[Source: Capitol Public Radio] Lawsuits will help drive how climate change policy evolves in the years to come. More of those lawsuits are originating in California than any other state, according to a new study out of George Washington University. Not only is there a growing number of climate-change related lawsuits, but roughly 25 percent of Read More…
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Stopping nasty smells at Rotterdam’s port
[Source: Port Technology] In the port of Rotterdam, work takes place to stop the unintentional release of all sorts of substances. Some gases are hazardous or irritating and not all gases are perceptible to human senses. An ‘e-nose’ (electronic nose) can do this and responds to changes in the composition of the air. The Port Read More…
Air regulators cite Russian consulate in San Francisco after mysterious illegal burning
[Source: The Mercury News] After the mysterious burning of materials at the Russian consulate on the eve of its closure earlier this month, Bay Area air quality investigators Tuesday formally cited the foreign government agency for violating burn restrictions, according to an official. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued the Notice of Violation Read More…
Rotterdam floats solar power production
[Source: Pot Technology] Rotterdam Port and the Dutch environment and infrastructure ministry Rijkswaterstaat have launched a floating solar panel pilot to explore the possibility of running a commercial solar plant. Alongside the Dutch government, Europe’s busiest port is studying whether it is possible to build a large-scale, commercial solar farm at a site near the Read More…
Requirement to collect pay data by race and gender halted
[Source: CalChamber] The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently issued an immediate stay of a rule that would have required private employers with more than 100 employees to report how much they pay employees by race, ethnicity and gender on their EEO-1 reports. “It’s enormously burdensome,” Neomi Rao, administrator of the Office Read More…
EPA workforce shrinking to Reagan-era levels: agency official
[Source: Reuters] The workforce at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is on course to fall to its lowest level since Ronald Reagan was president, an agency official said on Tuesday. In June, the EPA unveiled a buyout program that would contribute to the biggest cuts of any federal agency in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget Read More…
Several employment-related bills remain active in California Legislature
[Source: CalChamber] The following is a list of employment-related bills that were on the suspense files and considered by the Senate or Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday, September 1. Legislators have until Friday, September 15, to pass and send legislation to the Governor’s desk for consideration. Immigration AB 450 (Chiu; D-San Francisco) Employer Liability — Places employers Read More…
High-speed rail in the Valley was once supposed to be done by Saturday… not even close
[Source: The Fresno Bee] In 2010, when the Obama administration started to pony up more than $2.5 billion in economic stimulus money for construction of California’s high-speed rail project, the funds came with three important conditions: That the money be used for construction in the San Joaquin Valley. That the money be completely spent by Read More…
Have physicists found the key to safer nuclear power?
[Source: NBC News MACH] Unlike the uranium commonly used to power nuclear reactors, thorium salts are protected against meltdowns and can’t be weaponized. In the pursuit of renewable and cleaner energy sources, nuclear power remains one of the viable options. To make it an even safer choice, a Dutch nuclear research firm began experiments with Read More…