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WaterWorld – February 9
WaterWorld – February 9
The Orange County Water District and the Serrano Water District (Serrano) have begun operating one of Orange County’s first treatment plants to remove per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from local well water. The new facility is one 35 PFAS-treatment facilities that Orange County will build over the next two year. PFAS have been detected in water supplies across the United States due to their long-standing use. The Orange County Groundwater Basin supplies 77 percent to the 2.5 million residents of north and central Orange County.
East Bay Times – February 9
A bill introduced Tuesday by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley) could better protect California’s coastline from deep sea mining – one method manufacturers are exploring to source raw materials for burgeoning clean energy industries. Manufacturers claim they will need these materials to produce batteries and chips for electronic vehicles and electronics. Scientists and ocean advocates disagree. They argue that deep sea mining is too experimental, and poses serious risks to endangered species that call the Pacific Ocean home. Assembly Bill 1832 was coauthored by Senator John Laird with Assemblymember Mark Stone. It would prohibit mining in approximately 2,500 square miles of ocean waters near the California coast that aren’t currently protected.
Reuters – February 9
Biologists have been working for a decade to release hatchery salmon onto flooded Northern California rice farms. This is an attempt to save endangered fish species and benefit the farmers’ business model. Although this experiment has been done before on small parcels of salmon, this winter is the first time it’s been tried on a large-scale on a working rice plant. Biologists have discovered that rice straw can be decomposed in flood fields to create a rich broth full of fish food. Researchers from the University of California Davis have joined the California Rice Commission and the conservation group California Trout in this project.
S&P Global – February 7
Kinder Morgan announced Monday that it will create a hub for renewable diesel in Southern California. The hub will be the first in the country to transport multiple batches of renewable diesel through a pipeline, according to Kinder Morgan. The project will separate the diesel from other products during transport to ensure customers do not lose California’s renewable tax credits. Multiple refiners including Phillips 66 and Chevron are converting units at California facilities to make more renewable diesel fuel.
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