Pumps dropped from Delta water tunnel plan [Sacramento Bee]
The
massive water diversion tunnels proposed in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
have undergone another major design change aimed at appeasing local residents:
The three intakes planned on the Sacramento River will no longer require
pumps.…Instead of giant electric pumps, the plan now calls for water to enter
the three huge intakes by gravity flow. This, in turn, means most tall
buildings can be eliminated at each intake. And there will be no need for
permanent new high-voltage power lines.…The project still includes massive
water pumps, but they would now be at the project’s southern end, at Clifton
Court Forebay, an existing reservoir near Tracy. They would move water from the
new tunnel outlets to existing canals that distribute water across the state.
California
drought: Feds forecast good chance of wet conditions for next three months [San
Jose Mercury News]
There
is a 75 percent probability of average or above-average precipitation between
January and the end of March for California, according to a new report by
federal scientists -- the first time in five years such a wet outlook has been
predicted in the state during the first three months of a year. "This is
good news," said Steve Baxter, a seasonal forecaster with the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which issued the report on Thursday
predicting that the harsh reality of California's historic drought may finally
be giving way to wetter days ahead.…Pacific Ocean temperatures, which are
warmer than normal, along with satellite imagery and computer models, are
showing a greater likelihood of low-pressure systems, which can draw storms to
California, Baxter said.
Protection
sought for scenic California region [Associated Press]
A
contingent of California environmental groups, business representatives and
politicians will use a visit Friday from Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to
push for permanent protection of some 350,000 acres of picturesque federal land
near the state’s famous wine country. Congress declined this session to pass
legislation from Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson that would have designated the
land as a national conservation area, and companion legislation by U.S. Sen.
Barbara Boxer also faltered. That prompted Thompson and other supporters to
push the Obama administration to act on its own and designate it a national
monument….Three separate federal agencies currently manage land in the region
that Thompson wants to set aside: the U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Land
Management; and Bureau of Reclamation….Areas now open for cattle grazing will
remain that way, even with a national monument status, Thompson has said.
US
agriculture has big appetite for Cuba trade [Associated Press]
U.S.
agriculture has a big appetite for freer trade with Cuba. From wheat to rice to
beans, the industry stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of President
Barack Obama's plan to ease economic and travel restrictions imposed against
the communist-ruled island. Agricultural exports have been among the few
exceptions to the half-century old U.S. trade embargo, though they've been
subject to cumbersome rules — requiring cash payments up front before products
are shipped, and that the payments go through banks in other countries that
charge hefty fees for their services….Major U.S. farm groups including the
American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union, as well as leading
agribusinesses such as Cargill Inc., have long advocated normalized trade
relations with Cuba, a market of 11 million consumers just 90 miles off U.S.
shores.
Napa
winemakers weigh sales in Cuba [Napa Valley Register]
With
the United States and Cuba announcing plans to restore diplomatic relations,
some Napa Valley winemakers are weighing the Caribbean nation’s potential to
become its newest market – small and impoverished though it may be. Amid a host
of American corporations poised to enter or re-enter a market largely denied
them for half a century, local wineries are beginning to look into future sales
through Cuba’s tourism and restaurant industries….Despite such enthusiasm – and
this week’s political thaw – any winemaker contemplating a move into the Cuban
market must overcome numerous roadblocks. Patsy McGaughy, spokeswoman for the
Vintners, cautioned winemakers not to expect any quick results in a country
where a lower standard of living largely limits wine sales to tourism outposts.
Editorial: Imperial Valley has a
long history with crop-dusting [Imperial Valley Press]
Those
in the crop-dusting business must work with farmers, county agriculture
officials, entomologists and others to do their jobs right. They say only 5
percent to 10 percent of their time is spent in the air. While crop-dusters
might complain about tougher regulations these days, such regulations are
needed not just for the farmworkers who soon will be working in the fields but
for the safety of the public at large. The chemicals used in crop dusting have
been linked to cancer, developmental delays in children and other maladies.
From our observations, most in the crop-dusting business in the Imperial Valley
do their best to minimize dangers to the public. There will always be times
where things go a little or a lot wrong, but those who are vigilant work to
minimize such incidents.
Ag
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