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"title": "California’s Displaced Oil and Gas Workers’ Fund Is a Lifeline. Now Advocates Say It’s Time to Expand",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of KQED’s series “Flipping the Switch,” examining California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. Find the series and more of our climate coverage \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">\u003cem>here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Joe Villarreal spent his second day at Northwest Metrology honing a new skill: calibrating torque wrenches. The company’s Bakersfield headquarters is packed with pressure gauges, weights, and other specialized tools — all designed to ensure that everything from defibrillators to scales for weighing aircraft work without fail. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have an extensive client list,” said owner Wayne Moule, who has been serving hospitals, refineries and aerospace companies for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Moule has a hard time finding employees who are a good fit for the painstaking work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People come in, give us resumes that look great,” Moule said, “but they just don’t have the work ethic. They don’t care about the accuracy. They say they calibrate a piece of equipment, and they don’t. And then I find out about it from a customer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001220\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The work is highly technical, requiring up to three years of training and the ability to read and follow 2-inch-thick manuals with detailed instructions for using each piece of equipment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Do you know how hard it is to get somebody to read a manual?” Moule said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the job was a good fit for Villarreal, a 55-year-old father of three who spent 30 years working in the oil and gas industry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the early days of his career, he worked gritty, hands-on jobs in Bakersfield’s scorching hot oil fields, checking equipment for leaks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Later, he switched to the administrative side, working out of the sun. In his final job as an engineering technician, Villarreal applied for new drilling permits, kept records and filed reports. He was laid off last year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The oil industry has always had its up and downs,” Villarreal said. “I’m not really sure what happened this time … I thought we were doing good, the oil industry, and just, it just changed overnight for me.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Villarreal landed his new job at Northwest Metrology in May through a state program designed to mitigate the impact on oil and gas workers as California transitions away from fossil fuels.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The program connected Villarreal with three case managers who invited him to weekly “job hubs” that featured presentations from employers looking to hire. With no experience in calibration, he was reluctant to apply for the job but decided, “I should at least go talk to them ’cause it don’t hurt.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 has accelerated the decline of the oil and gas industry, which employs an estimated 94,000 people in high-paying, often unionized jobs with benefits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 2020, the closure or conversion of six refineries has eliminated roughly 2,000 jobs, dislodging highly skilled workers from decadeslong careers spent extracting and refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and petrochemicals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wayne Moule, Owner at Northwest Metrology, has utilized a program helping to employ displaced oil workers in new jobs in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund is California’s most tangible effort to help workers transition to comparable jobs in other industries. The $30 million fund, created through a state law in 2022, provides grants to local workforce development boards, unions, and other groups in the most affected areas of the state: Kern, Contra Costa and Los Angeles counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State records indicate the fund has helped more than 630 workers transition to new careers. And that could be an undercount, as grant recipients say they’ve helped closer to a thousand workers like Villarreal get training and find new jobs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even with its successes, proponents of the program say it’s falling short. They are urging the state to extend it beyond the current end date in 2027 and provide new benefits, including wage replacement during transitions, college credits for on-the-job experience and at least two years of financial support during apprenticeships.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the biggest job losses from the energy transition are expected in Bakersfield, where the oil and gas industry employs an estimated 6100 people, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-energy-workforce-needs-and-opportunities/\">report\u003c/a> from the Public Policy Institute of California. The nonprofit think tank predicts that 40% of those jobs are likely to disappear in the next decade or so and warns that the city’s small labor market provides few new opportunities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bakersfield office of the Kern and Inyo counties workforce development board received $11.3 million, the largest distribution from the state fund, and pledged to provide job search and placement services to 900 oil and gas workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the end of May, more than 650 eligible people enrolled and nearly 200 found new jobs, according to Susana Vasquez, program manager for Kern County’s Employer Training Resource.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eligible workers can receive $15,000 in state funding to pay for education, a certificate or licensing program, or on-the-job training. They can also get up to $2,500 for job-related costs, such as transportation, work clothes, tools or relocation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Convincing workers to accept help, though, is not always easy. Many in the industry view California’s turn away from fossil fuel as inconceivable, and they doubt the state’s promise that new jobs will offer comparable pay and benefits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001217\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila works with Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, as he navigates the next phase of his career in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One morning in late May, a dozen men gathered at the job center in Bakersfield, where they listened with a mixture of skepticism and guarded hope as job counselor Francisco Avila described why California employers want to hire former oil and gas workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re looking for you,” Avila said. “Your experience, your knowledge, your skill set, they want to apply that to their industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anthony Strauss, 45, worked for years mixing chemical mud, which makes it easier to extract oil from wells. He lost his job in 2025 when the company he worked for moved to another state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When I was first laid off, they [the employer] had told me about this program,” said Strauss, who has been out of work for nearly a year. “However, in my personal life, I had taken on some other opportunities that didn’t pan out as well as what they said that they would provide. So I came back here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The wake-up call\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea for the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund grew out of the abrupt 2020 closure of the Marathon Refinery in Contra Costa County.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Marathon gave employees just 60 days’ notice and prohibited them from transferring to their other refineries, according to a 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/fossil-fuel-layoff/\">report \u003c/a>by the UC Berkeley Labor Center.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company laid off over 750 workers, including 345 unionized staff who received only short-term severance. A year after the layoff, UC Labor Center surveyed the union workers and found nearly a third had taken early withdrawals from their retirement accounts to sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001218\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pamphlets and paperwork are seen at a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The United Steel Workers union, whose members comprise the majority of people employed by refineries in California, anticipated members would need help taking the next step. The union lobbied state lawmakers to establish the displaced workers fund, and created the California Oil and Refinery Workers Readiness Program, or CORP, to help members use the resources.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We needed something that the members were gonna be able to grasp,” said Rosi Romo, program director for CORP.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CORP received $9 million of the new funds, enough to help at least 650 people, and recruited a handful of union members to act as navigators, who could help their coworkers consider their options and take action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Phillips 66 announced in October 2024 that it was closing its refineries in Carson and Wilmington, Romo said, “We were able to have them [navigators] on the ground talking to people, enrolling them, and so they were gaining momentum.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Statewide, USW navigators have counseled 400 members, and by June, half of them were enrolled in courses paid for by the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila leads a presentation and discussion with displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wilfredo Cruz, a 37-year-old industrial mechanic at the Phillips 66 Wilmington refinery, became a navigator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I could help myself and my coworkers to be able to find something new or at least get some sort of training, so we can find our next job,” said Cruz, who had seen his dad become a respiratory therapist after getting laid off from a refinery job.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many asked Cruz if they should get started while still on the job. He told them to start as early as possible. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some union members transitioned to careers in radiology, wastewater treatment and as EMTS. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cruz enrolled in a cybersecurity program at UC San Diego while he worked at the refinery, listening to lectures while commuting. Though he was laid off in March 2026, months before he expected to complete his education, his wife works a good job, and they have been able to swing it so far.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001216\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, left, and Anthony Strauss, 45, right, listen to a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a navigator, Cruz heard his coworkers’ frustrations with the displaced workers’ program and its limitations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some who were working 12- to 16-hour days to wind down refinery operations did not have time for training programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Others who were sole breadwinners for their families faced a dilemma that forced them to consider a lower-paying job or one that doesn’t utilize their technical skills and knowledge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You kinda have to choose,” Cruz said. “Do I go to school? Or do I need a job now? It’s very hard to do both.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of workers over the age of 55 took early retirement, Cruz said. The prospect of going back to school and starting in a brand new industry didn’t seem worth it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Laurie Wallace, another union navigator at the Wilmington refinery, has pressed state lawmakers to extend the lifetime of the fund to give oil and gas workers more time to transition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the 50-year-old process technician urged coworkers to take care of their medical check-ups and treatment before they lost their insurance, she did the same. That’s when her doctor told her she had breast cancer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I call it divine intervention,” Wallace said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Early detection allowed her to undergo treatment and make a full recovery. She returned to work to help shut down the refinery and counsel her colleagues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said a lot of them were terrified about losing a career in an industry that had afforded them and their families a comfortable life.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Wallace said she had a different reaction to the closure. “I felt relieved,” she said, excited about the possibilities of working in another industry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The refinery laid her off in April. She has since started to earn an associate’s degree and is thinking about becoming a grant writer or driving a forklift.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I always believe that when a door closes, a window opens,” Wallace said. “I just gotta figure out how to crawl through it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lessons from Marathon’s refinery closure \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Refinery workers in Contra Costa County have also benefited from the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Marathon closed its refinery there in 2020, existing benefits weren’t sufficient for laid-off employees, said Tamia Brown, executive director of the county’s workforce development board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But by last year, when Valero announced it would close its Benicia refinery and lay off 282 nonunion employees, the county agency was ready to help with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.wdbccc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Laid-Off-Oil-Gas-Workers-Program-2_Fact-Sheet_ADA-Compliant.pdf\">grant \u003c/a>of $4.3 million from the fund. They met with roughly 50 Valero workers by June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000873\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Valero refinery in Benicia on Sept. 21, 2023. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brown expects that number to climb as severance and unemployment benefits dwindle. But she said people don’t have to wait until that happens to access benefits and other resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the funds are a huge help but would be even more effective if they covered a longer transition, to allow people to pursue apprenticeships and degree programs, which can take at least two years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In order to get back to a comparable wage, a person may need to learn a new skill set or transfer to a different industry. That takes time,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Extending the benefits would cost the state more, Brown said, but she thinks it’s a worthwhile investment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Of the original $30 million in the fund, $18 million has yet to be spent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fund is due to sunset in July of 2027, but advocates are urging lawmakers to extend it, as tens of thousands more industry jobs face elimination over the next decade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ There’s folks in our system who have been displaced or know that they are going to be displaced and are going through training programs,” Brown said. “We need to be able to continue to support them.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A bill to make the fund permanent is moving through the state legislature. At a hearing in April, the bill’s author, State Assemblymember Damon Connolly, D-San Rafael, urged his colleagues to approve it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Providing support for these workers during their time of need should not be controversial. Simply put, it’s the right thing to do.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 450px; margin: 20px auto 40px;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-photo-laura-klivans-450x298@2x.jpg\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"900\" height=\"596\">\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">\u003cem>From Laura Klivans, Climate Reporter at KQED:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">I know climate change is important to you. And it can feel overwhelming. This year, we want to empower the Bay Area to face our changing climate by bringing you stories about solutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">If this story helped you today, please consider donating to support our work. It takes just a moment to make your tax-deductible donation, and your gift keeps articles like this from KQED accessible to everyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX25\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px; margin: 40px auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\">\u003c/a>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of KQED’s series “Flipping the Switch,” examining California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. Find the series and more of our climate coverage \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">\u003cem>here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of KQED’s series “Flipping the Switch,” examining California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. Find the series and more of our climate coverage \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">\u003cem>here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Joe Villarreal spent his second day at Northwest Metrology honing a new skill: calibrating torque wrenches. The company’s Bakersfield headquarters is packed with pressure gauges, weights, and other specialized tools — all designed to ensure that everything from defibrillators to scales for weighing aircraft work without fail. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Joe Villarreal spent his second day at Northwest Metrology honing a new skill: calibrating torque wrenches. The company’s Bakersfield headquarters is packed with pressure gauges, weights, and other specialized tools — all designed to ensure that everything from defibrillators to scales for weighing aircraft work without fail. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have an extensive client list,” said owner Wayne Moule, who has been serving hospitals, refineries and aerospace companies for decades.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have an extensive client list,” said owner Wayne Moule, who has been serving hospitals, refineries and aerospace companies for decades.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Moule has a hard time finding employees who are a good fit for the painstaking work.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People come in, give us resumes that look great,” Moule said, “but they just don’t have the work ethic. They don’t care about the accuracy. They say they calibrate a piece of equipment, and they don’t. And then I find out about it from a customer.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People come in, give us resumes that look great,” Moule said, “but they just don’t have the work ethic. They don’t care about the accuracy. They say they calibrate a piece of equipment, and they don’t. And then I find out about it from a customer.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001220\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001220\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Do you know how hard it is to get somebody to read a manual?” Moule said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the job was a good fit for Villarreal, a 55-year-old father of three who spent 30 years working in the oil and gas industry.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the job was a good fit for Villarreal, a 55-year-old father of three who spent 30 years working in the oil and gas industry.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the early days of his career, he worked gritty, hands-on jobs in Bakersfield’s scorching hot oil fields, checking equipment for leaks.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Later, he switched to the administrative side, working out of the sun. In his final job as an engineering technician, Villarreal applied for new drilling permits, kept records and filed reports. He was laid off last year.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Later, he switched to the administrative side, working out of the sun. In his final job as an engineering technician, Villarreal applied for new drilling permits, kept records and filed reports. He was laid off last year.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001225\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The oil industry has always had its up and downs,” Villarreal said. “I’m not really sure what happened this time … I thought we were doing good, the oil industry, and just, it just changed overnight for me.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Villarreal landed his new job at Northwest Metrology in May through a state program designed to mitigate the impact on oil and gas workers as California transitions away from fossil fuels.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Villarreal landed his new job at Northwest Metrology in May through a state program designed to mitigate the impact on oil and gas workers as California transitions away from fossil fuels.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The program connected Villarreal with three case managers who invited him to weekly “job hubs” that featured presentations from employers looking to hire. With no experience in calibration, he was reluctant to apply for the job but decided, “I should at least go talk to them ’cause it don’t hurt.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The program connected Villarreal with three case managers who invited him to weekly “job hubs” that featured presentations from employers looking to hire. With no experience in calibration, he was reluctant to apply for the job but decided, “I should at least go talk to them ’cause it don’t hurt.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 has accelerated the decline of the oil and gas industry, which employs an estimated 94,000 people in high-paying, often unionized jobs with benefits.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 has accelerated the decline of the oil and gas industry, which employs an estimated 94,000 people in high-paying, often unionized jobs with benefits.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since 2020, the closure or conversion of six refineries has eliminated roughly 2,000 jobs, dislodging highly skilled workers from decadeslong careers spent extracting and refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and petrochemicals.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since 2020, the closure or conversion of six refineries has eliminated roughly 2,000 jobs, dislodging highly skilled workers from decadeslong careers spent extracting and refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and petrochemicals.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wayne Moule, Owner at Northwest Metrology, has utilized a program helping to employ displaced oil workers in new jobs in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001222\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wayne Moule, Owner at Northwest Metrology, has utilized a program helping to employ displaced oil workers in new jobs in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund is California’s most tangible effort to help workers transition to comparable jobs in other industries. The $30 million fund, created through a state law in 2022, provides grants to local workforce development boards, unions, and other groups in the most affected areas of the state: Kern, Contra Costa and Los Angeles counties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund is California’s most tangible effort to help workers transition to comparable jobs in other industries. The $30 million fund, created through a state law in 2022, provides grants to local workforce development boards, unions, and other groups in the most affected areas of the state: Kern, Contra Costa and Los Angeles counties.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State records indicate the fund has helped more than 630 workers transition to new careers. And that could be an undercount, as grant recipients say they’ve helped closer to a thousand workers like Villarreal get training and find new jobs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State records indicate the fund has helped more than 630 workers transition to new careers. And that could be an undercount, as grant recipients say they’ve helped closer to a thousand workers like Villarreal get training and find new jobs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even with its successes, proponents of the program say it’s falling short. They are urging the state to extend it beyond the current end date in 2027 and provide new benefits, including wage replacement during transitions, college credits for on-the-job experience and at least two years of financial support during apprenticeships.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even with its successes, proponents of the program say it’s falling short. They are urging the state to extend it beyond the current end date in 2027 and provide new benefits, including wage replacement during transitions, college credits for on-the-job experience and at least two years of financial support during apprenticeships.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the biggest job losses from the energy transition are expected in Bakersfield, where the oil and gas industry employs an estimated 6100 people, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-energy-workforce-needs-and-opportunities/\">report\u003c/a> from the Public Policy Institute of California. The nonprofit think tank predicts that 40% of those jobs are likely to disappear in the next decade or so and warns that the city’s small labor market provides few new opportunities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some of the biggest job losses from the energy transition are expected in Bakersfield, where the oil and gas industry employs an estimated 6100 people, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-energy-workforce-needs-and-opportunities/\">report\u003c/a> from the Public Policy Institute of California. The nonprofit think tank predicts that 40% of those jobs are likely to disappear in the next decade or so and warns that the city’s small labor market provides few new opportunities. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bakersfield office of the Kern and Inyo counties workforce development board received $11.3 million, the largest distribution from the state fund, and pledged to provide job search and placement services to 900 oil and gas workers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Bakersfield office of the Kern and Inyo counties workforce development board received $11.3 million, the largest distribution from the state fund, and pledged to provide job search and placement services to 900 oil and gas workers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By the end of May, more than 650 eligible people enrolled and nearly 200 found new jobs, according to Susana Vasquez, program manager for Kern County’s Employer Training Resource.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>By the end of May, more than 650 eligible people enrolled and nearly 200 found new jobs, according to Susana Vasquez, program manager for Kern County’s Employer Training Resource.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eligible workers can receive $15,000 in state funding to pay for education, a certificate or licensing program, or on-the-job training. They can also get up to $2,500 for job-related costs, such as transportation, work clothes, tools or relocation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Eligible workers can receive $15,000 in state funding to pay for education, a certificate or licensing program, or on-the-job training. They can also get up to $2,500 for job-related costs, such as transportation, work clothes, tools or relocation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Convincing workers to accept help, though, is not always easy. Many in the industry view California’s turn away from fossil fuel as inconceivable, and they doubt the state’s promise that new jobs will offer comparable pay and benefits.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Convincing workers to accept help, though, is not always easy. Many in the industry view California’s turn away from fossil fuel as inconceivable, and they doubt the state’s promise that new jobs will offer comparable pay and benefits.