November 2025 News Items
November 24, 2025
In one of the most important state environmental decisions this year, California Air Resources Board members voted 12-0 to adopt statewide rules intended to reduce methane leaks and better respond to disastrous underground fires at landfills.
California’s Orange Highway Stripes Have A Purpose – And It’s Actually Working – Jalopnik
Transportation officials in Southern California say a program that uses orange and white lane striping in highway construction zones is working as hoped to increase motorists’ awareness and enhance safety for drivers and road crews.
California high-speed rail about to issue RFQ for private partner – Source Media / Fidelity
The California High-Speed Rail Authority is set to issue a request for qualifications in December from private firms as the authority considers bringing onboard a “co-development partner” by mid-2026, CHSRA CEO Ian Choudri said at last Thursday’s board meeting.
November 20, 2025
A U.S. appeals court has paused a new California law requiring large businesses to biannually report how climate change could financially harm them, while upholding another new law requiring major companies to annually disclose their carbon emissions. A spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board, which is charged with writing the rules to implement the laws, declined to comment.
California’s state government hopes that recent hiring reforms and changes to job classifications will speed up the process and make applying for a state job easier. For example, hiring managers will no longer score every application; instead, they will outline ideal candidate criteria and then sort applications based on those metrics to screen out unqualified applicants more easily.
Transit advocates blast proposal to eliminate some sources of federal funding – Trains Pro
Public transportation advocacy groups are sharply criticizing a plan detailed in internal White House memos that would increase federal highway funding at the expense of mass transit.
November 17, 2025
For more than a century, Del Norte County residents have called it Last Chance Grade, a three-mile stretch of Highway 101 that is a never-ending battle for Caltrans to keep open. Finally, this summer, the state announced a proposed solution: Dig the longest tunnel in California’s history.
A new report estimates that California’s data centers are driving increases in electricity use, water demand and pollution even as lawmakers stall on oversight.
California’s Methane Satellite Helps Stop 10 Large Leaks – SCV News
The California Air Resources Board announced that data from a specialized satellite has helped resolve 10 large methane leaks at oil and gas facilities across California since May.
November 10, 2025
The California Transportation Commission has signed off on $4.9 billion in funding for infrastructure projects, including the upcoming repair of the Los Angeles Vincent Thomas Bridge. Roughly $470 million will come from California’s 2017 Road Repair and Accountability Act and $4.2 billion from the 2021 federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
California greenhouse gas emissions dropped 3% in 2023 – Green Wire
California’s greenhouse gas emissions declined by 3 percent in 2023, according to new data that state air quality regulators released Thursday.
State marks historic low in Colorado River water use – The Desert Review
The Colorado River Board of California announced last week that California’s 2025 use of Colorado River water is projected to hit its lowest level since 1949, marking a historic milestone for the state and the Basin. The achievement reflects decades of collaboration by California’s water agencies, farmers, cities, and tribes to conserve water.
November 6, 2025
$1 billion Golden Gate refurb – Global Highways
California’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge is slated to receive $1 billion worth of improvements intended to improve the historic structure’s seismic durability. State and federal money will fund the project, including a $400 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation via the Federal Highway Administration.
Fresno State will open a Trimble Technology Lab on campus in 2026 as a place for students to get hands-on experience and training in surveying. The university has long been a hub for training the geospatial professionals who power land surveying companies throughout the Western US, including entities like Caltrans and PG&E.
California High-Speed Rail Considers Route Change – Newsweek
California’s high-speed rail project, one of the state’s most ambitious infrastructure initiatives, faces a pivotal moment as officials consider altering its route through Kern County. A spokesman for the California High-Speed Rail Authority said that project designers hope to reduce the number of property acquisitions needed for the rail line.
November 3, 2025
Drivers in the North Bay waited 30 years for a new lane to alleviate congestion on Highway 101, but now some wish the 30-year project had never finished. The reason: new carpool hours that some drivers say defeats the widened road’s goal to ease traffic because the diamond lane is woefully underused.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority says it wants a sales tax exemption on in-state purchases, a first-ever move for the project that could tighten timelines, save money, and shrink revenue the project sends back to the government.
California hits back as CARB takes legal action against truck brands – Electrek
The California Air Resources Board is suing four major heavy truck manufacturers, alleging that they violated a 2023 agreement to sell cleaner vehicles. In August, those same companies – Daimler Truck North America, International Motors, Paccar, and Volvo Group North America – sued CARB over California’s emissions requirements.
October 2025 News Items
October 30, 2025
California water officials can move ahead with enforcement of the state’s landmark groundwater regulation after an appellate court ruled Wednesday that a state crackdown on pumping in Kings County is likely, in large part, legal.
California Expands and Strengthens Long-Term Water Strategic Plan – The National Law Review
California law requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to create, promulgate, and update every five years the California Water Plan (Plan). The Plan is intended to provide a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable management and stewardship of California’s water resources. However, the Plan has not had significant revisions responsive to increasing climate unpredictability. On October 1, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 72 into law, significantly expanding the requirements of the Plan to provide a more forward-looking, actionable roadmap to secure water resources across the state.
State air quality regulators are warning of heavy financial consequences for California if the Trump administration continues to reject their efforts to set emissions standards for vehicles and other mobile sources blamed for 80% of air pollution.
The California Air Resources Board issued a news release Thursday saying the state could lose out on federal highway funding — potentially costing it billions of dollars per year — because of “unprecedented federal interference” jeopardizing the state’s compliance with the Clean Air Act.
October 27, 2025
Governor Gavin Newsom has announced two recent key victories to advance the Delta Conveyance Project — a critical infrastructure project to safeguard California’s water supplies amid a hotter, drier future. The administration secured a court decision reversing a preliminary injunction that was previously blocking pre-construction geotechnical work. Additionally, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has submitted a certification of consistency for the broader project to the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC). These victories help the Delta Conveyance Project move forward in compliance with the Delta Reform Act — the state law that creates a regulatory framework to protect both the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta ecosystem and a reliable statewide water supply.
Exxon sues California over new laws requiring corporate climate disclosures – Los Angeles Times
Exxon Mobil has filed suit in federal court challenging two California laws that would require the oil giant to report the greenhouse emissions resulting from the use of its products globally.
The 30-page complaint, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, argues that the laws violate the company’s free speech rights by requiring it to “trumpet California’s preferred message even though ExxonMobil believes the speech is misleading and misguided.”
October 23, 2025
A California retirees group has launched an independent investigation into CalPERS over concerns with the fund’s investment practices and commitment to transparency. Through a fundraising campaign, the Retired Public Employees Association has raised more than $181,000 to investigate the pension fund’s use of private equity and the fees paid to money managers. While some individuals have contributed, most of that money has come from RPEA to hire longtime a well-known pension writer and financial investigator whose audits of other retirement systems have led to controversy between state pension-fund managers and retiree groups. Meanwhile, a spokesperson said that CalPERS is “regarded as one of the most transparent pension systems in the world” and that when surveyed, members rank the fund’s management and providing information in “the 80th and 90th percentile.”
Rancho Palos Verdes won’t pursue toll road feasibility study – The Daily Breeze (Hermosa Beach)
Palos Verdes Drive South is in continual need of repairs because of land movement in Rancho Palos Verdes. The city has looked into multiple ways to help fund the costly upkeep, but for the time being, a toll road won’t be an option. The City Council cited concerns about the cost of studies, the likely impact of shifting traffic to nearby non-toll roads and highways, and the unlikelihood that multiple governmental agencies – including Caltrans and the Transportation Commission – will approve the project. “I have my doubts on the viability of it actually being a cash-generating entity,” Mayor David Bradley said during Tuesday’s council meeting. “I am very concerned about the unintended consequence of driving massive amounts of traffic on to Palos Verdes Drive North and (Pacific Coast Highway).”
On Tuesday, state water regulators unveiled the results of a two-year effort to better identify who has claims on California’s water and better measure consumption. The new state product is called CalWATRS, and it’s a massive data platform that holds thousands of water-rights records and makes it easier for water-rights holders to report what they use.
October 20, 2025
The California Transportation Commission approved $4.9 billion on Thursday to enhance safety and mobility on local streets and state highways. The funding will also support new alternative transportation options and zero-emission projects across the state.
As the Trump administration ramps up efforts to torpedo California’s high-speed rail project, state leaders are fighting back in court. The state’s High-Speed Rail Authority filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration from reallocating $4 billion in grant funds that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had frozen from high-speed rail. A hearing on the matter is set for Nov. 17 at a federal courthouse in Sacramento.
California Resources Corp. on Thursday held a groundbreaking ceremony in Kern County for what’s set to be the state’s first commercial carbon capture and storage project at the Elk Hills oil field near Bakersfield. Meanwhile, environmental groups are fighting the project in court because, they say, the company violated several provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act
October 16, 2025
California State Transportation Agency Secretary Toks Omishakin announced a new initiative aimed at reducing severe traffic crashes in high-risk areas across the state. The program aims to cut deadly and serious injury crashes by 30% by 2035, starting with two dangerous corridors: Avalon Boulevard in Los Angeles and Highway 91 in southeast Los Angeles County.
CARB preparing to issue draft rules for carbon management – Bakersfield.com
State regulators are gearing up to release a draft regulatory framework early next year that will guide development of carbon management projects in California. The California Air Resources Board said this week it will have a role in evaluating technology and adopting regulations for any projects proposing to pull carbon dioxide directly out of the air. It also expects to have an oversight role in developments that would remove CO2 from the exhaust streams of industrial plants.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday celebrated Californians’ purchase of more than 124,700 zero-emission vehicles in the third quarter of 2025. The announcement comes as California fights the federal government in court over its clean-car authority and as the One Big, Beautiful Act ends federal EV tax credits, reshaping state electric vehicle goals across the country.
October 13, 2025
California’s top transportation official is still bullish on climate policy – Politico
California’s sprawling network of roads and rails is at the core of the state’s ambitious climate goals, and Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin is holding the steering wheel. Omishakin spoke with POLITICO about Climate Week, declining gas taxes spurred by the rise of electric vehicles, and the state’s struggling public transit systems.
The data-center economy is booming in California, and Gov. Gavin Newsom doesn’t want to slow it down. The governor vetoed a bill on Saturday that would have provided more transparency around the water usage of data centers, which regularly require millions of gallons of fresh water to cool their computers.
Drinking water map shows states with most contaminants – Newsweek
The Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Tap Water Database reveals the states with the highest numbers of contaminants across their drinking water systems, with some states having more than 150 contaminants in the water residents consume, including Texas with 207, New York (197), and California (175).
October 9, 2025
Federal oversight is disappearing as multiple refineries explode. Who’s in charge now? – CalMatters
An El Segundo refinery fire has renewed questions about who is investigating the state’s oil industry after serious accidents. With the U.S. Chemical Safety Board defunded, California has yet to fill the gap.
Newsom signs bill that expedites Highway 37 project – The Mercury News
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill that relaxes environmental constraints to speed up a traffic and flood reduction project on Highway 37. The legislation signed Tuesday sets up Caltrans, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and partners in Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano counties to begin construction in 2026 on the $500 million, three-phase project.
California Makes Diwali an Official Statewide Holiday – ABC 7 / Associated Press
California has become the third U.S. state to designate Diwali – the Hindu “Festival of Lights” – as an official statewide holiday. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Tuesday to go into effect on Jan. 1. As with the Lunar New Year, Genocide Remembrance Day, Juneteenth, and Native American Day, state employees can elect to take Diwali off in lieu of receiving eight hours of personal holiday credit. The new law recognizes the day is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists.
October 6, 2025
The California Department of Transportation is considering raising the Vincent Thomas Bridge by 26 feet as it plans major renovations to the more than 60-year-old span.
CalEPA to carry on inspections as federal EPA furloughs 90% of staff – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
While the federal government shutdown has furloughed about 90% of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees and halted the agency’s inspection operations, the California Environmental Protection Agency told The Sacramento Bee on Thursday it will proceed with its inspections “as planned.”
California Water Level Update as Officials Issue New Warning – Newsweek
California water officials are warning that the state “must be prepared for extreme weather events of all kinds,” even as water levels for the state’s reservoirs remain near or above average as the new water year began Oct. 1.
