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Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

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Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims.

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

Conservation Groups Ask for Big Changes to CA Budget Bills

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Tuesday, June 13, 2023   

Conservation groups are asking the California Legislature to pull a number of budget "trailer bills" they say amount to a backroom deal to loosen environmental standards in order to facilitate infrastructure projects.

The deadline to pass a budget is this Thursday. Gov. Gavin Newsom contends the state needs to streamline environmental reviews in order to meet deadlines to apply for federal matching funds for infrastructure projects.

Ashley Overhouse, water policy advisor for the California program at the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife, said big policy changes should be handled instead as regular bills in the next legislative session in January.

"We all agree that our planet is indeed facing a climate crisis, and that we need to move forward with climate infrastructure quickly," she said. "However, there is no reason why legislation to tackle these important issues must be moved through this 'trailer bill' process instead of the regular process."

One of the trailer bills would make it easier to approve large-scale water projects, like the proposed Sites reservoir and Delta tunnels. In a letter to lawmakers, more than 70 environmental nonprofits argue that the shortcuts would undermine critical environmental protections and reduce public input.

Overhouse added she particularly objects to a trailer bill that would remove "fully protected" status from 37 species - including sea otters, sandhill cranes, California condors and golden eagles.

"They would go under the California Endangered Species List, which then would make it easier in the future for the state to delist them," she explained.

Conservation groups say more funding for regulatory agencies would allow them to hire more staff and accelerate environmental reviews. In a statement, the governor claimed the changes are necessary in order to cut red tape, speed up 'clean' infrastructure projects, create jobs and help the state reach its climate goals.

Disclosure: Defenders of Wildlife contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species & Wildlife, Energy Policy, Public Lands/Wilderness. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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