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001217\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila works with Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, as he navigates the next phase of his career in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001217\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila works with Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, as he navigates the next phase of his career in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One morning in late May, a dozen men gathered at the job center in Bakersfield, where they listened with a mixture of skepticism and guarded hope as job counselor Francisco Avila described why California employers want to hire former oil and gas workers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One morning in late May, a dozen men gathered at the job center in Bakersfield, where they listened with a mixture of skepticism and guarded hope as job counselor Francisco Avila described why California employers want to hire former oil and gas workers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re looking for you,” Avila said. “Your experience, your knowledge, your skill set, they want to apply that to their industry.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They’re looking for you,” Avila said. “Your experience, your knowledge, your skill set, they want to apply that to their industry.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anthony Strauss, 45, worked for years mixing chemical mud, which makes it easier to extract oil from wells. He lost his job in 2025 when the company he worked for moved to another state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Anthony Strauss, 45, worked for years mixing chemical mud, which makes it easier to extract oil from wells. He lost his job in 2025 when the company he worked for moved to another state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ When I was first laid off, they [the employer] had told me about this program,” said Strauss, who has been out of work for nearly a year. “However, in my personal life, I had taken on some other opportunities that didn’t pan out as well as what they said that they would provide. So I came back here.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ When I was first laid off, they [the employer] had told me about this program,” said Strauss, who has been out of work for nearly a year. “However, in my personal life, I had taken on some other opportunities that didn’t pan out as well as what they said that they would provide. So I came back here.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The wake-up call",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The wake-up call\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The wake-up call\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The idea for the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund grew out of the abrupt 2020 closure of the Marathon Refinery in Contra Costa County.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The idea for the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund grew out of the abrupt 2020 closure of the Marathon Refinery in Contra Costa County.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Marathon gave employees just 60 days’ notice and prohibited them from transferring to their other refineries, according to a 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/fossil-fuel-layoff/\">report \u003c/a>by the UC Berkeley Labor Center.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Marathon gave employees just 60 days’ notice and prohibited them from transferring to their other refineries, according to a 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/fossil-fuel-layoff/\">report \u003c/a>by the UC Berkeley Labor Center.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company laid off over 750 workers, including 345 unionized staff who received only short-term severance. A year after the layoff, UC Labor Center surveyed the union workers and found nearly a third had taken early withdrawals from their retirement accounts to sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company laid off over 750 workers, including 345 unionized staff who received only short-term severance. A year after the layoff, UC Labor Center surveyed the union workers and found nearly a third had taken early withdrawals from their retirement accounts to sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001218\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pamphlets and paperwork are seen at a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001218\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pamphlets and paperwork are seen at a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The United Steel Workers union, whose members comprise the majority of people employed by refineries in California, anticipated members would need help taking the next step. The union lobbied state lawmakers to establish the displaced workers fund, and created the California Oil and Refinery Workers Readiness Program, or CORP, to help members use the resources.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The United Steel Workers union, whose members comprise the majority of people employed by refineries in California, anticipated members would need help taking the next step. The union lobbied state lawmakers to establish the displaced workers fund, and created the California Oil and Refinery Workers Readiness Program, or CORP, to help members use the resources.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We needed something that the members were gonna be able to grasp,” said Rosi Romo, program director for CORP.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We needed something that the members were gonna be able to grasp,” said Rosi Romo, program director for CORP.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CORP received $9 million of the new funds, enough to help at least 650 people, and recruited a handful of union members to act as navigators, who could help their coworkers consider their options and take action. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CORP received $9 million of the new funds, enough to help at least 650 people, and recruited a handful of union members to act as navigators, who could help their coworkers consider their options and take action. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Phillips 66 announced in October 2024 that it was closing its refineries in Carson and Wilmington, Romo said, “We were able to have them [navigators] on the ground talking to people, enrolling them, and so they were gaining momentum.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When Phillips 66 announced in October 2024 that it was closing its refineries in Carson and Wilmington, Romo said, “We were able to have them [navigators] on the ground talking to people, enrolling them, and so they were gaining momentum.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Statewide, USW navigators have counseled 400 members, and by June, half of them were enrolled in courses paid for by the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Statewide, USW navigators have counseled 400 members, and by June, half of them were enrolled in courses paid for by the state. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila leads a presentation and discussion with displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001215\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila leads a presentation and discussion with displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wilfredo Cruz, a 37-year-old industrial mechanic at the Phillips 66 Wilmington refinery, became a navigator. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wilfredo Cruz, a 37-year-old industrial mechanic at the Phillips 66 Wilmington refinery, became a navigator. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I could help myself and my coworkers to be able to find something new or at least get some sort of training, so we can find our next job,” said Cruz, who had seen his dad become a respiratory therapist after getting laid off from a refinery job.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I could help myself and my coworkers to be able to find something new or at least get some sort of training, so we can find our next job,” said Cruz, who had seen his dad become a respiratory therapist after getting laid off from a refinery job.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many asked Cruz if they should get started while still on the job. He told them to start as early as possible. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many asked Cruz if they should get started while still on the job. He told them to start as early as possible. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some union members transitioned to careers in radiology, wastewater treatment and as EMTS. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some union members transitioned to careers in radiology, wastewater treatment and as EMTS. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cruz enrolled in a cybersecurity program at UC San Diego while he worked at the refinery, listening to lectures while commuting. Though he was laid off in March 2026, months before he expected to complete his education, his wife works a good job, and they have been able to swing it so far.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cruz enrolled in a cybersecurity program at UC San Diego while he worked at the refinery, listening to lectures while commuting. Though he was laid off in March 2026, months before he expected to complete his education, his wife works a good job, and they have been able to swing it so far.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001216\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, left, and Anthony Strauss, 45, right, listen to a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a navigator, Cruz heard his coworkers’ frustrations with the displaced workers’ program and its limitations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some who were working 12- to 16-hour days to wind down refinery operations did not have time for training programs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Others who were sole breadwinners for their families faced a dilemma that forced them to consider a lower-paying job or one that doesn’t utilize their technical skills and knowledge. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You kinda have to choose,” Cruz said. “Do I go to school? Or do I need a job now? It’s very hard to do both.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A lot of workers over the age of 55 took early retirement, Cruz said. The prospect of going back to school and starting in a brand new industry didn’t seem worth it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Laurie Wallace, another union navigator at the Wilmington refinery, has pressed state lawmakers to extend the lifetime of the fund to give oil and gas workers more time to transition. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the 50-year-old process technician urged coworkers to take care of their medical check-ups and treatment before they lost their insurance, she did the same. That’s when her doctor told her she had breast cancer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I call it divine intervention,” Wallace said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Early detection allowed her to undergo treatment and make a full recovery. She returned to work to help shut down the refinery and counsel her colleagues. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said a lot of them were terrified about losing a career in an industry that had afforded them and their families a comfortable life.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Wallace said she had a different reaction to the closure. “I felt relieved,” she said, excited about the possibilities of working in another industry.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She said a lot of them were terrified about losing a career in an industry that had afforded them and their families a comfortable life.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Wallace said she had a different reaction to the closure. “I felt relieved,” she said, excited about the possibilities of working in another industry.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The refinery laid her off in April. She has since started to earn an associate’s degree and is thinking about becoming a grant writer or driving a forklift.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I always believe that when a door closes, a window opens,” Wallace said. “I just gotta figure out how to crawl through it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Lessons from Marathon’s refinery closure ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Refinery workers in Contra Costa County have also benefited from the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Marathon closed its refinery there in 2020, existing benefits weren’t sufficient for laid-off employees, said Tamia Brown, executive director of the county’s workforce development board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But by last year, when Valero announced it would close its Benicia refinery and lay off 282 nonunion employees, the county agency was ready to help with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.wdbccc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Laid-Off-Oil-Gas-Workers-Program-2_Fact-Sheet_ADA-Compliant.pdf\">grant \u003c/a>of $4.3 million from the fund. They met with roughly 50 Valero workers by June.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But by last year, when Valero announced it would close its Benicia refinery and lay off 282 nonunion employees, the county agency was ready to help with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.wdbccc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Laid-Off-Oil-Gas-Workers-Program-2_Fact-Sheet_ADA-Compliant.pdf\">grant \u003c/a>of $4.3 million from the fund. They met with roughly 50 Valero workers by June.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brown expects that number to climb as severance and unemployment benefits dwindle. But she said people don’t have to wait until that happens to access benefits and other resources. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the funds are a huge help but would be even more effective if they covered a longer transition, to allow people to pursue apprenticeships and degree programs, which can take at least two years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In order to get back to a comparable wage, a person may need to learn a new skill set or transfer to a different industry. That takes time,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Extending the benefits would cost the state more, Brown said, but she thinks it’s a worthwhile investment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Of the original $30 million in the fund, $18 million has yet to be spent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fund is due to sunset in July of 2027, but advocates are urging lawmakers to extend it, as tens of thousands more industry jobs face elimination over the next decade.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ There’s folks in our system who have been displaced or know that they are going to be displaced and are going through training programs,” Brown said. “We need to be able to continue to support them.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A bill to make the fund permanent is moving through the state legislature. At a hearing in April, the bill’s author, State Assemblymember Damon Connolly, D-San Rafael, urged his colleagues to approve it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A bill to make the fund permanent is moving through the state legislature. At a hearing in April, the bill’s author, State Assemblymember Damon Connolly, D-San Rafael, urged his colleagues to approve it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Providing support for these workers during their time of need should not be controversial. Simply put, it’s the right thing to do.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 450px; margin: 20px auto 40px;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-photo-laura-klivans-450x298@2x.jpg\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"900\" height=\"596\" />\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">\u003cem>From Laura Klivans, Climate Reporter at KQED:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">I know climate change is important to you. And it can feel overwhelming. This year, we want to empower the Bay Area to face our changing climate by bringing you stories about solutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">If this story helped you today, please consider donating to support our work. It takes just a moment to make your tax-deductible donation, and your gift keeps articles like this from KQED accessible to everyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX25\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px; margin: 40px auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of KQED’s series “Flipping the Switch,” examining California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. Find the series and more of our climate coverage \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">\u003cem>here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Joe Villarreal spent his second day at Northwest Metrology honing a new skill: calibrating torque wrenches. The company’s Bakersfield headquarters is packed with pressure gauges, weights, and other specialized tools — all designed to ensure that everything from defibrillators to scales for weighing aircraft work without fail. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have an extensive client list,” said owner Wayne Moule, who has been serving hospitals, refineries and aerospace companies for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Moule has a hard time finding employees who are a good fit for the painstaking work.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People come in, give us resumes that look great,” Moule said, “but they just don’t have the work ethic. They don’t care about the accuracy. They say they calibrate a piece of equipment, and they don’t. And then I find out about it from a customer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001220\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9173-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The work is highly technical, requiring up to three years of training and the ability to read and follow 2-inch-thick manuals with detailed instructions for using each piece of equipment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Do you know how hard it is to get somebody to read a manual?” Moule said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the job was a good fit for Villarreal, a 55-year-old father of three who spent 30 years working in the oil and gas industry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the early days of his career, he worked gritty, hands-on jobs in Bakersfield’s scorching hot oil fields, checking equipment for leaks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Later, he switched to the administrative side, working out of the sun. In his final job as an engineering technician, Villarreal applied for new drilling permits, kept records and filed reports. He was laid off last year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9441-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joe Villarreal’s second day in his new job at Northwest Metrology in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. Villarreal was displaced as an oil worker and got connected to a program helping oil workers find new careers. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The oil industry has always had its up and downs,” Villarreal said. “I’m not really sure what happened this time … I thought we were doing good, the oil industry, and just, it just changed overnight for me.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Villarreal landed his new job at Northwest Metrology in May through a state program designed to mitigate the impact on oil and gas workers as California transitions away from fossil fuels.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The program connected Villarreal with three case managers who invited him to weekly “job hubs” that featured presentations from employers looking to hire. With no experience in calibration, he was reluctant to apply for the job but decided, “I should at least go talk to them ’cause it don’t hurt.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 has accelerated the decline of the oil and gas industry, which employs an estimated 94,000 people in high-paying, often unionized jobs with benefits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 2020, the closure or conversion of six refineries has eliminated roughly 2,000 jobs, dislodging highly skilled workers from decadeslong careers spent extracting and refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and petrochemicals.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9275-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wayne Moule, Owner at Northwest Metrology, has utilized a program helping to employ displaced oil workers in new jobs in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund is California’s most tangible effort to help workers transition to comparable jobs in other industries. The $30 million fund, created through a state law in 2022, provides grants to local workforce development boards, unions, and other groups in the most affected areas of the state: Kern, Contra Costa and Los Angeles counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State records indicate the fund has helped more than 630 workers transition to new careers. And that could be an undercount, as grant recipients say they’ve helped closer to a thousand workers like Villarreal get training and find new jobs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even with its successes, proponents of the program say it’s falling short. They are urging the state to extend it beyond the current end date in 2027 and provide new benefits, including wage replacement during transitions, college credits for on-the-job experience and at least two years of financial support during apprenticeships.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the biggest job losses from the energy transition are expected in Bakersfield, where the oil and gas industry employs an estimated 6100 people, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-energy-workforce-needs-and-opportunities/\">report\u003c/a> from the Public Policy Institute of California. The nonprofit think tank predicts that 40% of those jobs are likely to disappear in the next decade or so and warns that the city’s small labor market provides few new opportunities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bakersfield office of the Kern and Inyo counties workforce development board received $11.3 million, the largest distribution from the state fund, and pledged to provide job search and placement services to 900 oil and gas workers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the end of May, more than 650 eligible people enrolled and nearly 200 found new jobs, according to Susana Vasquez, program manager for Kern County’s Employer Training Resource.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eligible workers can receive $15,000 in state funding to pay for education, a certificate or licensing program, or on-the-job training. They can also get up to $2,500 for job-related costs, such as transportation, work clothes, tools or relocation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Convincing workers to accept help, though, is not always easy. Many in the industry view California’s turn away from fossil fuel as inconceivable, and they doubt the state’s promise that new jobs will offer comparable pay and benefits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001217\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0726-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila works with Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, as he navigates the next phase of his career in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One morning in late May, a dozen men gathered at the job center in Bakersfield, where they listened with a mixture of skepticism and guarded hope as job counselor Francisco Avila described why California employers want to hire former oil and gas workers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re looking for you,” Avila said. “Your experience, your knowledge, your skill set, they want to apply that to their industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anthony Strauss, 45, worked for years mixing chemical mud, which makes it easier to extract oil from wells. He lost his job in 2025 when the company he worked for moved to another state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When I was first laid off, they [the employer] had told me about this program,” said Strauss, who has been out of work for nearly a year. “However, in my personal life, I had taken on some other opportunities that didn’t pan out as well as what they said that they would provide. So I came back here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The wake-up call\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea for the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund grew out of the abrupt 2020 closure of the Marathon Refinery in Contra Costa County.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Marathon gave employees just 60 days’ notice and prohibited them from transferring to their other refineries, according to a 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/fossil-fuel-layoff/\">report \u003c/a>by the UC Berkeley Labor Center.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company laid off over 750 workers, including 345 unionized staff who received only short-term severance. A year after the layoff, UC Labor Center surveyed the union workers and found nearly a third had taken early withdrawals from their retirement accounts to sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001218\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_9005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pamphlets and paperwork are seen at a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The United Steel Workers union, whose members comprise the majority of people employed by refineries in California, anticipated members would need help taking the next step. The union lobbied state lawmakers to establish the displaced workers fund, and created the California Oil and Refinery Workers Readiness Program, or CORP, to help members use the resources.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We needed something that the members were gonna be able to grasp,” said Rosi Romo, program director for CORP.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CORP received $9 million of the new funds, enough to help at least 650 people, and recruited a handful of union members to act as navigators, who could help their coworkers consider their options and take action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Phillips 66 announced in October 2024 that it was closing its refineries in Carson and Wilmington, Romo said, “We were able to have them [navigators] on the ground talking to people, enrolling them, and so they were gaining momentum.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Statewide, USW navigators have counseled 400 members, and by June, half of them were enrolled in courses paid for by the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0609-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Career Planner Francisco J. Avila leads a presentation and discussion with displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wilfredo Cruz, a 37-year-old industrial mechanic at the Phillips 66 Wilmington refinery, became a navigator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I could help myself and my coworkers to be able to find something new or at least get some sort of training, so we can find our next job,” said Cruz, who had seen his dad become a respiratory therapist after getting laid off from a refinery job.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many asked Cruz if they should get started while still on the job. He told them to start as early as possible. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some union members transitioned to careers in radiology, wastewater treatment and as EMTS. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cruz enrolled in a cybersecurity program at UC San Diego while he worked at the refinery, listening to lectures while commuting. Though he was laid off in March 2026, months before he expected to complete his education, his wife works a good job, and they have been able to swing it so far.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001216\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/052726_DISPLACEDOIL_0672-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jose Vicente Arroyo, 58, left, and Anthony Strauss, 45, right, listen to a presentation for displaced oil workers as they navigate the next phase of their careers in Bakersfield on May 27, 2026. (Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a navigator, Cruz heard his coworkers’ frustrations with the displaced workers’ program and its limitations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some who were working 12- to 16-hour days to wind down refinery operations did not have time for training programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Others who were sole breadwinners for their families faced a dilemma that forced them to consider a lower-paying job or one that doesn’t utilize their technical skills and knowledge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You kinda have to choose,” Cruz said. “Do I go to school? Or do I need a job now? It’s very hard to do both.