Focus
The fate of California’s emissions standards is now in the Senate’s hands
San Francisco Chronicle – May 2
The House passed resolutions last week to rescind federal waivers that allow California to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than the rest of the country. California’s standards currently require the sale of most gas-powered vehicles be phased out by 2035 and mandate reductions in nitrogen oxide and other emissions for trucks. California is the only state that can seek permission from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish emissions policies stricter than federal law, which means it often has the nation’s most aggressive environmental policies. Other states can only pass similar policies once the federal government has approved California’s, and automakers often build their vehicles to California’s standards. California officials have condemned the House measure as illegal. The Senate is now considering whether to take up the legislation.
News
Proposed revisions to draft Joshua Tree Conservation Plan
Allen Matkins - May 5
The California Fish and Game Commission held its second meeting on the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Plan (Draft Conservation Plan) on April 16, 2025. Though no formal action was taken, the Commission received a presentation from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), discussed potential revisions to the Draft Conservation Plan, and heard additional public comments. CDFW is expected to release a revised Draft Conservation Plan by the end of May for consideration at the Commission’s June 11-12, 2025, meeting.
Arrowhead bottled water company wins one of three pending court cases
Los Angeles Times – May 8
Blue Triton Brands, the company that sells Arrowhead brand bottled water, on Monday won a court ruling overturning a decision by the State Water Resources Control Board, which, in 2023, ordered the company to stop piping millions of gallons of water from the San Bernardino National Forest. The board had issued a “cease and desist” order after the agency’s staff determined the company was unlawfully diverting water from springs without valid water rights. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert Whalen Jr., however, ruled that the board “misunderstood and inappropriately applied” state law and exceeded its delegated authority because the issue did not involve “water rights.” The company’s bottled water pipeline is also at the center of two other lawsuits pending in U.S. District Court in Riverside.
California fails to convince judge on cancer warning for acrylamide
Courthouse News Service – May 2
A permanent injunction issued last Friday by a federal judge in favor of the California Chamber of Commerce will prohibit California from requiring Proposition 65 warnings for dietary acrylamide, finding that the debate continues on whether the chemical is a human carcinogen. According to the court, forcing the Chamber and its members to display the warning, which he found could be “false or misleading,” would be unconstitutional, in violation of the Chambers’ First Amendment rights. Acrylamide is produced to treat drinking water and for making plastics. Researchers in 2002 discovered that it can occur naturally in food, like potato and grain products, when cooked at high temperatures.
Federal prosecutors close criminal probe into Napa landfill owner — but say charges could still come
The Press Democrat – May 2
A federal criminal investigation involving the company that owns Napa County’s controversial Clover Flat Landfill has been closed — though prosecutors made clear the case could be reopened at any time. The probe, which lasted roughly a year and a half, focused on Upvalley waste operations now owned by Waste Connections Inc., one of the largest waste management firms in the United States. Controversy surrounding the landfill related in part to ongoing complaints about water contamination, recurring fires, and hazardous working conditions. In a statement, Waste Connections said the companies had “cooperated fully” and viewed the closure of the investigation as confirmation of no wrongdoing. Waste Connections has said it plans to close Clover Flat Landfill by 2027.
Water groups press Trump administration to stop Colorado River water waste
The Hill – May 6
National water conservation groups filed a legal petition this Tuesday asking the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to stop downstream Colorado River users from wasting water. The petition requests that the bureau ensure that all deliveries to Colorado River Lower Basin users — those in California, Nevada, and Arizona — are “reasonably required for beneficial uses” and that water transfers are not “unreasonable.” Among the examples of waste cited in the petition were excessive irrigation for ornamental turf, inefficient industrial processes, and outdated evaporative cooling systems.
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