October 2, 2025
CalPERS members voted in an expensive board election. Here’s who won – The Sacramento Bee (free read)
Two-time incumbent David Miller defended his seat on the CalPERS Board of Administration from two challengers, Santa Monica fire Captain Dominick Bei and former Pasadena city manager Steve Mermell, according to CalPERS election results released Thursday. The other incumbent running, Jose Luis Pacheco, lost his board seat to challenger Troy Johnson, a senior administrative assistant for a Southern California school district. PECG endorsed both winning candidates.
California moves to expand fuel options in bid to lower gas prices – KTLA (Los Angeles)
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation allowing another gasoline blend to be sold in California, a move aimed at lowering fuel prices. The measure, Assembly Bill 30, authorizes the sale of E15 fuel, a gasoline blended with 15% ethanol, while the California Air Resources Board reviews whether it meets the state’s air-quality standards.
California-to-Vegas high-speed rail costs jump $5.5 billion – Bloomberg
The price tag for Brightline West’s private high-speed passenger railroad from Southern California to Las Vegas has swelled by nearly 35% to $21.5 billion, according to the US Department of Transportation. The higher cost has led the Fortress Investment Group-backed company to seek a $6 billion loan from the Trump administration, according to the USDOT’s website. Brightline’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Reininger blamed the increase on rising labor and material costs, in part caused by high demand due to the proliferation of data centers, power plants and transportation projects.
September 2025 News Items
September 29, 2025
California’s solar experiment is working – here’s what that could mean for everyone else – Slashgear
California’s $20 million solar gamble called Project Nexus is paying off. The venture, the first of its kind in the United States, is installing solar panel canopies over sections of irrigation canals and will generate 1.6 megawatts of renewable power when completed. Although the project isn’t completed, the Turlock Irrigation District – one of the entities collaborating with the Department of Water Resources on the project – already reports the panels have improved water quality and reduced aquatic growth. If successful, Project Nexus could be duplicated across the U.S. and around the world.
California weakens zero-emission mandate for government vehicles – Politico E&E News
California air quality regulators on Thursday repealed the state’s zero-emission mandate for private vehicle fleets and delayed purchasing rules for publicly owned fleets amid concerns they could hamper emergency response efforts.
The U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration issued a notice of funding opportunity for the National Railroad Partnership Program Sept. 22. The notice makes more than $5 billion available for grant awards—including $2.4 billion the agency says was de-obligated from the California High-Speed Rail Authority grants that the state agency is suing to recover.
September 25, 2025
Major Southern California mountain route wiped out by tropical storm remnants – KTLA 5 (Los Angeles)
A portion of Highway 38, which connects Redlands and Big Bear, is closed indefinitely after crumbling under the heavy rain and flooding brought on by the remnants of a tropical storm that passed through Southern California last week. “The combination of Tropical Storm Mario, and the El Dorado Fire burn scar has left a trail of destruction in its wake, and one of the most dramatic impacts is the severe washout of SR-38,” Caltrans District 8 posted on Monday, along with drone video of the damage.
Companies that run data centers are facing increasing scrutiny for guzzling water as the rise of artificial intelligence and massive investment in cloud computing drive a construction boom. The centers, which generate lots of heat, can require huge amounts of water to cool their servers and interiors. California legislators are taking an initial step toward tackling the water problem by requiring data centers to report their water use annually. The legislation, approved this month, is now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.
Costs rising on high-speed train from California to Las Vegas – LAist / National Public Radio
Brightline West broke ground last year on what would be the first true high-speed rail line in the U.S., with trains that can make a 218-mile trip from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas in just over two hours. The project is expected to cost at least $12 billion dollars, and the company has raised about $6.5 billion so far in private financing and federal grants. Now it’s warning investors that construction costs are rising.
September 22, 2025
Newsom signs slate of climate, energy bills in California – The Hill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday signed a slate of bills regarding climate and clean energy in an effort to “lower electricity costs, stabilize the petroleum market and slash air pollution.”
Caltrans needs funding for Coronado Bridge suicide deterrent barrier – Times of San Diego
The Coronado Bridge, with a history of deaths by suicide, is set to see new safety barriers built under a fast-track state construction process. But the plan remains largely unfunded, and local leaders say they’re worried that without public support, the life-saving effort could still end up stalled.
Newsom taps climate ‘architect’ to lead California air board as Trump fights heat up – CalMatters
The California Air Resources Board is getting a new leader at a pivotal moment, as it battles the Trump administration in court and contends with growing scrutiny from Democrats and voters questioning the price of the state’s climate principles. Liane Randolph has chaired the board of the state’s top air and climate regulator since 2020. She oversaw a range of policies including landmark clean-car and truck rules, a fuel standard with implications for gas prices, and the state’s signature carbon trading program, cap-and-trade.
September 18, 2025
Completion of suicide deterrent on Coronado Bridge slated for 2028 – The Coronado Times
Construction on a barrier designed to prevent people from jumping from the San Diego-Coronado Bridge is expected to begin this year, with completion projected in 2028.
The appellate panel didn’t indicate how it might rule on the key question of whether preliminary, geotechnical work on the tunnel is an “action” that can proceed separately from the entire project, which is tangled in legal disputes.
Let’s Not Be So Hasty to End Remote Work in Government – Governing
There are advantages to allowing more workplace flexibility. It’s particularly helpful for recruiting and retention, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. Meanwhile, an August 2025 audit from the state of California seems to point to the notion that at least in that state (and we suspect others) the decisions to reduce the amount of allowable time to work from home aren’t based on reasonable evidence.
September 15, 2025
Democratic lawmakers in California approved a sweeping slate of climate and environmental bills Saturday – a package that would double-down on climate commitments like cap-and-trade and high-speed rail, while also permitting additional oil drilling in the state.
California Legislature Sends Landmark Water Bill to Governor’s Desk – Contractor Magazine
If signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate Bill 72 would direct the state to move beyond ad hoc planning by establishing measurable water supply goals to capture and produce sufficient water for all uses – from communities and farms to ecosystems and industry. It also mandates comprehensive, long-term planning across agencies and stakeholders.
Hahn Pushes for Cell Towers on Vincent Thomas Bridge for Safety – KOST / I Heart Radio
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn wants improved cellular service on the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro to aid individuals in crisis. In a letter to California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin, Hahn emphasized the need for better cell reception on the bridge, which has a history of deaths by suicide. Her concern is that the current poor cell service could prevent someone in crisis from reaching out for help. Work replacing the bridge’s deck, railings, fences, and median barrier, presents an opportunity to collaborate with cellular providers to improve connectivity, she says.
September 11, 2025
Ramos Bill Requiring State Action to Prevent Bridge Suicides Heads to Governor – Native News Online
A measure requiring the California Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Health to identify best practices for deterring suicide attempts on bridges and overpasses was approved Wednesday by the Assembly with strong bipartisan support and sent to the governor.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and some of California’s major water agencies hit a setback this week when a proposal to fast-track plans for a 45-mile water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta died in the state Legislature. Newsom has been trying to streamline legal and environmental review of the proposed water tunnel through budget measures that also would give the state authority to issue bonds to pay for the project.
California High-Speed Rail Secures $1 Billion Annual Funding – Newsweek
California’s high-speed rail project has won a financial lifeline, with the state committing $1 billion annually from cap-and-trade revenues through 2045. The steady funding agreement, formalized under new legislation signed this week, gives the California High-Speed Rail Authority the long-term stability it says is essential to completing the project’s initial Merced-to-Bakersfield segment by 2033.
September 8, 2025
Six candidates vying for two board seats that oversee the country’s largest public pension system outlined their visions for the organization during the election’s only forum last week. Issues addressed by the group seeking to lead the California Public Employees’ Retirement System ranged from whether cryptocurrencies had a place in CalPERS’ investment portfolio to their stances on divesting from Tesla.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order directing state agencies to fast-track energy projects so they can take advantage of federal tax credits before the credits expire at the end of the year. The state’s Infrastructure Strike Team will identify projects that are eligible for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits that might be lost in the wake of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) passed in July.
Caltrans reopens southbound I-5 near Pacific Beach 15 hours early – The Times of San Diego via MSN
A stretch of southbound Interstate 5 between State Route 52 and Mission Bay Drive that was closed since 9 p.m. Friday opened Sunday afternoon, almost 15 hours ahead of schedule, Caltrans reported.
September 4, 2025
For decades, residents of California’s remote northwest corner have pleaded with government officials to do something about Last Chance Grade, an eroding, three-mile stretch of highway hugging the fog-shrouded cliffs between the redwood forest and the Pacific Ocean. Now, after decades of patching holes and building retaining walls — temporary repairs that have cost more than $125 million since 1997 — Caltrans has settled on a long-term solution: a 6,000-foot tunnel that would bypass Last Chance Grade’s fast-eroding cliffs.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s controversial push to fast-track the Delta Conveyance Project received a formal endorsement this week from the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), the largest irrigation district in the nation. Though it does not rely on water from the State Water Project, the IID’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution supporting the project, calling it essential to addressing statewide water scarcity and a necessary step for improving California’s water systems.
California High-Speed Rail Authority board members heard from frustrated and disappointed Merced officials Thursday – nearly a week after a report from the agency suggested it might cut the city from the bullet train’s initial operating segment. Frank Quintero, Merced’s deputy city manager, said they were given no advance notice before the authority released its 2025 Supplemental Project Update Report on Friday, Aug. 22.
September 2, 2025
California Lawmakers Slam Cal/OSHA Over Audit Showing Weak Worker Protections – KQED
California lawmakers put top state officials tasked with protecting worker health and safety under intense fire on Wednesday for falling short of their mission, as highlighted by a recent state audit.
Jay Leno’s star power wasn’t enough to persuade a California legislative committee to pass a measure to allow owners of classic cars like him to be exempted from the state’s rigorous smog-check requirements.
Opinion – Civil Minded: I-5 Bike Bridge Engineers Never Lost Their Cool – Inside Sacramento
I finally have something nice to say about the Land Park Interstate 5 bicycle bridge fiasco. The mess proves civil engineers are civilized people. Some of the engineers are city employees. Others are affiliated with private firms working for the city. Some work for the contractor who built the bridge. Others work for Caltrans, the state agency with authority over the project. At least a dozen engineers were involved.
California High-Speed Rail Project Accelerates Timeline for 2026 – Newsweek
California’s high-speed rail project is moving forward with a tighter timeline, as state officials prepare to install electrified tracks by 2026, marking a significant milestone for the nation’s first bullet train system.
August 2025 News Items
August 28, 2025
Caltrans Engineers Assessing Highway 247 Flood Damage – Pain in the Pass
Caltrans has closed Highway 247 from Northside Road to Veteran Homes Parkway after heavy rains flooded the road. State engineers determined that several areas have experienced undermining and some shoulders will need to be reestablished. More thunderstorms are in the forecast next week that may hamper repair work.
California Gets $219M Boost for Sites Reservoir Water Storage Project – Santa Monica Daily Press
Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that California’s Sites Reservoir project has received nearly $219 million in additional state funding to accelerate building what will become the nation’s second-largest off-stream reservoir. The California Water Commission approved the funding increase to cover rising costs from anticipated delays to the project, which is designed to hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water — enough to supply more than 4.5 million homes for a year.
EPA Moves to Block California’s Roadside Emissions Checks – Transport Topics
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking aim at a California emissions law specific to the trucking industry, the latest move in a crusade the federal agency has launched against the state’s long-standing efforts to establish and enforce its own clean air policies. This time the EPA is targeting the California Air Resources Board’s Clean Truck Check law, also known as the Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Program.
August 25, 2025
Remote work can deliver savings for taxpayers – The Orange County Register (free read)
The Orange County Register’s editorial board for decades has been a leading critic of California’s public-employee unions and state and local government defined-benefit pensions. But it finds that state telework is a different matter: “It’s not a great time to be invested in commercial real estate. But companies across the Golden State are finding tremendous savings in rent and ownership costs when their employees can work remotely some or all of the time. Why shouldn’t government save the taxpayers money as well?”