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of workers over the age of 55 took early retirement, Cruz said. The prospect of going back to school and starting in a brand new industry didn’t seem worth it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Laurie Wallace, another union navigator at the Wilmington refinery, has pressed state lawmakers to extend the lifetime of the fund to give oil and gas workers more time to transition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the 50-year-old process technician urged coworkers to take care of their medical check-ups and treatment before they lost their insurance, she did the same. That’s when her doctor told her she had breast cancer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I call it divine intervention,” Wallace said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Early detection allowed her to undergo treatment and make a full recovery. She returned to work to help shut down the refinery and counsel her colleagues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said a lot of them were terrified about losing a career in an industry that had afforded them and their families a comfortable life.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Wallace said she had a different reaction to the closure. “I felt relieved,” she said, excited about the possibilities of working in another industry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The refinery laid her off in April. She has since started to earn an associate’s degree and is thinking about becoming a grant writer or driving a forklift.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I always believe that when a door closes, a window opens,” Wallace said. “I just gotta figure out how to crawl through it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lessons from Marathon’s refinery closure \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Refinery workers in Contra Costa County have also benefited from the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Marathon closed its refinery there in 2020, existing benefits weren’t sufficient for laid-off employees, said Tamia Brown, executive director of the county’s workforce development board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But by last year, when Valero announced it would close its Benicia refinery and lay off 282 nonunion employees, the county agency was ready to help with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.wdbccc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Laid-Off-Oil-Gas-Workers-Program-2_Fact-Sheet_ADA-Compliant.pdf\">grant \u003c/a>of $4.3 million from the fund. They met with roughly 50 Valero workers by June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000873\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/230921-VALERO-BENICIA-REFINERY-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Valero refinery in Benicia on Sept. 21, 2023. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brown expects that number to climb as severance and unemployment benefits dwindle. But she said people don’t have to wait until that happens to access benefits and other resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the funds are a huge help but would be even more effective if they covered a longer transition, to allow people to pursue apprenticeships and degree programs, which can take at least two years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In order to get back to a comparable wage, a person may need to learn a new skill set or transfer to a different industry. That takes time,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Extending the benefits would cost the state more, Brown said, but she thinks it’s a worthwhile investment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Of the original $30 million in the fund, $18 million has yet to be spent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fund is due to sunset in July of 2027, but advocates are urging lawmakers to extend it, as tens of thousands more industry jobs face elimination over the next decade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ There’s folks in our system who have been displaced or know that they are going to be displaced and are going through training programs,” Brown said. “We need to be able to continue to support them.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A bill to make the fund permanent is moving through the state legislature. At a hearing in April, the bill’s author, State Assemblymember Damon Connolly, D-San Rafael, urged his colleagues to approve it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Providing support for these workers during their time of need should not be controversial. Simply put, it’s the right thing to do.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 450px; margin: 20px auto 40px;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-photo-laura-klivans-450x298@2x.jpg\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"900\" height=\"596\">\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">\u003cem>From Laura Klivans, Climate Reporter at KQED:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">I know climate change is important to you. And it can feel overwhelming. This year, we want to empower the Bay Area to face our changing climate by bringing you stories about solutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 110%; margin-bottom: 1em;\">If this story helped you today, please consider donating to support our work. It takes just a moment to make your tax-deductible donation, and your gift keeps articles like this from KQED accessible to everyone.\u003c/p>\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX25\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px; margin: 40px auto;\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\">\u003c/a>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "this-tiny-oyster-once-thrived-in-california-now-scientists-are-bringing-it-back",
"title": "This Tiny Oyster Once Thrived in California. Now, Scientists Are Bringing It Back",
"publishDate": 1784221200,
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"headTitle": "This Tiny Oyster Once Thrived in California. Now, Scientists Are Bringing It Back | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a cool July morning, the scent of burning sage drifted across Elkhorn Slough as a quiet circle of more than a dozen volunteers and conservationists, including \u003ca href=\"https://amahmutsun.org/\">Amah Mutsun Tribal Band\u003c/a> members, introduced themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They passed around the smoldering bundle in an Indigenous ritual of cleansing and renewal, known as smudging.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Afterward, the group set out on a 20-minute trek to Oak Marsh, passing by a great blue heron, rabbits, patches of blooming yellow lupine, following a boardwalk that extends over mudflats at low tide. There, laid out on folding tables, were recycled clamshells studded with tiny \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11713665/can-scientists-save-californias-only-native-oysters-new-technique-shows-promise\">Olympia oysters\u003c/a> — the only native oyster on the West Coast of North America.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001411\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hatchery-raised baby oysters growing atop clamshells sit in a bucket prior to being reintroduced to Elkhorn Slough on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group’s task was straightforward: measure each oyster, record its size and secure the shells to biodegradable stakes to carry to a nearby gravel bar. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once abundant along the West Coast, Olympia oysters formed reefs that filtered water for eelgrass, sheltered marine life like shrimp, crab, worms and juvenile fish and sustained Indigenous communities for thousands of years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Humans used to touch the oysters at this exact spot on low tides for millennia,” said Kerstin Wasson, research coordinator at \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/\">Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, those reefs have nearly disappeared. Scientists, conservation groups and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band are working together to bring them back to Elkhorn Slough.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For at least 7,000 years, Indigenous peoples harvested Olympia oysters in Elkhorn Slough. By the 1920s, commercial harvesting, altered tidal flows and agricultural runoff drove the population into collapse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Levees and agricultural runoff leave parts of the estuary covered in thick mud, where young oysters struggle to survive, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001415\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jasmine Castro stakes clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them into the mud in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Amah Mutsun Tribal Band member Esak Ordoñez, the gathering was about much more than restoring shellfish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a special feeling to be able to come out here surrounded by our elders, our tribal community and friends to relearn this ancient practice of stewardship,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Olympia oysters are functionally extinct across much of California, existing only in scattered individuals rather than dense reefs. As of 2018, fewer than 1,000 oysters remained at Elkhorn Slough, putting the population on the brink of disappearance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bringing back a reef\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than 20 years, Wasson and others at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve have worked to reverse that decline. Over the past decade, the effort has grown into a partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/\">Amah Mutsun Land Trust\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/\">California Sea Grant\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://mlml.sjsu.edu/\">Moss Landing Marine Laboratories\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.org/en-us/\">The Nature Conservancy\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restoration strategy tackles two challenges at once.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, researchers are rebuilding oyster numbers through \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research/olympia-oysters-coastwide/\">conservation aquaculture\u003c/a>. At Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, scientists spawn local Olympia oysters in hatcheries, raising juveniles before transplanting them into the estuary, much like growing native plants in a greenhouse before restoring a prairie.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001417\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">As the tide comes in, Native Stewardship Corps members and tribal elders sing a blessing after helping to reintroduce baby oysters to Elkhorn Slough on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hatchery-raised oysters are grown until they’re about the size of a dime, then transplanted into the estuary during the summer, when survival rates are much higher. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Scientists are also experimenting with where to place oysters along the shoreline, said Luke Gardner, research faculty and California Sea Grant aquaculture specialist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a bit of a balance to find that optimum,” Gardner said. Oysters higher in the intertidal zone avoid competitors that can smother them but spend more time exposed to air, making them vulnerable during extreme heat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate change is another factor to consider. Gardner pointed to the Pacific Northwest’s 2021 “heat dome,” when extreme heat and unusually low tides exposed oysters to the sun, causing \u003ca href=\"https://environment.uw.edu/news/2022/06/new-study-2021-heat-wave-created-perfect-storm-for-shellfish-die-off/\">catastrophic die-offs\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The second challenge is rebuilding the habitat itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During this summer’s restoration event, volunteers attached hatchery-raised oysters growing on recycled clam shells, many left behind by hungry sea otters, to biodegradable stakes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then they placed them on a gravel bar, mimicking how natural oyster reefs form. Wasson called the larvae “gregarious settlers.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“They like to settle where there’s existing oysters,” Wasson said. “By putting these out, we should be attracting more settlement to the area. It’s sort of a two-for-one.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Colonization transformed the estuary through levees, altered waterways and polluted runoff while simultaneously disrupting thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both,” Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Oysters are a really important pathway to build community and recover the tribe’s relationship with the landscape more broadly,” said Jacob Harris, coastal and oceans stewardship program manager at Amah Mutsun Land Trust. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Native Stewardship Corps member Esak Ordoñez Garcia (center) prepares clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them to be placed in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Through the Amah Mutsun Land Trust’s \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/native-stewardship-corps\">Native Stewardship Corps\u003c/a>, Tribal members train in aquaculture, ecological monitoring, habitat restoration and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Ordoñez, the restoration is also about relearning how people once cared for the landscape. “Back then, our human presence worked with nature,” he said. “Now we’re impeding on nature.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Phoebe Racine, estuarine project director at The Nature Conservancy, said the project reflects a broader effort to restore Indigenous stewardship throughout California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As an indigenous person, it’s important for me to better steward the lands I live on,” Racine said. “Having tribal stewardship expand throughout California is critical to restoration work.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Signs of recovery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since conservation aquaculture began in 2018, researchers have released hundreds of thousands of hatchery-raised oysters into Elkhorn Slough. Scientists are now finding \u003ca href=\"https://library.elkhornslough.org/attachments/Harris_2024_Experiments_In_Conservation_Aquaculture.pdf\">increasing numbers of wild juvenile oysters settling naturally\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re starting to see more wild recruitment. And we think that is a direct result of our intervention, which is just amazing,” Gardner said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The long-term goal is ambitious: to rebuild the estuary to 10 million oysters, enough to create self-sustaining reefs that can withstand changing environmental conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elizabeth Rodriguez (center left) and Kerstin Wasson (center right) count the hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on a clamshell prior to placing the shell in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every reef creates a habitat for hundreds of small marine organisms that can make the entire estuary more resilient. But the biggest challenge is helping Californians recognize what has been lost, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because native oyster reefs disappeared long before most people alive today were born, few realize California once had thriving oyster reefs in its own backyard, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wasson calls it “generational amnesia,” which she first read about in an \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25588455/\">Australian paper on oyster reefs\u003c/a>. It’s the idea that people can’t miss an ecosystem that they never knew existed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After volunteers finished placing the oysters into the mud, everyone gathered on the boardwalk overlooking the estuary, while tribe members led the group in a traditional Indigenous song to honor and offer thanks to the Creator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the tide slowly crept back over the gravel bar, the tiny oysters disappeared beneath the water. If enough survive, they’ll grow into clusters that attract the next generation of larvae, eventually building reefs that can sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“About 7,500 hatchery-raised oysters got their first taste of estuary water today,” Wasson said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Afterward, the group set out on a 20-minute trek to Oak Marsh, passing by a great blue heron, rabbits, patches of blooming yellow lupine, following a boardwalk that extends over mudflats at low tide. There, laid out on folding tables, were recycled clamshells studded with tiny \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11713665/can-scientists-save-californias-only-native-oysters-new-technique-shows-promise\">Olympia oysters\u003c/a> — the only native oyster on the West Coast of North America.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Once abundant along the West Coast, Olympia oysters formed reefs that filtered water for eelgrass, sheltered marine life like shrimp, crab, worms and juvenile fish and sustained Indigenous communities for thousands of years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Humans used to touch the oysters at this exact spot on low tides for millennia,” said Kerstin Wasson, research coordinator at \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/\">Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today, those reefs have nearly disappeared. Scientists, conservation groups and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band are working together to bring them back to Elkhorn Slough.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For at least 7,000 years, Indigenous peoples harvested Olympia oysters in Elkhorn Slough. By the 1920s, commercial harvesting, altered tidal flows and agricultural runoff drove the population into collapse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Levees and agricultural runoff leave parts of the estuary covered in thick mud, where young oysters struggle to survive, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Levees and agricultural runoff leave parts of the estuary covered in thick mud, where young oysters struggle to survive, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001415\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jasmine Castro stakes clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them into the mud in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001415\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jasmine Castro stakes clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them into the mud in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Amah Mutsun Tribal Band member Esak Ordoñez, the gathering was about much more than restoring shellfish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a special feeling to be able to come out here surrounded by our elders, our tribal community and friends to relearn this ancient practice of stewardship,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a special feeling to be able to come out here surrounded by our elders, our tribal community and friends to relearn this ancient practice of stewardship,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Olympia oysters are functionally extinct across much of California, existing only in scattered individuals rather than dense reefs. As of 2018, fewer than 1,000 oysters remained at Elkhorn Slough, putting the population on the brink of disappearance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Olympia oysters are functionally extinct across much of California, existing only in scattered individuals rather than dense reefs. As of 2018, fewer than 1,000 oysters remained at Elkhorn Slough, putting the population on the brink of disappearance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Bringing back a reef",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bringing back a reef\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bringing back a reef\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For more than 20 years, Wasson and others at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve have worked to reverse that decline. Over the past decade, the effort has grown into a partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/\">Amah Mutsun Land Trust\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/\">California Sea Grant\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://mlml.sjsu.edu/\">Moss Landing Marine Laboratories\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.org/en-us/\">The Nature Conservancy\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For more than 20 years, Wasson and others at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve have worked to reverse that decline. Over the past decade, the effort has grown into a partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/\">Amah Mutsun Land Trust\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/\">California Sea Grant\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://mlml.sjsu.edu/\">Moss Landing Marine Laboratories\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.org/en-us/\">The Nature Conservancy\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The restoration strategy tackles two challenges at once.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The restoration strategy tackles two challenges at once.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, researchers are rebuilding oyster numbers through \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research/olympia-oysters-coastwide/\">conservation aquaculture\u003c/a>. At Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, scientists spawn local Olympia oysters in hatcheries, raising juveniles before transplanting them into the estuary, much like growing native plants in a greenhouse before restoring a prairie.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First, researchers are rebuilding oyster numbers through \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research/olympia-oysters-coastwide/\">conservation aquaculture\u003c/a>. At Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, scientists spawn local Olympia oysters in hatcheries, raising juveniles before transplanting them into the estuary, much like growing native plants in a greenhouse before restoring a prairie.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001417\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">As the tide comes in, Native Stewardship Corps members and tribal elders sing a blessing after helping to reintroduce baby oysters to Elkhorn Slough on July 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001417\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">As the tide comes in, Native Stewardship Corps members and tribal elders sing a blessing after helping to reintroduce baby oysters to Elkhorn Slough on July 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hatchery-raised oysters are grown until they’re about the size of a dime, then transplanted into the estuary during the summer, when survival rates are much higher. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hatchery-raised oysters are grown until they’re about the size of a dime, then transplanted into the estuary during the summer, when survival rates are much higher. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Scientists are also experimenting with where to place oysters along the shoreline, said Luke Gardner, research faculty and California Sea Grant aquaculture specialist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Scientists are also experimenting with where to place oysters along the shoreline, said Luke Gardner, research faculty and California Sea Grant aquaculture specialist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a bit of a balance to find that optimum,” Gardner said. Oysters higher in the intertidal zone avoid competitors that can smother them but spend more time exposed to air, making them vulnerable during extreme heat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a bit of a balance to find that optimum,” Gardner said. Oysters higher in the intertidal zone avoid competitors that can smother them but spend more time exposed to air, making them vulnerable during extreme heat.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Climate change is another factor to consider. Gardner pointed to the Pacific Northwest’s 2021 “heat dome,” when extreme heat and unusually low tides exposed oysters to the sun, causing \u003ca href=\"https://environment.uw.edu/news/2022/06/new-study-2021-heat-wave-created-perfect-storm-for-shellfish-die-off/\">catastrophic die-offs\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Climate change is another factor to consider. Gardner pointed to the Pacific Northwest’s 2021 “heat dome,” when extreme heat and unusually low tides exposed oysters to the sun, causing \u003ca href=\"https://environment.uw.edu/news/2022/06/new-study-2021-heat-wave-created-perfect-storm-for-shellfish-die-off/\">catastrophic die-offs\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The second challenge is rebuilding the habitat itself.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The second challenge is rebuilding the habitat itself.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During this summer’s restoration event, volunteers attached hatchery-raised oysters growing on recycled clam shells, many left behind by hungry sea otters, to biodegradable stakes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During this summer’s restoration event, volunteers attached hatchery-raised oysters growing on recycled clam shells, many left behind by hungry sea otters, to biodegradable stakes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Then they placed them on a gravel bar, mimicking how natural oyster reefs form. Wasson called the larvae “gregarious settlers.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“They like to settle where there’s existing oysters,” Wasson said. “By putting these out, we should be attracting more settlement to the area. It’s sort of a two-for-one.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Then they placed them on a gravel bar, mimicking how natural oyster reefs form. Wasson called the larvae “gregarious settlers.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“They like to settle where there’s existing oysters,” Wasson said. “By putting these out, we should be attracting more settlement to the area. It’s sort of a two-for-one.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Colonization transformed the estuary through levees, altered waterways and polluted runoff while simultaneously disrupting thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Colonization transformed the estuary through levees, altered waterways and polluted runoff while simultaneously disrupting thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both,” Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both,” Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Oysters are a really important pathway to build community and recover the tribe’s relationship with the landscape more broadly,” said Jacob Harris, coastal and oceans stewardship program manager at Amah Mutsun Land Trust. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Oysters are a really important pathway to build community and recover the tribe’s relationship with the landscape more broadly,” said Jacob Harris, coastal and oceans stewardship program manager at Amah Mutsun Land Trust. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Native Stewardship Corps member Esak Ordoñez Garcia (center) prepares clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them to be placed in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001414\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Native Stewardship Corps member Esak Ordoñez Garcia (center) prepares clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them to be placed in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Through the Amah Mutsun Land Trust’s \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/native-stewardship-corps\">Native Stewardship Corps\u003c/a>, Tribal members train in aquaculture, ecological monitoring, habitat restoration and more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Through the Amah Mutsun Land Trust’s \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/native-stewardship-corps\">Native Stewardship Corps\u003c/a>, Tribal members train in aquaculture, ecological monitoring, habitat restoration and more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Ordoñez, the restoration is also about relearning how people once cared for the landscape. “Back then, our human presence worked with nature,” he said. “Now we’re impeding on nature.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Ordoñez, the restoration is also about relearning how people once cared for the landscape. “Back then, our human presence worked with nature,” he said. “Now we’re impeding on nature.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Phoebe Racine, estuarine project director at The Nature Conservancy, said the project reflects a broader effort to restore Indigenous stewardship throughout California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As an indigenous person, it’s important for me to better steward the lands I live on,” Racine said. “Having tribal stewardship expand throughout California is critical to restoration work.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“As an indigenous person, it’s important for me to better steward the lands I live on,” Racine said. “Having tribal stewardship expand throughout California is critical to restoration work.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Signs of recovery",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Signs of recovery\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since conservation aquaculture began in 2018, researchers have released hundreds of thousands of hatchery-raised oysters into Elkhorn Slough. Scientists are now finding \u003ca href=\"https://library.elkhornslough.org/attachments/Harris_2024_Experiments_In_Conservation_Aquaculture.pdf\">increasing numbers of wild juvenile oysters settling naturally\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since conservation aquaculture began in 2018, researchers have released hundreds of thousands of hatchery-raised oysters into Elkhorn Slough. Scientists are now finding \u003ca href=\"https://library.elkhornslough.org/attachments/Harris_2024_Experiments_In_Conservation_Aquaculture.pdf\">increasing numbers of wild juvenile oysters settling naturally\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re starting to see more wild recruitment. And we think that is a direct result of our intervention, which is just amazing,” Gardner said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re starting to see more wild recruitment. And we think that is a direct result of our intervention, which is just amazing,” Gardner said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The long-term goal is ambitious: to rebuild the estuary to 10 million oysters, enough to create self-sustaining reefs that can withstand changing environmental conditions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The long-term goal is ambitious: to rebuild the estuary to 10 million oysters, enough to create self-sustaining reefs that can withstand changing environmental conditions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every reef creates a habitat for hundreds of small marine organisms that can make the entire estuary more resilient. But the biggest challenge is helping Californians recognize what has been lost, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because native oyster reefs disappeared long before most people alive today were born, few realize California once had thriving oyster reefs in its own backyard, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wasson calls it “generational amnesia,” which she first read about in an \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25588455/\">Australian paper on oyster reefs\u003c/a>. It’s the idea that people can’t miss an ecosystem that they never knew existed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After volunteers finished placing the oysters into the mud, everyone gathered on the boardwalk overlooking the estuary, while tribe members led the group in a traditional Indigenous song to honor and offer thanks to the Creator.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the tide slowly crept back over the gravel bar, the tiny oysters disappeared beneath the water. If enough survive, they’ll grow into clusters that attract the next generation of larvae, eventually building reefs that can sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As the tide slowly crept back over the gravel bar, the tiny oysters disappeared beneath the water. If enough survive, they’ll grow into clusters that attract the next generation of larvae, eventually building reefs that can sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“About 7,500 hatchery-raised oysters got their first taste of estuary water today,” Wasson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Researchers at Elkhorn Slough are using hatcheries, habitat restoration and Indigenous stewardship to help bring back the state’s only native oyster and the ecosystem it supports.",
