In Current Drought, Central Valley is Sinking Faster Than We Thought
Farmers and residents are pumping so much groundwater in the Central Valley that the land is sinking faster than experts expected. New satellite data from NASA finds it's already starting to put the region's bridges and roads in danger. Of particular concern, is its effect on the California Aqueduct, which carries water from the Sierra Nevada to Los Angeles. In just eight months last year, land underneath a stretch of the Aqueduct sank 13 inches.
Gov. Brown Doesn't Commit to Infrastructure Funding Solution
A special state senate committee took a first step in providing funds for California's crumbling roads yesterday. They passed a bill that would increase the gas tax by $0.12 a gallon. Any tax increase would need support from two-thirds of the legislature and Governor Jerry Brown -- who put the issue on the table earlier this year, but is still not endorsing a solution.
Coastal Commission Struggles to Boost Affordable Vacation Stock
The state's Coastal Commission is mandated to protect and provide cheaper facilities for visitors. They generally do this by collecting fees from developers building luxury hotels to provide affordable vacation housing. But critics have argued those offset fees aren't enough. Last week, the commission rejected a proposed hotel in San Diego because even though the developer offered to pay the fee, the commission wanted actual affordable lodging to be built.