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

CalFire cancels burning, Eldorado NF imposes burning restrictions

The dry early summer has caused state and federal agencies to restrict open burning earlier than usual. Sacramento Bee, June 13. Related story for Calaveras County, The Record*, June 13  Read More

Is Mother Lode’s appeal dwindling?*

Population in our area continues to drop, in part because the death rate is higher than the birth rate. Read story in Stockton Record    Read More

Environmental legislation news

The Planning and Conservation League staff works closely with State Legislators to promote environmental legislation that protects and improves the California environment. For a list of current legislation (CEQA, Land Use and Transportation, Water) to making California a better place see: PCL  Read More

Up to half of all birds threatened by climate change

A new assessment of climate change risk finds that between a quarter and a half of all birds, along with around a third of amphibians and a quarter of corals, are highly vulnerable to climate change. The risk assessment was performed by scientists from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the organization that produces the Red List of Threatened Species. “When the Red List was invented, it was long before anyone... Read More

CCWD meets ‘a lot of anger’

Calaveras County Water District directors took a bashing at a town hall meeting in Arnold Monday night. Ratepayers sentiments were summed by Director Bob Dean: “I hear a lot of frustration. I hear a lot of anger. I hear a lot of fear.” During the first year of a proposed five-year rate plan, the average residential water bill would increase about $11 per month and sewer would increase about $10 per month. But that’s just the start. Increases... Read More

Panel to study future of Big Trees, 279 other state parks

By Dana M. Nichols, Record Staff Writer June 04, 2013 SAN ANDREAS – State Parks officials Monday said they recognize the system of 280 parks is in deep trouble and they are launching a commission that for the next year will study what to do about it. For decades, California’s state parks have been receiving a shrinking portion of the budget, putting off maintenance and raising fees for admission and camping. Last year was particularly... Read More