Caltrans allocates $4.4 million to study Fernbridge’s future – Times-Standard (Eureka) via MSN
The government body tasked with allocating funds for state road repairs has announced a big influx of cash for projects in Humboldt County. Among the wide list of efforts approved by the California Transportation Commission in their August meeting is an influx of nearly $4.4 million to study the construction of a new Fernbridge along state Route 211.
The effort to build California’s largest new reservoir in decades received a welcome commitment of cash on Wednesday — nearly $220 million — which will help keep the project on track to break ground as soon as next year. Planned for 70 miles northwest of Sacramento, the proposed Sites Reservoir won the bulk of the funding because plans to expand the Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County fell through, freeing up money in the state’s 2014 water bond. The remainder of the money for Sites came from last year’s state climate bond.
August 21, 2025
Two months ago, state workers’ fight to maintain their ability to work remotely seemed doomed. Despite valiant efforts to resist Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-day in-office policy, the intended July 1 deadline loomed. Then PECG bargained a delay, and soon other unions followed. Those negotiations, and a subsequent state audit that telework efficiencies that can save state government hundreds of millions of dollars, have given unions hope they can gain even more traction in future negotiations about working from home. “It is a huge development that we certainly hope to continue and be able to build upon in the future,” said Ted Toppin, the executive director of the Professional Engineers in California Government. “Obviously, that will depend on this administration and the future administrations being receptive to it.”
As for the audit, Toppin said, “As more evidence like this becomes available, this governor and his administration will recognize the benefits of flexible telework and see that it serves all of the things that they are trying to accomplish, including the savings of potentially hundreds of millions of dollars.”
With federal EV tax credits ending and emissions rules nullified, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state agencies are preparing new subsidies, incentives, and regulations to keep climate goals on track.
As Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes for building a giant water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, his administration says it’s the “single most effective” way for California to provide enough water as a warming climate brings deeper droughts and more intense storms. But environmental advocates and political leaders in the Delta, among others, condemned a new state analysis that draws that conclusion, arguing the tunnel construction would harm the environment and several types of fish and push water rates much higher for millions of Californians.
August 18, 2025
Caltrans has started construction on a truck scales facility on I-80 west of Fairfield that “will have the capacity to inspect up to 1000 trucks per hour, 24 hours per day, seven days a week,” the department says. The current station was built in 1958 and accommodates up to 700 trucks per day. Its short on and off ramps often force trucks to line up on the interstate, compelling the facility to close during peak traffic hours. The new scales are scheduled to open by December 2029.
US sues California to block tough emissions standards for trucks – Reuters
The U.S. government said on Friday it sued California to stop the state from enforcing stringent emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks. In complaints filed this week in two federal courts, the U.S. Department of Justice said federal law preempts the California Air Resources Board from enforcing various emissions rules governing heavy-duty trucks and engines. The litigation comes after four major truck manufacturers also sued CARB for enforcing the tougher state regulations after President Donald Trump declared them void in June.
Years of collapsing areas of land in the San Joaquin Valley – caused primarily by the over-pumping of groundwater for farming – has taken a toll on California’s largest water delivery system, which relies on stable land to work well. A state report says the system’s 2023 annual water delivery capability had fallen 3% compared to original-design deliveries. If no action is taken, it could fall to 87% by 2043. If that happens, 21 million Californians would feel the impacts, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
August 14, 2025
Daimler, Volvo, other truckmakers sue California to block emissions rules – Reuters
Four major truckmakers, including Daimler, Volvo, sued California to block the state from enforcing strict emissions standards that U.S. President Donald Trump declared void in June. Daimler, Volvo, Paccar, and International Motors, formerly Navistar, said they have been “caught in the crossfire” after Trump reversed waivers issued during the Biden administration that let California set its own standards.
Crossing times at the U.S.-Mexico border could be on the road to improving as SANDAG and Caltrans are holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the Siempre Viva Bridge in Otay Mesa.
California has reached an agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration to protect $4 billion in federal funding for its high-speed rail project while a lawsuit over the money plays out in court. These funds are now held in a legal trust, ensuring they cannot be redirected until the lawsuit concludes. The Trump Administration moved earlier this summer to cancel the funding, a move state leaders and bullet train supporters fought in court.
August 11, 2025
With the realities of climate change looming ever closer, California transportation officials agreed it was time to try something different: make peace with the sea and move a crumbling coastal highway more than 350 feet inland. Compromise wasn’t easy. In what many described as a major coup in government bureaucracy, the California Department of Transportation, the coastal commission, and county leaders set aside their differences to come up with a new solution together.
The California Air Resources Board recently launched a first-of-its-kind program to gather hyper-local air pollution data that should help in the ongoing effort to improve air quality in the state.
The man leading the California High Speed Rail project is one year into the job – but Ian Choudri says he started figuring out what was plaguing the project long before he was put in charge.
August 7, 2025
When 1,299 California Highway Patrol employees left their jobs in 2024, they collectively pocketed $67 million from unused vacation hours. The average payout from CHP was $52,000 per person. Payouts varied from 55 cents for Los Angeles County public safety dispatcher Jorge Ortiz to Randy England, a CHP captain in Mendocino County, who cashed out just short of $400,000. Last year, the state paid $431 million to those leaving state service.
Local governments are a roadblock to California transit, report says – Axios San Diego
California governments are sometimes a major impediment to state attempts to build transit projects, according to a new report by transportation advocacy group Circulate San Diego. The report, “Powerless Brokers,” argues that local governments can be indifferent or hostile to such projects and often use their authority to demand unrelated public benefits, delaying and increasing the costs of transit expansion. The city of Shafter scored a variety of ancillary infrastructure benefits when it allowed state high-speed rail to expand through its city limits. “It provides this very expensive infrastructure for the city, earlier than when we would’ve been able to accomplish it by ourselves,” City Manager Scott Hurlburt said in 2018 after the rail authority agreed to build local transportation projects for the city.
Brightline West on track while Florida rail hits financial bumps – The High Desert Post
Brightline West, the high-speed rail project connecting Southern California to Las Vegas, is progressing despite financial challenges faced by its Florida counterpart. Brightline announced on July 11 that it would miss interest payments on $1.2 billion in tax-exempt bonds. The company began issuing tax-exempt municipal bonds around 2017 to fund its Miami-Orlando rail line and planned expansions, including a route to Tampa. Bondholders have hired legal counsel after the delayed payment, which is now due August 13, 2025. While both projects share the Brightline brand and parent company, Fortress Investment Group, they operate as separate entities. The financial issues in Florida have not directly impacted the funding or progress of Brightline West.
August 4, 2025
3-day Highway 41 closure canceled by Caltrans. Here’s what to know – San Luis Obispo Tribune via MSN
Days before Caltrans was scheduled to close a 20-mile stretch of Highway 41 in eastern San Luis Obispo County, that closure has been canceled. The California Department of Transportation called off the roadwork due to the Gifford Fire burning along Highway 166 in parts of SLO and Santa Barbara counties, the state road agency said in a news release. Caltrans planned to close part of Highway 41 for three days starting Tuesday, Aug. 5, to complete work on part of a $147 million construction project on the Cholame “Y” interchange, an area of Highway 46 that has been dubbed “Blood Alley.”
But in an interview with The Mercury News, the CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, Ian Choudri, said he is pushing to build the high-speed rail line north to Gilroy and south to Palmdale simultaneously with construction in the Central Valley. The vision: even if the first phase of high speed rail doesn’t extend all the way to San Francisco and Los Angeles, it will at least end at stations with transit connections to those cities’ downtowns. That plan, though, hinges on a major factor — California lawmakers’ approval for over $1 billion each year to fund it.
July 2025 News Items
July 31, 2025
Over the next five years, the California Public Employees Retirement System hopes to save $600 million through a new contract with an intermediary that manages state workers’ and their families’ pharmacy benefits, with the goal of minimizing rising drug prices and stabilizing premium costs.
Days after the Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to revoke a foundational climate finding, state officials and environmental advocates already were plotting their responses, with some touting the galvanizing impact of the controversial move. Following months of speculation, Lee Zeldin, the recently appointed EPA administrator, made official on July 29 the agency’s plan to revoke the endangerment finding, a 2009 declaration that six heat-trapping gases — including carbon dioxide and methane — pose a risk to public health. The endangerment finding underpins the federal government’s entire framework for reining in planet-heating pollution, covering everything from automobiles to factories to power plants. However, as the federal government took a step back from regulating heat-trapping gases, some advocates saw the potential for states like California to step in to fill the void.
New renderings include the rail line’s proposed station in Rancho Cucamonga, a train running near freeways, and a sneak peek at the inside of a premium passenger seats car and a party car with a bar.
July 28, 2025
Inside California’s Return-to-Office Battle – Comstock’s Magazine
Comstock’s editor’s note: At press time, Gov. Gavin Newsom reached an agreement with the 14,000 members of the Professional Engineers in California Government union that would delay his return to office order for a year. We left their comments in so you can see what their argument was.
Earlier this spring, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order mandating that most of California’s 224,000 full-time state workers should return to working in the office four days per week starting July 1. Most state workers have already had to do in-person work at least two days per week. “It’s very hard for morale and retention,” a Caltrans engineer, who doesn’t want her name used, tells Comstock’s. … “(Four days per week in the office) will be a change up to my lifestyle. It’s disappointing that (Newsom is) going ahead with this. It’s a huge change up in the way we were working.”
Newsom has said in-person work enhances collaboration, innovation, accountability, and ultimately improves service delivery for Californians. But “remote work has functioned well,” an engineer with the California Air Resources Board says. “Before COVID, I was doing telework one day a week. After COVID hit, I shifted to 100 percent remote work. It’s been working great, no issues.”
Meanwhile, Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, notes that 60 percent of downtown Sacramento’s office space is either occupied, leased or owned by the state, and without workers in those offices, downtown businesses struggle to stay afloat. He says it needs the “social collisions” that remote work can never provide.
“We’re not going to solve the maladies of downtown Sacramento with a couple thousand more employees there two days a week,” Ted Toppin, executive director of the Professional Engineers in California Government, argued. For Toppin and other union leaders, the benefits of a revitalized downtown are more than countered by the higher costs of commuting for their members, by the parking and gas expenses, by the increased pollution that goes with having thousands of additional cars crowd into downtown and by the difficulties around childcare that kick in when state workers with kids suddenly have to follow a rigid in-office schedule once again. They also estimate that it will cost the state millions of dollars to retrofit buildings left either unoccupied or underoccupied for the past five years. “This is a fight worth having,” Toppin said.
One of California’s most expensive infrastructure projects is inching forward in a tiny city on the north coast, where landslides have long battered the main highway.
The California Public Utilities Commission announced Friday afternoon that it would pause a September return-to-office order for employees until next year. Earlier this month, the agency told employees represented by SEIU Local 1000 and other labor unions that they would be expected to work in person two days a week starting in September. Currently, CPUC staff work remotely full-time.
July 24, 2025
The Great State Government Return-to-Office U-Turn – The Hill
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) banned remote work for state employees in March. By June, he was signing a bill that allowed it again. This stunning reversal in just three months tells you everything you need to know about the new reality of government work. The Texas about-face isn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of a fascinating pattern playing out in state capitals across America, where rigid return-to-office mandates are collapsing under the weight of economic reality and employee resistance. … California Gov. Gavin’s Newsom’s journey from two-day office requirements to a four-day mandate might look like escalation, but the emerging pattern suggests something more strategic. When the Professional Engineers in California Government secured their one-year reprieve from the four-day requirement, they paid for it with salary concessions. Days later, the attorneys’ union struck a remarkably similar deal.
State Transportation Secretary Tours Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide – Monterey Herald
California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin visited Regents Slide on Highway 1 last week, reaffirming the state’s commitment to the Big Sur community as repair work continues. Regent’s Slide — at post mile 27.8, and about 40 miles south of Carmel — has stymied unrestricted travel along the famed coast highway through Monterey County since it occurred Feb. 9, 2024. Omishakin met with local leaders, business owners and tourism officials at the slide site and said that the state and Governor Newsom remain fully committed to reopening the highway as quickly and safely as possible.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he believes the door is closed when it comes to reversing the Trump administration’s decision to claw back nearly $4 billion in federal funding for the California high-speed rail project.
