California Voters To Take Up Climate Change With Proposition 4

Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, October 15, 2024…

• As Californians gear up for the upcoming election, we’ve got some big races on the ballot, you know, President of the United States and U.S. Senate. But there’s also a pivotal decision looming whether to back a $10 billion state climate bond.
• Governor Gavin Newsom signed a controversial special session measure aimed at lowering gas prices. But it has plenty of critics.
• Attorney General Rob Bonta and the Department of Fish and Wildlife filed a brief Monday supporting efforts to restore water to the Kern River.

Prop 4: Here’s What’s In California’s $10 Billion Climate Bond Measure

Among the many questions on your California ballot this November is whether to approve a $10 billion state bond to invest in climate adaptation. Proposition 4 is one of the largest bonds on the ballot in the country this year.

The money in the bond will be used to make communities more resilient against climate change.

The list of projects is long. The largest sum will go toward water projects such as reducing flood risk, storing water for future droughts, cleaning contaminated water, and better capturing stormwater. The goal is to broaden water sources as droughts and floods become more frequent and more intense. Another $1.5 billion goes toward wildfire mitigation by funding projects that will thin overgrown forests, clear vegetation, and help homeowners in high-fire risk areas with home hardening. There is also some money set aside for habitat restoration, coastal resilience from sea level rise, and land conservation.

California Plan To Keep Gas Prices Stable Is Signed Into Law By Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed into law his plan to prevent gas price spikes after more than a month of a special legislative session.

Assembly Bill X2-1 will allow the California Energy Commission to require oil refiners to maintain a certain inventory of fuel to deliver during periods of maintenance that reduce refining capacity.

Proponents say it will lessen volatility in prices at the pump, ultimately saving Californians money. However, opposition groups, led by the oil industry, have questioned the need for a special session to address the bill and want to redirect focus to maintaining the state’s dwindling number of oil refiners.

State Files Brief In Support Of Restoring Water To Kern River

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the Department of Fish and Wildlife filed an amicus brief Monday in support of environmental groups looking to restore water to the Kern River.

In a statement, Bonta said “California’s waterways and ecosystems are the lifeblood of our state’s rich and diverse wildlife and natural habitats. Yet, in Bakersfield, the sudden loss of Kern River flows due to the city officials’ decisions to divert all water away from the river, is leaving behind a dry wasteland where fish are dying in droves. With today’s amicus brief, we urge the Court to allow enough water to flow in the Kern River, as required by law, to preserve ecosystems and ensure sustainability and viability of our fish populations.”

The river dried up earlier this year causing thousands of fish to die. Bakersfield has not commented on the filed brief.