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"title": "This Tiny Oyster Once Thrived in California. Now, Scientists Are Bringing It Back | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a cool July morning, the scent of burning sage drifted across Elkhorn Slough as a quiet circle of more than a dozen volunteers and conservationists, including \u003ca href=\"https://amahmutsun.org/\">Amah Mutsun Tribal Band\u003c/a> members, introduced themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They passed around the smoldering bundle in an Indigenous ritual of cleansing and renewal, known as smudging.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Afterward, the group set out on a 20-minute trek to Oak Marsh, passing by a great blue heron, rabbits, patches of blooming yellow lupine, following a boardwalk that extends over mudflats at low tide. There, laid out on folding tables, were recycled clamshells studded with tiny \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11713665/can-scientists-save-californias-only-native-oysters-new-technique-shows-promise\">Olympia oysters\u003c/a> — the only native oyster on the West Coast of North America.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001411\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hatchery-raised baby oysters growing atop clamshells sit in a bucket prior to being reintroduced to Elkhorn Slough on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group’s task was straightforward: measure each oyster, record its size and secure the shells to biodegradable stakes to carry to a nearby gravel bar. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once abundant along the West Coast, Olympia oysters formed reefs that filtered water for eelgrass, sheltered marine life like shrimp, crab, worms and juvenile fish and sustained Indigenous communities for thousands of years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Humans used to touch the oysters at this exact spot on low tides for millennia,” said Kerstin Wasson, research coordinator at \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/\">Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, those reefs have nearly disappeared. Scientists, conservation groups and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band are working together to bring them back to Elkhorn Slough.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For at least 7,000 years, Indigenous peoples harvested Olympia oysters in Elkhorn Slough. By the 1920s, commercial harvesting, altered tidal flows and agricultural runoff drove the population into collapse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Levees and agricultural runoff leave parts of the estuary covered in thick mud, where young oysters struggle to survive, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001415\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jasmine Castro stakes clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them into the mud in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Amah Mutsun Tribal Band member Esak Ordoñez, the gathering was about much more than restoring shellfish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a special feeling to be able to come out here surrounded by our elders, our tribal community and friends to relearn this ancient practice of stewardship,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Olympia oysters are functionally extinct across much of California, existing only in scattered individuals rather than dense reefs. As of 2018, fewer than 1,000 oysters remained at Elkhorn Slough, putting the population on the brink of disappearance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bringing back a reef\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For more than 20 years, Wasson and others at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve have worked to reverse that decline. Over the past decade, the effort has grown into a partnership with the \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/\">Amah Mutsun Land Trust\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/\">California Sea Grant\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://mlml.sjsu.edu/\">Moss Landing Marine Laboratories\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.org/en-us/\">The Nature Conservancy\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restoration strategy tackles two challenges at once.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, researchers are rebuilding oyster numbers through \u003ca href=\"https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research/olympia-oysters-coastwide/\">conservation aquaculture\u003c/a>. At Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, scientists spawn local Olympia oysters in hatcheries, raising juveniles before transplanting them into the estuary, much like growing native plants in a greenhouse before restoring a prairie.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001417\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-17-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">As the tide comes in, Native Stewardship Corps members and tribal elders sing a blessing after helping to reintroduce baby oysters to Elkhorn Slough on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hatchery-raised oysters are grown until they’re about the size of a dime, then transplanted into the estuary during the summer, when survival rates are much higher. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Scientists are also experimenting with where to place oysters along the shoreline, said Luke Gardner, research faculty and California Sea Grant aquaculture specialist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a bit of a balance to find that optimum,” Gardner said. Oysters higher in the intertidal zone avoid competitors that can smother them but spend more time exposed to air, making them vulnerable during extreme heat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate change is another factor to consider. Gardner pointed to the Pacific Northwest’s 2021 “heat dome,” when extreme heat and unusually low tides exposed oysters to the sun, causing \u003ca href=\"https://environment.uw.edu/news/2022/06/new-study-2021-heat-wave-created-perfect-storm-for-shellfish-die-off/\">catastrophic die-offs\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The second challenge is rebuilding the habitat itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During this summer’s restoration event, volunteers attached hatchery-raised oysters growing on recycled clam shells, many left behind by hungry sea otters, to biodegradable stakes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then they placed them on a gravel bar, mimicking how natural oyster reefs form. Wasson called the larvae “gregarious settlers.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“They like to settle where there’s existing oysters,” Wasson said. “By putting these out, we should be attracting more settlement to the area. It’s sort of a two-for-one.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Colonization transformed the estuary through levees, altered waterways and polluted runoff while simultaneously disrupting thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to recover the oysters and the people both,” Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Oysters are a really important pathway to build community and recover the tribe’s relationship with the landscape more broadly,” said Jacob Harris, coastal and oceans stewardship program manager at Amah Mutsun Land Trust. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-11-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Native Stewardship Corps member Esak Ordoñez Garcia (center) prepares clamshells with hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on them to be placed in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Through the Amah Mutsun Land Trust’s \u003ca href=\"https://amlt.org/native-stewardship-corps\">Native Stewardship Corps\u003c/a>, Tribal members train in aquaculture, ecological monitoring, habitat restoration and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Ordoñez, the restoration is also about relearning how people once cared for the landscape. “Back then, our human presence worked with nature,” he said. “Now we’re impeding on nature.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Phoebe Racine, estuarine project director at The Nature Conservancy, said the project reflects a broader effort to restore Indigenous stewardship throughout California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As an indigenous person, it’s important for me to better steward the lands I live on,” Racine said. “Having tribal stewardship expand throughout California is critical to restoration work.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Signs of recovery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since conservation aquaculture began in 2018, researchers have released hundreds of thousands of hatchery-raised oysters into Elkhorn Slough. Scientists are now finding \u003ca href=\"https://library.elkhornslough.org/attachments/Harris_2024_Experiments_In_Conservation_Aquaculture.pdf\">increasing numbers of wild juvenile oysters settling naturally\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re starting to see more wild recruitment. And we think that is a direct result of our intervention, which is just amazing,” Gardner said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The long-term goal is ambitious: to rebuild the estuary to 10 million oysters, enough to create self-sustaining reefs that can withstand changing environmental conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/07/260701-NATIVE-OYSTER-RESTORATION-MD-07-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elizabeth Rodriguez (center left) and Kerstin Wasson (center right) count the hatchery-raised baby oysters growing on a clamshell prior to placing the shell in Elkhorn Slough in an effort to reintroduce the oysters to the ecosystem on July 1, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every reef creates a habitat for hundreds of small marine organisms that can make the entire estuary more resilient. But the biggest challenge is helping Californians recognize what has been lost, Wasson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because native oyster reefs disappeared long before most people alive today were born, few realize California once had thriving oyster reefs in its own backyard, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wasson calls it “generational amnesia,” which she first read about in an \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25588455/\">Australian paper on oyster reefs\u003c/a>. It’s the idea that people can’t miss an ecosystem that they never knew existed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After volunteers finished placing the oysters into the mud, everyone gathered on the boardwalk overlooking the estuary, while tribe members led the group in a traditional Indigenous song to honor and offer thanks to the Creator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the tide slowly crept back over the gravel bar, the tiny oysters disappeared beneath the water. If enough survive, they’ll grow into clusters that attract the next generation of larvae, eventually building reefs that can sustain themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997603/a-corpse-flower-is-about-to-bloom-in-san-francisco-and-its-going-to-stink\">A rare plant\u003c/a> famous for smelling like decaying flesh is about to put on one of nature’s most unusual shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scarlet, the famous corpse flower at San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers, is expected to bloom any day now, unleashing one of nature’s strangest spectacles: a towering flower that smells like rotting flesh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And Bay Area residents are eagerly awaiting it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These blooms are really short-lived,” said Brandi Eide, curator and conservation lead at the Gardens of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/golden-gate-park\">Golden Gate Park.\u003c/a> “They’re only typically open for about two days. So it’s pretty ephemeral.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That slim window is part of what makes a corpse flower bloom so momentous. The endangered plant, officially known as Amorphophallus titanum, or titan arum, can spend years quietly storing energy underground before suddenly erupting into a flowering event that lasts just between 24 and 48 hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycUNj_Hv4_Y\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To attract carrion beetles and flesh flies, the plant releases chemicals that mimic a dead animal. The unsuspecting insects arrive expecting a meal and instead end up pollinating the flower.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The scent is so convincing that Eide said it evolves throughout the evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Eide, it starts with “a little bit of a funk like onion, garlic,” before the stench begins to resemble a “hot garbage truck in the summer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And then it can change into pretty distinctly dead rodent,” Eide continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other observers have detected notes of stinky feet, spoiled food and sewage. Every bloom brings a different odor.[aside postID=news_12074947 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/260221-SUNNYSIDECONSERVATORY00252_TV-KQED.jpg']“If you’ve never seen or smelled it, it’s really something not to be missed,” Eide said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most years, the plant doesn’t flower at all. Instead, it produces a single giant leaf that can grow up to 15 feet tall, resembling a small tree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every once in a while, instead of a leaf, we have a flowering event, which is what we’re witnessing today,” Eide said. “The whole process is always very exciting because it’s so unpredictable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The species is native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is currently endangered due to habitat loss, particularly from the expansion of palm oil plantations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During peak bloom, the central stalk, known as the spadix, actually heats up to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a process called thermogenesis. That heat helps carry the stench farther into the surrounding environment, making it easier for pollinators to detect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The temperature fluctuation helps pump the stinky chemicals out into the forest to attract those pollinators from far away,” Eide said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the final days before opening, the flower’s growth slows, the base swells and the deep burgundy spathe begins to unfurl from the central stalk. This week, staff have been closely monitoring those signs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re actually sending pictures back and forth to each other as we speak,” Eide said. “We’re still on watch.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001374\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001374\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1330\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Corpse flowers are the largest and most “pungent inflorescence,” a term used to describe a cluster of flowers. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Destiny Padilla/Gardens of Golden Gate)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Once the bloom begins, visitors will only have a narrow window to catch it at its smelliest. The strongest odor usually arrives during the first evening and lingers into the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, the Conservatory has created a special “maximum stink hour” for members during the final hour of the first night’s extended opening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bloom is expected to draw large crowds. During previous corpse flower events, roughly 7,000 people visited over just a few days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyone hoping to experience Scarlet’s stench should keep a close eye on the Conservatory’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/conservatoryofflowers/\">Instagram\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ConservatoryofFlowers/\">Facebook\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://gggp.org/corpseflower/\">website\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://gggp.org/corpseflower/\">livestream\u003c/a>. Once blooming is confirmed, the Conservatory will activate extended evening hours and release timed-entry tickets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Scarlet, the famous corpse flower at San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers, is expected to bloom any day now. Here’s how to experience the stinky bloom in person or at home.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997603/a-corpse-flower-is-about-to-bloom-in-san-francisco-and-its-going-to-stink\">A rare plant\u003c/a> famous for smelling like decaying flesh is about to put on one of nature’s most unusual shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scarlet, the famous corpse flower at San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers, is expected to bloom any day now, unleashing one of nature’s strangest spectacles: a towering flower that smells like rotting flesh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And Bay Area residents are eagerly awaiting it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These blooms are really short-lived,” said Brandi Eide, curator and conservation lead at the Gardens of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/golden-gate-park\">Golden Gate Park.\u003c/a> “They’re only typically open for about two days. So it’s pretty ephemeral.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That slim window is part of what makes a corpse flower bloom so momentous. The endangered plant, officially known as Amorphophallus titanum, or titan arum, can spend years quietly storing energy underground before suddenly erupting into a flowering event that lasts just between 24 and 48 hours.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/ycUNj_Hv4_Y'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/ycUNj_Hv4_Y'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>To attract carrion beetles and flesh flies, the plant releases chemicals that mimic a dead animal. The unsuspecting insects arrive expecting a meal and instead end up pollinating the flower.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The scent is so convincing that Eide said it evolves throughout the evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Eide, it starts with “a little bit of a funk like onion, garlic,” before the stench begins to resemble a “hot garbage truck in the summer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And then it can change into pretty distinctly dead rodent,” Eide continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other observers have detected notes of stinky feet, spoiled food and sewage. Every bloom brings a different odor.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“If you’ve never seen or smelled it, it’s really something not to be missed,” Eide said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most years, the plant doesn’t flower at all. Instead, it produces a single giant leaf that can grow up to 15 feet tall, resembling a small tree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every once in a while, instead of a leaf, we have a flowering event, which is what we’re witnessing today,” Eide said. “The whole process is always very exciting because it’s so unpredictable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The species is native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is currently endangered due to habitat loss, particularly from the expansion of palm oil plantations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During peak bloom, the central stalk, known as the spadix, actually heats up to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a process called thermogenesis. That heat helps carry the stench farther into the surrounding environment, making it easier for pollinators to detect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The temperature fluctuation helps pump the stinky chemicals out into the forest to attract those pollinators from far away,” Eide said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the final days before opening, the flower’s growth slows, the base swells and the deep burgundy spathe begins to unfurl from the central stalk. This week, staff have been closely monitoring those signs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re actually sending pictures back and forth to each other as we speak,” Eide said. “We’re still on watch.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001374\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001374\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1330\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/CorpseFlower2026_2-1536x1021.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Corpse flowers are the largest and most “pungent inflorescence,” a term used to describe a cluster of flowers. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Destiny Padilla/Gardens of Golden Gate)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Once the bloom begins, visitors will only have a narrow window to catch it at its smelliest. The strongest odor usually arrives during the first evening and lingers into the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, the Conservatory has created a special “maximum stink hour” for members during the final hour of the first night’s extended opening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bloom is expected to draw large crowds. During previous corpse flower events, roughly 7,000 people visited over just a few days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyone hoping to experience Scarlet’s stench should keep a close eye on the Conservatory’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/conservatoryofflowers/\">Instagram\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ConservatoryofFlowers/\">Facebook\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://gggp.org/corpseflower/\">website\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://gggp.org/corpseflower/\">livestream\u003c/a>. Once blooming is confirmed, the Conservatory will activate extended evening hours and release timed-entry tickets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-waves-pound-pacifica-surfers-pitch-a-reef-to-defend-the-shore",
"title": "As Waves Pound Pacifica, Surfers Pitch a Reef to Defend the Shore",