July 21, 2025
A review from the California State Auditor’s office, released on Thursday, stated that the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, has displayed “critical weakness” in its ability to properly conduct inspections and address hazards. The audit attributed understaffing to many of the agency’s problems, with an overall vacancy rate of 32%, or 289 unfilled positions in the last fiscal year — a rate significantly higher in certain district offices. The overstretched agency has closed workplace complaints and accident reports without conducting an on-site inspection or providing a sufficient explanation, the audit found. The audit was based on a review of 60 cases that Cal/OSHA handled over five years ending in 2024.
More than a year of Caltrans repair work on the massive slide blocking Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast has cleared more than 500,000 cubic yards of debris — but officials say it’s still too early to say when the road will be clear to reopen. Since 2023, it’s been impossible to take Highway 1 all the way from San Luis Obispo County to Monterey due to a trio of landslides caused by severe winter weather.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the California High Speed Rail Authority is suing the Trump administration for pulling $4 billion for the state’s high-speed rail project.
July 17, 2025
Most state workers’ health insurance premiums will increase in 2026 following approval of the new rates by the California Public Employees Retirement System’s Board of Administration on Tuesday. Several of the most popular plans will see double digit hikes next year. Basic HMO premium plans will increase an average of 6.5% next year, which CalPERS officials approved during a board meeting in Monterey. Basic PPO premiums will increase by an average of 12%.
Amtrak, high-speed rail, public transit take cuts in House 2026 budget proposal – Smart Cities Dive
Federal spending on Amtrak, high-speed rail and public transportation would be cut by a bill marked up Monday by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. The measure prohibits funding for California’s high-speed rail project to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco, which is under construction, a proposed Texas high-speed rail project between Dallas and Houston, and rescinds $75 million in funding for capital projects, maintenance and new or expanded intercity passenger rail projects.
July 14, 2025
California Pension Fund Posts 11.6% Gain Driven by Stocks, Outpacing Annual Goal – Bloomberg via MSN
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System reported an 11.6% gain for its latest fiscal year, with returns driven by public equity investments. The largest US pension fund’s returns outpaced its 6.8% annual target and pushed its managed assets to $556.2 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, CalPERS said Monday in a preliminary returns statement. That means the pension can now cover 79% of its future obligations, from 75% at the end of the previous year.
Transportation Panel Embraces ‘Back to Basics’ Highway Plan – Transport Topics
Policymakers in the House of Representatives will prioritize traditional surface transportation projects when they kick off negotiations on a multiyear highway policy bill over the coming months. That was the recent message from Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who said he plans to direct his colleagues’ attention to big-picture highway projects while maintaining a focus on traditional connectivity corridors.
State officials say federal cuts threaten California’s environment – Los Angeles Times via AOL
Budget cuts, staff reductions and other sweeping changes from the federal government are posing real threats to California’s environment and progress against climate change, state officials said Thursday. State agencies such as the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, the Department of Water Resources and the Energy Commission are among those struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of federal cutbacks, officials said.
July 10, 2025
In January, leaders from seven unions sat down with the state’s lead negotiator, CalHR, to draft new labor contracts. Labor leaders said at the time that they hoped to net salary increases beyond the typical 2% to 3% adjustments based on California’s improved financial position. By May, Gov. Gavin Newsom had called all 21 of the state’s bargaining units back to the bargaining table – after California’s fiscal outlook soured – to draft agreements that include 3% raises but also imposed leave programs that offset those pay increases in exchange for more vacation time.
“A state budget in multi-billion-dollar deficit makes for a tough bargaining environment,” Ted Toppin, PECG’s executive director, said in a statement. “But the PECG Bargaining Team delivered on what they understood to be most important to members – a halt to the return-to-office order and two pay raises as soon as it is possible.”
Cracks in Sacramento’s Highway 50 forces another major closure for repairs – CBS News Sacramento
Pavement problems are causing a serious setback on the Caltrans Fix-50 project. Caltrans said it has found cracks and broken-off pieces of concrete along the newly paved lanes of westbound Highway 50 in downtown Sacramento. Beginning Friday night, Caltrans plans a three-day closure of three westbound lanes to make the repairs. “Quality inspectors noticed there was some cracking, chippings here, chippings there so it was not something usual for a new paved road,” said Sergio Ochoa Sanchez, Caltrans spokesperson. Caltrans engineers said the new segment was laid down in August 2023, but it was poured too thick and was not properly vibrated during placement. Extensive testing shows it does not meet state specifications.
The insurance giant Blue Shield of California reached a deal on Tuesday with the University of California Health system to extend a contract that covers a large patient group, many of whom are state workers.
July 7, 2025
At a moment when California high-speed rail faces possible abandonment, the project’s new leader sees a tantalizing lifeline: $1 billion annually from the state, supplemented by an infusion of private capital. ““We are looking at state-level commitments so that we can bring private equity partners in,” California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri said during an interview at the Marriott hotel in San Francisco. He was attending the American Public Transportation Association conference. Appearing on a panel with three executives from global infrastructure firms, Choudri inhabited a unique role: part public steward, part pitchman.
Heading to Big Sur? The drive just got a whole lot easier – The San Francisco Standard
A chunk of road near Rocky Creek Bridge that collapsed in 2024 is now fixed, putting Northern California’s best tide pools within easy reach.
July 3, 2025
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $3.5 billion in funding to enhance road resiliency, pedestrian and bicycle travel, and highway safety across the state. Caltrans says the funding includes nearly $993 million from Senate Bill 1 (SB1) and $944 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Additionally, the CTC has awarded $1.45 billion for new projects receiving Senate Bill 1 funding through 2027. Officials say the investments will support zero and low-emission transportation and infrastructure that strengthens California’s freight network.
Blue Shield of California agreed to extend a contract that covers tens of thousands of state workers, the insurer said Monday, assuring that the University of California Health System will remain in-network for a large group of patients through Aug. 9.
June 2025 News Items
June 30, 2025
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office is making benefit deals with public employee unions that save money today in part by putting off payments that were meant to bring down costs tomorrow. His office this month negotiated eight agreements with unions that pause state spending for two years toward one of California’s largest long-term debts: the health care benefits civil servants receive in retirement. Newsom’s pause on the pre-funding payments for current workers has the potential to free up a lot of money. His office in May estimated those payments would cost the state more than $700 million in the new budget year.
“For my members, the cost of living in the state is so high, it just gives them a little bit of relief in putting money in their pockets that wouldn’t be there otherwise,” said Ted Toppin, the executive director of the union that represents state engineers, Professional Engineers in California Government. “This is a long horizon,” he said. “At least for the state in this year and the near term the need is deficit reduction, and for my members the need is they gotta pay the bills.”
California’s largest state worker union delays return-to-office order – Sacramento Bee via MSN
California’s largest public sector union secured a one-year pause to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office order just days before state workers are expected to begin working in person four days a week. The pause to the unpopular telework policy followed announcements by other unions that the administration agreed to push back the deadline until July 2026 as part of broader labor negotiations with the state to reduce California’s compensation costs during a tight budget year.
San Francisco officials are urging Blue Shield of California to resolve its contract dispute with UC Health, warning that the breakdown threatens access to critical care for thousands of city workers and retirees. In a letter sent Thursday to Blue Shield’s interim CEO Mike Stuart, City Attorney David Chiu and Supervisor Matt Dorsey urged the insurer to finalize an agreement with UC Health, which includes UCSF Medical Center and its affiliates. Negotiations between the two health care giants have stalled over reimbursement rates, with Blue Shield warning that UC Health plans to terminate the contract on July 10 unless a new deal is reached. The impasse could affect tens of thousands of Californians insured through employer plans, Covered California, CalPERS, and Medicare.
June 27, 2025
Local businesses near the state Capitol in Sacramento say they’re already seeing change as state workers prepare to come into the office more often. That’s happening after a union representing about 14,000 state employees negotiated a delay this week on the return-to-office policy for their workers. But for most state employees, the mandate still kicks in July 1.
Earlier this week, The Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) secured an agreement to delay the four-day-in-office requirement until July 2026. This comes after the PECG union sued the Governor’s Office and CalHR, alleging they had violated state labor laws. Ted Toppin of PECG called the rollback for the engineer union a “win-win” that still allows the state to cut office costs and reduce emissions. He thinks this could possibly lead to more pushback from other bargaining groups: “I would not be terribly surprised if it were a model for other bargaining units. They too have expressed their concerns about the return-to-office order.” Toppin says the July 2026 return date is a placeholder, and he hopes the state will suspend the entire order by next year. “The state benefits from reduced emissions, reduced congestion, reduced office costs,” Toppin said, “and PECG members get to do their jobs with some semblance of work-life balance.”
A second cohort of state workers can continue working from home, after Gov. Gavin Newsom struck a deal with the state attorneys union that delays his return-to-office order until July 2026. California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers in State Employment (CASE) reached an agreement with many of the same terms secured by the state engineers union, including a delay for when public employees begin working in offices four days a week.
California’s existing groundwater infrastructure may fail to quench the state’s thirst in an increasingly arid future, even as officials celebrate widespread conservation achievements, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) warned on Tuesday. “The data doesn’t lie, and it is telling us that our water system is unprepared for California’s hotter and drier climate,” Newsom said in a statement. The governor was referring to data published in a semiannual report by the California Department of Water Resources that morning. The report, which indicated California is collecting more groundwater data than ever before, showed a 2.2 million acre-foot increase in storage last year.
June 23, 2025
Union negotiates pause to CA return-to-office order for state worker engineers – The Sacramento Bee
In a major win for state engineers, the union representing Caltrans employees negotiated an immediate one-year suspension of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office order that would have required public employees to work in-person four days a week starting July 1.
Caltrans has proposed a $500 million project to widen a wine country highway that the agency said could be underwater in 25 years. Members of the California Transportation Commission will decide at a public meeting beginning Thursday whether to award Caltrans and local agencies a $73 million grant that would cover some of the cost to widen Highway 37 — a roadway linking Vallejo to Sears Point across the Napa Sonoma Marsh, much of which is only one lane in each direction.
June 19, 2025
The union representing 25,000 California prison guards struck a deal for a new contract that gives Gov. Gavin Newsom some financial relief in the short term but includes a mix of bonuses and raises that would kick in over time. Altogether, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association’s agreement is expected to cost the state $600 million over the next four years, according to a summary released by the California Department of Human Resources. It includes two raises of 3% each with one taking effect next month and the second one in July 2027. That first raise would be offset by a personal leave program of unpaid time off that is expected to reduce guards’ pay by 3% in the coming year. That’s worth about $132 million. The net savings to the state would amount to about $3.9 million. The contract saves more money by deferring the state’s contribution toward the health care coverage correctional officers will use in retirement. That’s expected to trim state spending by about $100 million in each of the next two budget years.
No more federal money for California high-speed rail, Trump says – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
“We’re not going to fund that….it’s out of control.” That was President Donald Trump Wednesday talking about federal aid to California’s high-speed rail line. He called the line “one of the most incompetent things,” during an impromptu press conference on the White House lawn.
The State of California has awarded $500 million for educational agencies to buy electric school buses and chargers. The Zero-Emissions School Bus and Infrastructure project has selected 133 educational agencies to receive 1,000 school buses and related charging infrastructure. The grants are expected to be finalized by the end of the year. The incentive program is a collaboration between the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC). It is administered by nonprofit transportation organization CALSTART.
June 16, 2025
Does state agency director’s new job violate post-employment rules? – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
The director of the state Department of Industrial Relations plans to step down next month and assume an executive position with a Sacramento-based agency that has an extensive contracting history with the department. In July, Katie Hagen will begin a new role as CEO of CPS HR Consulting. The firm is a joint powers authority, which is made up of several public entities that pool together resources to more efficiently provide consulting services to nonprofits and government agencies, such as DIR. In the five years Hagen has led the labor law enforcement department, DIR has awarded over 20 contracts to CPS HR Consulting, which total more than $8.5 million. CPS HR Consulting has provided human resources services to DIR for over two decades. While Hagen’s move to CPS HR Consulting doesn’t violate state hiring laws, the contracting history between two public entities creates troubling optics, government ethics experts said.
