secret-deal-in-6007151.php

Sacramento beats L.A. in water conservation
Sacramento residents recently achieved something significant in dealing with the drought gripping California: In November, they used less water per person than residents of Los Angeles.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article5957649.html

Electing a U.S. Senator

Sen. Barbara Boxer won’t run for re-election in 2016
She insisted on not calling her decision a retirement, saying, "I am never going to retire. The work is too important. But I will not be running for the Senate in 2016."
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sen-Barbara-Boxer-will-retire-after-term-ends-in-6001861.php

Kamala Harris expected to announce run for U.S. Senate
Attorney General Kamala Harris is expected to enter the 2016 race for U.S. Senate Tuesday, following an apparent decision by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom to instead seek the governor's office in 2018.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article6076293.html

Morain: Many will dream of Senate, but money and geography matter
Suddenly, politicians up and down the state are studying their reflections in the mirror and seeing a United States senator, and no doubt more.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article5663163.html

Billionaire Climate Activist Tom Steyer Weighs 2016 California Senate Run
With Sen. Barbara Boxer retiring, the green spending machine mulls joining a crowded, competitive race to replace her.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/billionaire-climate-activist-tom-steyer-weighs-2016-california-senate-run-20150108

Former L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa weighs bid for Boxer's Senate seat
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Saturday that he is "seriously" considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barbara Boxer.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-villaraigosa-weighs-bid-for-boxer-senate-seat-20150110-story.html

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