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"content": "\u003cp>A group of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087577/after-pacifica-pier-damage-bay-area-leaders-urge-trump-to-restore-aid\">Pacifica\u003c/a> surfers is proposing the construction of an artificial reef to mitigate the erosion left by powerful waves pounding the shore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area city’s fragile coast is battered by relentless waves for much of the year, one of the hardest-hit stretches being the iconic Beach Boulevard, just north of the city’s pier. That city landmark \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001267/you-cant-beat-mother-nature-destroyed-cafe-gives-pacifica-look-at-climate-changed-future\">cracked\u003c/a> this month after decades of natural impacts — and is now closed indefinitely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s high velocity water,” said Bob Battalio, 67, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080794/its-the-most-beautiful-taco-bell-in-the-world-heres-why-it-could-never-be-built-today\">Pacifica\u003c/a>-based surfer and civil engineer specializing in coastal hydraulics. “The waves land on roofs, blow out garage doors and knock people over. The city also closes the road fairly frequently in the winter because it’s not safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the strongest breakers that crash into Pacifica’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan\">aging seawall\u003c/a> can feel like an earthquake or sound like “somebody shooting off a cannon.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Battalio and his ocean-loving buds have come up with a potential solution that would work with nature and calm the pummeling waves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their proposal: build an artificial reef on the ocean floor that could slow the waves, which contribute to the estimated 2 feet of annual coastal erosion, collect sand as any natural reef would, create habitat for fish and restore the nonexistent beach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001342\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001342\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bob Battalio (right) speaks with George Domurat and Tom Kendall at the end of Carmel Avenue in Pacifica on June 17, 2026, near the proposed site of an artificial reef designed to reduce coastal erosion and help protect the shoreline. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They also have a not-so-hidden agenda of potentially shaping a perfectly peeling surfing wave in an area that Battalio said is too dangerous to catch waves in today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The waves would break in a way that you could paddle into them, ride along in front of them and get a nice ride,” Battalio said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087431/what-will-pacifica-do-about-its-iconic-but-crumbling-pier\">Pacifica\u003c/a> leaders and San Mateo County officials are on board with the idea and have applied for \u003ca href=\"https://robsreef.org/docs/oneshoreline-presentation.pdf\">state funding\u003c/a> to flesh out the concept with possible help from researchers at UC Santa Cruz and Stanford University. They hope that a successful pilot could serve as a model for other vulnerable coastal communities.[aside postID=news_12087823 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260615-PacificaPier-17-BL-KQED.jpg']But coastal experts are not as bullish on the idea. They agree that the solution could, in principle, slow waves and widen the beach, but caution the city to take a whole-shoreline approach rather than piecemeal projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wave riders named the somewhat nature-based adaptation project “\u003ca href=\"https://robsreef.org/#team\">Rob’s Reef\u003c/a>” in honor of their friend Rob Caughlan, the founding president of the Surfrider Foundation, who passed away in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was our big driver, and he asked the really good questions that would then spin us up in terms of exchanging ideas,” said George Domurat, a long-time Pacifica resident, surfer and commissioner with the San Mateo County Harbor District.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until recently, the group would plan over coffee at the Chit Chat Cafe, located on the Pacifica Municipal Pier. But the pier’s cracking led to the cafe’s forced demolition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The thrashing waves stole the group of dreamers’ gathering space while showcasing the very problem that their spitball sessions sought to solve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a way, it’s ironic, but it’s more ironic that people are surprised that things are failing,” Battalio said. “It wasn’t unexpected; that’s why we came together to come up with a solution, because time is not on our side.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Building walls is not working’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Their proposal calls for submerging the equivalent of around 20,000 truckloads of boulders in a triangular pattern — the pointy side facing the sea — 600 feet offshore. It would also restore a beach along the seawall, initially using roughly 50,000 dump-truck loads of sand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we would like to do is create a new equilibrium by restoring the beach to its historical dimensions,” Battalio said. “Together they should reduce the wave height and the frequency of waves reaching the seawall.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001343\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001343\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bob Battalio points to a proposed artificial reef design in Pacifica on June 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Battalio said the proposal would cost around $100 million to expand the beach and build the offshore reef. That cost would be in addition to the city’s more than $80 million seawall plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, the Trump Administration shortlisted the city for a $50 million grant to help pay for the seawall’s replacement. But the federal government canceled the program that would have provided the grant. Now the city is seeking additional funding while awaiting the federal government’s restart of that program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Usually people look at the price tag and go, ‘That’s too big, we don’t wanna do that, why don’t we just build a wall?’” Battalio said. “But just building walls is not working.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001347\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001347\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Bob Battalio, Tom Kendall, and George Domurat sit at the end of Carmel Avenue in Pacifica on June 17, 2026, near the proposed site of an artificial reef designed to reduce coastal erosion and help protect the shoreline. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The locals said that the combination, while an expensive suite of solutions, could benefit the coastal ecosystem and the high-dollar real estate that sits behind the existing seawall. And then there’s the possibility of creating a “world-class surfable wave” in Pacifica, said Adam Libert, an area surfer and engineer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think that would create real economic value of coming to Pacifica and watching surf competitions from the pier,” Libert said. “It’s a vision of not just this kind of dystopian world where sea level rise happens, and we get in big fights about managed retreat, but rather how do we actually build a world we want to live in and achieve positive outcomes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tom Kendall, a Pacifica surfer and retired civil engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hopes “it becomes very popular with local interests,” who could encourage the city to pursue it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Pacifica is the canary in the coal mine’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofpacifica.org/departments/public-works/engineering/capital-improvement-projects/beach-boulevard-infrastructure-resiliency-project\">city’s plan to rebuild the seawall\u003c/a> 4 feet higher along Beach Boulevard would slow erosion and reduce, but not eliminate, all overtopping and flooding in the short term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While engineers finish the design of the seawall, Pacifica’s Mayor Christine Boles is concerned that a taller seawall could mean “more wave energy,” which “could cause more overtopping and impact the roadway, homes and people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A reef would help dissipate that energy so we don’t have all that dangerous overtopping,” Boles added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001338\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001338\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pacifica Mayor Christine Boles speaks during a news conference calling for federal aid for the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 15, 2026, after structural damage led to the pier’s closure and the demolition of the Chit Chat Cafe. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The pilot project could show the city how to slow erosion elsewhere in Pacifica. Over the last decade, Boles said, the city has lost 11 homes and three apartment buildings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The city is limited in time to be creative,” Boles said. “To have people who are willing to step back and look a little bit more creatively about what other options might be available is super exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several artificial reefs have been built in Australia and New Zealand. Another, constructed in Southern California, was ultimately removed because waves deteriorated it. Oceanside is currently testing a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADuU_3iKISQ\">physical model\u003c/a> of a potential buildout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial reefs “haven’t been tested in such an active, strong ocean environment as we have here,” Boles said. She hopes Pacifica, home to fewer than 40,000 people, can become a proving ground for this protection that includes some nature-based principles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Pacifica is the canary in the coal mine for the effects of a warming ocean,” Boles said. “So wouldn’t it be great if the reef did work?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s less sure that the project will create an epic surf break. But if the possibility motivates the community, she said she’ll encourage it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘I don’t think we are looking at a silver bullet’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Pacifica still needs to study the reef’s scale, how much sand is needed and its environmental impacts, said Borja Gonzalez Reguero, a professor with the Coastal Science and Policy Program at UC Santa Cruz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So far it’s a concept, but it could be a viable one,” Gonzalez Reguero said. He qualified that by saying the reef is not a “silver bullet” solution on its own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The beach on its own won’t be a solution,” he said. “Or the rock armory or the flood wall. Altogether, that could be a solution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001340\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001340\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The coastline in Pacifica on June 15, 2026, where erosion remains an ongoing concern. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gonzalez Reguero said that Pacifica needs fixes, as larger waves and rising sea levels will only worsen the city’s challenges due to climate hazards and sea level rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s bad news for Pacifica,” Gonzalez Reguero said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Gonzalez Reguero said that slowing waves with a mostly underwater network of boulders or other materials could reduce pressure on the seawall and lower repair costs. He suggests the city further develop a strategy to adapt its entire coastline for future waves and higher tides. Boles said that Pacifica plans to launch a visioning process for the entire coastline this fall, with significant public input.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the goal is to reduce erosion beating up the seawall, Gonzalez Reguero said, slowing waves is an integral step to consider.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Mateo County has discussed the feasibility of the artificial reef with the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. Patrick Barnard, the group’s research director, said he has questions about the project’s scale and its potential effects on nearby beaches, water levels, and wave energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The gap with a lot of these solutions is that there hasn’t been enough testing to understand how well they perform,” Barnard said. “These are the kinds of solutions that, if they work, could be worth pursuing, but they need to be evaluated thoroughly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "As Waves Pound Pacifica, Surfers Pitch a Reef to Defend the Shore | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A group of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087577/after-pacifica-pier-damage-bay-area-leaders-urge-trump-to-restore-aid\">Pacifica\u003c/a> surfers is proposing the construction of an artificial reef to mitigate the erosion left by powerful waves pounding the shore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area city’s fragile coast is battered by relentless waves for much of the year, one of the hardest-hit stretches being the iconic Beach Boulevard, just north of the city’s pier. That city landmark \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001267/you-cant-beat-mother-nature-destroyed-cafe-gives-pacifica-look-at-climate-changed-future\">cracked\u003c/a> this month after decades of natural impacts — and is now closed indefinitely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s high velocity water,” said Bob Battalio, 67, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080794/its-the-most-beautiful-taco-bell-in-the-world-heres-why-it-could-never-be-built-today\">Pacifica\u003c/a>-based surfer and civil engineer specializing in coastal hydraulics. “The waves land on roofs, blow out garage doors and knock people over. The city also closes the road fairly frequently in the winter because it’s not safe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the strongest breakers that crash into Pacifica’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan\">aging seawall\u003c/a> can feel like an earthquake or sound like “somebody shooting off a cannon.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Battalio and his ocean-loving buds have come up with a potential solution that would work with nature and calm the pummeling waves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their proposal: build an artificial reef on the ocean floor that could slow the waves, which contribute to the estimated 2 feet of annual coastal erosion, collect sand as any natural reef would, create habitat for fish and restore the nonexistent beach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001342\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001342\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-03-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bob Battalio (right) speaks with George Domurat and Tom Kendall at the end of Carmel Avenue in Pacifica on June 17, 2026, near the proposed site of an artificial reef designed to reduce coastal erosion and help protect the shoreline. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They also have a not-so-hidden agenda of potentially shaping a perfectly peeling surfing wave in an area that Battalio said is too dangerous to catch waves in today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The waves would break in a way that you could paddle into them, ride along in front of them and get a nice ride,” Battalio said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087431/what-will-pacifica-do-about-its-iconic-but-crumbling-pier\">Pacifica\u003c/a> leaders and San Mateo County officials are on board with the idea and have applied for \u003ca href=\"https://robsreef.org/docs/oneshoreline-presentation.pdf\">state funding\u003c/a> to flesh out the concept with possible help from researchers at UC Santa Cruz and Stanford University. They hope that a successful pilot could serve as a model for other vulnerable coastal communities.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But coastal experts are not as bullish on the idea. They agree that the solution could, in principle, slow waves and widen the beach, but caution the city to take a whole-shoreline approach rather than piecemeal projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wave riders named the somewhat nature-based adaptation project “\u003ca href=\"https://robsreef.org/#team\">Rob’s Reef\u003c/a>” in honor of their friend Rob Caughlan, the founding president of the Surfrider Foundation, who passed away in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was our big driver, and he asked the really good questions that would then spin us up in terms of exchanging ideas,” said George Domurat, a long-time Pacifica resident, surfer and commissioner with the San Mateo County Harbor District.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until recently, the group would plan over coffee at the Chit Chat Cafe, located on the Pacifica Municipal Pier. But the pier’s cracking led to the cafe’s forced demolition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The thrashing waves stole the group of dreamers’ gathering space while showcasing the very problem that their spitball sessions sought to solve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a way, it’s ironic, but it’s more ironic that people are surprised that things are failing,” Battalio said. “It wasn’t unexpected; that’s why we came together to come up with a solution, because time is not on our side.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Building walls is not working’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Their proposal calls for submerging the equivalent of around 20,000 truckloads of boulders in a triangular pattern — the pointy side facing the sea — 600 feet offshore. It would also restore a beach along the seawall, initially using roughly 50,000 dump-truck loads of sand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we would like to do is create a new equilibrium by restoring the beach to its historical dimensions,” Battalio said. “Together they should reduce the wave height and the frequency of waves reaching the seawall.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001343\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001343\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PACIFICAWAVE-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bob Battalio points to a proposed artificial reef design in Pacifica on June 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Battalio said the proposal would cost around $100 million to expand the beach and build the offshore reef. That cost would be in addition to the city’s more than $80 million seawall plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, the Trump Administration shortlisted the city for a $50 million grant to help pay for the seawall’s replacement. But the federal government canceled the program that would have provided the grant. Now the city is seeking additional funding while awaiting the federal government’s restart of that program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Usually people look at the price tag and go, ‘That’s too big, we don’t wanna do that, why don’t we just build a wall?’” Battalio said. “But just building walls is not working.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001347\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001347\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260617-PacificaWave-02-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(From left) Bob Battalio, Tom Kendall, and George Domurat sit at the end of Carmel Avenue in Pacifica on June 17, 2026, near the proposed site of an artificial reef designed to reduce coastal erosion and help protect the shoreline. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The locals said that the combination, while an expensive suite of solutions, could benefit the coastal ecosystem and the high-dollar real estate that sits behind the existing seawall. And then there’s the possibility of creating a “world-class surfable wave” in Pacifica, said Adam Libert, an area surfer and engineer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think that would create real economic value of coming to Pacifica and watching surf competitions from the pier,” Libert said. “It’s a vision of not just this kind of dystopian world where sea level rise happens, and we get in big fights about managed retreat, but rather how do we actually build a world we want to live in and achieve positive outcomes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tom Kendall, a Pacifica surfer and retired civil engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hopes “it becomes very popular with local interests,” who could encourage the city to pursue it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Pacifica is the canary in the coal mine’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofpacifica.org/departments/public-works/engineering/capital-improvement-projects/beach-boulevard-infrastructure-resiliency-project\">city’s plan to rebuild the seawall\u003c/a> 4 feet higher along Beach Boulevard would slow erosion and reduce, but not eliminate, all overtopping and flooding in the short term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While engineers finish the design of the seawall, Pacifica’s Mayor Christine Boles is concerned that a taller seawall could mean “more wave energy,” which “could cause more overtopping and impact the roadway, homes and people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A reef would help dissipate that energy so we don’t have all that dangerous overtopping,” Boles added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001338\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001338\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAPIER-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pacifica Mayor Christine Boles speaks during a news conference calling for federal aid for the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 15, 2026, after structural damage led to the pier’s closure and the demolition of the Chit Chat Cafe. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The pilot project could show the city how to slow erosion elsewhere in Pacifica. Over the last decade, Boles said, the city has lost 11 homes and three apartment buildings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The city is limited in time to be creative,” Boles said. “To have people who are willing to step back and look a little bit more creatively about what other options might be available is super exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several artificial reefs have been built in Australia and New Zealand. Another, constructed in Southern California, was ultimately removed because waves deteriorated it. Oceanside is currently testing a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADuU_3iKISQ\">physical model\u003c/a> of a potential buildout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial reefs “haven’t been tested in such an active, strong ocean environment as we have here,” Boles said. She hopes Pacifica, home to fewer than 40,000 people, can become a proving ground for this protection that includes some nature-based principles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Pacifica is the canary in the coal mine for the effects of a warming ocean,” Boles said. “So wouldn’t it be great if the reef did work?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s less sure that the project will create an epic surf break. But if the possibility motivates the community, she said she’ll encourage it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘I don’t think we are looking at a silver bullet’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Pacifica still needs to study the reef’s scale, how much sand is needed and its environmental impacts, said Borja Gonzalez Reguero, a professor with the Coastal Science and Policy Program at UC Santa Cruz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So far it’s a concept, but it could be a viable one,” Gonzalez Reguero said. He qualified that by saying the reef is not a “silver bullet” solution on its own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The beach on its own won’t be a solution,” he said. “Or the rock armory or the flood wall. Altogether, that could be a solution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001340\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001340\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260615-PACIFICAWAVE-13-BL-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The coastline in Pacifica on June 15, 2026, where erosion remains an ongoing concern. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gonzalez Reguero said that Pacifica needs fixes, as larger waves and rising sea levels will only worsen the city’s challenges due to climate hazards and sea level rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s bad news for Pacifica,” Gonzalez Reguero said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Gonzalez Reguero said that slowing waves with a mostly underwater network of boulders or other materials could reduce pressure on the seawall and lower repair costs. He suggests the city further develop a strategy to adapt its entire coastline for future waves and higher tides. Boles said that Pacifica plans to launch a visioning process for the entire coastline this fall, with significant public input.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the goal is to reduce erosion beating up the seawall, Gonzalez Reguero said, slowing waves is an integral step to consider.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Mateo County has discussed the feasibility of the artificial reef with the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. Patrick Barnard, the group’s research director, said he has questions about the project’s scale and its potential effects on nearby beaches, water levels, and wave energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The gap with a lot of these solutions is that there hasn’t been enough testing to understand how well they perform,” Barnard said. “These are the kinds of solutions that, if they work, could be worth pursuing, but they need to be evaluated thoroughly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan\">Pacifica\u003c/a> tore down a beloved local cafe on Tuesday as frustrated residents debated the future of the city’s coastline, which is slipping toward the sea amid a constant barrage of waves and erosion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several hundred stood in silence as excavators ripped the Chit Chat Cafe’s sign off its facade at the base of the Pacifica Municipal Pier, the Pacific Ocean steadily pummeling the rocks below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pacifica resident Kirk Edison stood on a concrete barrier to film the machines tearing apart the cafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel bad for the owners,” said Edison, who brought his kids to the pier growing up. “I will be shocked if they fix it. You can’t beat Mother Nature — she will win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After officials announced the cafe’s demolition, about a dozen people spoke out at a city council meeting on Monday, voicing their anger over the cafe’s closure. Others expressed concern about rebuilding the historic pier, which cracked last week and slanted toward the ocean, as rising seas from human-caused climate change continue to threaten the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Christine Boles said the pier and the tearing down of the cafe are examples of what’s at risk here because of global emissions causing the sea to rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re on the forefront of climate change with sea level rise and erosion,” Boles said. “The ocean is going to win in the end.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001293\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council unanimously voted to declare a state of local emergency around the pier, and is seeking a state of emergency from the governor. Officials said a third party will prepare a formal report, but aren’t sure when the final product will come out. Boles said previous reviews found that seawater and sea spray had weakened the concrete pier, which required $19 million in repairs before the latest damage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more deeply we look at the assessments, the more money that is needed before [the pier broke],” Boles said at the meeting. “These have been long-term issues we’ve been trying to deal with, but it’s really hard to find the money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporters of the cafe owners started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-chit-chat-cafe-owners-after-pier-closure\">GoFundMe\u003c/a> to help them cover the cost of materials they may lose during the teardown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001276\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, for safety reasons, no one is currently allowed to enter the building to recover any of these items, and it is uncertain if they ever will be able to,” organizers wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local surfer Bob Battalio met with his friends at the coffee shop every week for years. He said he’s mourning the loss of his favorite spot to meet up with his buds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pier is closed, and I don’t know when they’re going to be able to open it, if ever,” Battalio said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The L-shaped, 1,140-foot-long pier opened in 1973, becoming famous for Dungeness crabbing and attracting anglers worldwide, according to the city’s website. The end of the pier was closed in 2021 due to collapsing handrails, and then, in 2023, waves and high tides closed part of the pier through part of 2024.[aside postID=science_2001255 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/BayAreaHeatAP.jpg']Patrick James Cavanaugh, executive director of the Pacific Beach Coalition, said the need to tear down the cafe is an example of acting rather than adequately planning for the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We no longer have time to plan,” Cavanaugh said. “Is the pier the asset, or is our ability to live and thrive in a healthy living environment part of the investment as well?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jolie Bauman has lived in Pacifica for four decades. She told the council that she thinks the pier is worth saving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today, we’re seeing the consequences of deferred maintenance,” Bauman said. “I urge the city council to view the pier not as an expense, but as an investment in Pacifica’s future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moss Beach resident David Belkin said he has fished off the pier and brought his kids there. He thinks a public-private partnership could save the pier and the city should consider creating a charitable trust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m heavily invested in the idea of the pier being here for future generations and not necessarily waiting for me to pass to get to that point,” Belkin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But others questioned whether permanently retreating from the ocean and its constant waves and potentially not rebuilding the pier is a better option than reconstructing or strengthening the existing concrete structure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This whole anti-managed retreat position is just really irresponsible; whether we want to admit it or not, we are ground zero for climate change,” Sam C., who did not give a last name, said. “Now that we have to basically take down the Chit Cafe in an emergency declaration, we’re left with unmanaged retreat. Is that what we’re going to continue to do?