High
court to rule on forest plan challenge [San Francisco Chronicle]
The
U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether environmental groups can
challenge a federal government plan that has led to increased logging in
California forests throughout the Sierra. The plan was adopted in 2004 by
President George W. Bush's administration for 11 national forests covering 11.5
million acres. In February 2012, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled
that the government had failed to analyze the potential impact of more
tree-cutting and road-building on fish in the mountain streams. Nine species of
fish in those streams are listed as threatened or endangered. The Supreme Court
put that ruling on hold Monday and granted review of an appeal by the Obama
administration, which argued that the suit was premature because the overall
forest management plan did not authorize any specific logging projects.
Merced
joins opposition to state water plan [Merced Sun Star]
The
City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday to come out against the
state's plan to limit the amount of water irrigation districts can take from
the San Joaquin River's major salmon-bearing tributaries during the spring. The
city's resolution calls on the state to prioritize "predation reduction
programs" over flow requirements that, according to city officials, would
"threaten the economic vitality" of the region….Merced joins the city
of Atwater, the Merced County Board of Supervisors, the Greater Merced Chamber
of Commerce, the Merced County Farm Bureau, as well as Assemblyman Adam Gray,
D-Merced, and State Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, in opposing the water
board's plan….On Wednesday, state officials will hold a public hearing on the
plan in Sacramento at California Environmental Protection Agency building.
Regional irrigation and agricultural officials pledged to be there in full
force.
Editorial: Strip the pork from
state water bond [Riverside Press Enterprise]
A
Senate hearing last week started looking at potential changes in the $11.1
billion water bond measure that legislators approved in 2009. The Legislature
has twice postponed putting the bond before voters, for fear that the
electorate would reject a package that is too expensive and weighted down with
frivolous spending. The bond is now slated for the 2014 ballot, but Gov. Jerry
Brown and ranking legislators have said the measure needs to be less costly to
have a chance of passing. And California does not need additional delays in
addressing the state’s big, long-term water challenges. The state’s primary
water system still faces a variety of threats, and the state needs to store
more water, as well. Legislators need to move past the long-running battles
that have stymied solutions and craft a bond focused on the state’s central
water concerns….The water bond as now structured, however, would spend billions
on projects that have little relation to any pressing state water need. A
revised package should reflect clear overall goals for state water policy, not
a mishmash designed to buy votes with political handouts.
Board
seeks $8.6B in Calif. high-speed rail bonds [Associated Press]
The
California High-Speed Rail Authority voted Monday to issue nearly $8.6 billion
in taxpayer-approved bonds to build the nation's first bullet train as the
state rushes to begin construction in July….The six-member board authorized
selling the bonds on a 5-0 vote, without debate and with one member absent….The
project still must withstand lawsuits that have court hearings in coming
months. They include a hearing April 19 over the project's environmental
impacts, while a May 31 hearing will consider whether the funds meet the
requirements set by voters when they approved the high speed rail program in
2008.
Adverse
rulings in those lawsuits could stall the bond money, though Richard said
groundbreaking can proceed using $3.3 billion in federal matching funds.
A
Justice Dept. Official Is Named to Lead Labor [New York Times]
With
a few confirmation victories in his pocket, President Obama decided Monday to
press ahead with another cabinet nominee in defiance of Republican opposition
as he tapped an assertive civil rights regulator to be his next labor
secretary. Mr. Obama’s nomination of Thomas E. Perez, who has racked up record
discrimination and housing claims as head of the Civil Rights Division at the
Justice Department, generated criticism from some Senate Republicans who called
him a divisive and political choice….Republicans criticized Mr. Perez as a
radical legal activist who has presided over a politically c
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/us/politics/obama-nominates-thomas-e-perez-as-labor-secretary.html
As
Crop Prices Surge, Investment Firms and Farmers Vie for Land [New York Times]
From
the potato fields of Michigan to the high prairies of Kansas, farmers are
receiving record prices for their land — but economists and banking regulators
warn that this boom, like so many before it, could end badly. Across the
American heartland, farmland prices are soaring….Behind the rush is the age-old
driver of farm booms: high crop prices. Corn, in particular, has been soaring,
reflecting demand overseas and, domestically, for ethanol. High prices mean
good profits for farmers, and many are using their growing incomes to bid for
land….But if the price of corn falls — and many forecasters predict it will,
particularly if the ethanol boom wanes — the price of farmland will fall with
it. While many farmers have borrowed little money or used cash to finance their
purchases, those who have overexpanded could run into trouble, leaving banks
and other creditors with their bad debts.
No comments:
Post a Comment