California lawmakers approve $325 billion budget ‘passed on hope’ – CalMatters
The California Legislature passed a state budget last week that relies more on borrowing than spending cuts to close a projected $12 billion deficit, aiming to push off difficult decisions about priorities even as that gap is only expected to grow in future years. The $325 billion legislative spending plan, which was approved by the Democratic majority along largely partisan lines, is something of a formality, because lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget by June 15 or forgo their pay. Lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom remain billions of dollars apart, particularly on Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for the poor, as well as home health services, public transit, higher education and raises for state workers.
California High-Speed Rail Hits Back at Funding Cuts: ‘Outright Misleading’ – Newsweek
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has hit back at the federal Department of Transportation after a new report threatened to withdraw federal funding for the state’s rail project. The authority stated that the Federal Railroad Administration’s description of the largest high-speed rail project in the country was “inaccurate” and even “outright misleading” at times.
June 12, 2025
The Legislature’s Monday budget plan included some welcomed news to state workers: a flat-out rejection of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to freeze state workers’ salaries. While the development is a sunny one for state workers, there’s still time for the budget to change, and the initial salary freezes are not off the table, said Tim Yeung, a public sector labor expert. He said negotiations between the Legislature and the governor, and between unions and the administration, are ongoing. Additionally, as lawmakers have already pointed out when discussing the budgetary fate of their other priorities, the governor can use his veto power to shape the budget passed by the Legislature. It’s not clear whether the governor can line-item veto salary raises that were approved by the Legislature and promised in bargaining agreements. The Governor’s Office did not respond to questions on the subject.
Bay Area bridge to partially close for repairs after cracking found – SFGate.com
A week after broken concrete prompted emergency repairs on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, officials are partially closing the double-decker bridge for more maintenance.
With high-speed rail stuck in the station, Brightline still moving – Roll Call
The Trump administration has poured cold water on federal funds for two high-speed rail projects this year, leaving advocates to hope that a plan to speed travelers between southern California and Las Vegas can demonstrate the U.S. can still complete projects with transportation technology common in Europe and Asia. The Brightline West project covering the 218 miles between California’s Rancho Cucamonga, east of Los Angeles, and Nevada’s largest city would allow travelers to reach their destination in two hours. The train is scheduled to go into service in 2028. Brightline now looks like a sharp contrast to a struggling Texas plan and another prominent high-speed rail project in California.
June 9, 2025
With just over a week to finalize the state budget or go without pay, lawmakers are weighing the options about which of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed cuts they’re willing to stomach. One option to help patch the $12 billion deficit would be to delay salary increases for public employees in the upcoming fiscal year. By negotiating pauses in pay raises with bargaining units, the administration hopes to save $767 million. While some lawmakers have opted to remain quiet on the question, others on both sides of the aisle have said they are not willing to balance the budget on the backs of state employees.
As a former California secretary of business, transportation and housing, a congresswoman, and governor’s chief of staff, I understand that transformative infrastructure projects demand vision, courage and — above all — commitment. That’s why I introduced the concept of high-speed rail to Gov. Jerry Brown in 1981 and authored the first national High-Speed Rail Planning Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. Today, I continue to serve on the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors because I believe in this project’s power to reshape how our state — and nation — moves. I’ve stuck with this project for more than four decades because I know it’s worth the fight. But like any bold idea, high-speed rail has not been without critics — or setbacks.
June 6, 2025
Lawmakers on Wednesday asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to delay the July 1 deadline for state workers to return to offices four days a week, citing concerns that the mandate will exacerbate California’s budget shortfall. In a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 17 Assembly members, Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, and Robert Garcia, D-Rancho Cucamonga, urged the governor to push back the timeline for returning employees until the California State Auditor publishes a report analyzing the cost and efficacy of telework.
Most Californians have a negative view of highway and road conditions in the state, perhaps informed by the most recent pothole drivers hit on the way to work. While the state’s roads and bridges are still lacking in comparison to the national average, Californians might be surprised to learn that our highways, roads, and bridges have improved over the last 10 years.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday released a report proclaiming there is “no viable path” to complete the California High Speed Rail project on time or on budget, setting the stage for the cancellation of $4 billion in federal grants. A U.S. Department of Transportation press release says the California High Speed Rail Authority has 37 days to respond, after which any unspent funds from previously awarded grants could be rescinded and used elsewhere.
June 2, 2025
Many of California’s reservoirs have filled nearly to capacity this year with runoff from the ample snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. But the situation is very different along the Colorado River, another vital water source for Southern California, where a very dry spring has shrunk the amount of runoff streaming into reservoirs.
Myers & Sons Replacing California Bridge – Construction Equipment Guide
Myers & Sons Construction LLC is replacing the Klamath River Bridge in northern California with a $34 million project funded by Senate Bill 1. The new bridge, designed for a 100-year lifespan, will improve safety, accessibility, and sustainability in the area. The project, scheduled for completion ahead of schedule, replaces the California Department of Transportation’s structure over Horse Creek on State Route 96 in Siskiyou County. It began in the summer of 2024, and Myers & Sons Construction LLC expects to deliver the $34 million construction contract ahead of schedule this fall.
Earlier this spring Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all state workers — remote or not — back to offices. For some agencies, that sent them scrambling to find space for workers who, in some cases, had been fully remote. But last week, state lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill to effectively reverse that top-down mandate, allowing state agencies to set their own remote-work policies. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk, and its overwhelming bipartisan support in both the Texas House and Senate could bode well for the measure, an organizer with the Texas State Employees Union said.
May 2025 News Items
May 29, 2025
20-mile highway closure slated for California’s notorious ‘Blood Alley’ – SFGate
A critical 20-mile section of Highway 41 that connects the Central Valley and the rest of California to the Central Coast between Paso Robles and Kettleman City is slated to close for five days of construction in early June, Caltrans officials confirmed to SFGATE on Tuesday. The construction on the highway will take place starting at the interchange of highways 41 and 46 near Cholame and extend east to Reef Station near the junction of state Route 33. Those who know a little about Hollywood history will recognize the interchange as the famed spot where actor James Dean was killed.
As two oil refineries prepare to close in California within the next year, some Democratic state lawmakers on Wednesday signaled they’re losing trust with the leaders of state agencies that have been regulating the oil and gas industry. California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph, California Energy Commission Vice Chairman Siva Gunda and Division of Petroleum Market Oversight Director Tai Milder were summoned to testify in front of the Assembly’s Utilities and Energy Committee. The panel faced a barrage of questions and criticism as lawmakers expressed concern the regulators have treated consumers, drivers, workers, and Californians overall as an afterthought in the state’s clean energy transition and affordability problems.
California Dept. of Finance wants $20 million to reduce government inefficiency – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
One interesting budget nugget tucked into finance letters sent to the Legislature earlier this month included a $20 million request from the Finance Department to hire contractors to continue an ongoing effort to make state government more efficient.
May 27, 2025
Water began flowing from a pipe onto hundreds of acres of dry, sunbaked lakebed as California officials filled a complex of shallow ponds near the south shore of the Salton Sea to create wetlands that will provide habitat for fish and birds and help control lung-damaging dust around the shrinking lake. The project represents the state’s largest effort to date to address the environmental problems plaguing the Salton Sea, which has been steadily retreating and leaving growing stretches of dusty lake bottom exposed to the desert winds.
Senate votes to revoke California’s EV, emissions waivers – CBS News
The Senate on Thursday voted to revoke three vehicle emissions waivers in California, a controversial move that the chamber’s parliamentarian says Republican lawmakers may not have the right to make. The vote was 51-44, with Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan joining Republicans in voting in favor of revoking the waivers. Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called it “the nuclear option.”
The Pacific Coast Highway, a Mythic Route Always in Need of Repair – The New York Times (free read)
The road has inspired rock bands and novelists. It’s sold Oldsmobiles, Chryslers and Mustangs. It’s promised freedom, opportunity for introspection, or the perfect selfie. And in a feat of engineering, it clings for hundreds of miles to the edge of the continent. The Pacific Coast Highway is among the most famous drives in the world. But it keeps breaking. Building the road on unstable terrain took ingenuity. Fixing it in a world being rocked by climate change may take even more.
May 22, 2025
The governor is hoping to save $767 million by freezing state workers’ salaries to help shore up California’s projected $12 billion deficit. But if that doesn’t happen by July 1 through negotiations, the administration may pursue a “reduction in employee compensation” to patch up the state’s finances. It’s not yet clear what that might look like. By reopening the agreements with bargaining units, “anything is on the table,” said Nick Schroeder, a public employment analyst at the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, including changes to Newsom’s unpopular telework policy that starts in July or pausing the amount state workers pay into retirement benefits.
Less than six weeks before the deadline, the state still does not have an idea of the cost to bring its workers back to offices four days a week, department officials said during an emotional budget subcommittee meeting Wednesday. Democratic lawmakers said the lack of information was “bewildering” and “disappointing.” Also on Wednesday’s agenda was Newsom’s proposal to save the state $767 million by withholding salary increases to state workers. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the savings measure, given the damaging impact the deal could have on labor relations.
California Allocates $1.7 Billion for Highway Safety – Roads & Bridges
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) on Thursday approved nearly $1.7 billion for infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing safety, improving mobility and strengthening climate resilience across the state highway system. The funding aligns with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Build More, Faster – For All” initiative, which seeks to modernize California’s infrastructure with a focus on sustainability and accessibility. The allocation includes $86.5 million for emergency repairs to roads and transportation infrastructure damaged by wildfires and storms in Southern California.
May 19, 2025
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal last week to freeze state workers’ salaries came at a time when much of California’s workforce already felt discouraged by the administration.
A sweeping new plan to reshape Pacific Coast Highway over the next several decades was unveiled this week, as state transportation officials presented the Draft PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study during a public meeting that drew both praise and sharp criticism from residents and local officials.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to tap at least $2.5 billion from the state’s climate fund to pay for state firefighting crews and the long-troubled high-speed rail project. In his budget proposal unveiled last week, Newsom announced that he is seeking to extend the state’s landmark cap and trade program, which is funded by credits bought and sold by major polluters, through 2045. But the allocation of the money is already triggering a fervent debate among state lawmakers.
May 15, 2025
California budget plan targets state worker pay amid $767M cost-cutting proposal – ABC News 10
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to cut nearly $767 million in state worker salaries and wages as part of his revised budget plan, sparking growing opposition from public employee unions. The May budget revise aims to close a multi-billion-dollar deficit without implementing furloughs or unpaid leave programs. … Ted Toppin, executive director of the Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG), said the administration must continue to offer competitive wages despite budget projections. “California has come through difficult budget times before, and PECG is confident we will again. Projecting a budget deficit that has yet to materialize does not absolve the Administration from the need to pay fair and competitive wages to recruit and retain the state-employed engineers and related professionals we represent. PECG is at the table now and will continue to bargain in good faith with the administration for the best agreement possible.” (This link opens a related TV news report.)
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to cut roughly $767 million from the state’s payroll expenses in salaries and wages to help close a larger-than-expected deficit California is facing. In a revised budget released Wednesday, Newsom’s administration said it hopes to reach that savings target through negotiations with the state’s 21 bargaining units. But if no agreement is reached, the administration said it will “impose reductions,” without detailing what those might involve. … Ted Toppin, the executive director of the Professional Engineers in California Government, said the state has weathered previous downturns and should continue to pay competitive wages. “Projecting a budget deficit that has yet to materialize does not absolve the Administration from the need to pay fair and competitive wages to recruit and retain the state-employed engineers and related professionals were present,” Toppin said in a statement. “PECG is at the table now and will continue to bargain in good faith with the administration for the best agreement possible.”
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta filed two lawsuits on Tuesday challenging a Trump administration policy that would deny the state billions of dollars in transportation grants unless it follows the administration’s lead on immigration enforcement. The lawsuits, filed with a coalition of 20 states against the federal Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security in U.S. district court in Rhode Island, argue that imposing the new set of conditions across a broad range of grant programs exceeds the administration’s legal authority.
May 12, 2025
Caltrans dedicates downtown LA monument to fallen workers – Los Angeles Daily News via MSN
Caltrans employees and their family members and guests helped dedicate a new memorial Thursday in downtown Los Angeles honoring the 32 highway workers killed in the line of duty in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since 1926. The dedication took place at Caltrans’ annual Workers Memorial event, set this year at the District 7 office downtown. The new memorial is at 100 S. Main St., at the north end of the Eli and Edythe Broad Plaza.