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001289\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001289\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd of people watch construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every year, high tides eat away at the sea wall protecting Beach Boulevard and the homes behind it. The Pacific Ocean has risen by about 8 inches since the 1880s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State scientists project an additional rise of over a foot by 2050, and up to 6 feet or more by the end of the century in worst-case scenarios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s potential \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083376/an-incoming-super-el-nino-may-bring-california-a-wet-hot-winter\">super El Niño\u003c/a> could result in a temporary sea level rise of around 6 inches in California, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, in a recent YouTube office hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to add that number to climate change-caused sea level rise, which — depending on where you are in California — ranges from about 6 inches to a foot over the past century,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001279\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Boles, the city’s mayor, said the possibility of regular and high tides being even higher this fall and winter is very concerning for flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot that’s vulnerable closer than 40 feet to the edge right now,” Boles said. “It is terrifying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project to rebuild Pacifica’s sea wall, known as Pacifica’s Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, could cost between $80 million and $114 million. The city is still searching for funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After officials announced the cafe’s demolition, about a dozen people spoke out at a city council meeting on Monday, voicing their anger over the cafe’s closure. Others expressed concern about rebuilding the historic pier, which cracked last week and slanted toward the ocean, as rising seas from human-caused climate change continue to threaten the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Christine Boles said the pier and the tearing down of the cafe are examples of what’s at risk here because of global emissions causing the sea to rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re on the forefront of climate change with sea level rise and erosion,” Boles said. “The ocean is going to win in the end.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001293\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council unanimously voted to declare a state of local emergency around the pier, and is seeking a state of emergency from the governor. Officials said a third party will prepare a formal report, but aren’t sure when the final product will come out. Boles said previous reviews found that seawater and sea spray had weakened the concrete pier, which required $19 million in repairs before the latest damage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more deeply we look at the assessments, the more money that is needed before [the pier broke],” Boles said at the meeting. “These have been long-term issues we’ve been trying to deal with, but it’s really hard to find the money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporters of the cafe owners started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-chit-chat-cafe-owners-after-pier-closure\">GoFundMe\u003c/a> to help them cover the cost of materials they may lose during the teardown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001276\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, for safety reasons, no one is currently allowed to enter the building to recover any of these items, and it is uncertain if they ever will be able to,” organizers wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local surfer Bob Battalio met with his friends at the coffee shop every week for years. He said he’s mourning the loss of his favorite spot to meet up with his buds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pier is closed, and I don’t know when they’re going to be able to open it, if ever,” Battalio said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The L-shaped, 1,140-foot-long pier opened in 1973, becoming famous for Dungeness crabbing and attracting anglers worldwide, according to the city’s website. The end of the pier was closed in 2021 due to collapsing handrails, and then, in 2023, waves and high tides closed part of the pier through part of 2024.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Patrick James Cavanaugh, executive director of the Pacific Beach Coalition, said the need to tear down the cafe is an example of acting rather than adequately planning for the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We no longer have time to plan,” Cavanaugh said. “Is the pier the asset, or is our ability to live and thrive in a healthy living environment part of the investment as well?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jolie Bauman has lived in Pacifica for four decades. She told the council that she thinks the pier is worth saving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today, we’re seeing the consequences of deferred maintenance,” Bauman said. “I urge the city council to view the pier not as an expense, but as an investment in Pacifica’s future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moss Beach resident David Belkin said he has fished off the pier and brought his kids there. He thinks a public-private partnership could save the pier and the city should consider creating a charitable trust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m heavily invested in the idea of the pier being here for future generations and not necessarily waiting for me to pass to get to that point,” Belkin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But others questioned whether permanently retreating from the ocean and its constant waves and potentially not rebuilding the pier is a better option than reconstructing or strengthening the existing concrete structure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This whole anti-managed retreat position is just really irresponsible; whether we want to admit it or not, we are ground zero for climate change,” Sam C., who did not give a last name, said. “Now that we have to basically take down the Chit Cafe in an emergency declaration, we’re left with unmanaged retreat. Is that what we’re going to continue to do?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001289\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001289\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd of people watch construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every year, high tides eat away at the sea wall protecting Beach Boulevard and the homes behind it. The Pacific Ocean has risen by about 8 inches since the 1880s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State scientists project an additional rise of over a foot by 2050, and up to 6 feet or more by the end of the century in worst-case scenarios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s potential \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083376/an-incoming-super-el-nino-may-bring-california-a-wet-hot-winter\">super El Niño\u003c/a> could result in a temporary sea level rise of around 6 inches in California, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, in a recent YouTube office hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to add that number to climate change-caused sea level rise, which — depending on where you are in California — ranges from about 6 inches to a foot over the past century,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001279\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Boles, the city’s mayor, said the possibility of regular and high tides being even higher this fall and winter is very concerning for flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot that’s vulnerable closer than 40 feet to the edge right now,” Boles said. “It is terrifying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project to rebuild Pacifica’s sea wall, known as Pacifica’s Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, could cost between $80 million and $114 million. The city is still searching for funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Northern California Warms Up This Week, With Heat Advisory and Red Flag Warnings",
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"content": "\u003cp>By the end of the week, forecasters expect \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">summer\u003c/a>-like temperatures across much of the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\"> Bay Area\u003c/a>, with dry, windy conditions leading PG&E to warn of potential power shutoffs across Northern California due to wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High temperatures could reach the 100-degree mark across the North and South Bay. The trend begins Tuesday after possible showers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Temperatures “will rise dramatically” on Wednesday as a ridge of high pressure builds over the region, Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologists wrote in their \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=ci&glossary=1&issuedby=mtr&product=afd&site=mtr&version=1\">daily\u003c/a> forecast discussion. Inland areas like Livermore could reach into the triple digits by Thursday before dipping into the 80s and 90s this weekend, adding to forecasters’ fire concerns as the region heats up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thursday is our hottest day of the week,” said Karleisa Rogacheski, a lead meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. “We may have a couple of 100-degree spots sitting up in the North Bay and East Bay areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service has issued a red flag warning for the North Bay mountains and the East Bay Hills. The warning starts Wednesday at 11 a.m. and continues through Thursday morning due to gusty winds and critically dry conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a really strong setup for if a spark starts a fire, that fire is going to have the opportunity to grow very quickly in those areas,” said Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1949px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000321\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1949\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg 1949w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-768x525.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-1536x1051.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1949px) 100vw, 1949px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Siblings Mason, 7, and Jordan Dewitt, 8, enjoy the spray grounds at Prince Gateway Park in Santa Rosa as the temperature reached 100 degrees on July 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The service has also issued a heat advisory through Thursday evening for most of the region, extending from the North Bay to San Francisco to San José. Temperatures could reach near triple digits in inland areas like Santa Rosa and Livermore, while San Francisco and Oakland are expected to reach the low 80s by Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wednesday is going to be a pretty warm day and one of the warmest we’ve seen so far this year,” Murdock said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski said the warm-up isn’t considered a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000299/a-delight-mare-bay-area-sizzles-march-heat-wave-could-shatter-records\">heat wave\u003c/a>, but forecasters expect to reach the low 80s in San Francisco and the 90s and low 100s in the North, South and East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000292\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000292\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People walk down International Boulevard in Oakland during a heat wave on Aug. 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski’s office is warning the public, especially in inland areas, that a moderate heat risk will begin Wednesday. That level of heat poses a risk of heat-related illness for sensitive populations, including children, the elderly and people who work or live outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Pay attention to your body during these times because that’s kind of going to be an indicator of what might help,” Rogacheski said. “Take frequent breaks, rest in shade, stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The warm temperatures, winds up to 45 mph and decreasing relative humidity could create prime wildfire conditions if a spark were to ignite, Rogacheski said, for areas such as the eastern Napa Hills and the interior East Bay valleys and mountains.[aside postID=science_2001063 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/05/260527-BEE-SWARMS-MD-06-KQED.jpg']“This isn’t a slam dunk red flag warning because all of our fuels aren’t fully cured and dried out,” Rogacheski said. “If there are locations that are dry, there could be easier fire starts and spreads, but there are areas that are still kind of green and moist. It’ll be a little bit harder for fires to start there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weather service’s Sacramento office has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=red%20flag%20warning\">red flag warning\u003c/a> for a large portion of the Sacramento Valley on Wednesday through Thursday evening, said Courtney Carpenter, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There could be a problem if anything gets started,” Carpenter said. “Fuels are drying out, and we’ve got gusty winds and low humidity, so that makes firefighting conditions challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, PG&E announced Monday that it may shut off power in parts of at least eight counties this week. The warning includes potential \u003ca href=\"https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/psps-updates/7day/\">public safety power shutoffs \u003c/a>through Friday in parts of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama and Yolo counties. The utility shuts off power in order to limit the risk of wildfire from its equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company notes that only “some parts” of each county may be affected and that specific addresses are usually available two days before a shutoff occurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>By the end of the week, forecasters expect \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">summer\u003c/a>-like temperatures across much of the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\"> Bay Area\u003c/a>, with dry, windy conditions leading PG&E to warn of potential power shutoffs across Northern California due to wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High temperatures could reach the 100-degree mark across the North and South Bay. The trend begins Tuesday after possible showers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Temperatures “will rise dramatically” on Wednesday as a ridge of high pressure builds over the region, Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologists wrote in their \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=ci&glossary=1&issuedby=mtr&product=afd&site=mtr&version=1\">daily\u003c/a> forecast discussion. Inland areas like Livermore could reach into the triple digits by Thursday before dipping into the 80s and 90s this weekend, adding to forecasters’ fire concerns as the region heats up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thursday is our hottest day of the week,” said Karleisa Rogacheski, a lead meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. “We may have a couple of 100-degree spots sitting up in the North Bay and East Bay areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service has issued a red flag warning for the North Bay mountains and the East Bay Hills. The warning starts Wednesday at 11 a.m. and continues through Thursday morning due to gusty winds and critically dry conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a really strong setup for if a spark starts a fire, that fire is going to have the opportunity to grow very quickly in those areas,” said Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1949px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000321\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1949\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg 1949w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-768x525.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-1536x1051.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1949px) 100vw, 1949px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Siblings Mason, 7, and Jordan Dewitt, 8, enjoy the spray grounds at Prince Gateway Park in Santa Rosa as the temperature reached 100 degrees on July 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The service has also issued a heat advisory through Thursday evening for most of the region, extending from the North Bay to San Francisco to San José. Temperatures could reach near triple digits in inland areas like Santa Rosa and Livermore, while San Francisco and Oakland are expected to reach the low 80s by Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wednesday is going to be a pretty warm day and one of the warmest we’ve seen so far this year,” Murdock said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski said the warm-up isn’t considered a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000299/a-delight-mare-bay-area-sizzles-march-heat-wave-could-shatter-records\">heat wave\u003c/a>, but forecasters expect to reach the low 80s in San Francisco and the 90s and low 100s in the North, South and East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000292\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000292\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People walk down International Boulevard in Oakland during a heat wave on Aug. 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski’s office is warning the public, especially in inland areas, that a moderate heat risk will begin Wednesday. That level of heat poses a risk of heat-related illness for sensitive populations, including children, the elderly and people who work or live outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Pay attention to your body during these times because that’s kind of going to be an indicator of what might help,” Rogacheski said. “Take frequent breaks, rest in shade, stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The warm temperatures, winds up to 45 mph and decreasing relative humidity could create prime wildfire conditions if a spark were to ignite, Rogacheski said, for areas such as the eastern Napa Hills and the interior East Bay valleys and mountains.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“This isn’t a slam dunk red flag warning because all of our fuels aren’t fully cured and dried out,” Rogacheski said. “If there are locations that are dry, there could be easier fire starts and spreads, but there are areas that are still kind of green and moist. It’ll be a little bit harder for fires to start there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weather service’s Sacramento office has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=red%20flag%20warning\">red flag warning\u003c/a> for a large portion of the Sacramento Valley on Wednesday through Thursday evening, said Courtney Carpenter, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There could be a problem if anything gets started,” Carpenter said. “Fuels are drying out, and we’ve got gusty winds and low humidity, so that makes firefighting conditions challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, PG&E announced Monday that it may shut off power in parts of at least eight counties this week. The warning includes potential \u003ca href=\"https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/psps-updates/7day/\">public safety power shutoffs \u003c/a>through Friday in parts of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama and Yolo counties. The utility shuts off power in order to limit the risk of wildfire from its equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company notes that only “some parts” of each county may be affected and that specific addresses are usually available two days before a shutoff occurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>They’re an otherworldly sight: blue and iridescent. They have no clear eyes, mouths or body parts analogous to our own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And rising from one side — is it their back; hard to tell — is a transparent sail, which these little seafarers use to catch the wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sightings of \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em>, also known as “by-the-wind sailors,” have proliferated along the Bay Area coastline this week, captivating beachgoers and drawing the attention of the climate- and ocean-curious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996552/thousands-mysterious-blue-creatures-bay-area-beaches-san-francisco\">These compelling creatures visited our shores last year, too\u003c/a>. But this year they seem especially abundant — to the extent that “beaches in this area appear blue from a distance because of the numbers of \u003cem>Velella \u003c/em>right now,” according to Jackie Sones, research coordinator at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Reserve in Bodega Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What \u003cem>are \u003c/em>these things?\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em> are best described as colonies of cells, living and working together. They’re classified as hydrozoans, related to jellyfish and sea anemones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every specimen has a gas-filled “float” or raft, with a mantle surrounding it, tentacles dangling below to catch prey and a mouth at the center of its underside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/hinzebruce/status/2048962245716251125?s=46&t=PMxn5DJx4Cr-fWgaQBUvVA\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also have reproductive structures that bud off tiny, jellyfish-like offspring and a sail that rises from the top of the raft to catch the prevailing wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These sailors eat plankton and are eaten by larger animals, including ocean sunfish (aka \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1938601/strangest-fish-ive-ever-seen-scientists-shocked-by-rare-giant-sunfish-in-california\">\u003cem>Mola mola\u003c/em>\u003c/a>) — itself one of evolution’s strangest and most delightful concoctions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I see \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em> in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>They’ve been reported in San Francisco — at Baker Beach, Crissy Field and Ocean Beach — as well as along Santa Cruz, Pescadero and in Bodega Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Head to your local stretch of coast, and there’s a chance you’ll spot them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For how much longer will I be able to see them?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>How long they’ll stick around depends on the wind. Velella velella often appear in spring or early summer in Northern California, when upwelling and winds align to help them proliferate and be pushed ashore. The good news, though: Sightings tend to last days to weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because of springtime \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/upwelling.html\">“upwelling” \u003c/a>in the ocean: When deep and cold water rises toward the surface. “Upwelling brings lots of nutrients, and lots of nutrients bring phytoplankton and zooplankton,” Raphael Kudela, professor of ocean science at UC Santa Cruz, told KQED in 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000932\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000932\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella, blue jellyfish-like creatures, are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025, after washing up on shore. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year, they could persist longer. Velella numbers are linked to warm water, and the Pacific Ocean is experiencing a marine heat wave, with the possibility of a strong El Niño system developing. If that happens — and if prevailing winds keep pushing them onshore — we could continue to see by-the-wind sailors through the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I touch \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em>?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes, cautiously. Handling \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em> doesn’t pose much risk, especially if they’re dead and dried out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Be warned, though: Living Velella do have stinging tentacles, like their Portuguese man o’ war cousins. A child or dog putting one in their mouth could get hurt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Are they here because of global warming?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Maybe — but not necessarily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While their appearance is fairly typical this time of year, climate change is nonetheless expected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1982750/blue-jellyfish-like-creatures-ride-california-waves-a-climate-change-indicator\">increase the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves\u003c/a>, likely leading to more abundant and frequent sightings of \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/smohamad\">\u003cem>Sarah Mohamad\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>They’re an otherworldly sight: blue and iridescent. They have no clear eyes, mouths or body parts analogous to our own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And rising from one side — is it their back; hard to tell — is a transparent sail, which these little seafarers use to catch the wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sightings of \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em>, also known as “by-the-wind sailors,” have proliferated along the Bay Area coastline this week, captivating beachgoers and drawing the attention of the climate- and ocean-curious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996552/thousands-mysterious-blue-creatures-bay-area-beaches-san-francisco\">These compelling creatures visited our shores last year, too\u003c/a>. But this year they seem especially abundant — to the extent that “beaches in this area appear blue from a distance because of the numbers of \u003cem>Velella \u003c/em>right now,” according to Jackie Sones, research coordinator at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Reserve in Bodega Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What \u003cem>are \u003c/em>these things?\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em> are best described as colonies of cells, living and working together. They’re classified as hydrozoans, related to jellyfish and sea anemones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every specimen has a gas-filled “float” or raft, with a mantle surrounding it, tentacles dangling below to catch prey and a mouth at the center of its underside.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>They also have reproductive structures that bud off tiny, jellyfish-like offspring and a sail that rises from the top of the raft to catch the prevailing wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These sailors eat plankton and are eaten by larger animals, including ocean sunfish (aka \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1938601/strangest-fish-ive-ever-seen-scientists-shocked-by-rare-giant-sunfish-in-california\">\u003cem>Mola mola\u003c/em>\u003c/a>) — itself one of evolution’s strangest and most delightful concoctions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I see \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em> in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>They’ve been reported in San Francisco — at Baker Beach, Crissy Field and Ocean Beach — as well as along Santa Cruz, Pescadero and in Bodega Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Head to your local stretch of coast, and there’s a chance you’ll spot them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For how much longer will I be able to see them?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>How long they’ll stick around depends on the wind. Velella velella often appear in spring or early summer in Northern California, when upwelling and winds align to help them proliferate and be pushed ashore. The good news, though: Sightings tend to last days to weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because of springtime \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/upwelling.html\">“upwelling” \u003c/a>in the ocean: When deep and cold water rises toward the surface. “Upwelling brings lots of nutrients, and lots of nutrients bring phytoplankton and zooplankton,” Raphael Kudela, professor of ocean science at UC Santa Cruz, told KQED in 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000932\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000932\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/250403-BlueJellies-08-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella, blue jellyfish-like creatures, are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025, after washing up on shore. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year, they could persist longer. Velella numbers are linked to warm water, and the Pacific Ocean is experiencing a marine heat wave, with the possibility of a strong El Niño system developing. If that happens — and if prevailing winds keep pushing them onshore — we could continue to see by-the-wind sailors through the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I touch \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em>?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes, cautiously. Handling \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em> doesn’t pose much risk, especially if they’re dead and dried out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Be warned, though: Living Velella do have stinging tentacles, like their Portuguese man o’ war cousins. A child or dog putting one in their mouth could get hurt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Are they here because of global warming?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Maybe — but not necessarily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While their appearance is fairly typical this time of year, climate change is nonetheless expected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1982750/blue-jellyfish-like-creatures-ride-california-waves-a-climate-change-indicator\">increase the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves\u003c/a>, likely leading to more abundant and frequent sightings of \u003cem>Velella velella\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/smohamad\">\u003cem>Sarah Mohamad\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed reporting to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "chop-from-the-top-california-academy-of-sciences-union-pushes-back-on-layoffs",
