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News Articles

Senate Bill 150-—California Takes Steps to Address the Land Use-Transportation Challenge in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

On October 10, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 150 (Allen), which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by strengthening state…

Read More 2017-11-15

Recent Scientific Studies on Climate Change

Severe Turbulence on Flights May Increase Dramatically due to Climate Change Turbulence accounts for the majority of weather-related accidents on flights. Clear-air turbulence (CAT) occurs…

Read More 2017-11-15

No Vote Instead of Voting ‘No’—California First District Court of Appeal Affirms Rejection of Referendum on City’s Sale of Property for Hotel Project

Entitlement lawyers can toil for months if not years in getting a project lined up, application submitted, and approvals passed by the applicable local agency.…

Read More 2017-11-15

California First District Court of Appeal Upholds State Water Board’s Substitute Environmental Document For Maintaining Instream Flows In Coastal Streams

The First District Court of Appeal rejected a challenge to the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) approval of a policy designed to maintain instream…

Read More 2017-11-15

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Completes Reinitiated Consultation on the 2008 Delta Smelt Biological Opinion and Associated Incidental Take for the 2017 Water Year

On September 27, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) completed reinitiated consultation in relation to proposed modifications to Fall X2 for 2017 under §…

Read More 2017-11-15

SB 270—Nevada Water Right Holders to Report to the State by 2027, or Risk Losing Old Water Rights

The Nevada Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 270 during the 2017 legislative session to require water right holders with rights pre-dating state statutes to submit…

Read More 2017-11-15

California Governor Brown Signs Senate Bill 252 Into Law—Applications for Well Permits in Critically-Overdrafted Groundwater Basins Will Now Require Greater Transparency

On October 7, 2017, as regulatory oversight over sustainable groundwater management expands in Sacramento and across the state, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill (SB) 252…

Read More 2017-11-15

Historic Colorado River Agreement Between the United States and Mexico Extended with ‘Minute 323’ to the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty

The main agreement governing the Colorado River between the United States and Mexico was extended on September 26, 2017 in Ciudad Juarez. The new agreement—officially…

Read More 2017-11-15

U.S. Supreme Court Develops New Multi-Factor Test In Regulatory Takings Analysis

The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued an important property rights case, holding that the Court of Appeals of Wisconsin was correct in analyzing a landowner’s…

Read More 2017-09-14

Governor Brown Signs Assembly Bill 321 Into Law—Farmers and Ranchers Now Considered Beneficial Users under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

On July 17, 2017, as part of the state’s efforts to further implement its groundwater management policies, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 321…

Read More 2017-09-14