National News

Op-Ed | Agricultural Polluters Are Trying to Hijack a Clean Water Bill in California. By Terry Tamminen, “Five years ago, California took the bold step of establishing a basic human right to “safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes." This right is of utmost importance to those rural communities whose drinking water has been contaminated by pesticides and nitrates from fertilizer. But now polluters are seeking to avoid their legal responsibilities by hijacking a well-intentioned bill, Senate Bill 623.” [Sacramento Bee, 5/15/18 (+)]

Prop. 68 Promises Billions for California Parks, Clean Water. “Supporters argue that Prop. 68 is good for parks and good for improving water quality statewide. ‘California water management is on the right track,’ said Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies. ‘We think it's important for the voters to support that even if it means a relatively small amount of debt.’ Critics like state Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa, believe the debt payments on the bond will be anything but small. ‘You have to pay for that $4 billion,’ he said. ‘It’s going to cost you another $4 billion in interest. So, over 40 years that's $200 million a year. Where does that come from?’ Prop. 68 promises millions of dollars in improvements, but opponents contend California should not be borrowing more money.” [KCRA.com, 5/15/18 (=)]

Becerra, Water Quality Board File Intent to Sue Federal Agency over Cross-Border Sewage Flow. “California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board Monday submitted a 60-day notice of intent to sue a federal agency regarding several years of sewage flow from the Tijuana River into U.S. waterways. In the notice, Becerra and the board allege the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, which is tasked with seeking binational solutions to issues, has let more than 12 million gallons of untreated sewage flow into the U.S. since 2015.” [KBPS.com, 5/14/18 (=)]

Wetlands Scientists Support Stats’ Lawsuit to Save Clean Water Rule. “Several states are suing the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for putting on hold an Obama-era rule to protect wetlands and waterways. And this month an organization of wetlands scientists filed a brief with the court in support of those states and the Clean Water Rule of 2015. Royal Gardner, a professor at Stetson University College of Law, helped write the amicus brief. He’s director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy and was interviewed by WMNF’s MidPoint.” [WMNF.com, 5/15/18 (=)]