[Source: Los Angeles Business Journal] A local environmental group on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s recent approval of environmental reports for Tesoro Corp.’s plan to merge operations of its two refineries in Carson and Wilmington. The expected lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Read More…
Newsroom
Gov. Brown tours polluted L.A. neighborhoods to see firsthand where progress lags
[Source: Los Angeles Times] Gov. Jerry Brown slipped quietly into southeast Los Angeles County on Tuesday to tour some of California’s most polluted neighborhoods and meet with activists who have criticized his administration for doing too little to protect the health of the people living there. Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) took Brown on a Read More…
AB 5 – for business, the worst bill of the year?
[Source: Fox & Hounds] The only problem with holding a contest to decide the worst bill introduced in the Legislature this year is: How do you pick just one? Well, I have a contender for you! AB 5, authored by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) prohibits California businesses with Read More…
Air officials to investigate toxins in Compton
[Source: Long Beach Press Telegram] Air officials will begin investigating several metal processing facilities near homes in Compton for a cancer-causing toxic recently found in the nearby city of Paramount. The effort, announced Friday, comes after the South Coast Air Quality Management District discovered high levels of hexavalent chromium a substance linked to lung cancer, Read More…
California Senate leader unveils new proposal to phase out use of fossil fuels to generate electricity
[Source: Los Angeles Times] California would completely phase out the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity under a new proposal detailed by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) on Tuesday. Meeting the goal would require dramatic changes to the state’s electricity infrastructure over the next two decades, including an end to burning natural Read More…
Southern California’s smog clean-up future is far from clear
[Source: Orange County Register] Southern California has once again won the distinction of having the worst summer smog in the nation but earned praised for its long-term efforts to improve air quality. Such were results of this year’s American Lung Association State of the Air report, a national air pollution analysis. The good news was Read More…
Don’t tax family businesses out of California
[Source: Fox & Hounds] Family businesses are the bedrock of our communities and the economy. A recent study showed that the state’s 1.4 million family businesses employ 7 million people. Family businesses tend to pay their employees better, train them better, and provide more generous benefits than non-family companies. We’re also less likely to significantly Read More…
New air-board chief says he’s been tough on air pollution, polluters
[Source: The Press-Enterprise] Wayne Nastri’s arrival a year ago as the chief of South California’s air quality agency was seen by many as a coup for the business community. The former Bush administration official and environmental consultant took the helm of the South Coast Air Quality Management District just after a takeover of the district’s Read More…
Overtime pay still applies to work meetings scheduled in advance
[Source: CalChamber / Labor Law Corner] My employees normally work Monday through Friday, 8 hours a day, and all are paid hourly for their work. There have been some issues among the employees, and I want to bring them all in for a 1-hour meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the issues. I’ve given everyone Read More…