The U.S. Senate is weighing whether to roll back California’s long-standing authority to set its own air quality standards. The congressional move wades into murky legal waters, with potential impacts in the Bay Area ranging from increased air pollution to fewer choices when buying a new car. The three rules in question regulate cars, trucks, and buses, pushing them to pollute less. The most buzzworthy is a ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035, which President Donald Trump vehemently opposes. The other two aim to reduce pollution from heavy duty trucks and buses and to require truck makers start selling more electric vehicles.
Arrowhead bottled water company wins one of three pending court cases – Los Angeles Times via MSN
The company that sells Arrowhead brand bottled water has won a court ruling overturning a decision by California water regulators, who in 2023 ordered it to stop piping millions of gallons of water from the San Bernardino National Forest. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert Whalen Jr. said in his ruling that the State Water Resources Control Board’s order went “beyond the limits of its delegated authority.”
May 8, 2025
From childcare to commuting costs, state employees have a host of concerns about returning to pre-pandemic, in-person working conditions. And the state, in turn, is trying to make that transition as palatable as possible.
Newsom’s $10 billion budget problem – Politico
Gov. Gavin Newsom is likely staring down a $10 billion California budget hole that could even deepen to $20 billion or more. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, a Medi-Cal shortfall and delayed tax filings from Los Angeles-area wildfire victims are putting the state in a worse economic situation than Newsom previously anticipated — and that’s without taking expected federal spending cuts into account.
California’s high-speed train to lose federal funding, Trump says – Bloomberg via The Mercury News
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the federal government would not finance California’s high-speed rail project, escalating tensions over the state’s long-delayed infrastructure plan.
May 5, 2025
Caltrans is now using remote-controlled equipment to help remove a huge landslide along the Big Sur coast, a first for any landslide along the scenic highway.
California Regulators Move to Roll Back Parts of Controversial Clean Truck Rule – KQED
California plans to erase parts of a rule created to clean up the state’s dirty air from truck pollution. The action comes in response to a lawsuit from the California Trucking Association and strong headwinds from the Trump administration.
California High-Speed Rail CEO Seeks Support for Private Funding – Railway Supply
The California High-Speed Rail project could finally attract private capital if state leaders provide financial guarantees, according to the Authority’s CEO Ian Choudri. He stated that without private sector involvement, the state may need to issue new bonds or seek federal loans.
May 1, 2025
For a second year in a row, California canceled a program that allows state workers to cash out unused vacation time over budget concerns.
The California Legislative Analyst’s Office released a preliminary assessment Tuesday raising concerns over the Golden State’s proposed overhaul of its technology project approval process, particularly for initiatives involving generative artificial intelligence. The report comes the same day as California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the state is entering into three new agreements for utilizing generative AI to reduce freeway and road congestion, improve safety on the roads and enhance customer service and efficiency for Californians who need to use state systems. A California Department of Transportation project will use generative AI to analyze real-time and historical data from roadways to predict traffic bottlenecks, detect incidents faster and identify locations for safety enhancements, reducing traffic delays across the state.
Southern California cities can expect to receive 50% of their full water allotments this year from the aqueducts of the State Water Project, up from 40% last month, as runoff from this year’s ample snowpack continues to fill reservoirs in Northern California.
April 2025 News Items
April 28, 2025
Major automakers want Congress to bar California 2035 electric vehicle plan – Reuters
Major automakers want Congress to bar California’s landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035 that has been adopted by 11 other states, warning the rules could begin impacting vehicle shipments in a few months.
A portion of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu that was closed over the weekend due to a debris flow has reopened to residents, Caltrans announced.
California High-Speed Rail Hits New Milestone – Newsweek
California’s high-speed rail project has finished construction of the Whitley Avenue underpass, the second major structure completed this year. The underpass, located in Kings County, took two years to build and is a key part of the project’s Central Valley infrastructure.
April 24, 2025
Does California have enough office space for returning state workers? – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
One of the biggest unknowns the state is facing this July, when four out of ten state employees begin working primarily in person again, is how departments will navigate office space issues. Some workers worry about where they and their colleagues will sit.
With state workers returning to offices four days a week this summer, more commuters can be expected on Sacramento-area highways during the week. Public employees who are being told to work in person want drivers sitting in that gridlock to blame one person: Gov. Gavin Newsom.
California doesn’t know the cost to bring state workers back to offices – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
Department officials said they had not conducted a state-wide cost analysis of the governor’s return-to-office order in response to lawmakers’ questions about the financial impact of the policy. Assemblymembers expressed skepticism with the governor’s order and its cost to California and state employees during a Tuesday Budget Subcommittee hearing focused on state administration. Those concerns were echoed by dozens of state employees who attended the hearing to testify about how Gov. Gavin Newsom’s March executive order would negatively affect them.
April 21, 2025
Caltrans Honors Fallen Workers in Annual Memorial Ceremony – Roads and Bridges
Last week, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) honored 194 workers who have died on the state highway system since 1921 during its annual memorial ceremony. This year’s event paid special tribute to Alexander Rodish, an equipment operator, who was struck and killed in 2024 while working on Interstate 5.
California High-Speed Rail Authority and Millbrae Reach Settlement – Railway Age
The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) and Millbrae have reached a settlement agreement in the City’s lawsuit regarding land use and a high-speed rail planned for the city.
When the state of California paid prison supervising dentist George Soohoo $1.2 million last year, it wasn’t for a job well done. It was for vacation never taken. Soohoo joined the rare club of state employee millionaires by cashing out thousands of hours of unused time off when he retired, setting a new record for the payouts. He topped a list of nearly 1,000 workers who left state service last year with $100,0000 or more in banked leave benefits, a Los Angeles Times analysis of state payroll records found. In all, California paid departing workers $413 million last year for unused time off.
April 17, 2025
CalPERS CEO: Tariffs’ Impact Could Drag Out – The Wall Street Journal
Tariff-related losses could continue to hit workers’ retirement portfolios through the summer, the CEO of the nation’s largest pension fund told board members. CalPERS chief executive Marcie Frost said this week that the California public worker fund lost $26 billion after the trade penalties went into effect.
Trump has California’s high-speed rail in his sights, but so do Democrats – Politico
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have California’s $100 billion high-speed rail project in their crosshairs — but Democrats are the biggest threat to its future. While Trump is trying to eliminate the project’s federal funding, it’s state lawmakers in charge of deep-blue California who control the vast majority of the money it needs to succeed. And that Democrat-dominated bloc is signaling growing resistance amidst financial negotiations now getting underway.
Hacked pedestrian crossings play fake messages from Musk and Zuckerberg – BBC News via MSN
Pedestrian crossings in several areas of northern California have been hacked with fake greetings mocking the tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Pedro Quintana, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation, said about 10 pedestrian crossings within the Menlo Park and Palo Alto areas had been impacted. All of those are now working on a timer system, and the buttons that launched the fake messages have been deactivated, he said.
April 14, 2025
Caltrans to honor 194 fallen highway workers on April 17 – Woodland Daily Democrat
Caltrans will honor 194 employees who have died on the job since 1921 at the 35th annual Workers Memorial. Hosted for the first time in West Sacramento, the ceremony pays tribute to the dedicated public servants who paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep others safe on the California state highway system, as well as recognizing their families, friends and colleagues.
Can operators keep up with Golden State mandates? – Work Boat
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has expanded its Commercial Harbor Craft rule, imposing stricter emissions standards for a wider range of vessels operating in state-regulated waters. Initially adopted in 2008 and amended over the years, the rule applies to new and existing diesel engines on ferries, tugboats, and other commercial workboats. The rule has drawn pushback from the maritime industry, which cites concerns over technology availability, repower costs, and implementation timelines. Safety concerns are also at the forefront, as operators worry DPFs could impact vessel performance and fire potential could threaten mariners’ lives. CARB maintains that these measures are necessary to reduce emissions from harbor craft in California waters.
Trump’s volatile trade policy creates new problems for California state budget – Los Angeles Times
As the stock market plummeted last week, California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas sat at his desk in the state Capitol and predicted that President Trump’s tariffs would “squeeze our economy at every level.” Less than 48 hours later, Trump paused most of the tariffs he imposed on imported goods. The financial markets that California’s progressive tax structure is dependent on shot up in response before bouncing up and down the rest of the week. The whiplash underscores the challenge before lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom this spring as they attempt to develop a state budget plan for the year ahead that funds schools, healthcare, roadways, and other essential services.
April 10, 2025
Southern California’s busiest freeways are getting extreme makeovers – KTLA
It’s springtime in Los Angeles. The Dodgers are back, the flowers are blooming, and the Caltrans road crews are fueled up and ready with an aggressive battle plan to tackle repairs on L.A. area freeways. Here’s a list.
With the Trump administration announcing an investigation into California’s high-speed rail project, news coverage has largely focused on the attempt to disrupt the project. Meanwhile, almost no one is talking about the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s aggressive new leader and his dramatic efforts to accelerate construction of the bullet train.
As dry season nears, here are the water levels at California’s major reservoirs – SF Gate
Nearly all of California’s major reservoirs are fuller than they were in previous years after a wet and stormy winter.
April 7, 2025
At the beginning of March, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order mandating that state workers return to the office four days a week. But as California companies and government agencies push forward with return-to-office mandates, they risk exacerbating a workplace problem that many have failed to address adequately: gender discrimination.
Trump’s tariffs may hurt CA’s budget – CalMatters
With a state budget that’s partially dependent on the income tax generated from stocks, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is not surprised that California’s budget could take a hit from the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. H.D. Palmer, the spokesperson for Newsom’s Department of Finance, said the governor flagged all the way back in his January budget proposal that broad-based tariffs were the biggest potential risk to California’s economic forecast.
For the first time in 25 years, California has a snowpack trifecta – Los Angeles Times via MSN
The year may have started with a dry spell, but the end of California’s storm season has brought more fresh snow to the Sierra Nevada, pushing the state’s snowpack to 96% of average on April 1, when the snow season typically reaches its peak. The near-average snowpack has given the state a third straight year of ample water supplies in the mountains — something that hasn’t happened in a quarter of a century.
April 3, 2025
Just days before bargaining representatives for the state attorneys’ union were set to sit down with the California Department of Human Resources to negotiate a new contract, the state’s top boss threw a wrench in the gears. The issue of telework policies, which several unions negotiating new contracts this year planned to bargain over, was being set unilaterally by Gov. Gavin Newsom, labor groups argued. In filings with the state employment board, the engineers union has asserted that the executive order has hobbled the labor group’s leverage in negotiations related to hybrid work and telework stipends. Unless the board blocks the return-to-office order, the union said the issue of hybrid work was “effectively removed from the bargaining table.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses return-to-work order. What did he say? – The Sacramento Bee via MSN
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday made what appear to be his first public comments on his recent order calling state workers back to offices four days a week and suggested that it was about more than just collaboration and government efficiency. He said he was also thinking about the “mom and pop” businesses, like sandwich shops, that are struggling to make ends meet.
Gov. Gavin Newsom talks about his return to office order for California state workers. He explains why he thinks it is needed.
March 2025 News Items
March 27, 2025
A protest led by scientists and other state employees Wednesday afternoon wasn’t as loud as one earlier this month. But the 100 or so workers who marched in downtown Sacramento carried the same angry message: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return to office order needs to be defeated.
… As soon as labor groups learned Newsom was calling state workers back to offices, unions’ internal legal machinery kicked into high gear. One day after Newsom issued the order, the Professional Engineers in California Government filed an unfair labor practice with the Public Employment Relations Board, alleging the governor’s order violated state labor law.
“We’ve been at the forefront of this fight since March 3,” said Ted Toppin, PECG’s executive director.
The process – between filing a charge and the board issuing a decision – can take up to a year, said Tim Yeung, a public sector labor law expert. All told, Yeung said, PERB won’t be able to conduct a hearing and issue a decision before the order goes into effect.
Aware of this time crunch, PECG filed a motion to expedite the process to get the union’s unfair labor practice in front of the labor board as soon as possible.