"title": "‘Chop From the Top’: California Academy of Sciences Union Pushes Back on Layoffs",
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"headTitle": "‘Chop From the Top’: California Academy of Sciences Union Pushes Back on Layoffs | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Union leaders at the California Academy of Sciences criticized a new round of layoffs affecting 53 workers, saying management failed to consider alternatives before cutting nearly 10% of the staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Academy leadership said the cuts are aimed at addressing a projected deficit exceeding $8 million this fiscal year, following a $7.3 million shortfall the year before. Officials cited rising operational costs, declining tourism to San Francisco, and changes in visitor behavior as key drivers of the financial strain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The layoffs affect 37 union-represented workers and nonunion staff. An additional 32 employees will be reassigned or have their hours reduced. Leadership said the cuts were made with a focus on preserving core priorities such as visitor experience, education, and scientific research, even as some programs are scaled back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But union representatives said the process has been abrupt and vague.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marie Angel is a curatorial assistant in the geology department at CalAcademy and chapter secretary at CalAcademy Workers United, a union that was formed in 2023 before a reduction in workforce the following year. She said workers were given little advance notice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They did not meet with us to discuss alternatives to layoffs, even though they said that they had exhausted every option,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000904\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000904\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After the San Francisco museum announced layoffs affecting 53 employees, union leaders are calling for greater transparency in decision-making and considering executive pay cuts as an alternative. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Gayle Laird via California Academy of Sciences)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Teddy Vollman, enhanced experience facilitator at the Academy and the president of the union, described how some employees first learned about the layoffs through news reports. “It was a very disconcerting thing to have happen to people,” Vollman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Angel and Vollman shared that they are among those slated for layoffs. As of now, they have only been notified verbally and have not received formal written communication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Union leaders argue that alternatives such as executive pay cuts, job sharing, or tapping into institutional funds were not seriously considered.[aside postID=news_12068674 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/Claude1.jpg']“We have a very large endowment and campaign fund. Those options were not looked into,” Angel said. She pointed to leadership compensation as an area for potential savings, noting that senior leaders collectively earn millions annually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are about 15 people on our senior leadership team, and their combined income is about $5 million a year,” she said. “Our top priority is saving as many jobs as possible. Our main message is to chop from the top.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The layoffs come just two years after a similar round of workforce reductions in 2024, raising concerns among staff. Vollman said the repeated cuts risk undermining both employee morale and the institution’s mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our workforce continues to shrink,” they said, adding that morale is already low and trust in leadership has eroded. “We really want to push for transparency to rebuild that trust.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For visitors, the changes are expected to be noticeable, though leadership maintains that core experiences will remain intact. According to the Academy, program cuts will be “targeted,” with an emphasis on maintaining popular offerings and revenue-generating activities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Union members, however, warn that the impact could be broader. Vollman said fewer staff will likely mean fewer public-facing programs and experiences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000906\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2000906 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Academy leadership said the cuts are aimed at addressing a projected deficit exceeding $8 million this fiscal year, following a $7.3 million shortfall the year before. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Gayle Laird via California Academy of Sciences)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There will still be programs on the public floor, but there will be fewer of them,” they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angel added that reductions across departments, from public programs to planetarium production, could ripple through the institution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We won’t be able to serve guests. We won’t be able to continue public programs or the scientific research that this institution is world-renowned for,” she said. “These layoffs are going to deeply affect every aspect of our institution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Academy said the cuts are necessary to stabilize finances and ensure long-term sustainability. About 70% of its operating budget goes toward salaries and benefits, making staffing reductions one of the most immediate ways to reduce expenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000908\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000908\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The exterior of the California Academy of Sciences building. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of California Academy of Sciences)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Reducing staff is always a last resort. Our dedicated staff members are the lifeblood of the Academy and are instrumental in propelling our mission forward,” said Scott Sampson, executive director at the Academy, in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, union leaders say the next few weeks will be critical as they negotiate with management over the impacts of the layoffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re really committed to finding all possible solutions so that as few people are affected as possible,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Union leaders at the California Academy of Sciences criticized a new round of layoffs affecting 53 workers, saying management failed to consider alternatives before cutting nearly 10% of the staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, Academy leadership said the cuts are aimed at addressing a projected deficit exceeding $8 million this fiscal year, following a $7.3 million shortfall the year before. Officials cited rising operational costs, declining tourism to San Francisco, and changes in visitor behavior as key drivers of the financial strain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The layoffs affect 37 union-represented workers and nonunion staff. An additional 32 employees will be reassigned or have their hours reduced. Leadership said the cuts were made with a focus on preserving core priorities such as visitor experience, education, and scientific research, even as some programs are scaled back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But union representatives said the process has been abrupt and vague.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marie Angel is a curatorial assistant in the geology department at CalAcademy and chapter secretary at CalAcademy Workers United, a union that was formed in 2023 before a reduction in workforce the following year. She said workers were given little advance notice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They did not meet with us to discuss alternatives to layoffs, even though they said that they had exhausted every option,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000904\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000904\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After the San Francisco museum announced layoffs affecting 53 employees, union leaders are calling for greater transparency in decision-making and considering executive pay cuts as an alternative. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Gayle Laird via California Academy of Sciences)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Teddy Vollman, enhanced experience facilitator at the Academy and the president of the union, described how some employees first learned about the layoffs through news reports. “It was a very disconcerting thing to have happen to people,” Vollman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Angel and Vollman shared that they are among those slated for layoffs. As of now, they have only been notified verbally and have not received formal written communication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Union leaders argue that alternatives such as executive pay cuts, job sharing, or tapping into institutional funds were not seriously considered.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“We have a very large endowment and campaign fund. Those options were not looked into,” Angel said. She pointed to leadership compensation as an area for potential savings, noting that senior leaders collectively earn millions annually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are about 15 people on our senior leadership team, and their combined income is about $5 million a year,” she said. “Our top priority is saving as many jobs as possible. Our main message is to chop from the top.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The layoffs come just two years after a similar round of workforce reductions in 2024, raising concerns among staff. Vollman said the repeated cuts risk undermining both employee morale and the institution’s mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our workforce continues to shrink,” they said, adding that morale is already low and trust in leadership has eroded. “We really want to push for transparency to rebuild that trust.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For visitors, the changes are expected to be noticeable, though leadership maintains that core experiences will remain intact. According to the Academy, program cuts will be “targeted,” with an emphasis on maintaining popular offerings and revenue-generating activities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Union members, however, warn that the impact could be broader. Vollman said fewer staff will likely mean fewer public-facing programs and experiences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000906\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2000906 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Academy leadership said the cuts are aimed at addressing a projected deficit exceeding $8 million this fiscal year, following a $7.3 million shortfall the year before. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Gayle Laird via California Academy of Sciences)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There will still be programs on the public floor, but there will be fewer of them,” they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angel added that reductions across departments, from public programs to planetarium production, could ripple through the institution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We won’t be able to serve guests. We won’t be able to continue public programs or the scientific research that this institution is world-renowned for,” she said. “These layoffs are going to deeply affect every aspect of our institution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Academy said the cuts are necessary to stabilize finances and ensure long-term sustainability. About 70% of its operating budget goes toward salaries and benefits, making staffing reductions one of the most immediate ways to reduce expenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000908\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000908\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/CalAcademyofSciences3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The exterior of the California Academy of Sciences building. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of California Academy of Sciences)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Reducing staff is always a last resort. Our dedicated staff members are the lifeblood of the Academy and are instrumental in propelling our mission forward,” said Scott Sampson, executive director at the Academy, in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, union leaders say the next few weeks will be critical as they negotiate with management over the impacts of the layoffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re really committed to finding all possible solutions so that as few people are affected as possible,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "In June, San Francisco Will Vote on a $535M Earthquake Bond. Here’s What’s in It",
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"content": "\u003cp>Experts have long agreed that San Francisco is due for a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080455/san-franciscos-skyline-shines-but-earthquake-risk-remains-120-years-after-1906\">big earthquake\u003c/a> at any moment on any day. But the city isn’t quite ready for a massive shaking, like the 1989 Loma Prieta or the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11983182/stunning-archival-photos-of-the-1906-earthquake-and-fire\">1906 earthquake\u003c/a> that leveled much of the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City leaders have asked residents to approve a \u003ca href=\"https://sfpublicworks.org/eser-2026\">$535 million \u003c/a>earthquake bond in June, which would fund major seismic upgrades to public infrastructure. The goal is to improve the city’s capacity to respond quickly after a major earthquake and to aid in the aftermath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal seismologists said back in 2014 that there’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-probability-earthquake-will-occur-los-angeles-area-san-francisco-bay-area#:~:text=San%20Francisco%20Bay%20area%3A,an%20earthquake%20measuring%20magnitude%207.5\">nearly a three-in-four chance\u003c/a> of a 6.7-magnitude quake by 2044, and we’re already more than a decade into that timeline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By passing this bond, we are taking steps to keep San Francisco safe by giving our neighborhoods the tools they need to withstand emergency events and ensuring our city is ready to respond quickly when disaster strikes,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-and-president-mandelman-announce-2026-earthquake-safety-and-emergency-response-bond-to-modernize-infrastructure-and-support-public-safety\">press release\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The entire Bay Area rests on multiple faultlines — including the San Andreas and the Hayward faults. Earthquake impacts could “cascade across shared infrastructure, housing, and lifelines” throughout San Francisco, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.spur.org/publications/policy-brief/2026-04-09/120-years-after-1906\">recent report\u003c/a> from the nonprofit think tank SPUR. The report concludes that large portions of the city are potentially ill-prepared for a major earthquake. Namely, some 3,700 concrete buildings that could potentially pancake in a tremor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000800\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000800\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks to the press after giving a State of the City address at Rossi Park Ball Field in the Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco on Jan. 15, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brian Strong, the city’s chief resilience officer, said San Francisco spent more than $20 billion on seismic upgrades over the past several decades, but more needs to be done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve touched every neighborhood in the city, and we still have a lot of work to do, which is why another bond is coming up,” Strong said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved similar bonds in 2010, 2014, and 2020 as part of a so-called phased approach in shoring up the city’s seismic risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, said the bond would pay for “big ticket items” that need updating. That includes making the city’s 911 call center “secure from a seismic perspective, so we’re functioning after an emergency,” Carroll said.[aside postID=news_12080455 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260415-SPUREARTHQUAKE-06-BL-KQED.jpg']The bond will focus on five areas: renovating the city’s aging emergency firefighting water system, potentially repairing five unsafe fire stations, updating police stations and support facilities and updating public safety buildings\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At $200 million, the largest pot of funds would go to retrofitting and replacing Muni’s more-than-a-century-old Potrero Bus Yard with a seismically safe facility. Some \u003ca href=\"https://westsideobserver.com/26/4-prop-a-eser-bond-slush-fund-no-vote-george-wooding.php\">criticized\u003c/a> the move as a transportation spending item. But city officials said Potrero Yard is important for “enabling evacuation services following an earthquake.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Potrero Yard is at serious risk in a major earthquake,” said Julie Kirschbaum, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency director of transportation, in a release. “We have to protect our buses and, more importantly, the lives of the staff who maintain and operate them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second-highest dollar amount is $130 million to expand the city’s emergency firefighting water system “into underserved areas on the west side,” which, city officials said, “lack adequate firefighting water infrastructure.” The updates could include extending high-pressure water pipelines, adding fire hydrants, and other infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some people have \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfexaminer.com/forum/expand-the-city-s-emergency-water-system-before-its-too-late/article_19b70ccb-99e6-4dac-928d-297996a80939.html\">suggested\u003c/a> that relying on the Pacific Ocean’s copious water would be a better use of the funds. The plan would also update infrastructure at Fort Mason to pump water from the bay during an event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Many west side facilities, including fire stations, the Taraval Police Station, and our emergency water system, are older and more vulnerable in a major quake,” District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong said in a release. “This bond is an important step toward making sure the Sunset is not an afterthought and that our communities have the infrastructure they need to stay safe and recover.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Experts have long agreed that San Francisco is due for a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080455/san-franciscos-skyline-shines-but-earthquake-risk-remains-120-years-after-1906\">big earthquake\u003c/a> at any moment on any day. But the city isn’t quite ready for a massive shaking, like the 1989 Loma Prieta or the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11983182/stunning-archival-photos-of-the-1906-earthquake-and-fire\">1906 earthquake\u003c/a> that leveled much of the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City leaders have asked residents to approve a \u003ca href=\"https://sfpublicworks.org/eser-2026\">$535 million \u003c/a>earthquake bond in June, which would fund major seismic upgrades to public infrastructure. The goal is to improve the city’s capacity to respond quickly after a major earthquake and to aid in the aftermath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal seismologists said back in 2014 that there’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-probability-earthquake-will-occur-los-angeles-area-san-francisco-bay-area#:~:text=San%20Francisco%20Bay%20area%3A,an%20earthquake%20measuring%20magnitude%207.5\">nearly a three-in-four chance\u003c/a> of a 6.7-magnitude quake by 2044, and we’re already more than a decade into that timeline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By passing this bond, we are taking steps to keep San Francisco safe by giving our neighborhoods the tools they need to withstand emergency events and ensuring our city is ready to respond quickly when disaster strikes,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-and-president-mandelman-announce-2026-earthquake-safety-and-emergency-response-bond-to-modernize-infrastructure-and-support-public-safety\">press release\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The entire Bay Area rests on multiple faultlines — including the San Andreas and the Hayward faults. Earthquake impacts could “cascade across shared infrastructure, housing, and lifelines” throughout San Francisco, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.spur.org/publications/policy-brief/2026-04-09/120-years-after-1906\">recent report\u003c/a> from the nonprofit think tank SPUR. The report concludes that large portions of the city are potentially ill-prepared for a major earthquake. Namely, some 3,700 concrete buildings that could potentially pancake in a tremor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000800\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000800\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260115-SOTC-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks to the press after giving a State of the City address at Rossi Park Ball Field in the Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco on Jan. 15, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brian Strong, the city’s chief resilience officer, said San Francisco spent more than $20 billion on seismic upgrades over the past several decades, but more needs to be done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve touched every neighborhood in the city, and we still have a lot of work to do, which is why another bond is coming up,” Strong said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved similar bonds in 2010, 2014, and 2020 as part of a so-called phased approach in shoring up the city’s seismic risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, said the bond would pay for “big ticket items” that need updating. That includes making the city’s 911 call center “secure from a seismic perspective, so we’re functioning after an emergency,” Carroll said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The bond will focus on five areas: renovating the city’s aging emergency firefighting water system, potentially repairing five unsafe fire stations, updating police stations and support facilities and updating public safety buildings\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At $200 million, the largest pot of funds would go to retrofitting and replacing Muni’s more-than-a-century-old Potrero Bus Yard with a seismically safe facility. Some \u003ca href=\"https://westsideobserver.com/26/4-prop-a-eser-bond-slush-fund-no-vote-george-wooding.php\">criticized\u003c/a> the move as a transportation spending item. But city officials said Potrero Yard is important for “enabling evacuation services following an earthquake.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Potrero Yard is at serious risk in a major earthquake,” said Julie Kirschbaum, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency director of transportation, in a release. “We have to protect our buses and, more importantly, the lives of the staff who maintain and operate them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second-highest dollar amount is $130 million to expand the city’s emergency firefighting water system “into underserved areas on the west side,” which, city officials said, “lack adequate firefighting water infrastructure.” The updates could include extending high-pressure water pipelines, adding fire hydrants, and other infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some people have \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfexaminer.com/forum/expand-the-city-s-emergency-water-system-before-its-too-late/article_19b70ccb-99e6-4dac-928d-297996a80939.html\">suggested\u003c/a> that relying on the Pacific Ocean’s copious water would be a better use of the funds. The plan would also update infrastructure at Fort Mason to pump water from the bay during an event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Many west side facilities, including fire stations, the Taraval Police Station, and our emergency water system, are older and more vulnerable in a major quake,” District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong said in a release. “This bond is an important step toward making sure the Sunset is not an afterthought and that our communities have the infrastructure they need to stay safe and recover.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Whales traveling along the coast of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> are about to get a break. Or, more literally, the ships sharing space with whales will be asked to put on the brakes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1998038/in-a-deadly-year-for-whales-ca-considers-statewide-program-to-slow-ships\">a long-awaited program\u003c/a> to incentivize large ships to slow to 10 knots or less — a whale-safe speed — goes into effect all along the state’s coastline.\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB14\"> \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, South Bay Rep. Sam Liccardo is also introducing federal legislation on Wednesday with parallel goals. His Save Willy Act would establish a “whale desk” at San Francisco’s Coast Guard station, creating a centralized place for whale sightings to be reported and mariners to be alerted, helping large ships avoid collisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ship strikes are a leading cause of death for whales. Last year was especially deadly for whales in and around the San Francisco Bay, with more ship-killed whales than usual being found. Also, last year, U.S. government scientists reported gray whale numbers were \u003ca href=\"https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/eastern-north-pacific-gray-whales-continue-decline-after-downturn-during-unusual\">not bouncing back\u003c/a> from recent die-offs, and fewer calves were born than typical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s statewide rollout of the Blue Whales Blue Skies program has been more than a decade in the making, culminating in October’s signing of \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB14\">AB 14\u003c/a>, a bill authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a really big and positive step forward in maximizing whale protection in California,” said Jessica Morten, director of marine resource protection at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, who has worked on the program for the last 10 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It started in 2014 as a voluntary trial for vessels to reduce their speed in the Santa Barbara Channel off Southern California. It has grown to encompass more areas that are hot spots for both ship traffic and whales, including the San Francisco Bay region. Researchers estimate it has reduced the risk of death by ship strike for whales in the area by 40%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000813\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000813\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Maersk Line cargo ship sits idle in the San Francisco Bay on March 8, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s been really exciting to see the conservation wins we’ve been able to achieve in specific areas,” Morten said\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Morten said, studying the problem of whale-ship collisions also highlighted that “the way we had the zones implemented in the past, we’re not covering all of the important whale habitat that exists off of California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That, she said, is why Wednesday’s expansion of the program is so important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much like school zones, where cars must slow down to protect children, slowing a ship down can make high-traffic areas safer for whales. It’s easier for a whale to move out of the way and avoid slower-traveling ships, or for a ship’s captain to avoid a whale. And whales have a better chance of surviving a slower-moving crash.[aside postID=news_12044187 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/05/A.-Grey-whale_necropsy-at-Angel-Island-State-Park_Credit-Cara-Field-%C2%A9-The-Marine-Mammal-Center-1020x765.jpg']A less speedy boat is also a cleaner-burning boat — a parallel goal of the program is to get ships to produce less pollution. Dirty air created by burning fuel on the water can blow onshore. In some areas of California, marine shipping is the biggest source of nitrogen oxides, such as in Santa Barbara County (73%) and Ventura County (54%). Nitrogen oxides are a precursor to smog.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Morten describes industry reaction to the statewide expansion of Blue Whales Blue Skies as “mixed.” While some shipping lines have expressed concern about being able to achieve high compliance, more lines have signed up for the program this year — 52, compared to 44 last year. She’s seen compliance grow over time as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in 2015, the program had about a 20% cooperation level. Last year, it was about 70%. Shipping lines that are good at complying receive honors in a yearly awards program, and an additional ambassador program allows brands and cargo owners to sign on to motivate shipping lines to prioritize whale safety and air quality. Current ambassadors include Patagonia, Sonos and the makers of Uggs, Hokas and Tevas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has both some of the best whale-watching opportunities in the world and some critically endangered populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s basically nowhere else on Earth where you can almost guarantee that if you’re out on a boat regularly during certain times of the year, you can actually see a large aggregation of [blue whales] — incredibly large, amazing animals,” Morten said. “We have that right off of our coastline, right in our ocean backyard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But blue whales are also critically endangered, and they rely on the California coast as their main foraging habitat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000825\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000825\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A gray whale in Magdalena Bay, in Baja California. \u003ccite>(Mark Conlin/VW PICS/UIG via Getty Image)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gray whales are also experiencing extreme difficulties. \u003ca href=\"https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2026.1775666/full\">Recent research\u003c/a> out of Sonoma State University and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito estimates that 1 in 5 gray whales entering the San Francisco Bay dies there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration believe changes in gray whale feeding grounds in the Arctic — accelerated by climate change — are changing whale behavior, driving them into San Francisco Bay as they search for food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation introduced Wednesday by Sam Liccardo would seek to help whales by directing the Coast Guard to collect reports about their locations and alert vessel operators to their presence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Researchers track these whales daily, but we can scale their impact by crowd-sourcing data from the many more numerous commercial and recreational boats, and building a centralized alert system,” Liccardo said in a statement. “A whale desk will protect these magnificent creatures and help mariners avoid costly, harrowing collisions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Whales traveling along the coast of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> are about to get a break. Or, more literally, the ships sharing space with whales will be asked to put on the brakes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1998038/in-a-deadly-year-for-whales-ca-considers-statewide-program-to-slow-ships\">a long-awaited program\u003c/a> to incentivize large ships to slow to 10 knots or less — a whale-safe speed — goes into effect all along the state’s coastline.\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB14\"> \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, South Bay Rep. Sam Liccardo is also introducing federal legislation on Wednesday with parallel goals. His Save Willy Act would establish a “whale desk” at San Francisco’s Coast Guard station, creating a centralized place for whale sightings to be reported and mariners to be alerted, helping large ships avoid collisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ship strikes are a leading cause of death for whales. Last year was especially deadly for whales in and around the San Francisco Bay, with more ship-killed whales than usual being found. Also, last year, U.S. government scientists reported gray whale numbers were \u003ca href=\"https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/eastern-north-pacific-gray-whales-continue-decline-after-downturn-during-unusual\">not bouncing back\u003c/a> from recent die-offs, and fewer calves were born than typical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s statewide rollout of the Blue Whales Blue Skies program has been more than a decade in the making, culminating in October’s signing of \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB14\">AB 14\u003c/a>, a bill authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a really big and positive step forward in maximizing whale protection in California,” said Jessica Morten, director of marine resource protection at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, who has worked on the program for the last 10 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It started in 2014 as a voluntary trial for vessels to reduce their speed in the Santa Barbara Channel off Southern California. It has grown to encompass more areas that are hot spots for both ship traffic and whales, including the San Francisco Bay region. Researchers estimate it has reduced the risk of death by ship strike for whales in the area by 40%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000813\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000813\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/004_KQED_CargoShipSFBay_03082022_qed-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Maersk Line cargo ship sits idle in the San Francisco Bay on March 8, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s been really exciting to see the conservation wins we’ve been able to achieve in specific areas,” Morten said\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Morten said, studying the problem of whale-ship collisions also highlighted that “the way we had the zones implemented in the past, we’re not covering all of the important whale habitat that exists off of California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That, she said, is why Wednesday’s expansion of the program is so important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much like school zones, where cars must slow down to protect children, slowing a ship down can make high-traffic areas safer for whales. It’s easier for a whale to move out of the way and avoid slower-traveling ships, or for a ship’s captain to avoid a whale. And whales have a better chance of surviving a slower-moving crash.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A less speedy boat is also a cleaner-burning boat — a parallel goal of the program is to get ships to produce less pollution. Dirty air created by burning fuel on the water can blow onshore. In some areas of California, marine shipping is the biggest source of nitrogen oxides, such as in Santa Barbara County (73%) and Ventura County (54%). Nitrogen oxides are a precursor to smog.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Morten describes industry reaction to the statewide expansion of Blue Whales Blue Skies as “mixed.” While some shipping lines have expressed concern about being able to achieve high compliance, more lines have signed up for the program this year — 52, compared to 44 last year. She’s seen compliance grow over time as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in 2015, the program had about a 20% cooperation level. Last year, it was about 70%. Shipping lines that are good at complying receive honors in a yearly awards program, and an additional ambassador program allows brands and cargo owners to sign on to motivate shipping lines to prioritize whale safety and air quality. Current ambassadors include Patagonia, Sonos and the makers of Uggs, Hokas and Tevas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has both some of the best whale-watching opportunities in the world and some critically endangered populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s basically nowhere else on Earth where you can almost guarantee that if you’re out on a boat regularly during certain times of the year, you can actually see a large aggregation of [blue whales] — incredibly large, amazing animals,” Morten said. “We have that right off of our coastline, right in our ocean backyard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But blue whales are also critically endangered, and they rely on the California coast as their main foraging habitat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000825\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000825\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/Gray-Whale-Getty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A gray whale in Magdalena Bay, in Baja California. \u003ccite>(Mark Conlin/VW PICS/UIG via Getty Image)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gray whales are also experiencing extreme difficulties. \u003ca href=\"https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2026.1775666/full\">Recent research\u003c/a> out of Sonoma State University and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito estimates that 1 in 5 gray whales entering the San Francisco Bay dies there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration believe changes in gray whale feeding grounds in the Arctic — accelerated by climate change — are changing whale behavior, driving them into San Francisco Bay as they search for food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation introduced Wednesday by Sam Liccardo would seek to help whales by directing the Coast Guard to collect reports about their locations and alert vessel operators to their presence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Researchers track these whales daily, but we can scale their impact by crowd-sourcing data from the many more numerous commercial and recreational boats, and building a centralized alert system,” Liccardo said in a statement. “A whale desk will protect these magnificent creatures and help mariners avoid costly, harrowing collisions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Over the next two days, forecasters expect a cold storm to temporarily reblanket the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/sierra-nevada\">Sierra Nevada\u003c/a> with several feet of snow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Weather Service has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=winter%20storm%20warning\">winter storm warning\u003c/a> through 5 p.m. Wednesday for the Northern Sierra above 5,000 feet. While the storm will bring yet another round of April snow after a historically warm, dry March for California, it’s not expected to do much lasting good for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000372/snow-eater-heat-wave-behind-big-sierra-melt-is-a-look-at-our-climate-future\">the state’s meager snowpack\u003c/a>, which sits at \u003ca href=\"https://snow.water.ca.gov/\">18% of normal\u003c/a> for this time of year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My guess is if you look at the snowpack analysis on Thursday, this will show up as just a blip on the curve,” said Chris Smallcomb, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Reno office. “It’ll keep things from getting worse, at least for a few days.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, said in his Tuesday YouTube office hours that while it’s not rare for the Sierra to get snow in April, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000704/bay-area-weather-turns-the-corner-with-more-late-spring-rain\">multiple storms this month\u003c/a> could make it one of the wettest on record for some parts of the range.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We might see some record-breaking numbers in some important locations, from Tahoe to Sacramento to San Francisco,” Swain said. “It does help considerably. Has it erased our snow deficit? Nope.”[aside postID=science_2000704 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/251223-Storm-10-BL_qed-1.jpg']Smallcomb said the system moving in from the Pacific is more of a “travel impact storm,” especially Tuesday evening and potentially Wednesday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s your garden-variety spring storm that comes down the coast of California that we get in April and even into May sometimes,” Smallcomb said. “This is on the low end of the storm spectrum in terms of intensity, size, snowfall and all that jazz.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the highest peaks could get nearly 2 feet of snow by the time the storm passes on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Roads will get dicey, snow-covered and hazardous over the Sierra, so definitely keep an eye on the traffic and travel conditions,” Smallcomb said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dakari Anderson, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Sacramento office, said the storm isn’t out of character for the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drivers should expect “major travel delays, road closures, and chain controls” and generally avoid mountain travel over the next two days, he said. After that, Anderson said, the mountains should see “lingering showers through the weekend.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Over the next two days, forecasters expect a cold storm to temporarily reblanket the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/sierra-nevada\">Sierra Nevada\u003c/a> with several feet of snow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Weather Service has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=winter%20storm%20warning\">winter storm warning\u003c/a> through 5 p.m. Wednesday for the Northern Sierra above 5,000 feet. While the storm will bring yet another round of April snow after a historically warm, dry March for California, it’s not expected to do much lasting good for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000372/snow-eater-heat-wave-behind-big-sierra-melt-is-a-look-at-our-climate-future\">the state’s meager snowpack\u003c/a>, which sits at \u003ca href=\"https://snow.water.ca.gov/\">18% of normal\u003c/a> for this time of year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My guess is if you look at the snowpack analysis on Thursday, this will show up as just a blip on the curve,” said Chris Smallcomb, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Reno office. “It’ll keep things from getting worse, at least for a few days.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, said in his Tuesday YouTube office hours that while it’s not rare for the Sierra to get snow in April, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000704/bay-area-weather-turns-the-corner-with-more-late-spring-rain\">multiple storms this month\u003c/a> could make it one of the wettest on record for some parts of the range.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We might see some record-breaking numbers in some important locations, from Tahoe to Sacramento to San Francisco,” Swain said. “It does help considerably. Has it erased our snow deficit? Nope.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Smallcomb said the system moving in from the Pacific is more of a “travel impact storm,” especially Tuesday evening and potentially Wednesday morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s your garden-variety spring storm that comes down the coast of California that we get in April and even into May sometimes,” Smallcomb said. “This is on the low end of the storm spectrum in terms of intensity, size, snowfall and all that jazz.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the highest peaks could get nearly 2 feet of snow by the time the storm passes on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Roads will get dicey, snow-covered and hazardous over the Sierra, so definitely keep an eye on the traffic and travel conditions,” Smallcomb said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dakari Anderson, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Sacramento office, said the storm isn’t out of character for the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drivers should expect “major travel delays, road closures, and chain controls” and generally avoid mountain travel over the next two days, he said. After that, Anderson said, the mountains should see “lingering showers through the weekend.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science\">science\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/technology\">technology\u003c/a> fair in Pleasanton this weekend will feature robot demonstrations, an electric bus, drones, and interactive engineering challenges involving electronics and building structures alongside a range of hands-on science experiments. Kids can make mini lava lamps, extract DNA from strawberries, and separate leaf pigments to learn about photosynthesis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://quest-science.org/\">Quest Science Center\u003c/a>, a nonprofit working to build a permanent science center in Livermore, is hosting its annual \u003ca href=\"https://quest-science.org/innovation-fair/\">Tri-Valley Innovation Fair\u003c/a> at the \u003ca href=\"https://alamedacountyfair.com/\">Alameda County Fairgrounds\u003c/a> on April 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The fair] is our region’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and innovation,” designed to bring together educators, engineers, scientists, artists and civic leaders into one space, said Michael Mosby, the organization’s executive director.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The event — originally held in downtown Livermore — was reimagined after the pandemic as a larger, more regional gathering for the Tri-Valley, which includes San Ramon, Amador and Livermore valleys spread across Contra Costa and Alameda County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Innovation Fair shines a light on what’s right here,” said Monya Lane, who chairs the Quest Science Center board. “There’s so much to inspire young people and families about what is really here, right where they live.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000662\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000662\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A participant looks into a telescope at the Tri-Valley Stargazers booth during the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair in April, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Quest Science Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the fair, the local science and tech ecosystem will be on display through more than 70 exhibitors, ranging from national labs and startups to schools and community organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Visitors can design and launch small air-powered rockets to explore how force, pressure, and aerodynamics help a spacecraft leave Earth. Then take a look at our nearest star through telescopes and discover sunspots and other features on the surface of the Sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>GILLIG, the country’s largest bus manufacturer, based in Livermore, plans to bring an electric bus from its Tri-Valley assembly line. Participants and aspiring engineers will be able to take part in a hands-on challenge with the team at GILLIG to explore how battery-pack selection affects real-world performances like mileage efficiency and route-ready range.[aside postID=science_2000492 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/DL1221_Big_Ideas_Bioluminesence_B-672x372.png']Visitors can explore booths from major research institutions like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, alongside hands-on science groups like the Chabot Space & Science Center, the Lawrence Hall of Science and UC Berkeley’s Seismology Lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea for Quest Science Center started in 2018, when a group of national lab retirees saw an opportunity to create something the region didn’t yet have: a science center in Livermore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were in the give-back period of our lives,” Lane said. “We decided to go ahead and form the nonprofit, which at the time was called Livermore Science and Society Center. The idea was to have science be related to everything in our lives,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The City of Livermore agreed to include land for this new science center in Stockmen’s Park, and plans for a physical space were approved in early 2020 — and then the pandemic hit. Instead of pausing, the group pivoted into making what they call a “mobile science center,” which would bring hands-on science activities directly into the community. “We became a science center without walls,” Lane said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000661\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000661\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participants build blocks at the Engineering Explorations booth during the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair in April, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Quest Science Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We exist to ignite curiosity and expand opportunity and help young people see themselves as future innovators,” Mosby said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Organizers said the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair is designed for everyone. “There’s really something for people of all ages and all backgrounds, just like we intend for all of our science center activities and our long-term science center,” Lane said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our unofficial mantra is: science is everywhere and science is for everyone,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Tri-Valley Innovation Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Admission is free and open to the public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science\">science\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/technology\">technology\u003c/a> fair in Pleasanton this weekend will feature robot demonstrations, an electric bus, drones, and interactive engineering challenges involving electronics and building structures alongside a range of hands-on science experiments. Kids can make mini lava lamps, extract DNA from strawberries, and separate leaf pigments to learn about photosynthesis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://quest-science.org/\">Quest Science Center\u003c/a>, a nonprofit working to build a permanent science center in Livermore, is hosting its annual \u003ca href=\"https://quest-science.org/innovation-fair/\">Tri-Valley Innovation Fair\u003c/a> at the \u003ca href=\"https://alamedacountyfair.com/\">Alameda County Fairgrounds\u003c/a> on April 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The fair] is our region’s largest celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and innovation,” designed to bring together educators, engineers, scientists, artists and civic leaders into one space, said Michael Mosby, the organization’s executive director.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The event — originally held in downtown Livermore — was reimagined after the pandemic as a larger, more regional gathering for the Tri-Valley, which includes San Ramon, Amador and Livermore valleys spread across Contra Costa and Alameda County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Innovation Fair shines a light on what’s right here,” said Monya Lane, who chairs the Quest Science Center board. “There’s so much to inspire young people and families about what is really here, right where they live.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000662\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000662\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-1-RESIZED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A participant looks into a telescope at the Tri-Valley Stargazers booth during the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair in April, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Quest Science Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the fair, the local science and tech ecosystem will be on display through more than 70 exhibitors, ranging from national labs and startups to schools and community organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Visitors can design and launch small air-powered rockets to explore how force, pressure, and aerodynamics help a spacecraft leave Earth. Then take a look at our nearest star through telescopes and discover sunspots and other features on the surface of the Sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>GILLIG, the country’s largest bus manufacturer, based in Livermore, plans to bring an electric bus from its Tri-Valley assembly line. Participants and aspiring engineers will be able to take part in a hands-on challenge with the team at GILLIG to explore how battery-pack selection affects real-world performances like mileage efficiency and route-ready range.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Visitors can explore booths from major research institutions like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, alongside hands-on science groups like the Chabot Space & Science Center, the Lawrence Hall of Science and UC Berkeley’s Seismology Lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The idea for Quest Science Center started in 2018, when a group of national lab retirees saw an opportunity to create something the region didn’t yet have: a science center in Livermore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were in the give-back period of our lives,” Lane said. “We decided to go ahead and form the nonprofit, which at the time was called Livermore Science and Society Center. The idea was to have science be related to everything in our lives,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The City of Livermore agreed to include land for this new science center in Stockmen’s Park, and plans for a physical space were approved in early 2020 — and then the pandemic hit. Instead of pausing, the group pivoted into making what they call a “mobile science center,” which would bring hands-on science activities directly into the community. “We became a science center without walls,” Lane said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000661\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000661\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/TVIF-2-RESIZED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participants build blocks at the Engineering Explorations booth during the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair in April, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Quest Science Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We exist to ignite curiosity and expand opportunity and help young people see themselves as future innovators,” Mosby said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Organizers said the Tri-Valley Innovation Fair is designed for everyone. “There’s really something for people of all ages and all backgrounds, just like we intend for all of our science center activities and our long-term science center,” Lane said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our unofficial mantra is: science is everywhere and science is for everyone,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Tri-Valley Innovation Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Admission is free and open to the public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"radiolab": {
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},
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"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
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"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
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"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
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