California

"After decades of lax oversight, new efforts are underway to protect communities from toxic emissions without putting the industry out of business."

"Evacuating the Tahoe basin in summer could take 14 hours, and 99% of properties in South Lake Tahoe are at risk — yet new resorts are being built in high-danger fire areas."

"The Trump administration touched off consternation and confusion over the weekend, issuing, and then apparently rolling back, an announcement implying the president had rescinded his predecessor’s order creating two popular national monuments in California."

"After a year of product tests that show pesticides in California cannabis products, regulators have yet to update standards. Santa Cruz County commissioners say the delay warrants a “public health emergency” and shifting responsibility to other state agencies."

"Los Angeles County said Wednesday that it’s suing Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s equipment sparked January’s Eaton Fire, which destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed 17 people in the Altadena area."

"A government spreadsheet lists thousands of campsites and trails that could shutter for the summer because of federal government staff reductions and budget freezes."

"The US Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected EPA “end result” sewage permits issued under the Clean Water Act that focus on water quality instead of outlining specific requirements to prevent pollution.

In a fractured 5-4 ruling written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court blocked the EPA from issuing permits that make a permittee responsible for surface water quality, or “end result” permits—a term the court coined in the ruling. National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits govern pollution from sewer overflows during storms.

"The administration is setting the stage for Congress to repeal a longstanding waiver that allows California to set its own pollution standards. State officials say the effort is illegal."

"California Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked Congress to approve nearly $40 billion in aid to help the Los Angeles area recover from January’s devastating wildfires, which he said could become the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history."

"Rats in Riverside County are the latest mammal species to be infected with H5N1 bird flu. Identification of virus in rats raises concerns about potential infection pathways to people and their pets"