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AB 345 will fight CA oil industry’s environmental racism

Oil drilling near homes by haymarketrebel

by Jane Fonda and Don Martin, The Sacramento Bee Highlights Politicians that allow pollution in our state’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, which are disproportionately communities of color, are signaling that this environmental racism is not a concern and that people of color are “disposable” Over 215,000 people in Los Angeles live within 2,500 feet of an active … Read more

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‘We essentially cook ourselves’ if we don’t fix air conditioning, major UN report warns

by Dharna Noor, Gizmodo Highlights A new report from the United Nations shows that 460 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions could be avoided worldwide by switching to energy-efficient, climate-safe air conditioning There are 3.6 billion cooling appliances, including refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning units in use around the globe Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals that were … Read more

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A jobs program to plug abandoned oil wells sounds like a win-win. Is it?

by Emily Pontecorvo, Grist Highlights Abandoned oil wells across the country are leaking methane, a greenhouse gas that has 86 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide The impending collapse of the oil industry around the world will only make matters worse, as more oil wells will be abandoned and the gas leaks will continue … Read more

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SoCalGas trying to prevent regulators from learning more about its anti-climate political tactics

by Emily Atkin, Heated Highlights SoCalGas recently failed to stop building electrification efforts in the coastal city of San Luis Obispo by creating a group to advocate against it, threatening to hold a non-COVID 19 compliant rally if the law passes, and are suspected to have pushed a story saying building electrification was racially discriminatory … Read more

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SoCalGas ramps up use of Aliso Canyon, site of worst gas leak in U.S. history

SoCal Gas Reaches $8.5 Million Settlement Over Aliso Canyon Gas Leak

by Sammy Roth, The Los Angeles Times Highlights One of Governor Gavin Newsom’s campaign promises was to wind down the usage of the Aliso Canyon gas storage field, located just outside Los Angeles. New reports show that the facility usage has increased during his governorship Publicly available information analyzed by Food and Water Watch shows … Read more

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Methane levels reach an all-time high

By Jeremy Deaton, Nexus Media Highlights The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that the greenhouse gas methane has reached all-time high levels in the atmosphere, threatening Paris Agreement climate goals. Methane is about 80 times more potent than CO2 and has been increasing its presence in the atmosphere for the last 20 years … Read more

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Environmental groups sue EPA over ‘reckless’ response to coronavirus

 By Yvette Cabrera, Grist Highlights The National Resources Defence Council (NRDC) is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of a dozen environmental groups. Environmental groups across the country petitioned the EPA to publish an emergency rule that requires polluters to submit a public notice that they are taking advantage of newly relaxed … Read more

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Gov. Newsom leads on public health, except when it comes to the oil industry

Fracking rig operates next to a walking and bike way for residents of Signal Hill drilling into the Los Angeles Oil Field. Photo by Sarah Craig.

By Rosanna Esparza and Ashley Hernandez, The Sacramento Bee ACTION ALERT: Send Governor Newsom a message now to reverse his decision and halt fracking. Highlights California Governor Gavin Newsom approved 24 new fracking permits for the state in the midst of shelter-at-home mandates as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. Though Newsom is doing great at … Read more

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Trump rolls back Obama fuel economy rule, increasing emissions during a climate crisis

by Sean O’Kane, The Verge  Highlights President Trump has reversed an Obama-era policy that made new cars more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, but faces lawsuits and pushback from various environmental groups and the State of California Under the new rule, automakers will now have to increase the average fuel economy of their new cars by … Read more

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Air pollution linked to far higher Covid-19 death rates, Harvard study finds

by Damian Carrington, The Guardian Highlights New research from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health suggests that air pollution is linked to higher death rates for people that have contracted COVID-19 compared to those living in areas with cleaner air. Living in a polluted city in the past has an effect on death … Read more