One week after the governor issued the order, the engineers’ union filed an emergency request to pause the order until PERB has the opportunity to investigate the charge and issue a decision. PECG argued that its bargaining leverage was hampered by the change to its members’ working conditions, and the labor board should block the order until the parties had time to negotiate telework. Last week, the board denied the union’s request for injunctive relief. Toppin said the union has also filed grievances on behalf of its rank and file members and sought relief for managers and supervisors impacted by the telework policy change. “We’re exploring all legal opportunities to resist the return to office,” Toppin said.
The main road to Yosemite National Park is scheduled to reopen Wednesday, just in time for the long holiday weekend, Caltrans officials announced. The two-mile stretch of Highway 140 closed after rain caused rocks to slide onto the road but will reopen about 4 p.m. under one-way traffic control, officials said. Unseasonably warm weather gave Caltrans and private contractors enough time to clear the road after recent storms in time for park visitors during the long Cesar Chavez holiday weekend.
How did Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2024 return-to-office order impact state worker retirement? Apparently not much.
March 24, 2025
Caltrans Launches Long-Awaited Study on I-580 Truck Ban and Pollution Impact – KQED
After years of controversy surrounding a large truck ban on Interstate 580, a long-awaited Caltrans study on the ban’s impacts is finally underway.
How California Reservoir Levels Stand After Storms – Newsweek
March storms have added hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water to reservoirs across California. The state’s reservoirs are holding approximately 23.224 million acre-feet of water as of 7 a.m. PT on Friday, or 116 percent of the historical average for this time of year, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
Although many knowledge workers still enjoy some degree of hybrid working arrangements, a growing number of organizations have recently mandated a full-time return to the office and expressed strong opposition to so-called working-from-home or working-from-anywhere allowances. In a rational world, such opposition — and any decision organizations make — would be based on reason and backed up by facts, data and evidence. In the real world, however, corporate decisions about where employees work, like so many other decisions pertaining to talent management and culture, are not always based on reason, let alone data and evidence. Here are 10 of the most common reasons underpinning the current trend to abolish hybrid or remote work — and you are free to decide how valid or rational they seem.
March 20, 2025
More than two weeks have passed since Gov. Gavin Newsom surprised the state workforce by announcing a new return-to-office order. Public employees still have a host of questions for their boss. One common line of inquiry: Where’s the evidence?
Yosemite’s Highway 140 entrance blocked by rockslide, Caltrans warns of long-term closure – CBS
One of the major roads leading to the entrance of Yosemite National Park is blocked due to a large rockslide, and officials don’t know when it will be cleared.
Here’s where California reservoir levels stand after recent storms – San Francisco Chronicle
Steady storms continued to benefit California in March, with reservoirs across the state gaining 200,000 acre-feet of water from the beginning of the month to Tuesday — enough to fill 100,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
March 18, 2025
Monday’s Media Briefing contained an item with an incorrect link. PECG regrets the error and has reprinted the entire letter below.
PECG President Steve Lee’s Sunday letter to editor – The Sacramento Bee
RE: “Newsom isn’t Trump. His state worker return-to-office order is huge for Sacramento | Opinion” (sacbee.com, March 3)
As a local resident, taxpayer, and state employee union leader, I was disappointed by this fawning take on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to double state employees’ weekly in-office hours from two days to four starting July 1. The piece needed less provincialism and more skepticism.
This column echoes an unproven assertion that dialing down remote work “supercharges the downtown residential market by thousands of area residents.” In other words, it’s OK for the statewide government to retreat further from forward-thinking policy — one with documented benefits to the environment, taxpayers, and the state employees who serve them — because downtown Sacramento’s property values and nightlife might benefit.
We must consider why Newsom, who once wanted to make telework permanent and even wrote a 2013 book about government innovation, has decided it’s time to go backward.
Steve Lee President, Professional Engineers in California Government
March 17, 2025
PECG President Steve Lee’s Sunday letter to editor – The Sacramento Bee
In response to a March 3 opinion column, “Newsom isn’t Trump. His state worker return-to-office order is huge for Sacramento,” President Lee’s letter opens, “As a local resident, taxpayer, and state employee union leader, I was disappointed by this fawning take on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order doubling state employees’ weekly in-office hours from two days to four starting July 1. The piece needed less provincialism and more skepticism.”
Exemptions detailed for California state employees’ return to office order – KCRA News (Sacramento)
The California Department of Human Resources on Friday shared statewide guidance detailing some exemptions to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office order for state employees.
California regulators slam new-car-dealer campaign against emissions rule – The Hill via AOL
California air quality regulators are pushing back against a recent ad campaign launched by new-car dealers, which maintain that stringent zero-emissions targets could ravage the Golden State’s economy. The Calibrate campaign, an initiative of the California New Car Dealers Association, is raising opposition to California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which would bring an end to new gas-powered car sales by 2035.
March 13, 2025
In challenges filed with the state’s government labor relations board, SEIU Local 1000 and Professional Engineers in California Government claim that forcing workers back to offices four days a week violates the Ralph C. Dills Act, which outlines labor regulations between the state and public employees. The unions argue that the governor’s order will effectively shift telework employees from “remote-centered” employees who receive a $ 50 monthly stipend to “office-centered” workers receiving half that. By making this change, which is subject to negotiation, the unions say Newsom infringed on workers’ rights.
State workers in Sacramento protest Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return to office order – CBS 13 (Sacramento)
Hundreds of state workers converged Wednesday in the rain in the first organized protest against California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return to office order.
Even before the sleek new Natural Resources Agency headquarters opened in 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration hailed it as a symbol of government efficiency. Agency leaders packed more employees into it than it was originally designed to house. With many workers only coming into offices occasionally, not everyone needed a permanent desk.
“The new headquarters building will accommodate more staff with less space,” the administration touted in a January 2021 budget document. It had called on state officials to find ways to save money as employees were expected to telework for the long term. But the model that led to accolades four years ago has now created headaches. Newsom’s recent executive order calling state workers back to their offices at least four days a week is forcing agency leaders to quickly come up with plans to fit their employees into less available space.
March 10, 2025
Last week, SEIU filed an Unfair Practice Charge with the Public Employment Relations Board, standing with Professional Engineers in California Government to take legal action against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order for employees to return to their offices four days per week.
The California Public Employees Retirement System exerted its autonomy from Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday by informing its workers that the agency will maintain its policy that allows two days of remote work a week.
Remote Work Jobs Are Being Eliminated in Multiple States: What to Know – Newsweek
State governments across the U.S. have been moving to end remote work for public employees, with multiple states now having revised their telework policies post-COVID-19. Here is a list of what several states are doing and what happens next.
March 6, 2025
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Monday announcement that state employees would be back in offices four days a week, starting this summer, caught many off guard — but surprised few.
California is launching a major expansion of a mobile air quality monitoring program, deploying vehicles equipped with advanced pollution sensors to 64 cities across the state. The initiative was first piloted in Oakland and tapped Silicon Valley-based air quality monitoring and mapping company Aclima to lead up the program. The company won a $27 million contract with the California Air Resources Board.
California trucker stole 4,107 gallons of diesel fuel from taxpayers – Motor Biscuit
A Bay Area trucker allegedly stole 4,107 gallons of diesel straight from Caltrans yards in Hercules and Walnut Creek throughout late 2024. A watchful department employee noticed something was off. When repeated unauthorized fill-ups popped up on records, CHP set up surveillance at both locations and caught the trucker in the act. Authorities estimate he stole fuel worth $15,065 wholesale, and closer to $20,000 retail.
March 3, 2025
Topanga Canyon Boulevard will remain closed for public safety concerns while crews work to repair damage from the Palisades fire and recent rain, the California Department of Transportation said. Video from mid-February released by Caltrans shows State Road 27 between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive completely covered in mud, rock and debris prior to excavation.
Across the Sierra Nevada, this winter has been a tale of ups and downs, wets and dry and cold and warm temperatures. Now, the snowpack looks to be back on track for a normal year, with more storms on the way.
California snowpack rebounds amid a wobbly winter, with more storms on the way – KQED
Across the Sierra Nevada, this winter has been a tale of ups and downs, wets and dry and cold and warm temperatures. Now, the snowpack looks to be back on track for a normal year, with more storms on the way.
California’s high-speed rail aspirations threaten to become a slow-motion train wreck. The political window to fund the first segment from Merced to Bakersfield appears to have come and gone. Ahead, absent a change of direction, is a trickle of inadequate funding from Sacramento and a lot of rail-bashing from Donald Trump and California Republicans.
February 2025 News Items
February 28, 2025
DWR approves 15 groundwater sustainability plans in latest round of determinations (DWR via Maven’s Notebook)
Marking a major milestone towards sustainably managing California’s groundwater supplies, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced determinations for groundwater sustainability plans in 16 basins across the state. These plans are expected to present a roadmap for how local agencies will sustainably manage groundwater, acritical water supply for millions of Californians, over the long-term.
These customized plans are a critical piece towards implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) which is centered around the local control of groundwater basins. Passed in 2014, the law calls for local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) to develop and implement plans to achieve the sustainability goals of groundwater basins over a 20-year period. California’s groundwater basins, which collectively make up a massive underground reservoir, provide a critical water supply for over 15 million people, especially during dry years when surface water supplies are lacking. As California adapts to a hotter, drier future, these groundwater supplies will become a more vital resource for local water agencies and agriculture.
Trump’s Plan to Repeal Climate Policy Could Upend Shift to Electric Cars (The New York Times)
The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are preparing an unusual legislative maneuver in an effort to eliminate one of the country’s most ambitious climate policies, an order that was designed to shift the auto industry toward electric cars.
They plan to vote to overturn a California ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in that state by 2035. To do it, they intend to use the Congressional Review Act, a 1996 law that permits lawmakers to reverse recently-adopted regulations with a simple majority vote. But the California ban is not a federal regulation, it’s a different animal. It’s the result of a waiver that was granted by the Biden administration under the 1970 Clean Air Act, something that has been done more than a hundred times over the years by administrations of both parties. And itis not subject to congressional review, according to a 2023 decision by the Government Accountability Office.
February 24, 2025
California Water Resources Board clamps down on Kern County Groundwater Sustainability (KGET)
If stakeholders in Kern County’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan want to avoid a state takeover, they’ll need to do a better job of monitoring and measuring pumping activity, avoiding land subsidence and setting minimal groundwater levels.
Newsom appoints Dawn Ortiz-Legg to California Air Resources Board (Cal Coast News)
Governor Gavin Newsom appointed San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg to a seat on the California Air Resources Board on Feb. 20. The appointment requires Senate confirmation, according to a press release.
The Surprising Slowdown in California’s Electric Vehicle Boom: What’s Happening? (MotoPaddock)
Californians, famously eco-conscious, face an unexpected twist in the electric vehicle (EV) saga: a surprising stagnation in growth. The EV market, once charging ahead with a 46% jump, has sputtered to a mere 1% increase in registrations for 2024. With Tesla commanding a hefty 52.5% of the market, other automakers are left scrambling to hit the state-mandated 35% EV sales target. Failing to meet these benchmarks could spell penalties and restrict gasoline vehicle supplies, squeezing consumer choices and possibly inflating prices.
February 20, 2025
Trump Administration to review whether California high-speed rail is ‘worthy’ of federal funds (NBC4 Los Angeles)
A top Trump Administration official said Thursday that federal funding for California’s troubled high-speed rail project will be reviewed to determine whether the federal government will continue to provide money for construction.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the federal funding review in front of a boisterous crowd at a news conference inside downtown LA’s historic Union Station. Duffy announced plans to direct the Federal Railroad Administration to initiate a compliance review of funding for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Duffy said the review will focus on additional funds approved by the Biden Administration, but not yet allocated, for the Merced-to-Bakersfield rail connection, one portion of the construction project.
New rules that could increase California gas prices placed on hold. Here’s why they were paused (The Sacramento Bee)
Controversial changes to air pollution rules that could increase gasoline prices in California were placed on hold this week by a state agency that reviews regulations.
The California Air Resources Board in November approved revisions to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which it said would increase cleaner fuel and transportation options for residents. The Office of Administrative Law, which reviews regulations to make sure they are clear and legally valid, sent the air board a disapproval notice on Tuesday.
February 13, 2025
Ahead of Valentines Day, a group of state employees asked California leaders to show public servants some extra love.
