Yearly Archives: 2015

Conservation groups have reached an agreement with the First Solar, Inc. to provide additional conservation protections to wild lands and wildlife as part of construction of the California Flats Solar Project, a proposed 280-megawatt solar energy project in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.

After a successful tour of Delta Diablo to highlight the importance of investing in water recycling projects to ease California’s drought crisis, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) announced that his introduced bill gained nine co-sponsors from the California House Delegation.

The Department’s award-winning “Californians Don’t Waste – Save Water in Your Home” exhibit in the Counties Building offers fairgoers hands-on demonstrations of simple ways to save water in their kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms. A companion outdoor garden exhibit in the State Fair’s Farm section offers equally simple tips to increase landscape irrigation efficiency, including how to keep shade-giving trees alive during drought

Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24) announced several organizations in the 24th Congressional District received grants to combat homelessness through the federal Department of Housing and Community Development Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program. The total amount awarded was $858,865.

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that two programs affiliated with the California Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce recidivism have been awarded grants totaling over $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Judicial Council of California. Both initiatives work in partnership with the California DOJ’s Division of Recidivism Reduction and Re-entry.

A Hawthorne man was charged today with stealing property from surfers in Manhattan Beach, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Jordan Paris Adams (dob 11/12/93) faces six felony counts each of identity theft and theft in case YA092481.

U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-Chino Hills) questioned Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramirez of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Public and Indian Housing on an extension of the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino's Moving to Work (MTW) program at today's Housing and Insurance Subcommittee hearing entitled “The Future of Housing in America: Oversight of HUD’s Public and Indian Housing Programs.”

Yesterday, the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation announced that they are collaborating with Sandia National Laboratories to prepare a comprehensive Crude Oil Characteristics Research Sampling, Analysis and Experiment Plan. The plan will include further study on the best ways to sample, test, and identify crude oil’s combustion risk. It is expected to take 18 months.

Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) issued the following statement responding to the latest ”Water Fix” and “Eco Fix” environmental documents, that will result in irreversible damage to the Delta Region

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), Ranking Democrat on the Water, Power, and Oceans Subcommittee today led the effort to oppose a divisive, flawed, and cynical House Republican water bill that does not create new water and would do nothing to alleviate the effects of California’s record drought.

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), the author of two amendments curtailing sales and displays of Confederate flags on federal property, today released the following statement after House Republican Leadership retracted a spending bill, effectively quashing the progress the House of Representatives made to take down the Confederate flag.

>Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), one of California’s strongest voices against Governor Brown’s so-called “twin tunnels” plan, commented on the Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, now known as the California WaterFix.

U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) released the following statement after voting for passage of H.R. 2647, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015: "As this historic drought continues, Congress needs to revamp how we respond to wildfires to better protect our citizens and their property. This bipartisan bill streamlines federal efforts to combat wildfires by improving forest management, allowing FEMA to coordinate with the Forest Service when responding to disasters, and fixing the currently broken funding system for fighting fires

The Senate today unanimously approved an amendment offered by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to the Every Child Achieves Act that would eliminate barriers to children receiving assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) homeless assistance programs

The City of Santa Clarita, along with The Energy Network, will host a free “Lunch & Learn” workshop regarding The Santa Clarita 100 Greener Homes Project on Friday, July 17, 2015. The event will run from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce, located at 27451 Tourney Road

The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released for public review a joint Partially Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan/California WaterFix. Public commenting on the document is open from July 10 until Monday, August 31, 2015.<

Two Northern California real estate investors pleaded guilty for their role in bid-rigging conspiracies and mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced today.

Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24), along with Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) and more than 20 other original cosponsors from California, introduced a comprehensive bill that would provide emergency funding to help local communities stretch existing water supplies and improve water infrastructure in response to the California drought.

Reps. Jared Huffman (D-California) and Denny Heck (D-Washington) today introducednew legislation to help homeowners make investments in their homes and save money on their electricity and water bills. The Solar and Water-Efficient Homes Act would improve and modernize theTitle I Home and Property Improvement Loan Program, one of America’s oldest tools for assisting homeowners to remodel and upgrade their homes, and spur homeowners to invest in efficiency upgrades, greywater systems and other water-conserving improvements, photovoltaic panels, and new HVAC systems.

Huffman: “This is what a serious response to western water and drought looks like.” WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 9, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman...