Water news for a thirsty world…

Oregon, California Sign Deal Aimed at Ending Klamath Water Wars

SALEM — Five years ago, Klamath Basin tribal leaders, longtime farmers, fish-loving environmentalists, PacifiCorp suits and government regulators sat down to take a shot at ending one of the West’s grittiest water wars. “We had people around the table who could barely look at each other, let alone speak to each other,” said Thomas O’Rourke [...]

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AB 1366 Signed by CA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

SACRAMENTO, CA — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Assembly Bill 1366 (AB 1366) into law. The law will make it easier for regional water and wastewater agencies in California to impose local bans or restrictions on water softeners. Some of the agencies have been seeking to reduce salt discharges from water softeners into local wastewater [...]

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Schwarzenegger threatens vetoes to get water deal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday he will veto hundreds of bills unless lawmakers agree on a comprehensive fix for the state’s aging water system. Overhauling California’s decades-old water system is a priority for Schwarzenegger, but Democrats and Republicans have not been able to find enough common ground to forge a long-term solution. [...]

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Schwarzenegger Says He’ll Veto Renewable Portfolio Mandate

SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has pledged to veto the 33 percent renewable portfolio standard passed by the California Legislature late last week. A pair of renewable energy bills squeaked through the Statehouse late Friday, just before lawmakers adjourned their annual session. But the votes were met with immediate criticism from the [...]

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Bill to Ban Water Softeners Passes CA Assembly

SACRAMENTO, CA — In what one newspaper called “a jab at the Culligan Man,” the California Assembly this week passed a bill, known as AB 1366, that will give local government agencies more power to ban residential water softeners and remove existing ones, The Los Angeles Times reported September 10. AB 1366, sponsored by Assemblyman [...]

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California Declares Drought Emergency

By Peter Henderson SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday declared a state emergency due to drought and said he would consider mandatory water rationing in the face of nearly $3 billion in economic losses from below-normal rainfall this year. As many as 95,000 agricultural jobs will be lost, communities will be [...]

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