Roughly 100 union members marched from SEIU Local 1000’s office on R Street to the nearby California Department of Human Resources’ building on Wednesday to deliver over 13,000 petitions, demanding the state grant a conditional 4% raise, instead of the normal 3% salary increase.
The 4% raise is conditional on “trigger language” that is included in SEIU Local 1000’s contract, which would give rank-and-file members an additional 1% salary increase on top of the 3% workers have received in previous years. The condition? The Finance Department director will decide whether the state has enough extra money in the budget to grant the 1% increase. The Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw has until the May budget revision to determine whether the state can afford the raise.
I have been around western water management long enough to work for some very different leaders. In Arizona, I worked under Gov. Bruce Babbitt implementing the state’s groundwater management act. Later, in California, I worked for Govs. Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, both with different styles and priorities.
Now, however, I fear we have entered a new, dangerous era under President Donald Trump’s second term. In recent days, we have witnessed water management decisions being made in Washington without the benefit of input from local experts and those being impacted.
Western water is as complex as an issue can get. Trump’s uninformed, shoot-from-the-hip style does not bode well for addressing the many connected and complicated issues facing western water managers.
February 10, 2025
Huge piles of mud still block California road, drone footage shows – USA Today
Road crews are continuing to clear a mudslide that blocked access to the historic Topanga Canyon outside Los Angeles following the devastating Palisades Fire last month. The mudslide sloshed into the canyon early on Jan. 27, forcing the closure of SR-27. Caltrans on Feb. 2 said the road would be closed indefinitely, and on Saturday, Feb. 8, announced that a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway, where the Topanga Canyon Road starts, would remain closed indefinitely.
Atmospheric river-fueled storms that soaked California over the past week benefited the state’s water supply. In addition to providing a “much-needed boost to the statewide snowpack,” storms increased storage in California’s major water supply reservoirs, said Michael Anderson, state climatologist with the California Department of Water Resources.
STAX Engineering plans to bring its exhaust-emissions collection barge to Europe and the UK after seeing growth in its home ports in California. The US technology firm has developed a unique, elegantly simple system to collect and treat ships’ emissions as they rise out of the funnels of berthed vessels. Ships using STAX’s system to comply with the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) strict emissions rules are given permits that exempt them from having to fit new technologies, use expensive fuels, or connect to onshore power. STAX has been developing ship-exhaust capture technologies under the guidance of CARB and now, buoyed by that experience, the company has its eyes on the European Union and the UK.
February 6, 2025
The majority of public servants who are eligible to work remotely are turning up to state offices at least twice a week, per Gov. Gavin Newsom’s directive issued last April. But the provision included language to allow employees to keep working remotely full-time on a case-by-case basis, notably for reasonable accommodations or “individual circumstances and the specific needs and objectives of the department.” Newsom’s office said in a statement most departments were in compliance with the telework policy.
PCH closes one day after reopening – LAist
Pacific Coast Highway will be closed “out of an abundance of caution” from Chautauqua Boulevard in L.A. to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu, according to Caltrans. The roughly 9-mile closure starts Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 3 p.m. until at least Friday, when Caltrans engineers will assess whether it’s safe to reopen the highway to the public.
The California inspector general tasked with reviewing the state’s high speed rail program issued a new report stating the first segment is likely to be more than three years behind schedule and faces a $6.5 billion funding gap.
February 3, 2025
The California Transportation Commission Friday allocated $1 billion for projects aimed at solving mobility challenges and aiding California’s continued effort to make the highway system more resilient to climate change. Of the total investment allocated this month, nearly $623 million comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Another $295 million comes from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
Newsom orders more water for California farmers and towns – CalMatters
As downpours soak Northern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered state officials to capture and store more stormwater in San Joaquin Valley reservoirs for farmers and towns and to “remove or minimize” any obstacles that stand in the way.
No, LA wildfires haven’t emitted more CO2 than all US cars | Fact check – USA Today via Yahoo News
The claim: Los Angeles wildfires produced more CO2 in two days than American cars have in decades. Our rating: False.
January 2025 News Items
January 30, 2025
Researchers recently found former state and local government employees contributed $28 billion in wages and salaries over the span of a year across California through pension spending. The study by the National Institute on Retirement Security reports that from casual eateries to sit-down restaurants, the service industry was the largest beneficiary of pension spending. Hospitals were a close second. More broadly, pension payments made to California resident retirees contributed $17 billion in local, state and federal taxes. Every dollar paid to pension recipients in California yielded $1.27 in economic benefits for the state, NIRS researchers found.
These Roads Aren’t Built for Wilder Weather Driven by Climate Change – Bloomberg
Important motorways across the world, including stretches of California’s scenic Highway 1, weren’t designed to withstand more extreme temperatures and rainfall.
The Electric Vehicle Fight Turns to California – Wired
Last week, in a wide-ranging executive order targeting green energy policies, the Trump administration said it would seek to “terminate” state emissions waivers “that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles.” The order, at this point more political messaging document than anything with the force of law, puts California’s clean car goals in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. Whoever wins this fight could determine the future of electric vehicles not just in the US, but—given the number of vehicles both sold and made in the country—globally, too.
January 27, 2025
Los Angeles County’s first significant storm in more than eight months has already forced the closure of the 5 Freeway at the Grapevine, unleashed mud on roadways, and triggered the closure of Malibu’s public schools Monday due to dangerous road conditions. Interstate 5 was closed at the Grapevine — the key section of roadway through the Tejon Pass that connects Los Angeles County with the Central Valley. The Grapevine was ordered shut late Sunday night, and crews were “working to clear snow,” the California Department of Transportation said. Caltrans on Monday morning suggested using U.S. 101 as an alternate route between Los Angeles County and Central California.
Toyota Truck Unit to Settle Emissions Fraud Charges for $1.6 Billion – The New York Times (free read)
Toyota Motors’ trucking unit has agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $1.6 billion in civil and criminal penalties for fraudulently concealing excess emissions from diesel engines sold in the United States, the federal Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday. California, which has stricter emissions requirements than the federal government, will receive $237 million as part of a settlement.
Trump directs US government to override California water policies if necessary – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday ordered the federal government to override the state of California’s water-management practices to bolster firefighting efforts. The executive order comes two days after Trump visited the Los Angeles region, which has been devastated by a series of wildfires. Trump has falsely claimed that Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and other officials refused to provide water from the northern part of the state to fight the fires.
January 23, 2025
Sacramento Delta water: Trump looks to move more water south – CalMatters via LAist
President Donald Trump lost no time Monday in advancing his agenda for California’s water supply with a “presidential action” intended to send more Delta water south to millions of Southern Californians and San Joaquin Valley farms.
California Air Resources Board awards $31 million to LA MER project – WorkBoat
Catalina Express, Harbor Breeze Cruises, and the Port of Los Angeles have recently secured a $31 million grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to test emission-reduction vessel technologies. The grant will fund passenger ferry and excursion boat demonstration projects focused on reducing emissions from harbor craft.
Assembly Republicans this week introduced a pair of bills aimed at defunding the California High-Speed Rail Authority. AB 267 and AB 273 both would reroute the approximately $1 billion that the state gives to the authority each year from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund toward projects addressing wildfire prevention and water storage instead
January 16, 2025
The state narrowed its goal of eliminating 10,000 unfilled government jobs by over a third, the Finance Department said Friday, after the Newsom administration opted to preserve vacant positions related to public safety and emergency services. California Director of Finance Joe Stephenshaw said 6,500 empty positions were eliminated as part of a planned vacancy sweep, 3,500 fewer than originally mandated, because “We understood that there were resources that we did not want impacted.”
FHWA Tightens “Buy American” Rules for Federal Infrastructure Projects – For Construction Pros
Although it didn’t come as a surprise to many industry experts, as of Jan. 15, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) waiver program, which had long allowed certain American-based manufacturing requirements to be ignored, came to an end. It likely comes as one of the final policy acts by the Biden Administration on infrastructure, which passed many historic and unprecedented legislative initiatives to be felt for decades to come.
What to know about online claims about who owns California’s water – CBS News via AOL
Accusations that one wealthy couple, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, have been hoarding water needed to fight the Southern California wildfires have been spreading widely online. While the Resnicks do own a large stake in the Kern Water Bank 150 miles from Los Angeles, claims they are hoarding the supply or hindering the fight to control the blazes aren’t true. Felicia Marcus, former chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, said that the state constitution includes a “prohibition against waste and unreasonable use.” That means that if “you actually ended up in a situation where somebody was withholding water at a grand scale,” the government could step in.
January 13, 2025
California has more money than expected. Here’s how Gavin Newsom wants to spend it – CalMatters
No deficits. A “modest” surplus of $363 million. Almost $17 billion more in revenue than planned. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office laid out its vision Friday for how California should spend its considerable bounty, a total budget of $322 billion — projected to be the second-largest state spending plan ever.
California wildfires: Water supply becomes flashpoint in Trump-Newsom fight – The Hill
The blazes burning across the Los Angeles region are not only devastating property and lives, but also fueling political arguments over how to fight the fires, with President-elect Trump blaming state officials for a dearth of available water supplies.
Regional, state officials take step forward on Otay Mesa Port of Entry Project – NBC San Diego
The San Diego Association of Governments and the state Department of Transportation approved major agreements Friday to construct a port of entry in Otay Mesa, taking one more step toward making the project a reality.
January 9, 2025
Deadly California wildfires close interstates, may disrupt freight across LA area – Freight Waves
At least three wildfires are burning out of control on the north side of the Los Angeles metro area, driven by dry conditions and extremely high winds. The Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire tore through neighborhoods from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena, burning thousands of structures and claiming at least five lives so far. The California Department of Transportation District 7 issued a statement via X about interstate closures as wind-driven flames jumped highways and moved inland.
EPA Approves California’s Strict Harbor Craft Emissions Rule – The Maritime Executive
With just days to go before the end of the Biden administration, the EPA has approved a controversial California rule requiring diesel particulate filters aboard ship-assist tugs and other small harbor craft.
Two decades ago, California set an ambitious employment goal: To reflect the state’s diverse population, one sixth of the government’s workforce would be filled by people with disabilities. For years the state fell short of this objective, established by the State Personnel Board — and since the pandemic, California has fallen further from that 16.6% benchmark.
January 6, 2025
California logs 7.5% drop in fatal crashes in 2024 from previous year – San Gabriel Valley Tribune
California likely had fewer traffic fatalities in 2024 than in any of the previous five years, nearly returning to pre-pandemic numbers. An estimated 2,824 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the Golden State in the first nine months of 2024, according to new preliminary data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — down from more than 3,000 in the same timeframe in 2023.
California may miss hydrogen station target by 60% – Mobility Plaza
The state of California could fall short by 60% of its 2025 target to establish 200 hydrogen refueling stations according to a new report by the California Air Resources Board.
Northern California Snowpack Off to a Much Stronger Start Than Last Year – KQED (San Francisco)
The snowpack near Lake Tahoe is far larger than it was at the start of 2024 but still short of the average for this time of year, California water officials said Thursday in the first manual snow survey of the season.
January 2, 2025
The popular program that has allowed more than 1.1 million California motorists to drive solo in carpool lanes in their low and zero-emission vehicles for more than two decades is set to expire this coming year. Absent Congress approving an extension, the Clean Air Vehicle decal program — heavily used by Teslas and other electric cars — will expire Sept. 30, 2025. The removal of solo drivers from carpool lanes could have a major impact on some highways, though transportation officials are cautious in making precise predictions.
California water officials to conduct first snow survey of 2025 – KCRA (Sacramento)
The start of another new year means another series of snow surveys conducted by the California Department of Water Resources. And many times over the years, questions arise as to why the state measures the snowpack and why it even matters to the everyday person. In short: The snowpack is an integral part of our water supply in the hotter and drier months of the year.
China Unveils Fastest High-Speed Train in the World – Newsweek via MSN
Officials in China have debuted a new model of high-speed train, which they say could be the world’s fastest when it enters commercial service. The CR450 bullet train prototype, which debuted in Beijing on Sunday, has a test speed of 450 kilometers (280 miles) per hour, authorities said—meaning it would break records already set by China for the fastest high-speed train.