Environment

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Playing the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game”

Now and then during one’s work life, a colleague comes up with something so clever that your heart twinges with envy.  This happened to me the other day when I stumbled upon the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game,” the brainchild of John Osborn D’Agostino.  Kudos to Mr. D’Agostino.  For think ...
Environment

CBS San Francisco Interviews Steven Greenhut on Marin Desalination, Drought

Drought: Transbay Pipeline, Desalination Plant Could Boost Marin’s Dwindling Water Supply By John Ramos CORTE MADERA (KPIX) — Communities across the state are desperately searching for ways to make their dwindling water supplies last. In Marin County, one water district is considering sources that they’ve looked to in the past. ...
Blog

Another July 1, Another California Fuel Tax Hike

“Won’t you get hip to this timely tip: When you make that California trip, get your kicks on Route 66.” – Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” Coinciding with inflation rising faster than it has in 13 years, the cost of driving in California will inflate again on ...
Climate Change

The SEC Risks Misinformation If Standardized And Detailed Climate Risks Disclosures Are Adopted

Based on the well-established materiality standard, public companies must disclose any potential financial risks from global climate change. The SEC is questioning whether these disclosures are inadequate, and is considering additional more detailed and standardized disclosure standards. Imposing such standards would be costly for public companies and will lessen investors ...
Blog

Getting CEQA Out of the Way of Missing Middle Housing

California is in the grips of an unprecedented housing crisis, which has sent hundreds of thousands of Californians packing for affordable states like Arizona and Nevada. Here in Los Angeles, both home prices and homelessness have hit record highs, a sign of the ironic situation of the Golden State. At ...
Blackouts

NorCal Record Covers Launch of Electricity Reliability Report

As electricity demands increase this summer, The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) has launched a new website to encourage energy competition that leads to more affordability, innovation and climate change solutions. The initiative is prompted by issues facing the nation overall, but California exemplifies the issues, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in ...
Blog

Which Sinks First: The Creaky Queen Mary or Foundering California?

The Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach since 1967, could sink “if something is not done soon,” the media reported last week.  An overactive imagination isn’t needed to see this as a metaphor for California. “After years of neglect by a string of operators,” says the Los Angeles Times, “the ...
Agriculture

Progress in California Road Repairs Lagging Despite Gas Tax Hike

Four years ago, Will Kempton, then executive director of Transportation California and a former Caltrans director, said the state’s roads were “the worst I have seen.” A few months later, the state began collecting revenue from a $52 billion, 10-year fuel tax hike to raise enough revenue to bring up to date ...
Blog

Can Legislators Tame California’s Infamously High Impact Fees?

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you know that California is currently in the grips of a worsening housing affordability crisis. I take that back—if you’re living under a rock, you’re probably acutely aware of this fact. Before the pandemic, over half of all California renters spent more ...
Blackouts

Competitive Energy Markets, Not Monopoly, Delivers Affordable, Reliable, And Low-Emission Energy

Texas’ energy debacle during this past winter has led to a great deal of introspection regarding which energy market structure is the most appropriate. Most analysts would agree that energy market regulations should facilitate access to affordable and reliable electricity, while generating the lowest feasible emissions. The controversy arises with ...
Blog

Playing the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game”

Now and then during one’s work life, a colleague comes up with something so clever that your heart twinges with envy.  This happened to me the other day when I stumbled upon the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game,” the brainchild of John Osborn D’Agostino.  Kudos to Mr. D’Agostino.  For think ...
Environment

CBS San Francisco Interviews Steven Greenhut on Marin Desalination, Drought

Drought: Transbay Pipeline, Desalination Plant Could Boost Marin’s Dwindling Water Supply By John Ramos CORTE MADERA (KPIX) — Communities across the state are desperately searching for ways to make their dwindling water supplies last. In Marin County, one water district is considering sources that they’ve looked to in the past. ...
Blog

Another July 1, Another California Fuel Tax Hike

“Won’t you get hip to this timely tip: When you make that California trip, get your kicks on Route 66.” – Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” Coinciding with inflation rising faster than it has in 13 years, the cost of driving in California will inflate again on ...
Climate Change

The SEC Risks Misinformation If Standardized And Detailed Climate Risks Disclosures Are Adopted

Based on the well-established materiality standard, public companies must disclose any potential financial risks from global climate change. The SEC is questioning whether these disclosures are inadequate, and is considering additional more detailed and standardized disclosure standards. Imposing such standards would be costly for public companies and will lessen investors ...
Blog

Getting CEQA Out of the Way of Missing Middle Housing

California is in the grips of an unprecedented housing crisis, which has sent hundreds of thousands of Californians packing for affordable states like Arizona and Nevada. Here in Los Angeles, both home prices and homelessness have hit record highs, a sign of the ironic situation of the Golden State. At ...
Blackouts

NorCal Record Covers Launch of Electricity Reliability Report

As electricity demands increase this summer, The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) has launched a new website to encourage energy competition that leads to more affordability, innovation and climate change solutions. The initiative is prompted by issues facing the nation overall, but California exemplifies the issues, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in ...
Blog

Which Sinks First: The Creaky Queen Mary or Foundering California?

The Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach since 1967, could sink “if something is not done soon,” the media reported last week.  An overactive imagination isn’t needed to see this as a metaphor for California. “After years of neglect by a string of operators,” says the Los Angeles Times, “the ...
Agriculture

Progress in California Road Repairs Lagging Despite Gas Tax Hike

Four years ago, Will Kempton, then executive director of Transportation California and a former Caltrans director, said the state’s roads were “the worst I have seen.” A few months later, the state began collecting revenue from a $52 billion, 10-year fuel tax hike to raise enough revenue to bring up to date ...
Blog

Can Legislators Tame California’s Infamously High Impact Fees?

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you know that California is currently in the grips of a worsening housing affordability crisis. I take that back—if you’re living under a rock, you’re probably acutely aware of this fact. Before the pandemic, over half of all California renters spent more ...
Blackouts

Competitive Energy Markets, Not Monopoly, Delivers Affordable, Reliable, And Low-Emission Energy

Texas’ energy debacle during this past winter has led to a great deal of introspection regarding which energy market structure is the most appropriate. Most analysts would agree that energy market regulations should facilitate access to affordable and reliable electricity, while generating the lowest feasible emissions. The controversy arises with ...
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