Calif. closes loophole allowing gold dredging

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — The state of California has closed a loophole that gold miners have been using to keep using suction dredges, despite a statewide moratorium. Following through on a proposal from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Office of Administrative Law on Friday approved a new definition so miners can no longer split their dredges in two to keep mining. Rich Krimm of the New 49ers gold mining club says businesses... Read More

Downsized arts center closer to reality in Lode

By Dana M. Nichols – Record Staff Writer – July 01, 2013 SAN ANDREAS – A design for a smaller, 300-seat performing arts center at Calaveras High School could come before Calaveras Unified School District trustees as soon as Aug. 6, trustees decided this week. Trustees in January killed plans to build a $5.4 million, 500-seat performance hall after a board majority concluded it was too expensive and would have required the district... Read More

CCWD OKs budget, defends projects

By Stephen Crane | Posted: Friday, June 28, 2013 /The Calaveras Enterprise The Calaveras County Water District has had a busy week, and more work remains leading up to its special board meeting July 10. See the district’s service area here. Amid the scramble to educate an incensed public about its proposed rate increases, the district held two separate town hall meetings this week – one in Copperopolis Tuesday evening, and another the following... Read More

Land in Conflict: How Planners Can Better Manage an Increasingly Contentious Public Process

Land use disputes are increasingly taking up our time and producing unsatisfying results. A new approach to resolving conflict based on mutual gains may provide a better way to manage the most challenging situations. Netizen, June 19    Read More

State slow to fix water injustices

Poor drinking water quality in disadvantaged California communities in California is an issue of concern for The Community Action Project and participating members. This piece explains what is happening with the $455 million in Federal dollars California received to help these communities, but has not yet spent. Sacramento Bee  Read More

Work begins on largest dam removal project in California history

Work has started to remove the obsolete and hazardous 10-story San Clemente dam from the Carmel River. Mercury News, June 21 KQED  Read More

Our Built and Natural Environments

Decisions about how and where we build our communities have significant impacts on the natural environment and on human health. Cities, regions, states, and the private sector need information about the environmental effects of their land use and transportation decisions to mitigate growth-related environmental impacts and to improve community quality of life and human health. In 2001, EPA published Our Built and Natural Environments: A Technical... Read More

City council seats two new planning commissioners

The Angels Camp City Council elected two new members to the Planning Commission Tuesday night, dismissing nine-year commissioner and chair Gary Croletto and three-year commissioner Kristi Reeseman. “I think it’s time for new blood,” said Councilmember Stuart Raggio before nominating two freshman applicants, Scott Behiel and Patsy Gonzalez. “I look forward to working with them,” said Planning Director David Hanham after the meeting. “Based... Read More

Headwaters Economics

Featured Research: The Rising Cost of Wildfire Protection:  Wildfires are becoming more severe and expensive.  This report describes how the protection of homes in the Wildland-Urban Interface has added to these costs and concludes with a brief discussion of solutions that may help control escalating costs. – Protected Federal Lands in Non-Metro West Increase Per Capita Income:  Headwaters Economics has created an interactive map that shows... Read More

Fire restrictions go into effect Saturday

Because of high fire danger, the U.S. Forest Service announced a forest order enacting temporary fire restrictions that will go into effect Saturday. The fire restrictions prohibit campfires and briquette barbecue use outside developed campgrounds in designated high hazard areas of the forest, and smoking is severely restricted. Welding and blasting also are prohibited, except by special permit. “A low snowpack, drying winds and recent hot temperatures... Read More